Honda CRF450L 2019 Reviews

Recently, American Honda invited me out to Packwood, Washington to ride the 2019 CRF450L, one of the most hotly anticipated new motorcycle model releases in recent memory. I’ve been reading posts for years from riders begging the Japanese manufacturers to bring them a modern, performance oriented dual sport motorcycle, and I too was happy when I learned that Honda had stepped up. Increased competition means better bikes and more choices for us riders! ?

Despite our stickers all around, Honda didn't let me keep this 450L .

Our 106 mile test loop included a section of country highway, twisting back roads, gravel forest service roads, fast & flowing double track, and epic technical single track. Weather was cool & damp and we rode elevations from approximately 1,000 to 5,300ft.

106 Miles of Dual Sport happiness!

Our test bikes were stock except for the installation of Dunlop D606 DOT tires, suspension clicker adjustments for the conditions being ridden, and sag adjustment as necessary. I’m a 49 year old, off-road focused dual sport rider with 35+ years of recreational riding experience. I’m not always the fastest in the group, but I rarely bring up the back either.

What Type of Rider is the CRF450L Most Suited To?

I think Honda was pretty accurate by framing the 450L as a trail-to-trail, performance dual sport. No question that it leans more towards the true dirt side of the spectrum, but with enough comfort and refinement baked in to make your ride to the trailhead and connecting trails enjoyable. It’s docile enough for a developing rider with decent throttle & clutch skills to enjoy on mild to moderate single track, but still has the ability to satisfy accomplished riders who like to push in more demanding conditions. Our test group included a few very fast riders (including Johnny Campbell) and no one said that the bike was holding them back much, if at all. I certainly didn’t feel limited when pushing anywhere. What the 450L is not is a light-duty trail machine designed more for traveling distance on graded dirt roads or highway. It very well might just do that, but it certainly isn’t one of its core competencies, nor would it be my first choice for such. 

Does the CRF450L Have More Than the Rumored 25hp?

Oh, heck ya! Honda didn’t provide actual dyno numbers, but they estimated the 450L to be in the mid 40hp range. My butt dyno says that’s in the ballpark. It has enough oomph to keep things exciting, but not so much that you can get in trouble quickly when you're tired. No question that fire-breathing power can be fun, but for a long day in the saddle, the 450L power didn’t unnecessarily wear me out.

Yeah, the CRF450L will wheelie. Photo by Drew Ruiz

Throttle response is crisp and power delivery is super smooth & completely linear to its 10,000 rpm redline (5th gear). Roll-on power lower in the RPM range is initially a tad soft, something fairly common with emission controlled dual sports. However, a downshift or handful of clutch produces pretty much instant boost. To be fair, I’m a bit of a short shifter, so riding the bike in lower gear at a little higher RPM kept the motor in the sweet spot of the power curve.

The 450L has a 12% heavier crank and a heavier clutch basket than the 2019 CRF450R, making the power very tractable and resistant to stalling. The 450L put the power down incredibly well, making for excellent traction despite running a little higher tire pressure than I prefer (15psi front & back). I did manage to stall the bike a few times, but I blame that more on my left hand and gear selection than the bike.

I asked Honda if the ECU could be remapped, but they were a little hesitant to dive into that pool. And, I understand why. I pressed them just a bit and they did say that the ECU can compensate to some degree, such as for an aftermarket exhaust and that an ECU remap may be possible. You’ll have to form your own conclusions.

Is the CRF450L Showa Suspension Any Good?

The 2019 CRF450L has the same, fully-adjustable Showa 49mm coil spring fork & Pro-link shock as its 450R & 450X cousins, but specifically tuned for performance dual sport riding. It’s sprung for around an 180lb. rider (fully geared) and Honda took into consideration that some riders will be adding additional weight with the installation of a rack or soft luggage and cargo. Since we're talking about cargo, the aluminium sub-frame extends the full length of the rear fender and while Honda didn't quote us a weight limit, I rode at least a 175lb. rider back to his bike. I suspect that it will handle pretty much whatever most riders will need to carry.

Fully geared up, including a full hydration bladder and trail incidentals, I’m right at 210lbs.. Despite being 30lbs. over the ideal spring weight, I thought that the 450L suspension worked incredibly well. Riding over washboard forest service roads at a pretty good clip, I took note of how planted and composed the bike remained. On the trails it soaked up rocks and roots well, and even square edged hits didn’t transmit harshly though the handlebars or upset the chassis. I also took note of how well the bike handled sections of stutter bumps, something that does a good job of exposing suspension weaknesses.

