Its an awesome bike for light adventure riding, best suspension, and can carry weight easily. Very well made. Love mine for desert and high country riding
I have the CRF450L in the US as an upgrade over the KLX300. It's great as a dual sport. The oil changes aren't that bad and they can be extended over what the published service intervals indicate; you're not going to be racing this thing. As a light ADV bike, it's superb. Drop any soft luggage and it's still a decent woods bike, a bit heavy, yes, but capable. I did get an aftermarket ECU, the AIM, but I kept the stock exhaust because I (and my neighbors) prefer my bikes to be quiet. The suspension may be considered harsh or stiff for slower trail riding or enduro type stuff, but it's exactly what you want if you're going to be blasting through whoops at high speed. If you keep in mind that it's a road legal CRF450X Baja race bike, not a road legal enduro or MX bike, it totally makes sense for it to be the way it is. At its heart, it's a bike that's made to ride 1000 miles in 24 hours or less at top speed across the desert.
Yeah excited its returning but also disappointed that the oil capacity isn't increased and looks like nothing done about the ecu. ideally would have loved to see it released as a CRF450 Rally / CRF300 rally with better suspension and power.
From US videos it is smooth on the road , will cruise at 120km easy , can wheelie at will, put on a bigger tank , a little crf 300 type screen , it is a CRF rally with more power, better suspension , and can be lowered for short riders. Sounds pretty much like a brilliant 132kg adventure bike and the oil changes they say are no big deal….takes 20 minutes or less…the cost of a few coffees each month…if done by owner. It’s this or a DRZ 400 , the Honda has EFI , more power and better on the road by miles , way better suspension , 6 gears and looks better .
I was tossing up between the KLX and the KLR. The 1k service and 1.5k piston and rings intervals put my right off the KLX. If the Honda is better though, it could be very tempting.
If guessing he means the KLX450R which is based off old mx bike. You'd be able to stretch the piston changes out but the oil needs to be done way sooner than 1k. More in the 300km region
Curtis ,a lot of the people that bought the U.S, version of the CRF450 L were very disappointed with the low speed flame outs ,and the maintenance intervals. I always thought they should have made as a dual sport, and not a high performance KTM type bike.
Hi, me again...I've had it confirmed from a Honda dealer in SA. I noticed that they were advertising them, so I sent them a msg, and got this in reply:- "Yes the CRF450RL will be here approx. next month? We are taking orders now Looks like they will be in ‘Learner’ trim & will need some mods to get them up to spec." So how good is that :)
I put a deposit down in August with a Queensland dealer at that ride away price with delivery scheduled for November. It seems some dealers knew they were coming.
Its the obvious upgrade from a DRZ if u want lighter, efi and 6th gear. These are much better bikes for actual dual sport than the Beta/KTM 500, which are better if u just need a plated dirt bike. Tons of people have over 20k miles on the Honda without opening the motor, and the extra weight is mainly the subframe which u actually NEED to have a proper dual sport.
Theres a fella in America who has a Beta 390 still running strong after 450 or so hours on the original engine. I'm an old Honda man, but my loyalties lie with Beta these days. I think they have Honda covered in this category on pretty much all levels. It still pleases me though to hear that Honda haven't given up all together on the Aussie market. If only they could extend that to an injected 6 speed 650.......
@@bushybill7189 Iv heard of a lot of main bearing failures and electrical harness problems with Beta, thats the first time I heard of one going 400+ hours. Still aint close to 20k miles and Slaugo channel has one with 30k miles. But like I said if u use to ride offroad only instead of true dual sport then the lighter Beta Ktm's are better if not racking on miles
@@Kakahshee Actually, I'm onto my 3rd Beta now a 350, 300, and the 480. I still have the 300 as well as my 480. If Honda were delivering bikes that met my riding needs I'd be still loyal to them, but that's not the reality. You can call my approach impressionable, I simply see it as knowing what I like. Staying with a brand out of loyalty under such circumstances would be somewhat silly don't you think?
@@bushybill7189nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day there’s a bike for everyone. Also, the difference between every bike in the dual sport category is just a difference in “give or take”. In other words, not one bike does it all great, if it’s great off road it’s probably not great on road etc. . The Honda 450rl is the best for pure “dual sport”, good off road and good on road whereas the beta is great off road but not good on road.
