2023 Honda CRF450R Review

Clearly, bigger isn’t always better in the motocross landscape.

In the past two decades since four-stroke machines have become the preferred choice for most (but clearly not all) motocross enthusiasts, the debate rages on as to whether a 250cc or 450cc is the better bike of choice.

Many weekend riders and clubmen-level experts agree that a 450cc machine is overkill for most, and KTM has indeed created a sub-market with the evergreen 350SX, an in-between machine of sorts.

That brings us to the 2023 Honda CRF450R. It’s a big-bore MX weapon, but certainly has elements of a 250cc with its power delivery and ease of use.

Changes to the 2023 Honda CRF450R appear quite minor in nature, but are acutely focused on making it a more rideable, user-friendly machine for all skill levels.

Pricing has been kept close to the 2022 model year, which is a bonus, at $14,098 ride away for the garden variety 2023 Honda CRF450R. That’s about $1000 cheaper than some of its European contemporaries.

Related reading:
All-new 2021 Honda CRF450R revealed
Honda unveils first electric CRF
2022 Honda CRF450RX Review

For 2023, the Honda CRF450R commemorates 50 years of elite motocross machines for the red manufacturer – dating back to the original 1973 Honda CR250M Elsinore. To mark the occasion, Honda is offering a 50th Anniversary Edition of the CRF450R; it adds $400 to the sticker price ($14,498) and gives a strong nod to legendary CRs of the 1980s with a blue seat cover, white number plates, gold rims and handlebars, a grey-metallic triple clamp and special graphics.

There’s also a limited-edition Works Edition model ($17,198), which adds a host of mechanical changes but is said to be completely sold out.

But back to the changes…

Beginning with the liquid-cooled 449cc four-stroke engine, Honda has introduced a narrower intake-port shape and a longer intake funnel, plus a revised cam profile and a 2mm smaller HRC-developed throttle body diameter (now 44mm), plus updated mapping to suit and a muffler body now fashioned from a tougher heat-treated aluminium.

The result is a purportedly smoother power delivery and increased torque at the lower end of the rev spectrum, with marginally less power at the top.

Elsewhere, the Honda CRF450R’s frame has been strengthened in “strategic locations” – believed to be the front joint near the steering head, at the bottom the radiators and at the top shock mount – while aluminium has been swapped out for steel on the engine mounts and engine hangars.

Honda has also taken the opportunity to revisit the suspension, introducing stiffer shock spring and revised fork parameters to better match the engine and chassis tweaks. The Japanese manufacturer believes the changes deliver increased tyre grip and improved stability and bump absorption, “making the bike more stable and delivering faster turns”.

For the record, the front and rear suspension is fully adjustable: for the shock, 11 positions for rebound and six for compression, and for the 49mm USB coil spring fork, 13 positions for rebound and 15 for compression.

As before, the Honda CRF450R offers three-stage mapping, traction control and a three-stage launch control feature, which are all configurable from different switchgear on the handlebars. Gearing remains the same as before, the brake rotors are unchanged (260mm disc up front and 240mm at the rear) and the CRF450 is shod with Dunlop Geomax MX33 tyres.

The Honda CRF450R’s kerb weight is listed at 110.6kg weight, making it one of the heavier 450cc options.

Our test of the new 2023 Honda CRF450R takes place at the Macarthur District Motorcycle Club facility at Appin, in western Sydney.

We’re spending all our time on the back ‘race’ circuit, which offers a variety of deep, muddy ruts on the launch morning, plus a mix of skatey, hard-packed surfaces as the sun beats down throughout the afternoon.

With the HRC Honda Racing team on-hand for set-up, we set our sag at 105mm and adjust levers and ‘bars to suit.

On face value, the Honda CRF450R again impresses with its fitment of plastics, uses of materials and overall finish, with D.I.D wheels and quality components dotted all over.

Let’s start with the engine, which is arguably the biggest talking point of the 2023 CRF450R. Honda has managed to offer a more mellow and linear spread of power for 2023, which in turn makes this big-bore machine more manageable for a broader spectrum of riders.

