2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike Review Specs Price

A factory motor crosser’s power, low weight, and sharp handling can be replicated in a dirt bike, and such a machine would be the stuff of every dirt rider’s dreams. That’s why we make the 2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike; it’s our dream, too. We’ve updated the 2023 CRF450R so much that it’s the ideal vehicle for off-road endurance racing. Improvements like increased low and intermediate torque on our 2023 CRF450R truly push the RX to the next level. Additional RX variations? Use all the traction you can get in various situations with Honda’s Selectable Torque Control. You can easily handle rough terrain thanks to the lightweight chassis, 18-inch rear tire, hydraulic clutch, and customized suspension settings. Then there’s the unbeatable selling point: our impeccable reputation for quality and dependability. You won’t believe your riding buddy’s story about having to trek out ten miles in his motocross boots, but you will laugh it off once you’re out on the trail. Say to him that he should have gone with a Honda CRF450RX.

The 2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike is a sophisticated but adaptable motorcycle that can handle the wide range of terrain encountered in closed-course off-road racing, from the high-speed courses of NGPC and WORCS to the intricate woods riding of GNCC. This model, like its motocross-focused sibling, the CRF450R, has had its chassis and engine updated to increase acceleration and handling while exiting corners. The championship-winning CRF450RX is the motorcycle of choice for a wide range of off-road racers, including the SLR Honda and JCR Honda teams, thanks to its track- and trail-ready design, and off-road-specific features like a dedicated ECU and suspension settings, a large 2.1-gallon fuel tank, an 18-inch rear wheel, an aluminum side stand, and hand guards.

2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike – Features and Specs

Engine / Drivetrain

Power and torque throughout the CRF450RX’s rev range are superb, providing for a linear delivery that remains powerful yet controllable as the rider tires. The engine’s top end is also very respectable. Lubrication is handled via a five-hole piston oil jet and a dual 12 mm drum scavenge pump.

Cylinder Head

The counterweight of the decompressor system is located on the left side of the camshaft in a Unicam® cylinder head, which aids in maintaining combustion stability at very low rpm, allowing for strong but controllable power delivery on corner exits and providing stall resistance. To improve low-end torque in 2023, engineers implemented changes recommended by Team Honda HRC. The cylinder head cover is magnesium, as previously, but now it has a thin wall design to save weight.

Intake

The CRF450RX’s huge air boot (4.1 liters on the clean side of the air filter) and downdraft intake configuration result in a lot of torque at low revs. In response to HRC’s suggestions, we reduced the diameter of the throttle body from 46 millimeters to 44 millimeters to improve power delivery at low speeds. The longer air funnel and smaller intake port boost low-end torque and responsiveness to the throttle. Simply removing one bolt from the side panel provides access to the air box. The spray may travel to the rear of the butterfly thanks to the 60o fuel-injector angle, allowing for optimal intake efficiency and torque feel by cooling the upstream side of the intake channel.

Exhaust

The engine’s exhaust port is situated smack in the middle, is oval in cross-section, and is extremely straight, all of which serve to maximize exhaust efficiency and torque. Because the engine’s exhaust port is in the middle, the exhaust header and muffler may be placed low on the bike, giving the rider more room to maneuver about. The damper has been updated for 2023 with a new inner-pipe design that reduces noise without sacrificing power or weight (the whole system comes in at only 8.5 pounds). In addition, the A6061-T6 aluminum used to construct the body of the muffler has been upgraded to make it five times more resistant to impacts. Two resonators, one after the front U-bend and one at the upstream end of the muffler, perform the same functions as the previous resonators: increasing power and decreasing noise.

Clutch

The clutch features eight plates and a high volume, making it quite durable yet easy to use.

Electronic

For the electronic components, a gear-position sensor enables three different ignition maps for the first and second gears, third and fourth gears, and fifth gears, respectively. There is a new switch on the handlebars that allows the rider to choose between three different ignition maps: Standard, Smooth, and Aggressive.

There are also three intervention intensities available with Honda’s Selectable Torque Control. For better rear-wheel traction, HSTC will momentarily reduce torque by retarding ignition timing and regulating PGM-FI in response to increased engine speed. The three modes provide varying degrees of drive management to accommodate various terrains and riding styles.