Fun fast & flowing section of Pac NW single track. Photo by Drew Ruiz

On one of the higher-speed dirt roads, climbing up to a decommissioned fire outlook (Burley Mountain) were some awesome roller humps. I didn’t slow down for one in particular and when I was just about to lift off, I noticed that I was going to land in a dip on the other side. I figured that I was going to bottom out both ends, but to my surprise, the suspension fully soaked up the hit! Suffice to say, out-of-the box, I think that the 450L Showa suspension is highly effective, forgiving, and can only get better if sprung and valved for a rider’s weight, conditions, and skill level.

Does the CRF450L Feel Heavy?

I guess that depends upon what you’re use to. It feels noticeably lighter than my KTM 690 Enduro R, but not too much heavier than a KTM 450 EXC that I used to own or a KTM 450 XC-W that I rode this summer while in Colorado. Nowhere on the trail did I feel like I was wrestling a beast or fighting against the bike.

The 450L has a slightly longer wheelbase than the 450X for added stability on the road, but it still dropped into turns willingly and steered accurately. It didn’t take long for me to build confidence in the bike’s handling, trusting the front-end to stick and to start brake sliding into corners. The 450L is a very predictable handler, confidence inspiring, and fun to ride. I don't think it took more than an hour on the bike to feel right at home.

For those looking to save every ounce of weight, the biggest savings will probably come from an aftermarket exhaust, as the stainless silencer includes a catalytic converter to comply with emissions. It already comes with a light-weight Lithium battery, so there simply isn’t unnecessary weight just hanging around. Me? I wouldn't touch the stock exhaust and I'll cover why later in my review.

How’s the Gas Mileage?

The specs have been out on the 2019 CRF450L for a while now, so many have already shared their concerns about its 2 gallon fuel capacity. Obviously, mpg is going to vary by how you ride the bike and the conditions being ridden. Honda quoted an average mpg for mixed conditions of 50, so right at 100 miles per tank. While the digital dashboard doesn’t have a traditional fuel gauge that displays what you have left, it does tell you how much fuel you’ve consumed, how far you’ve ridden, and your average mpg for both trip A and trip B settings.

Admittedly, when we got back from the ride, I was pretty tired, soaked to the undies, and ready for a hot shower. So, I forgot to check how much fuel the bike had burned!  What I do know is that approximately 2 gallons took me through 106 miles of epic Pac NW mountain roads & trails, I didn’t ride with fuel economy in mind, and I absolutely got my fill of riding that day.

For some riders, 2 gallons won’t be enough, so they’ll have to look to the aftermarket for a solution. I recently talked to Chris Harden, the GM at IMS Products and he confirmed that they’ll have an extra capacity tank ready in about 6 weeks. He further said that it should be between 3 to 3.2 gallons in capacity, have a screw cap and dry break option, and colors of black and natural. IMS will be sending me a 450L  tank to check out, so I’ll post up some pictures when it arrives. Curious to see where they found the extra room.

How’s the Gear Box & Clutch?

The 2019 CRF450L features a 6 speed wide-ratio transmission with fairly low 1st gear for tight conditions and a 6th with enough legs for highway speeds.

1st gear is usable in very slow, technical conditions, but the bike can feel a little jumpy at times because the fuel mapping is somewhat sensitive. If you have good throttle and clutch control it’s not a big deal, it's just something that I noticed while getting to know the bike. In terms of gear spacing, I think Honda did a good job with the ratios, not noticing any unexpected or annoying gaps.

I was able to get the 450L up to 80 mph on a longer back road (closed for safety of course ?) and there was still more speed to be had. I don’t see an issue with the bike cruising at 65-70, 75ish for shorter runs, and 80-85ish when passing. The 450L doesn't have a tachometer, so I can’t say what the bike was turning at different speeds. But for the vast majority of traveling speeds, the bike isn't rapping out or feeling like you’re squeezing. I asked Honda for the 450L transmission gear ratios, but I'm still waiting on them. I'll add them here when they come in. Honda did say that at 65 mph, the engine is turning in the 6,000 rpm range.

Overall, I really enjoyed the 450L gearbox.  It’s very smooth to operate, it’s quiet, and despite being on an unfamiliar bike, I didn’t have a mis-shift the entire day. I wish my 690 transmission was this good honestly. As a point of reference, I wear size 10 boots and getting under the shift lever was no problem.

