2013 Honda CRF MX range revealed

First it was KTM. Then Kawasaki showed its hand. And now Honda has revealed its 2013 motocross bikes, covering everything from CRF50F up to the big daddy CRF450R, the latter of which gets the lion's share of the changes.

Honda Australia is still working out the price of the new model but says the 2013 CRF450R will be coming here in "late 2012".

The bike's design and engineering was guided by retired American motocross and supercross legend Jeremy McGrath, with changes focussed on mass centralisation and improved bottom-end power.

While there's new air suspension up front, the bike is bookended by an updated Pro-Link rear shock and a new swingarm, and this updated chassis has been designed to meet the needs of today's "scrub generation".

The new KYB air fork, or PSF (Pneumatic Spring Fork), ditches the regular steel spring and brings in pressured air, which not only saves almost 1kg but allows the adoption of a "more sophisticated" 32mm cartridge damper piston. The end result is supposed to be improved front end feel, but the new method of adjusting 'air pressure' could take some getting used to.

The Honda CRF450R also gets several powertrain upgrades, with the 449cc liquid-cooled four-stroke engine bestowed with plenty of fresh innards: a new flywheel, valves, and piston crown that increase the compression ratio. All of these changes are designed to give the bike more bottom-end clout.

The exhaust system has been tweaked too, a newer, shorter twin-muffler setup that "tucks in closely to the center of mass."

Visually there's some new bodywork too, so that everyone will know you're riding the new 2013 model CRF450R. Honda terms the new bodywork as "sharp" and "arrow-like".

2013 Honda CRF250R
Next in line is the popular CRF250R, which gets tweaked rather than overhauled for 2013. Changes to the bikes fuel injection are designed to give the bike a "bigger hit and more response in the low-end and midrange" says Honda.

Honda says the 249cc liquid-cooled single engine "will not disappoint".

Hoping to improve handling, Honda has added "new damping circuitry front and rear" and has updated the fork springs to deliver stiffer spring rates with "better bump absorption, improved tracking and more precise handling through those extra-rough sections of track."

Finally a new-generation Dunlop Geomax MX51FA rear tyre is said to shave "a little weight off the rear wheel assembly for more responsive action."

2013 Honda CRF250L
This new dual-sport Honda CRF250L is coming to Australia and will give Honda a new weapon to rival the likes of the Yamaha TT-R250 and the Suzuki DR-Z250.

The engine appears to be the 249cc DOHC single-cylinder unit from the Honda CBR250R road bike. Honda says the engine "produces smooth and consistent torque at low rpm to aid off-road work, yet the short-stroke engine also spins up excellent high-rpm performance for the street".

2013 CRF110F
The 2013 CRF110F replaces the CRF70F and is basically a bigger engine paired with an automatic gearbox, giving more scope to the fun bike.