Honda 2023 CRF450R Dirt Motorcycle Review Specs Price

The Honda 2023 CRF450R Dirt Motorcycle’s power delivery is smoother, and its acceleration is improved out of bends thanks to the bike’s technological improvements, including its narrower intake-port form and longer intake funnel, updated cam profile, and lower throttle body diameter. Steel engine mounts (instead of aluminum) aid increase front-end traction, and the frame’s stiffness has been optimized by increasing material thickness in critical areas. To match the stiffness-optimized frame, a higher-rate shock spring was installed, and the fork settings were adjusted. The muffler’s body is made of heat-treated aluminum, and it employs a novel inner-pipe design to increase its strength and lower its noise output.

In 2023, Honda will release a special 50th Anniversary Edition of the model with a paint job evocative of the CRs that dominated AMA Motocross and Super Cross in the 1980s. An all-new blue seat cover, white number plates, gold wheels, gold handlebar, grey metallic triple clamp, and unique graphics make this variant instantly recognizable to lovers of the period.

Given Honda’s long and distinguished history with motocross, it’s no surprise that the name is almost associated with the sport. Honda’s CR and CRF models have been race winners for 50 years, and its famous riders have amassed an impressive number of national and world titles. Chase Sexton, Ken Roczen, Jett and Hunter Lawrence, and the rest of Team Honda HRC ride the cutting-edge motocross technology and performance on the present CRF Performance series. This lineage began with Gary Jones’s original 1973 CRF250M Elsinore. To honor its history, Honda will release a special 50th Anniversary Edition of the model in 2023 with a paint job inspired by the iconic ’80s CRs that dominated AMA Motocross and Super Cross. Significant engine enhancements to boost corner-exit acceleration and chassis changes to better handling are included in both the standard edition and the 50th Anniversary Edition.

Honda 2023 CRF450R Dirt Motorcycle – Features and Specs

Engine / Drivetrain

The CRF450R engine has exceptionally high peak power and excellent bottom-end and intermediate power and torque, providing for a linear delivery that is powerful yet controlled as the rider tires. Lubrication is handled via a twin 12 mm drum scavenge pump and a five-hole piston oil jet.

The Unicam® cylinder head’s design, which places the decompressor system’s counterbalance on the left end of the camshaft, aids in maintaining combustion stability at low rpm, allowing for solid but controllable power delivery at corner exits and providing stall resistance. In 2023, the cam profile was revised at Team Honda HRC’s request, increasing low-end torque. The cylinder head cover is magnesium, but now it has a thin wall design to save weight.

The CRF450R has a considerable air boot that allows for powerful torque at low revs thanks to the bike’s downdraft intake configuration. 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 minor intake port boost low-end torque and responsiveness to the throttle. A single bolt on the side panel has to be removed to provide 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.

The engine’s exhaust port is situated smack in the middle, is oval in cross-section, and is exceptionally straight, all of which serve to maximize exhaust efficiency and torque. Because the engine’s exhaust port is in the center, 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 cuts down on noise without sacrificing performance or weight (the whole system comes in at a featherweight of 8.5 pounds). The new A6061-T6 aluminum used for the muffler body is five times more impact resistant than the previous generation’s aluminum. The power increase and noise suppression are accomplished by two resonators, one located behind the front U-bend and the other at the upstream end of the muffler.

To provide long life with little slippage and a light lever pull, the clutch is hydraulically driven and has eight plates.

In terms of electronics, a gear-position sensor enables three distinct ignition maps for first and second gears, third and fourth gears, and fifth gears, respectively. An innovative button on the handlebars lets riders choose between three different ignition maps: Standard, Smooth, and Aggressive, simplifying fine-tuning for individual riders or environmental factors.

The CRF450R has a toggle switch on the handlebars that lets the rider choose between three settings. The HSTC system may be turned off entirely if necessary.

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. Changes to the 2023 model’s suspension settings and chassis enhance stability and handling.

Skeleton

Frame, Swing arm, and Subframe to achieve its lightweight under 18.5 pounds; the frame uses small main spars and optimized reinforcing ribbing on the reverse side of the pivot plate. By increasing the thickness of the aluminum at the front joint from 4 mm to 6 mm, the frame’s stiffness has been improved for the year 2023. A similar increase from 4 mm to 6 mm in thickness has been made to the upper shock mount. Because the front and rear suspension parts may now move without binding, the vehicle is steadier and smoother over bumps. In addition to the increased stiffness brought about by the redesigned frame, the engine hangers are now constructed of steel rather than aluminum.

The same lightweight simplicity and low mass of 2.0 pounds may be found in the subframe. The stiffness of the swing arm is optimized for rear traction and handling, and its standard width makes it easy to drive over 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. The increased freedom of motion of the shock due to the revised frame stiffness made it possible to increase the spring rate 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. For superior cornering responsiveness and control, the top and lower triple clamps are built to be equally stiff.

Wheels

D.I.D rims in black provide dependable performance and stylish excellent aesthetics. The low-expansion front brake hose and the petal-shaped brake rotors provide intense sensation and steady stopping force. Dunlop supplies the CRF450R with its outstanding Geomax MX33 tires, widely regarded as the gold standard for use on mild to moderate terrain. With input from professional motocross riders, the MX33s have cutting-edge technology that improves grip, slide control, bump absorption, and durability.

Design

The 2023 Honda CRF450R 50th Anniversary Edition pays tribute to the company’s history of manufacturing groundbreaking motocross bikes by channeling the style of the RC and CR motorcycles that ruled AMA Super Cross and Motocross in the 1980s. Blue seat cover, white front and side number plates, gold wheels and handlebar, grey metallic triple clamp, and unique graphics characterize this variant.

Both iterations of the CRF450R maintain the same sleek bodywork as its predecessor, making it easier for riders to maneuver around the bike and turn corners. Air-outlet vents in the radiator shrouds were designed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and the covers are manufactured as a single unit rather than being made of two pieces. The radiator grills maximize cooling efficiency by adjusting the number of fins and the angle at which they are arranged.

Seat installation is simplified by rearward-facing tongues on the base and front-located mounting tabs that use g-forces to hold the seat. The titanium gasoline tank only weighs 1.7 pounds.

Both radiator shrouds, side panels, and the seat are held in place by a total of eight bolts, and all of these bolts have 8 mm heads to make servicing the vehicle easier.

Multiple controls, including engine off, riding modes, and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), are consolidated into a single switch cluster. On the right side of the Renthal® Fatbar® grip are the starter and HRC launch control. The handlebar clamp may be attached in either of two places, and the clamp itself can be rotated through 180 degrees, allowing for four distinct mounting configurations within a width of 26 mm.

Honda 2023 CRF450R Dirt Motorcycle – Price

The new Honda 2023 CRF450R Dirt Motorcycle is available at $9,599 only.

Honda 2023 CRF450R Dirt Motorcycle – Technical Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain

Chassis & Suspension

Dimensions & Additional Information