I was initially a little disappointed to see that the 450L doesn't have a hydraulic clutch, but I found lever pull to be smooth and light as far as cables go. The clutch perch has a manual adjuster wheel that works well, even with gloves on. We didn't ride hard enduro conditions, but there were sections of technical single track that required more aggressive clutching and I didn't notice any fading or chatter.  Both control levers are on the shorty side, something I prefer and both were effective with two fingers.

How are the CRF450L Brakes?

The 450L has a 260mm cross-drilled wave rotor up front that is squeezed by a Nissan 2-piston caliper. To meet DOT requirements, the front rotor is a thicker and the hydraulic reservoir carries more fluid. At the rear is a matching 240mm rotor and single piston caliper. No ABS is present at either end.

The front brake has good initial bite without being too grabby. I found it easy to modulate, fade free, and plenty powerful. The back brake was a little grabby, but I was just using it how I ride my 690. Once I adjusted my inputs it was fine and in short order I was brake sliding into corners like normal. The brakes were also able to haul the bike down from 70-80 mph on wet back roads with no drama.

Is the Seat Comfy?   

It’s a slim profile dirt bike seat with fairly firm foam that, for its intended purpose, it's fine. Compared to the range of MX and Enduro bikes that I've ridden, it's one of the more comfortable, but it's not XR650L comfortable for example. Surprisingly, I didn’t start to get uncomfortable until the last hour, hour and a half of the day, but we also rode a decent amount of stand-up terrain. I’m sure that the aftermarket will bring 450L comfort oriented seats to the market very soon. I did like the seat cover; it has good grip, even when riding in wet conditions.

Is the CRF450L Tall?

At 5’ 10” with a 32” inseam, I’m pretty close to reaching the ground with both feet flat. Considering all the different dirt bikes, dual sports, and ADV bikes that I’ve ridden, no, I don’t think that 450L is tall. It has the same amount of suspension travel as the CRF450R and X, but it’s a little heavier, so it sits slightly lower in the stroke.

For the first couple of road miles, I thought that the seat to peg room was going to feel a bit cramped, but that thought quickly disappeared as the miles increased. One thing that I did like was how the textured radiator shrouds give you more traction at the knees and their profile created the perfect "pocket" when scooching up on the tank for sit down corners. If Honda made the textured areas of the radiator shrouds out of a little softer (grippier) material, they'd be even better.

Are the Service Intervals Reasonable?

For 2019 CRF450L, Honda specifies 600 mile oil change intervals and 1,800 mile valve checks. For the intended purpose of this bike, I don't think that's unreasonable. For oil, that's a half a dozen rides just like our test loop and 18 of the same for valves. At least for me, that's a lot of run relative to the time and maintenance costs. And, Honda is known to be conservative with their recommendations, so personally I wouldn't sweat going 10-15% over those miles occasionally. 2019 CRF450L service interval matrix

In terms of long-term reliability, there's no way I can tell you from a one day ride. The best indicators will be how later gen 450X models have held up and to a lesser extent, the 450R. Few would argue that Honda doesn't have a reputation for quality and the warranty on the 2019 CRF450L seems to back that up. It comes with a 1 year factory warranty, but the same can be extended out to 5 years total for an additional cost. You can even buy just an extra year or an extra 3, so flexibility has been built into the program. I do know that the 450L uses a 3-ring piston that will extend top-end life at a fractional performance cost pretty much no riders will notice. This just makes sense for the application.

Illustration: American Honda

Is the LED Headlight Effective?

We didn’t get an opportunity to night ride, so we improvised and pushed a 450L into a field on the edge the hotel, pointing the headlight into the woods.

The cutoff height increases with a rider on the bike. Pics taken with no rider. Photo by El Jefe of CDSR.

I think that the CRF450L headlight would do a good job for a night time cruise on back roads at legal-ish speeds and no question that it would get you off the trails if you got caught out after dark. But if you really want to trail ride at night, get something helmet mounted.

Anything That I Didn't Like About the 2019 CRF450L?

The clutch lever perch has an internal switch that requires the lever to be pulled fully against the grip in order to restart the bike. It wasn't a huge deal for me, but something that I noticed when I flamed out and tried to get the bike lit quickly with the magic button. I know that this was a point of feedback from some of the very fast riders in our group to Honda engineers who eagerly solicited feedback after the ride. 

