Enduro motorcycle test Honda CRF450L 2022

Enduro motorcycle test Honda CRF450L

I don't know if there's a word or phrase that perfectly describes the feeling of waiting for something for so long that you start to forget about it. And when it finally happens, you're a little shocked that it finally happened. But I felt it earlier in the year when Honda announced the full lineup of 2022 CRF models and with it, the fully street-legal CRF450L.

For riders who prefer motocross, the event will not be akin to an earthquake, but for all other riders, this event will be like the heavens opening up and angels answering people's prayers.

A little drama

Now for some drama. KTM began producing registration-plate-legal enduro motorcycles in the mid-2000s. These were 520 and 450 cc EXC models. In fact, these were their four-stroke, off-road motorcycles with fairly large engines and they were quite popular. At the same time, the phrase dualsport evoked very unpleasant associations for any true off-road motorcycle riding enthusiast. This meant that a motorcycle designed for driving on public roads (editor's note - public roads) came to the world of off-roading with all the attendant disadvantages such as greater weight, greater comfort for traveling on asphalt rather than off-road. At the same time, Husqvarna had models of the TE line, which were approved for additional access, but also coped well with off-road conditions.

Enduro motorcycle from Honda

This short historical sketch gives us the necessary understanding of how off-road enthusiasts have patiently waited 15 years for a fully road-legal off-road motorcycle from a Japanese manufacturer. We're not saying that the XR, KLR, DR/Zs or WR/XT weren't good enough bikes, they're good enough in the world of dual-sport motorcycles as long as you don't talk about tight mountain trails.

honda crf 450l 2019

The fact that the CRF450L is based on the 2022 CRF450R is amazing in itself! Japanese manufacturers are very conservative, and if a bike falls into the line of approved motorcycles for additional access, then the whole point comes down to an incredible safety margin of the equipment and nothing more. The CRF-R and CRF-X, and now the RX, are competition machines designed with performance in mind. In the list of priorities in the production of these models, performance completely prevails over all other qualities. This is why service intervals have been significantly reduced. For all road models, including the XR650L, performance is still there, but safety and durability are prioritized. That's why Honda, and every other Japanese manufacturer, waited so long to make such a motorcycle.

Driving performance

Fuel consumption directly depends on the quality of the road surface. Depending on their driving style, users give different numbers. Average - 8 liters per 100 km (it is worth noting that the tank has the same volume).

Maximum speed

The maximum declared speed is 100 km/h.

According to user reviews, the bike is dynamic and accelerates quickly. This largely depends, of course, on the conditions of use.

Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h

To accelerate from 0 to 100 km, the developers voice a figure of 4.2 seconds .

Honda CRF450L suspension

I would like to start the review with the most interesting component of the Honda CRF450L motorcycle - the suspension. Honda did the right thing by maintaining very performance suspension settings, satisfying the demands for driving on special roads and off public roads. Typically, dual-sport bikes like the EXC-F have stock suspension settings that are too comfortable and have springs that are too soft. Thus, fast riders had to change the springs in the fork and rebuild the rear shock properly. But not in the case of Honda. The fork is practically no different in internal components from the R version, providing all the necessary features for off-road driving, and has a fully adjustable shock absorber.

The first thing I felt was that the fork was a little on the stiff side. I felt some deflection on tree roots and rocky surfaces and overall the fork was too active, as if there was too much rebound. During the break in the test, we adjusted the compression lower and tightened the rebound slightly to make the fork behave more predictably. There were no special complaints about the shock absorber and the fork settings gave excellent controllability and predictable behavior of the suspension. The overall feel of the CRF450L's suspension gives you a very lively feel and the desire to jump from rocks to tree roots, undulating terrain, allowing you to attack tight mountain descents and enduro trails of varying difficulty.

Engine Honda CRF450L

Meanwhile, while the transmission is very close to the R version's box, the Honda CRF450L engine is a little more different from it. I expected a little more power from the L version, especially since Honda claims up to 70% of the power of the R version. But they had to make a lot of changes to make the bike street legal and pass their internal reliability tests. There is a different timing mechanism, higher crank inertia (12% higher than the R version), a 12.0:1 compression ratio, a three-ring piston design, different ECU settings, and a one-way exhaust system that meets the necessary environmental requirements.

And don't get me wrong, I was satisfied with the power characteristics, as well as the feel of its response, similar to the CRF450R. But overall, the Honda CRF450L enduro motor is smoother and has a more linear response, like a tamer version of the R. Which is a good trait for a dual-purpose bike. Honda's crossover motor is a beast of a motor and one of the most exciting motors in the 450cc category. Trying to ride downhill with such a motor will be frustrating and will completely exhaust you.

On the L version, you can still say you're on a 450cc bike, as it's easy enough to spin the rear wheel with a simple lift of the throttle. I can't say where the rumors about 25 horsepower appeared on the Internet, but I can say for sure that it is not true. Even though Honda doesn't release horsepower numbers, my built-in dyno in the rear tells me the L version isn't too far off from the R and RX versions. It's just that the L version delivers power a little differently and takes a little longer to get the meat out of the engine. There is plenty of torque at the rear wheel at low revs and it feels like the bike is sneaking around very quickly due to the fact that it is very quiet. The Honda CRF450L enduro motorcycle really loves low revs and mid-range. It doesn't shoot out at super high revs, but it doesn't need to. The mid-range was perfect for my ride, providing great feel on tight trails across all gears.

