CRF450L Media Ride - What would you like to see us cover?

[NoFiddyPilot]

The media will get their chance to ride the Honda CRF450L the 2nd week in September in the mountains of Washington State and we'll be there! ? Given that ThumperTalk is community based, I thought this would be a good opportunity to check with you, to see what you'd like to know the 2019 Honda CRF450L; at least what you've not been able to glean from the limited photos and videos floating out there anyway.

Reply with what you'd like us to check out, find out, whether it be from the Honda folks, other editors, or from our own seat time. This will really help us out in terms of marking sure we cover what YOU want to know about this hotly anticipating dual sport. We'll certainly do our best! ?

[Romy]

Fuel range. Not something I usually see in a review but important to most dualsporters

[fatbikeracer]

Engine power delivery, torque, and how that computer works at calculating miles left in the tank, because its gonna be important with that capacity. And roughly how is the suspension sprung.

[jumper12]

Ask why only a 2 gallon fuel tank? On a 450 that is at most 80 miles of backcountry riding. 

[notime]

May i suggest you show up on a FE501 so you’ll be able to make an accurate and  direct comparison for us. 

I need to pull the trigger before my wife spends  all our money on a house remodel so i need to know... soon.

 

Edited August 24, 2018 by notime

[NoFiddyPilot]

42 minutes ago, notime said:

May i suggest you show up on a FE501 so you’ll be able to make an accurate and  direct comparison for us. 

I need to pull the trigger before my wife spends  all our money on a house remodel so i need to know... soon.

 

Sorry, the closest is going to be a Boeing 737. ? But, if I did ride an FE501 from Florida to Washington State for the event, I'm pretty sure it would be a BMW 1200GS with an ass massager. 

 

[notime]

9 minutes ago, Bryan Bosch said:

Sorry, the closest is going to be a Boeing 737. ? But, if I did ride an FE501 from Florida to Washington State for the event, I'm pretty sure it would be a BMW 1200GS with an ass massager. ?

 

I meant to the event, perhaps from a vehicle parked 2 miles down the road..  I would never want anyone to experience that kind of pain.  

 

[NoFiddyPilot]

1 minute ago, notime said:

I meant to the event, perhaps from a vehicle parked 2 miles down the road..  I would never want anyone to experience that kind of pain.  

Yeah, that would be rough! I'll be on shuttle bus to the venue with other editors.

[Danoz]

The 2 things I want to know are:

1. Gearbox ratios and the spread from 1st to 6th

2. Service schedule and what that 32,000km major service entails.

 

[1972RedNeck]

8 hours ago, Danoz said:

The 2 things I want to know are:

1. Gearbox ratios and the spread from 1st to 6th

2. Service schedule and what that 32,000km major service entails.

 

^this. Need hard numbers and specs. Transmission ratios always seem to be about the last thing released.

[Neilly]

See if you can find out if there really is a difference between USA and Euro models...and if so what they are (I'm in Thailand and 'if' they import the 450L we'll get the Euro version)...and as previously mentioned above, service intervals and what the 32k overhaul entails

[FORMA MOTO]

Just ride it and report back. You guys know what you are doing.

Actually it would be great if you did NOT compare it to a Euro dual sport, as they are not required to meet all the DOT or EPA specs,  nor do they meet the Asian Reliability Standards .

It will be somewhat of a tank, granted....but will it be a successful new generation of XRL, that is what I want to know..   

Comparing a Honda Civic to an Audi Q5 doesn't learn us much......

[NoFiddyPilot]

15 hours ago, THE KRAN said:

Just ride it and report back. You guys know what you are doing.

Actually it would be great if you did NOT compare it to a Euro dual sport, as they are not required to meet all the DOT or EPA specs,  nor do they meet the Asian Reliability Standards .

It will be somewhat of a tank, granted....but will it be a successful new generation of XRL, that is what I want to know..   

Comparing a Honda Civic to an Audi Q5 doesn't learn us much......

Actually, that's the plan. TT isn't a magazine with fancy editorial staff and an entourage of camera people. Just long time riders that love riding, so our perspective will simply be: what's does a regular joe, weekend warrior think of the bike. I see no reason to get into splitting hairs over tech specs. I think what people what to know is (in no particular order):

How's the power and how is it delivered?
How's the riding position?
How does the clutch feel and operate?
How's if shift, especially when you're hustling? How's the spacing?
How's the seat?
How's the gas mileage?
How's the suspension in a variety of conditions? Does it feel buttoned down? Does get confused anywhere?
What's the overall quality, fit, and finish?
How do the brakes feel and perform? 
How tall is it?
How's it turn, both in slow and faster conditions?
How's the gearing for slow conditions and higher speed roads? 
How's are the gauges? Easy to read? Fuel gauge? Any other useful functions?

I'm sure there's more. 