The smaller throttle body feels as though it’s the secret sauce in the 450’s rideability. The Honda CRF450R has an uncanny smoothness upon initially cracking the throttle, resisting the jerkiness that afflicts many likeminded machines and offering a nice, predictable demeanour down low in the rev count. The smoothness places less reliance on clutching out of tighter turns, and means you can make small initial openings with the confidence of knowing what the bike will do.

From there, the engine doles out its power in generous but manageable doses, finding its happy cadence in the middling revs, where there’s an abundance of power immediately available – meaning you can access the broad torque wave out of corners, or call on a bit more urgency to master larger obstacles ahead.

The engine-gearbox synergy is strong, too, with a strong spread of ratios to match track conditions, plus an easy shift pattern and light, predictable hydraulic clutch take-up.

As our resident go-fast man – professional off-road racer, Glenn Kearney – notes, the engine offers more mid-range torque and useability than before, with a very marginal loss up top: “Maybe there’s a little bit less off the top, but I’m in third gear the whole time and taking advantage of the torque on offer,” he says. “Sometimes it feels you’re going a little slower because you’re not feeling the aggression of the power, but in actual fact on the clock and in speed, you’re going quicker.”

The chassis changes complement the revised engine: it feels planted across Appin’s varying layout. More than anything, the Honda CRF450R is a stable motorcycle, and inspires confidence with its surefootedness under power, through the air and in changes in direction.

Back-to-back rides on the smaller Honda CRF250R demonstrate the typical added engine inertia and heft of the 450, which does blunt its cornering performance marginally, but gives you a heck more power to play with.

Across both models, we encounter a little bit of front wheel tuck on approach to looser corners, but will ultimately reserve judgement until we can pit the Honda CRF450R against some of its competitors on the same circuit in the coming months.

Resident pro Kearney says: “I found maybe a little bit too much weight transferring to the front end, and the back was a bit stiff. To counter that I ended up pushing the forks through and lifted the front back up and put the load on the rear. That helped a little bit. The bike is quite tuneable and it’s quite close to the way I like it out of the box – I haven’t changed much.”

Elsewhere, we’re a big advocate of the Showa fork in particular. It feels supple in its initial compliance over pitter-patter bumps, but also proves progressive over larger hits and plush as it approaches the end of the stroke. There’s little doubt you could tailor the Honda CR450R’s suspension to your weight and ability without too much trouble at all.

There are no complaints regarding the standard Showa shock either. It helps the Honda CRF450R track predictably under power and offer stability through faster corners.

The Honda CRF450R offers middle-of-the-road performance where braking and manoeuvrability is concerned. It initially feels as though it lacks the stopping power of its Austrian contemporaries and is precise with its agility and handling, without re-writing the rule book.

For us, the electronics suite is one of the stronger offerings in the 450 category, with the ability to mellow or wind up the power and its sharpness. We are equally enamoured by the traction control system, which is metered and unobtrusive with its interventions. The Honda CRF450R cannot quite match the likes of Yamaha with its smartphone app – which allows you dial in lap times and more detail – but the hardware side of the equation is strong.

As a sum of its parts, the 2023 Honda CRF450R is a decidedly improved machine, and one that will cater to a broader range of abilities. The battle will continue to rage on as to whether 250cc or 450cc is the better solution for everyday riders, but we reckon the new big-bore CRF is a strong advocate for 450cc performance.

And fittingly, the changes made for 2023 will be welcome news to professional, amateur and intermediate riders alike.

ENGINE
Type: Four-stroke, single-cylinder
Capacity: 449cc
Bore x stroke: 96mm x 62.1mm
Fuel supply: EFI, 44mm throttle body

TRANSMISSION
Type: Five-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, hydraulic

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Twin-spar aluminium
Front suspension: 49mm Showa inverted telescopic fork, 273mm travel
Rear suspension: Showa single shock with linkage, 315mm travel
Front brake: 260mm disc
Rear brake: 240mm disc
Tyres: Dunlop Geomax MX33 – Front 80/100-21, Rear 110/80-19

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed kerb weight: 110.6kg
Seat height: 965mm
Ground clearance: 336mm
Fuel capacity: 6.3 litres

OTHER STUFF
Pricing: $14,098 ride away
Colour: Red, white
Test bike supplied by: Honda Motorcycles Australia