I also don't like that there is no back-up kickstarter for a dual sport that is designed to get deep into the woods. I did confirm with Honda that the new engine cases do not allow for one to be installed retro.  My KTM 690 shares the same design and in the last 1.5 years of ownership it's been no issue. Honda has a pretty solid reputation for reliability, so I think that this falls under the premise that all things are possible, but not all things are likely. For those that Murphy's Law seems to follow, there are good portable jump starters that are easily carried in small packs and "smart" batteries that protect themselves from over-discharge such as the Antigravity "Re-Start"  Lithium battery.

At least for me, the horn button is too easy to hit when you're looking for the turn signal switch. The button is above and sticks out past the signal switch below it, so I ended up honking at the rider in front of me a few times accidentally. But, by the end of the day, I had adapted. The turn signal switch gets used far more than the horn, so I think there's room for improvement ergonomically.

What Really Stood Out About the CRF450L? 

Probably how smooth, refined, and quiet this bike is, despite it being so performance oriented and capable. The combination of rubber dampened sprockets, chain guide, roller & slider materials, urethane filled swingarm, and foam-backed plastic ignition, clutch, and primary sprocket covers help to make this the most refined, low vibration, and quiet street legal dirt bike that I've ridden. Add in a quiet exhaust note and the 450L is pretty stealthy. After a full day of riding, I had a ton of fun, never felt held back, but I really appreciated the lack of mental & physical wear that loud and more raw bikes have. Loud pipes don't save lives, but they do tick off others recreating in or living by the areas we ride.

Quiet, refined, & stealthy doesn't have to kill the thrill. Photos: American Honda

Honorable mention: The LED turn signals double as running lights and can be bent 90°, snapping back into operating position without damage. It's a little detail, but a smart and appreciated one. On a bike like this, conventional signals on the rear would last days if not hours.

Would I Personally Buy a 2019 CRF450L? 

Absolutely. Since I left the event, I've been thinking hard about putting a 450L in my garage. I really like this bike a lot. I've not been on a Honda since mid 2000 and they brought their guns to the performance dual sport market with the 2019 CRF450L. Glad to see Honda shaking up the segment and riders are the winners. I wonder who will fire back next? 

Questions & Comments?

I could probably write more about the 2019 CRF450L, but I think that I covered the important stuff and the things that stood out to me. But, the cool thing about ThumperTalk is the conversation. If I didn't do a good job explaining something or worse, completely glossed over something important to you, DO post your question(s) in the comments section below. If I know, I'll answer. If I don't, I'll reach out to the Honda folks  and see if I can get an answer. The 450L isn't cheap, so if I can help you make the right decision, my mission will have been accomplished.  Also, you can find a several galleries with lots of photos of the 2019 CRF450L in action, as well as close-ups and tech/service info HERE.
 

Bryan Bosch, ThumperTalk.com

#crf450L #ridered #dualsport #blessed #grateful

Picked up the bike on 9/25/2018 

My Riding Credentials

This is so you can get an idea of where I am coming from as a rider. 
I first got my MSF in 2013 and have been riding for around 4 years so I am a relatively new rider.

Im 5'11 with a 34 inseam. 

My first bike was a Ninja 250 that did a few track days on and then moved up to a CBR600RR. 

Two years ago I bought the Africa Twin, and quickly realizing I was out of my element the first time I rode on dirt, I decided it would be a smart idea to learn to ride dirt on something a little less expensive.  Then from there I had a 02 CR125, 2014 CRF250R, and an 06 CRF450X. I have also ridden a tested a few of my friends bikes all the Japanese brands and KTMs. Overall I would say currently am an average dirt rider, especially for the short amount of time I have spent riding dirt, I can keep up and am faster than people who have been riding a lot longer than I have.

Expectations

Having recently sold my Africa Twin due to not having any buddies to ride with ( I don't feel comfortable riding a big adventure bike out in the desert solo) and not really using it as much as I would like, I was looking for a bike that I could still ride on the street and have fun riding off road with my friends. The 06 450x was "street legal" but I also wanted to upgrade to FI and I enjoy having new projects to modify. Power wise I wasn't needing anything with more power, and the maintenance intervals were not such a huge deal with me considering the X has very similar schedules. Ultimately I was looking for a FI bike with a magic button, reliability, weight and power comparable to my current X and something that could take the AZ heat. I was pretty content with the X and had been looking at the KTM/Husky but was interested to see what Honda was going to drop.  The 450x also was not a ideal for the street due to not having a rad fan, and no brake light or turn signals. 