The ride isn't a comparison ride, it's what we learned about the bike and how it rides in a variety of condition. The points of comparison can be discussed thereafter. Don't worry, I'm not brand loyal. I do love my 690, but I do not dislike other brands. I very well might have purchased a CRF450L had they been a choice at the time. I didn't buy the 500EXC b/c it was more of a dirt bike with plate then the favor of dual sport that suited my need. I'm wondering if the CRF450L splits the diff between the two bikes. On paper, it seems less hard core dirt than the 500 dual sport euro brands, but more so than a 690. We'll see, but there is a market there. Dual sport is a spectrum for sure. 
 

[fatbikeracer]

I hope its not a 500 EXC, if I wanted that I would have got it! Hoping for a more 'dual' dual sport.

[1972RedNeck]

11 hours ago, Bryan Bosch said:

 I see no reason to get into splitting hairs over tech specs.

 

How's the gearing for slow conditions and higher speed roads? 

Reporting exact transmission gear ratios is not splitting hairs - it gives us an objective review that we can use to compare for ourselves. Transmission ratios seem to be about the last specs available to us - if you could shed some light on the subject a lot sooner than normal...

[Danoz]

It's a Honda - it's a pretty sure bet that all of the items listed will be fine.  I reckon I could write the review already.... "smooth power delivery, good torque, suspension good unless you are heavy / super fast, weight not noticable as it is centralised, good quality".

All new bikes are pretty good, it's the details that separate them. 

I want a gearbox spread between that of a 500EXC and a WR250R.

I want to know if I can ride it for 32,000kms with nothing more than oil/filter changes and the odd valve adjustment - then open it up, replace a set list of components and repeat.

I'll add in fuel consumption although it's tough as it depends on use.

Oh and put the power rumours to bed once and for all.

[NoFiddyPilot]

19 hours ago, 1972RedNeck said:

Reporting exact transmission gear ratios is not splitting hairs - it gives us an objective review that we can use to compare for ourselves. Transmission ratios seem to be about the last specs available to us - if you could shed some light on the subject a lot sooner than normal...

Of course. My statement was in general, not every possible exception. I'm dual sporter, so in your example, I'm looking for useable gearing offroad that isn't too tall, making the bike harder to ride in slower conditions, but at the same time, I don't want to be tach'n on 55mph backroads. I don't want something with weird spacing or gaps either. Sure, some can read ratios and deduct that. Most I think just want to understand how flexible the gearbox is for the variety of speeds & conditions a dual sport rider will encounter from someone that has ridden the bike. I'm not the guy that geeks out over gear ratio charts for example. In fact, I've never used one as a factor on what bike to buy and I've never ended up with a bike that sucked. ? Again, useful data for sure, for some. Thx for your feedback RN.

[1972RedNeck]

3 hours ago, Bryan Bosch said:

Of course. My statement was in general, not every possible exception. I'm dual sporter, so in your example, I'm looking for useable gearing offroad that isn't too tall, making the bike harder to ride in slower conditions, but at the same time, I don't want to be tach'n on 55mph backroads. I don't want something with weird spacing or gaps either. Sure, some can read ratios and deduct that. Most I think just want to understand how flexible the gearbox is for the variety of speeds & conditions a dual sport rider will encounter from someone that has ridden the bike. I'm not the guy that geeks out over gear ratio charts for example. In fact, I've never used one as a factor on what bike to buy and I've never ended up with a bike that sucked. ? Again, useful data for sure, for some. Thx for your feedback RN.

 

Glad to know you get what I'm saying - If you could give us a direct comparison to say the CRF250L, that would be just as good (well, almost anyways) if you're not a numbers geek like I am.

 

I have never bought a bike that I haven't before hand poured over the gear ratios and plotted them all out with different final and even primary drive ratios. Sometimes the engineer in me comes out just a little bit...

[Danoz]

On 8/31/2018 at 9:12 AM, 1972RedNeck said:

 

Glad to know you get what I'm saying - If you could give us a direct comparison to say the CRF250L, that would be just as good (well, almost anyways) if you're not a numbers geek like I am.

 

I have never bought a bike that I haven't before hand poured over the gear ratios and plotted them all out with different final and even primary drive ratios. Sometimes the engineer in me comes out just a little bit...

There is a link to some info on the 'features and specifications' thread, sourced from a Japanese website.  Gear ratios are in there.  Overall gear spread is less that a KTM500EXC, more than a DR650.

Also covers servicing - basically oil and filters and valves until the major service where everything moving gets replaced.  

Also states 2 year warranty and 24ps (hp).  My guess is that the warranty and service intervals are based on this 'restricted' configuration.  Full power mode will likely void warranty and increase servicing.  I have seen this before with other brands.  

[fatbikeracer]

There is a link to some info on the 'features and specifications' thread, sourced from a Japanese website.  Gear ratios are in there.  Overall gear spread is less that a KTM500EXC, more than a DR650.



Also covers servicing - basically oil and filters and valves until the major service where everything moving gets replaced.  



Also states 2 year warranty and 24ps (hp).  My guess is that the warranty and service intervals are based on this 'restricted' configuration.  Full power mode will likely void warranty and increase servicing.  I have seen this before with other brands.  

US is 12 month warranty 40 hp