I have had one for for three years now. For my riding, mostly flat fast desert outback type riding. It's a awesome bike. Sure I have had to make a few changes, because of emission standards mostly. But that's every road legal dirt bike these days isn't it?. Sure it's not cheap. You are buying a premium bike, with a platform to work on. Honda reliability and quality. Top end fully adjustable suspension. I waited one year here in Oz after the first model release, for the aftermarket to catch up. Now there is tons of stuff available. Put good tyres on. Simple Aussie made ECU change (hardly ever flames out now, 10X maps to chose from, adjustable fuel trims, traction control), throttle tamer, seat change. Even Aussie made tanks (15L or 20L) are easy to get now. Can make it wild or mild with a map and or pipe change's, with no internal motor changes. Oil changes are easy. Can extend them if you like to 2-3k if doing road or easy riding. Done 10k on mine at the moment and valves are still in spec. Sub frame can be loaded up and take the weight for adventure riding. Stop watching RUclips vids. Do your maintenance on your bike and go riding. Put some K's on one. Love mine..
I got mine a bit cheaper than originally priced. Was end of year model sale. Vortex ECU, actually made here. Nomad tanks if you are after something bigger. @@onthebackwheel
Hi How difficult would it be for a mechanically challenged older rider 😮 to change the oil and check valve clearance ? Does doing your own oil changes , affect the warranty? Back in the day riding two stroke Yamahas never touched any mechanical tasks other than chain lube, and spark plug , and spoke tightening . Never broke down once in the bush even with white looking oil😅 Thinking changing oil …is a bit of a scam.
@@SomewhereInside changing the oil is incredibly simple. You'd have to check with your dealer but can't see there being any issues with you changing it. I think the valve checks are pretty far apart on these and don't really move from what I've heard
Yeh maybe but I was thinking would only get 8k for the 300l and if the the 450 is around the 13k mark If pump 3-4 k into the 300 it could be the perfect bike for me.
I saw 2 x 450 RLs at Team Moto Virginia Brisbane last Friday. They were still being put together, but should be on the showroom floor by now. Maybe one is a demo? Cheers
Hey man thanks for posting this. Very eager to hear the latest and will be contacting my local Honda agent here in New Zealand regards availability if any…. you’d have to think so.
Cool! I really wanted one of these when they came out but it disappeared so quickly. I wonder if it will be a full-power version, given the bad press of the initial bike. They should bring back the venerable Postie bike, too!😀
you could have a look a reiju mr pro 300 , rrp $13,900 at the moment. fully road legal enduro 2stroke. built off the gas gas . i like Honda and own a big one ATAS but that's a good buy for what you get.
Noticed Honda are still advertising seat height “ at an accessible 1260mm, but on specific dealer websites they have 940 mm on the spec sheets. $13880appears to be the rideaway price . Perfect bike for wheelies, powerslides , and jumping all the things the big adventure bikes fall over at . Unless you are on the back wheel class of rider 😊.
Fantastic , good on you …sat on one and it felt great , tall seat but not 1260mm😮 as most of the spec sheets state . 940 mm …but narrow seat . Feels light between the legs and balanced . They say the ECU has been sorted . Make sure you get the 2024 model MY 23 ….as there are a few grey imports apparently ? I think the 2024 model has a hydraulic clutch . Not sure how much to insure . They can wheelie in 4th gear with clutch .
As an old Honda man I am pleased to hear this. I won't be buying one though as I have just bought what I consider to be the modern day Honda, a Beta (480). It will be interesting to know if the new Honda will have all of that ECU stuff sorted as stock, or if it'll need changing?
I hope they don't go downhill in quality as they did with the new Transalp. I was expecting a lot from it and when I test rode it and saw it in flesh I got really disappointed. The welds look like a 5 year old children in Thailand did it, they engineered the sump to get damaged at first impact and took even the 12v port and temperature sensor from It. The engine was the only thing interesting, but even it, felt a bit agricultural when compared to other Honda engines. I hope the new crf450rl comes with the quality that Honda used to deliver.
They were good build quality wise, can't see anything to have changed but we'll see. I have similar thoughts about the Transalp, definitely built to a price and that sump... No doubt it will be reliable though
Already picked up a KLX400r (DRz400e) to trial this season. After that it will be a 650 for some long rides west, north & south. And most likely keep a 300/400 for bush work. But yes the Honda will be worthy of a look, let's see what configuration they import. Spread of gears and higher speed stability, comfort will be big on my list. G650gs or a KLR are still high on the list or a G800gs if I can gather enough cash.
Just watched a few US 450l reviews, it could be a great basis for a mid-size frame to work with. Bit confused about what fuel tank might fit. Getting ahead of myself, not going to invest much in the 400 until I can work out if it fits what I want it to do. Gearing might be the crunch. Still working through a tail to head service. Picked up a few things fucked up by clueless owners. It's a solid bike and can see why it has a strong following. Are you ever going to do another group ride? Better prepared for the heat now & the 300 is set up for my weight & lack of endurance. Cheers.