First impressions (Dirt) 

Mostly rocky doubletrack and a little bit of singletrack (~35 miles) High of 101°

Coming from the X the bike feels a lot more smooth, refined and has a bit more power. (The X had a full exhaust, airbox mod, and proper jetting) . Due to the bike being so quiet it is not as apparent but it is definitely a bit faster. The power band is very linear like most people have been saying but starts to fall off a bit near the top of the range, this is most likely due to all the emissions and cat on the bike. I feel like once that is removed and there is a tuning option, there is some extra ponies available. The suspension is noticeably stiffer than the x, but because my ride was solo, I was taking it easy and didn't want to push too hard. Stock tires are meh but that is to be expected, i will probably move to something more aggressive. Weight wise it didn't feel noticeably heavier than the X but then again I was not pushing it that much.

First impressions (Street)

Highway (~25 miles +60mph )  and Street  (~10 Miles) High of 101°

Bike is really great for riding surface streets within city limits and easy to get around, not a whole lot of vibration from 0-50 mph and has a surprising amount of get up and go. Once on the freeway speeds 60-70 its a little more serious, you can feel some vibration around 65 but once above or below it goes away. Nothing super bad but if you are death gripping the bars I could see how this would cause some fatigue. There is obviously very little wind resistance at that speed but its to be expected and livable.  I don't really see making any really long distance trips with the bike due to the relatively short tank range but its possible. There is some riding areas north of Phx but I see myself trucking the bike up for the hour 1:30+ trips, once its cooler in the valley I will be able to simply ride to the local trails with no problems. The headlight is a big step up from the X and shows a decent V from the front of the light, the high beam just adds a bit more light but nothing crazy. I can put my tip toes down on the bike but its nothing that feels too "tall or unconformable for me. The side mirrors work well for anything under 50, once you get up to speed they are kind of useless due to vibrations on the freeway.

Likes

The fit and finish of the bike is really nice, everything is really sturdy and seems to be put together really well. (Only time will tell). The transmission is really smooth, gives a nice click when putting it in gear and does not feel mushy or vague at all. The spedo is awesome, I really like the estimated gallons used feature and is probably one of the cooler things on the bike. The turn signals are cool, they are small LED and can be bent 90° and just spring right back into place.

Dislikes

Not a big fan of the fuel cap and the huge plastic on the bottom of it, the throttle feels a bit twitchy and light compared to the 450x but its something I need to get used to, it reminds me of the Fi 250. The seat is pretty stiff, most likely due to it being fresh and my x seat has 12 year old foam that had time to soften up. Not coming stock with a fatbar is a letdown but something I plan on changing. 

Misc

Why did I not buy the KTM / Husky? 

I didn't feel like the power jump was some thing I really needed or wanted, they seem like great bikes but I like sticking with things that have worked for me in the past. I do like all the options they come with (fatbar, no cat and a lot less emissions bullshit, fuel capacity is a bit larger, handguards stock) but most of that stuff I am planning on swapping out anyways on the L so its not such a huge deal for me. 

Am I a Honda fanboi ? 

I have owned a lot of different brand bikes/cars in the past but recently have been on a Honda kick. My previous Ridgeline had 300k miles with practically no issues, and between my girlfriend and I we have had multiples. (Integras,S2000, K and B seriers swapped Civics, Fit, Insight). The reason I keep coming back is because of their reliability quality and are easy to work on.  Once they stop making nice products, I will stop buying them.

TL:DR Version

Overall the bike meet my expectations of what it was going to be, so far I am super happy with my purchase. If you are looking for a updated CRF450X with FI, updated suspension, lights, turn signals, speedo, street legal, and a 6th gear the CRF450L should fit the bill perfectly.

I will post a bit more once I get some more seat time, let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks! 

Very good lights, suspension, riding position, mirrors do not shake much, instrumentation is basic (should be a Garmin).

Maintenance interval is considerably longer than my EXC that required expensive top end rebuild at 205 hours instead of 2000 hours with 450L.  530EXC was awesome performance, expensive to ride.

Weight is slightly more noticeable vs other dual sport eurothumpers.

Delivered with low idle:  stalled constantly until turned up counterclockwise.  Had D606 installed as stock tires not good for dirt.

Abrupt on/off throttle useless on tight single track or slow cruising in town.  JD Jetting tuner helped, not a smooth roll on of throttle still even with throttle tamer.  Tuner helped power too.

IMS tank required for most rides, 2 gallons for highway is silly.

Seat like sitting on a 2 x 4 after a couple hours:  Seat Concepts low seat helps 2 ways.

Oil drain plug was rusted after first splash (100 miles); it is huge so oil flow is very fast!