Mode 1 is best for minimizing wheel spin and controlling tight bends since the system intervenes gently and waits for the longest before doing so.

Mode 2 compromises Mode 1’s extreme slowness and Mode 3’s excessive assertiveness.

Mode 3 is the system’s fastest and most forceful mode of intervention, useful when the road is wet or slick.

Three modes are available on the CRF450RX, and the rider may pick one using a switch on the handlebars. It is also possible to turn off the HSTC system entirely.

Chassis / Suspension

To produce minimum squat under acceleration and insignificant tilting during severe braking, the motorcycle’s heavier components are positioned centrally and as low as feasible for precision turning without losing high-speed tracking. Stability and maneuverability have been enhanced with modifications to the structure and suspension for 2023.

Chassis

Frame, Swing arm, and Subframe to achieve its light weight of only 18.5 pounds; the frame uses slender main spars and has improved reinforcing ribbing on the reverse side of the pivot plate. By increasing the thickness of the aluminum material from 4 mm to 6 mm at the point where the twin horizontal braces meet the down tube, the frame’s stiffness has been enhanced for the year 2023. The thickness of the top shock mount has also been doubled from 4 to 6 millimeters. These modifications enhance stability and bump absorption by allowing the front and rear suspension components to move without binding. In addition to the increased stiffness brought about by the redesigned frame, the engine hangers are now constructed of steel rather than aluminum.

The subframe retains its lightweight simplicity, weighing only 2.0 pounds. The stiffness of the swing arm is adjusted to optimize rear traction and handling, and its thin profile allows for adequate clearance in ruts.

Suspension

A Showa shock absorber with right-side adjustments and an ultra-light steel shock spring are used in the same Pro-Link® rear-suspension system. As a result of the increased freedom of motion made possible by the revised frame, the spring rate was increased from 54N/mm to 56N/mm without increasing harshness. Because of this enhancement in hold-up, performance is enhanced in ruts.

A gas-liquid separation mechanism and a 49 mm inverted Showa® coil-spring fork make up the front suspension. In 2023, we adjusted the fork to match the revised shock, achieving the ideal front-to-rear weight distribution. The lower and upper triple clamps are designed to provide the right amount of stiffness for superior handling and cornering sensation.

Black D.I.D rims are strong, reliable, and stylish wheels. The low-expansion front brake hose and the petal-shaped brake rotors provide strong sensation and steady stopping force. Dunlop provides the CRF450RX with tough AT81 tires optimized for riding on a wide range of off-road surfaces.

Design

Both iterations of the CRF450RX retain their predecessor’s lightweight, aerodynamic shape, making it easier for the rider to maneuver around the bike and round corners. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was utilized to create air-outlet vents in the radiator shrouds, manufactured as a single component rather than in two. The radiator grills are designed to maximize cooling efficiency by adjusting the fin count and angle.

Rearward-facing tongues on the seat base make installation easier, while front-located mounting tabs use acceleration forces to hold the seat firmly. The bigger 2.1-gallon plastic fuel tank

Each radiator shroud, each side panel, and the seat are secured with eight bolts, and all of these bolts have 8 mm heads to make servicing the vehicle easier.

The engine stop, the riding modes, and the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) are all controlled by a single set of switches. The Renthal® Fatbar® has the starter and HRC launch control mounted on the right side of the grip. The handlebar clamp may be attached in either of two places, and the clamp itself can be rotated through 180 degrees, giving you four potential mounting configurations over a width of 26 mm.

Off-Road Specs

The CRF450RX differs from the CRF450R, which is designed for motocross, by including a variety of characteristics that are more suited to use in off-road terrain.

The customized ECU map improves power delivery for low-traction off-road situations, while suppler suspension settings improve performance over rocks and roots. The R’s 49-tooth rear sprocket is replaced with a 50-tooth one in the XT, while the XT’s 18-inch rear wheel allows for a larger tire sidewall, improving compliance over uneven terrain. The 2.1-gallon resin tank will enable you to go further without refueling.

Protect your knuckles from the bush and roost with these lightweight, removable plastic handguards. The CRF450RX has a forged aluminum side stand for easy trailside parking.

2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike – Price

The new 2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike is available at $8,799 only.

2023 Honda CRF450RX Off-Road Bike – Technical Specifications

Engine

Suspension

Brakes

Tires

Measurements