Honda CRF450L

The cfr450l is a cfr450x made road legal by Honda, it’s not in the guise of the CRF250L, which bears no relation to a crf250xrl. It’s been thoroughly re-engineered to pass the most stringent emission regs, but is vastly superior to any other road legal trail bike. There are better more powerful Offroad bikes, but theyre not designed for road use. Have a go on a Honda CRF250L and then ride a crf250xrl, one weighs 146kgs and the other 115kgs, one cost £4600 and the other cost £6700, there’s a huge difference in every way, because the crf250L is not a serious Offroad bike, it’s a road bike that looks like an Offroad bike.

How many times do we read someone say “why don’t manufacturers take a competition bike and make it road legal”, we’ll that’s exactly what Honda have done. If you added a oil cooler and auxiliary oil tank to increase the volume of oil, it would do many more miles without an oil change. A crf250L takes 1.8 ltrs of oil, a crf250xrl take about 1 ltr of oil, an L has a relatively easy life, an xrl has it’s neck rung everytime it’s ridden.

If you have a 70 mile road ride to a trail, refuel before you get there, spend a couple of hours on the trail and then top up on the way home. If it had a 3.5 gallon tank, everyone would be saying it’s too wide.

Adventure bikes are too heavy Offroad and Offroad bikes are crap on the road, unfortunately no one wants to make a 450/500 Offroad bike that is a great road bike too. The CRF450L has been made to replace the XR650L, it’s more powerful, much lighter and a much better handling bike, it ain’t perfect that’s for sure, but it ain’t bad either. And anyway, who rides stock bikes, they’re the platform to add to, to make the bike better suited to your own requirements.

Cheers for the explanation. I was under the misapprehension that it was simply a larger CRF250L...which it isn't.
 
The cfr450l is a cfr450x made road legal by Honda

I have a CRF450XRL. And it's made road-legal by Honda. How does introducing the 450L offer something different to that if it can't go more than a few days of long riding before it needs an oil change? I'm struggling to get it. :confused:
 
I have a CRF450XRL. And it's made road-legal by Honda. How does introducing the 450L offer something different to that if it can't go more than a few days of long riding before it needs an oil change? I'm struggling to get it. :confused:

The difference between your bike (CRF450XRL) and the New CRF450L is that your bike is “Designed for off-road use. Road legal, but suitable for minor/limited road use only. Extended road use may invalidate warranty.” it’s an Offroad bike that’s road legal, the CRF450L is fully compliant with road regs, has a catalytic converter and I guess is euro 4 compliant.

Everything on the bike is road legal, including the tyres, I’m guessing the tyres and silencer on your bike are not CE approved and according to the recents tests by journo’s in the US, I know which one I’d rather do a 70 mile road trip to a trail on, the 450L is smooth and quiet compared to the other 450’s in the range.

It’s also probably better on fuel consumption too and it may even get the 2 year warranty and assistance cover, if it’s sold as a Adventure bike by Honda.
 
Changed the oil in my old KTM450 EXC first time I took it to Morocco after 1 week (probably around 50 hrs of riding, say 1,200 miles and several crashes) and it was fine. Fitter at work told me unless you are canning the bike all day then they are fine. Oil came out looking brand new and motor didn't go bang.
 
I have a CRF450XRL. And it's made road-legal by Honda. How does introducing the 450L offer something different to that if it can't go more than a few days of long riding before it needs an oil change? I'm struggling to get it. :confused:

6 speed box is a major plus over your bike
 
Maybe an issue if correct....

The eu and Asia market = ED/K, North America = AC. If it’s correct, why oh why oh why Honda? :blast
Let’s hope it’s restricted like a 4rt, restrictor washer in the inlet, restricted ring in the header pipe and restricted air intake airbox.
 

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The difference between your bike (CRF450XRL) and the New CRF450L is that your bike is “Designed for off-road use. Road legal, but suitable for minor/limited road use only. Extended road use may invalidate warranty.” it’s an Offroad bike that’s road legal, the CRF450L is fully compliant with road regs, has a catalytic converter and I guess is euro 4 compliant.

Everything on the bike is road legal, including the tyres, I’m guessing the tyres and silencer on your bike are not CE approved and according to the recents tests by journo’s in the US, I know which one I’d rather do a 70 mile road trip to a trail on, the 450L is smooth and quiet compared to the other 450’s in the range.

It’s also probably better on fuel consumption too and it may even get the 2 year warranty and assistance cover, if it’s sold as a Adventure bike by Honda.

I do get what you're saying about the warranty and extended road use bit on the XRL. But for clarity, the silencer and tyres on the 450XRL are all CE approved. Everything is. Honda wouldn't be allowed to sell it as road-legal if it wasn't fully compliant to CE standards.

However, I would be really surprised if the 'L' get the 2 year warranty and assistance cover unless Honda stipulate the oil change and valve clearance checks are done at a suitable dealer/garage. And I can't imagine that Honda or many owners are going to do that.

But yes, as you say, it may well be better for road use than the XRL and more comfortable (although mine isn't that uncomfortable tbh). But IMHO, the oil change intervals are still going to stop it being the 'holy grail' of lightweight, long distance adventure bikes the market is screaming out for.
 
Just wait for Banks deals, £2.5k off all the bikes Honda failed to sell in the first year ;)

Good idea
In USA they are about $9400, which translates to about £7500 ish which makes a lot more sense
As usual Honda have taken the USA or Europe price and applied it to UK in full without currency conversion
Treasure Island once again
 
https://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/off-road/crf450l/overview.html

“Torque versus power

Away from the MX track too much peak power saps precious energy. On the trail torque that finds drive is what matters and the CRF450L makes a strong, fluid 32Nm balanced by power of 18kW, making life easy for its rider, not harder.”

:rolleyes: so Honda want to Nanny it’s eu buyers, whereas the US get about 45hp.
 
Saw one today for the first time

Bloody gorgeous and so well put together by Honda

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Very nice love that top yoke, fork tops and dash. As you say shame they’re not £7.5 k (or less :D). I’d love to have go on one back to back with a wr exc etc. that would be a great day out :green gri
 
Very nice love that top yoke, fork tops and dash. As you say shame they’re not £7.5 k (or less :D). I’d love to have go on one back to back with a wr exc etc. that would be a great day out :green gri

Yes
Top yoke is real quality - as were a lot of other nice details

The bike just oozes quality that the orange and white bikes can't match as they are pared down to race

Anyone buying this would have a lovely bit of kit - a modern XR

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Yes
Still waiting for a realignment though
At £8000 they would be more attractive
 


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