I love riding this bike, probably more than any bike I've ever had (and I've had a lot). I have had many other dual sports and even traded in a 2014 KLR650 for this one. This bike has great power and looks fantastic. The suspension is the best on any dual sport I've had, even better than my Husqvarna TE450. The bike is nearly perfect, in fact the only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is the seat (too hard and narrow), the lean fuel delivery (has cut out on me several times) and the small gas tank. It really needs at least a 3 gallon tank. Granted these are all fixable things but for the price of this bike...you shouldn't have to fix anything IMO. 

I actually put money down on the crf450l back in August and it arrived here in early October.  If not for a generous trade in on a versys 650 I probably wouldn't have jumped on a $10000 dual sport.   When I first heard about the crf450l I stopped by my local dealer and they informed me that they already had a down payment on the one that they had coming in.  When I got back from my trip to the Black Hills this year I was informed that the guy had backed out and after discussing it with my local trusted kawasaki dealer I decided to put a down payment on it. 

A little background on me I grew up with an few enduros and then took a number of years off from riding altogether.  10-12years ago I purchased a used xr650l and it was okay but I decided I wanted a plated xr650r so spent sometime looking for one and found a 2001 that still had the original tires on it and wasn't even uncorked yet.  I really like that bike but after taking it on our annual trip to the Black Hills I decided that I needed the magic button bad knee from an old football injury makes kick starting a complete pain in the knee.  So I found a plated 07 crf450x which has been an excellent bike and pretty much everything that I could possible want until the crf450l was announced and then I started daydreaming about an updated bike to replace the crf450x.  Part of the blame is my brother.  My brother is a KTM fan and has had an 08 500exc and currently owns a 2015 500exc.  Riding that fuel injected KTM convinced me that I needed to upgrade but I am an unapologetic Honda fan so I didn't really even consider aKTM.

Onto the Crf450l.  I rode the Versys in to trade and rode the Crf450l home.  First impression what a beauty I mean the Elle is as nice looking of a dual sport as I have ever seen.  Love the blinkers and the LED headlight and the build quality was better than I expected.  The dealer fired the bike up and had to "choke" it to get it started even though they had it running before which kind of surprised me.  I let the bike warm up and off we were on our first 20 mile ride.  The next noticeable thing for me was the incredibly snatchy throttle. At that point I was thinking what did I get into I mean it was unbelievable to me that the fueling was that poorly done.  Stopped a few times had to show it off to a few people and had to get fuel thought the dealer could have filled it up for me but I guess not.  Varied the revs going down the highway on the way home and the bike seemed to behave quite nicely on the pavement.  Got to my corner from the pavement to my gravel road and pulled in the clutch and the motor just died again I thought what in the hell did I just buy and why didn't I at least consider the KTM.  Got it home and parked it in the garage and man was that header hot.  Not only was the header hot the muffler with the built in catalytic converter was ungodly hot I mean 15 minutes after the bike was shutdown you couldn't even touch the muffler.  I have put more miles on the bike and after adjusting the idle up to around 1800 rpm the snatchy throttle is better and I have not had the flame out issue again.  The stock ergos seemed quite good to me on the bike and will have to get some real off road seat time on the bike before I would change anything.

When deciding on the Crf450l I actually thought about the X but went with the elle because I assumed that it would be easy to get the Crf450l to the X performance by replacing the exhaust and getting a vortex or tuner of some sort which I would end up doing with the X anyway so it made sense to me.

The suspension seems to be somewhat undersprung for me being 6 2 and around 230.  I will have to spend some more time trying to get that sorted out once the weather improves around here.  It is January in Iowa after all.  The seat has not really bothered me at all I mean it is in most aspects a dirt bike seat but it is definitely not as comfortable as the Xr650r but doesn't really seem that much different than my current X's seat.

Not a real fan of the stock tires but will probably wait a while before I replace them probably will be adding rim locks at that time as well.  Somewhat surprised that handguards were not include on the bike also.

The display is pretty neat with the mpg features but would have liked to have seen a tach.  I guess you get used to having it trailtech on the XR and acewell on the X so I suppose I will get used to not having one now.

All in all I am pretty pleased with the new bike I mean there are a few things that still need to be sorted out but I knew that going in.  I will definitely be upgrading the exhaust and the ECU as soon as possible not necessarily for more power but to smooth out the throttle and to fix the super lean factory condition also I definitely want to get rid of the muffler with the built in catalytic converter.   Will post more as I get more time on the bike and get more things done to it.