need advice on trail riding set up

[Funnyguy]

Hey guys,

I've had my 2013 crf450r since the end of last riding season. I ride only trails, coal hills, single track, some open land, in north east PA, lots of rocks. This is my first newer 4-stroke, coming off an RM250. I'm having problems with riding my crf, to the point of maybe selling it. I love the bike but I can't seem to get good on it. I'm getting real bad arm pump and my hands are getting so worn out early in the day that I can barely use the clutch or feather the throttle. Tight single track has been the worst obviously.  I have the sag set to about 100mm with my weight(I'm only about 150lbs), clickers out pretty far past standard on fork and shock. Hyd. clutch too. Bike runs great and I can make it through all the nasty stuff but my hands are so tired I keep getting slower and slower through the day. Feels like I rode all day on my RM after just 45mins on the CRF. Is it too much bike for me, not set up right yet, should I sell it and go back to 2-stroke, should I man up and keep trying? I've put around 14 to 15 hours on it now and I'm getting discouraged. I'm no stranger to rocky nasty trails but I feel like a total beginner on this bike.

Advice on my set-up would be helpful, would bad suspension set-up cause worn out hands? Is it the weight difference? The CRF doesn't feel that much heavier than my RM did, until I get out on the trails.

Thanks

[Robt85]

Try different bar positions, grip sizes or different bars. Get a recluse, have someone set up your suspension for your weight and riding. Stiff suspension is great when going fast. But will kill your arms in slow rocky terrain imo.

[mv7000]

Get rid of the 450 and get a 250! Realy that's just too much motor at your weight riding single track with what sounds like stock suspension.

[tjg53]

If you only 150 , and you have stock suspension its way the stiff. You need lighter springs , and softer valveing .

[Greenwrench]

Sell the 450 ..... Try something else again I would not dump any money into it I would sell it and try another bike . Imo a 450 is to much bike for 90% of riders in most situations I sold my 450 and got back on a 250 two stroke personally missed the two stroke the lightness , way easier to start and like you said that 450 would wear me out after 2 hrs I can ride my 250 all day .

[eak stevens]

If you a ok with the torque and usable power the have they can be set up for your weight and set the gearing for the types of riding you do most I've never had a bike that came the way I needed it. First suspension then bars then gearing for your riding style I love my 15 crf450r for trails I keep everything on the plush side But in the end you have to way out your options. A lot of people talk about weight of a 4stroke In reality a 2015 crf450r is 244lbs ready to ride. A 2007 cr250r 2stroke is 213lbs dry ad 14lb for gas and 9 lb for antifreeze brings ready to ride weight 236lbs Usually that 8 lbs wouldn't effect the average trail rider

[Rob Pafford]

Stage 1:Use a G2 throttle tube with the 400 cam for about $100.  Have the bike re-mapped with the Honda tuner, you need to retard the ignition advance dramatically (cost to have it remapped by someone less than $100).  Add a trail tech flywheel weight 11 to 17 oz for less than $200.  Less than $400 you will have a dramatically different bike that is so much easier to ride.

Stage 2: Next level is to add the rekluse auto clutch $800 and a quiet muffler like an fmf Q series for about $450

If you do stage 1 and stage 2, the bike will be so much easier to ride, the finished product will be completely different from where you started.  Not hard to do.

[jblob]

I'm not on a 2013 but my 05 with different gearing made a huge difference, I'm 195lbs on stock suspension and its valved a bit rough but sprung well for me. My stock is 13/48 I have 12/48 now and really like it, I stall a whole lot less often in tight stuff now.

I also have the G2 throttle with the 400 cam in. I waited too long between rides to compare accurately. But I have the 050(10%bigger?) 100(stock) 200 (10%smaller) and 400 (20%smaller) cams. Only have 2 rides on the 400 can but I do like it. Very easy to control the power in really gnarly stuff. I dont really notice the step up much.

I have an FMF Q4. Much more quiet than stock. By a surprising amount. Has a spark arrestor so its legal everywhere. Paid $299 for mine

Some works connection radiator braces and skid plate

Flywheel weight is next on my list of upgrades

No rekluse or plans for one currently.

Really need a set of hand guards to stop breaking levers and perches. But I'm real happy with the bike

Edited April 25, 2017 by jblob

[lhc450]

At 150# with stock springs and valving, won't mater what you do to the motor and controls it's still gonna bounce you all over the place.
If you keep it, spend your money on suspension first.
Personally I'd sell it and get a 250/300 2T

[shrubitup]

Suspension then rekluse. It will become your Different bike.

