bottoming resistance.
I think the Honda has brilliant
ergos. It’s a bike I jump on and feel
immediately comfortable and at
home. The seat is awesome with
excellent shape and foam density.
I love the old-school Renthal
skinny bars for height, shape and
comfort – sadly most riders will
dump them for what they think
are cooler fat-walled bars that
offer little advantage. The foot-
pegs are great and the peg, seat,
bar relationship will suit all but the
most out-sized rider, big or small.
Dunlop Geomax MX3 tyres do the
business, they’re great tyres for NZ
conditions; it’s only on hard-pack
where they’re not at their best.
The 240mm rear and 260mm front
disc brakes work very well. The
front is a little weaker on initial bite
compared to the Euro opposition,
but after that the strength ramps
up nicely to provide decent
stopping power with plenty of feel.
The rear though, to my mind, is
superior to the Euro bikes because
it offers better feel and strength.
The mods for the 2018 machine
are seemingly small but they
effectively lift the game of an
already very competent machine.
And the CRF450R is excellent in
all departments. It’s fast and rider
friendly, and it’s also beautifully built
– a typical Honda trademark. What
don’t I like? Well, I think the twin
muffler set-up is a marketing ploy
only, which just adds weight and
complexity. Also the Honda is heavy,
a lot heavier than a KTM... I honestly
wonder how long the Japanese
will continue with oversized and
weighty alloy frames. Despite this
fact I love the feel of the bike. Time
will tell though, but rest assured
that the new CRF is right up there
with the very best of the 2018 crop.
Ergonomics; suspension; build quality...
and it’s fast
Heavy; low rpm power delivery could be better;
twin muffler set-up