As I shifted gears, I realized that the six-speed gearbox was my favorite part of this bike. On other dual-sport bikes, there were huge gaps between the slow, low gears and the higher, faster gears. For example on the XR650, if I remember correctly, first and second gears are very low and close to each other, and then there is a huge jump to third gear, which simply stops working in a measured off-road riding mode. Meanwhile, the CRF450L has a very smooth transition from first gear (a low enough gear to overcome serious obstacles almost on foot) to sixth gear (at a speed of 138 km/h on the highway without revving the engine to the point of roaring, and thanks to the quiet exhaust - it is quite difficult hear).

Handling Honda CRF450L

Despite the modified front fork angles in the trailing arms, the Honda CRF450L retains a fantastic amount of the capabilities of the R version. In particular, when negotiating a downhill path with narrow sections and running zones, the motorcycle reacts immediately to changes in direction and steering around trees, rocky areas and tree roots. Small bends of the track, fast ascents and descents on this motorcycle are just the bomb! However, when you need to slow down and turn the bike 180 degrees, there is a feeling that it is much heavier than the R version, and other exclusively off-road motorcycles.

The Honda CRF450L is simply heavier on its own. It doesn't turn in slower, it just requires a little more effort from the rider than a bike without a registration plate. But the stability is much higher than that of the CRF450R, which in some cases is very mobile and sometimes even nervous. The Honda CRF450L Enduro is rock-solid on dirt roads and even on very flat dirt roads that would be difficult to hold on to on any other bike. It's worth noting that we didn't ride on the stock IRC GP21/22 tires. Instead, we went with the Dunlop 606, which has a slightly more aggressive tread but is still geared toward performance riding rather than just off-road.

Dimensions and weight

Attempts to lighten and accelerate the motorcycle as much as possible have led to the fact that the dry weight of the models is not much higher than the weight of the average pit bike - 116 kg.

The equipped motorcycle (filled with all fluids) weighs 123 kg.

The side stand adds a couple of kilograms to the weight. Whoever fights for lightness can take it off.

Before describing the external parameters, it is worth recalling that enduro has a high seating position by definition. This affects both ground clearance and the rider's riding position.

The motorcycle has:

in length - 2180 mm ;
width - 780 mm (including protruding mirrors on X versions - 820 mm );
height - 1275 mm , seat - 863 mm .

Wheelbase and ground clearance are 1490 and 340 mm, respectively.

Who is it suitable for?

Despite the initial positioning of the bikes only for Japanese markets, tall European users note that it is quite comfortable to sit and ride. The steering wheel does not touch the steering wheel; it reaches extreme positions without problems.

This powerful cross bike leaves a lot of positive emotions after the first ride.

As a result of the 2006 redesign, versions of subsequent years of production have no height/weight restrictions .

Honda CRF450L is ready for more

In addition to tuning spare parts, there are many spare parts unique to the CRF450L in the CRF line. To reduce the overall noise level of the motorcycle, Honda used a myriad of features to make the motorcycle more inconspicuous on the road. First of all, these are chain traps on the drive and driven sprocket, which remove noise from the chain. Protective engine covers are also used, which, in addition to protecting the engine, reduce noise from the operation of the engine internals. Finally, the swingarm is filled with urethane (something like rubber-plastic), which also reduces the overall noise from the motorcycle on the road.

Meanwhile, where any enduro bike can handle a bit of electrics and a little luggage, the CRF450L is ready for more. The aluminum yoke adds rigidity all the way to the rear fender, allowing the installation of a luggage rack for smaller loads. Also, a generator and a high-capacity lithium-ion battery are ready to provide operation of GPS navigation systems, additional lighting, chargers for your gadgets, heated pens, a coffee machine and a mini-fridge... Well, maybe we went too far with the refrigerator and coffee machine, but you understand us!

The Honda CRF450L's gas tank is made of titanium, as on the R and RX versions, but it has a volume of 7.5 liters, which will allow you to drive for quite a long time. We traveled about 160 kilometers during the day and only refueled our motorcycles at lunchtime. Even despite the annoying mistake (my motorcycle was not fully refueled in the morning and the fuel light came on after 19 kilometers of the trip), we added 2 liters of fuel and rode half the day without problems.

Specifications

When creating an engine for the line, the developers took into account that air cooling in cross-country racing conditions is often not enough, so the new version of the bike is liquid cooled.

The aluminum radiator of the cooling system is located under the gas tank.

No other special solutions were used and the bike received a 4-stroke engine with the following parameters:

working volume - 448 cm3;
power - 48 hp;
number of valves - 4;
cylinders - 1;
cooling - liquid;
fuel supply - carburetor;
ignition - electronic;
start - kick starter;
fuel tank - 8 l.

Engine start

On the first models, starting the engine was possible only from the kick starter foot.

Minimum electrics did not provide the possibility of starting the engine from a button. But after the rebranding of 2006, such an opportunity arose. Buyers of the X version were offered a choice of three options:

kick starter leg only;
electric start button only
both options at once.

Those who wanted to have a second or third option had to pay extra for wiring additional electrical equipment.

Transmission and clutch

The bike is equipped with a 5-speed gearbox, specially rebuilt for cross-country competitions.

The volume of oil poured into the crankcase is indicated on the engine body.

Unlike the standard sequential circuit the gear ratios were reconfigured (reduced) and the pedal stroke length was changed. This was appreciated by both athletes and off-road enthusiasts. The box switched without problems , reacting very sensitively to the movements of the motorcyclist’s legs.