[Red800rider]

Squeeze the knees

[jblob]

5 hours ago, Red800rider said:

Squeeze the knees

That's a big one too. Gotta have control over the bike or it'll be riding you all over instead of you riding it, being along for the ride is not nearly as fun. 

People seem to lean heavily to the smokers for offroad riding but I came from a smoker to my thumper and I dont want to go back. The top pros seem to switch back and forth depending on the event I notice Graham Jarvis rides both 

Edited April 27, 2017 by jblob

[Funnyguy]

Thanks everybody for all the advice, I think I'm going to sell it mainly because my cousin will sell me his CR250 in great shape for a decent price and it has low hours on it.

I'm afraid of putting anymore money into this 450, I do think I can make it better for me with the mods you guys are saying, but I'm worried I still might not like it.

It sure is awesome on open trails and big coal hill climbs though, crazy fast. Well I'll be putting it up for sale this weekend sometime if anyone near me is interested.

I'm about an hour north of Philadelphia. The bike is beautiful, I'm the second owner, just installed an acerbis 2.7 tank too, also just did the valve clearance check(all in spec).

 

[strokemetwice]

10 hours ago, Funnyguy said:

Thanks everybody for all the advice, I think I'm going to sell it mainly because my cousin will sell me his CR250 in great shape for a decent price and it has low hours on it.

I'm afraid of putting anymore money into this 450, I do think I can make it better for me with the mods you guys are saying, but I'm worried I still might not like it.

It sure is awesome on open trails and big coal hill climbs though, crazy fast. Well I'll be putting it up for sale this weekend sometime if anyone near me is interested.

I'm about an hour north of Philadelphia. The bike is beautiful, I'm the second owner, just installed an acerbis 2.7 tank too, also just did the valve clearance check(all in spec).

 

02 and up CR250 is an awesome trail bike.  KTM and Husky obviously reign supreme, but they are nowhere near as nimble as the CR250.  Gear it properly, make sure your RC valve is working properly, valve and spring the suspension (this is key with any bike) and rip it.  I love 4 strokes for track, but for trail I hate them with a passion!!!!  I have been on YZ250's, CR250's, KTM 250's and 300's and they are all much less taxing and more fun!!  Everyone I have ever told to try a 2 stroke on trails has since not gone back to 4 strokes. 

[Funnyguy]

Yeah, I've only rode 2-strokes until I got this 450. Maybe that's why I stink on it. Well I'll resell it before I destroy it, it is a very sweet bike.

[Robt85]

If your going new bike don't get an mx bike then. Get a proper enduro 2 stroke. Mx 2 strokes hits like crazy, fun in the open, not so much in the woods imo. Even the enduro 2 strokes I've ridden (gasgas ec300, ktm exc250/300) hits hard as f**k when u get on it. But still smoother then an mx bike.

[Eddie8v]

If you haven't remapped your ECU you should give that a shot! For my woods bikes, I tone down the power delivery surges at the lower throttle settings but keep it strong at the 50%-100% throttle settings. Remapping can completely change the bike down low...

Also, get a softer shock spring as you're likely running relatively low air fork pressures because of your light weight, so your bike balance is off, it's low/soft in the front, with that stock shock spring keeping the rear up.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Eddie8v

[bailout]

I race a 13 crf450r in Virginia hare scrambles and yes it's a lot of bike but with the right setup it's awsome. 150 is really light on that bike though. I'm 230 and it's still a lot of bike in the woods. I did lowered foot pegs, car high bend fat bars, a rekluse, woods remap and it was a whole new bike. Ran amazing but still beat me up some so just had the suspension done and wow what a change. In hindsight I would have done the suspension first if I had known how much it changed the bike, everything else's made it more comfortable (maybe not the rekluse, that thing is game changer) but suspension made it handle and turn like never before. Shoot me a pm if your interested in parting out that tank I'm looking for one now

[Eddie8v]

If you pay shipping both ways I will remap your ECU for free, hate for you to sell a perfectly good bike. PM me if you're interested.

[shrubitup]

41 minutes ago, Eddie8v said:

If you pay shipping both ways I will remap your ECU for free, hate for you to sell a perfectly good bike. PM me if you're interested.

It's ok if he sells the bike to me for a $1,000 however.  Pennsylvania is a bit far away though.

Edited May 1, 2017 by shrubitup