I'm considering making my '06 CRF450R into a motard to help save on gas. My main concern is how far I'll get before I'm stranded on the side of the road with no gas. I figure with my stock 2 gallon tank, I could get around 100 miles if I get 50 mpg (simple math, really). Has anyone done this to their bike before? I really don't want to dish out the cash for a new tank.

CRF450s don't get 50mpg. I wouldn't trust it to go 50 miles on a tank until after I tested it.

You'd be lucky to get 80 miles, less if you are having fun.

Exactly what I figured. I knew that my bike wouldn't get 50 MPG, it was just a hypothetical.

I'm trying to avoid using my truck as a daily driver because it's about $100 per tank of gas and I don't want to get rid of my Honda, but I guess I might have to.

TheBatjon, on 08 March 2012 - 03:10 PM, said:

Dont forget about the maint schedule too.  How much is the oil you run in the bike?  How much is a top end rebuild every year if you are putting a lot of miles on it.  Have you swapped valves yet?  If you really want to save money spend $800 and pick up an older dr650, xr650 or klx650 and use it for daily commuting duties.

On my drz i was getting about 55mpg on the stock carb.  When i put an fcr on it im still getting close to that(about 50).  My guess is you are looking in the 35-45mpg range if you are lucky.  Plus if i were using a crf for a street bike i would probably want an extra quart of oil capacity.  Then factory in oil changes at $10-$15 every week(if it were me).  The tires you will roast through:)

Really if you dont ride MX picking up something like a drz or wr will give you what you are looking for.

Edited by shift1313, 09 March 2012 - 01:57 PM.

The gas thing is predictable. The hi-strung maintenance of a thouroughbred race type bike would worry me more about sitting on the side of the road. It would be fun as hell, but not the best choice to become a daily driver...just wants too much lovin' all the time. It will not appreciate being ridden hard and put away wet.