2019 Honda CRF450L Dual-Sport | First Look Review

2019 Honda CRF450L
The new-for-2019 Honda CRF450L is a street-legal dual-sport based on the CRF450R motocrosser.

Looking for a lightweight, modern dual-sport? Based on Honda’s flagship CRF450R motocrosser, the new-for-2019 CRF450L provides a street-legal alternative with LED lighting, mirrors and a dedicated exhaust system.

The CRF450L is powered by a liquid-cooled, 449cc, four-stroke single with a Unicam SOHC, 4-valve head, Honda’s Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) with a 46mm downdraft throttle body and a wide-ratio 6-speed transmission. Compared to the CRF450R, crank mass is up for tractability in technical conditions and a large-capacity radiator keeps things cool.

2019 Honda CRF450L
Tall, light and nimble, the CRF450L should be quite the machine off-road. But its small tank and dirt bike levels of comfort mean that on-road stints will likely be short.

Showa suspension consists of a 49mm upside-down fork with adjustable rebound and compression and a Pro-Link shock that’s fully adjustable, and it has single disc brakes front and rear. The CRF450L is a tall bike, with a 37.1-inch seat height and 12.4 inches of ground clearance. Fuel capacity is 2 gallons and claimed curb weight is just 289 pounds.

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Available this September in red at an estimated MSRP of $10,399.

10 COMMENTS

  1. If a bike like this landed as a dual-sport when I started riding 50 years ago, the White House would be justified in spinning out another conspiracy theory: Intergalactic Aliens are Producing Motorcycles! Luckily for us, it’s 2018 and there’s no need for conspiracy theories, right?

    • Looks like aliens are producing motorcycles, lol!
      They would come to earth and, judging by some of the responses here, they’d destroy the earth due to the stupid inhabitants.

  2. $10,300 for a 300 lb 25hp bike? Who would want this? Cant you get same numbers for half the price with a CRF250l? You can get a KTM 500 exc with 58hp for $500 more.
    Is 300 lbs light and nimble? Compared to an AT maybe.

  3. $10K for 25HP? hmmm. But then on the positive, it is street legal, and great ‘major’ maintenance intervals.
    I’m a 2017 CRF250L owner, so have got the same claimed 24HP as the Rally version, by the time I’ve put an Ohlins kit on front and rear, + RaceTech Gold Valves + DNA high flow filter and EJK, I still don’t think I’ll be getting anywhere close to $10K for something which may be in roughly the same performance territory. Ally frame could make it feel quite a bit stiffer / tighter / lighter I guess, but 37″ seat height may deter some folks too. Guess we’ll have to see what folks think when it’s available to ride eh?

  4. This is potentially the all terain travel bike people have been asking for the last 10 years I’ve been riding…. then they still a tiny tank on it and 940mm seat height.

    should be a super bike otherwise

  5. Overall Motor Design and size, suspension – Frame – Fueling blah blah blah. Totally different on this bike. The 250L was derived from the 250 Street Bikes. This is derived from the 450 motocrossers. Completely different everything. The price tag should indicate just how performance-oriented this is likely going to be.

  6. A catalytic converter, THANKS CALIFORNIA! With a converter it might only have 25 HP until the converter gets clogged up and then it gets zero HP. My guess is that’s part of the high price, $1000 for platinum, and the titanium gas tank but at 289 lbs. wet not bad. However, unless the fuel injection greatly improves the fuel consumption gonna be a short ride with only 2 gallons. Running out of gas in Mojave NO FUN! The six speed trans is great though, my street legal WRF450 could use another gear.

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