I had a 450L in the US. Wasn't impressed. I put on the full exhaust and ECU, and that did help the power a lot, but the suspension was still way too harsh. The EXC500F has a vastly better suspension in my opinion - have had 2 of those. Although both 450L and EXC have inexcusably uncomfortable seats, and engine vibration that is far and away the worst of any bikes I have ridden or owned in 47 years of riding. The excessive engine vibration is main reason I got rid of all 3 of those bikes.
@@churchofbrap876 I used the Vortex ECU and full FMF exhaust. Did nothing for the vibration. What I think the bike really needs to smooth out the output down low is more flywheel.
@@churchofbrap876 That's great, mine was pretty bad. It would literally give me a head ache and blurry vision if I sat down for even a pretty short time. I got tired of standing when riding on asphalt roads. I wish Honda would have balanced it like the DRZ400 / DR650S / Honda XL series. Those are smooth. Even the my two 690 supermotos were pretty smooth, as was my RC390 and WR250R. On one my EXC500Fs vibrated so bad it would "walk" itself across the floor when on the kick stand. The second one was almost as bad. Dealer said counter balance shaft was installed wrong at factory on the first one. I must just be "lucky" with 500cc ish singles. I got a T7 recently as my current dual-purpose bike. Love it. Plenty of beans, good fueling, and butter smooth.
The release last time was a debacle. It was pitched as a cut price competitor to the enduro based dual sports and turned out to be down on power, up on weight. Which made it just an expensive WR/DRZ with alot of maintenance. At sub 14k it might just find a market this time. KTM may have even done Honda a favour given the new EXC range is now well and truly out of their league on features, performance and price.
Yes, it will always be 1000km (600miles). Honestly it isn’t an issue. I change mine every 1200 miles or so. I’m not racing it, just putting around the woods.
Hi Can you lower a 450 RL? I am 5ft 7 with shortish legs …currently riding a KLR 650 with lowered link. Really want a rooster , wheelie , easy pick up when dropped powerful road legal machine . Just a heads up though , have a 2016 , with a aftermarket exhaust and jetting to suit . It’s not slow …no way . Just bloody heavy …imagine that engine in a 140 kg package .
Yeah you can lower it. Add a link and see how you go. After that you could do the front too. It'll be near enough 70kg lighter than the KLR, massive difference!
@@aussiesam01 You sure? Does it have the ABS sensor plate on the front? On mine it's only switchable on the rear wheel, it's there on the front but always on so it doesn't appear on the little graphic on the ABS switch.
they missed the price point the first time around and it will happen again at $13k+….yeh i know that ktms are $18k…i’m not interested unless the crf450l is $10k on the road….
@@jamiecox2506 i remember doing the maths of bike+bashplate+lge tank+ecu etc and going wohhh thanks nearly 18k on the road…so just decided that my xr650r was worth keeping…and supplemented it with a crf300l plus ALL the fruit for $13k last year…like i say the 450L would have to be dirt cheap to replace both of those bikes in my shed
They are 10k USD and the CRF300 is now near 10 so no way will it be that cheap. Was a bloody bargain for that at the time. If I wasn't overseas I would have snapped one up!
@@onthebackwheel wasn’t a bargain at all in 2019…thats why it sat in the Honda dealers for $12990 for a couple years before they ran them out at $10-11k…even in todays money a 13K price tag is too much when you have to add accessories to make it dirt worthy…it only had a 7.3L tank…they have to price it as close to $10k as possible
@@H3avyHaul3r mate 10k is a bargain in today's market and was then. What would compete for the price? But yes, their stuff up with the ecu and exhaust made it horrible value for sure and just a pain when all the other brands didn't need anything
Hey mate, after watching your video, I went to my local Honda dealer in Melbourne. They told me, they haven't got a …….clue what I am talking about🤷🏻♂ go figure. It is strange considering your mater put deposit on it already. Which dealer is he dealing with? Thanks mate👍
I think it's near perfect for light adventure riding, especially couple of day trips nearly all off road. 1000km is the limiting factor for sure, so on big rides you've either got to change it, stay away from the roads or stretch it out the changes. Bit of a pain
If they are $13k, but then you need to spend more $ to fix all the issues then you’re no cheaper than KTM Husky etc. You can get a brand new Husky 450 at Olivers Brisbane for $15k (23 run out model). Cheers
@@glossblack1098 fingers crossed. Looking forward to seeing what they do. I sent them an email asking for further information and see if they get back to me
Honda need to sell it dentuned to make it L plate legal😊 for us consigned to lower power to weight ratio bikes . They however should make it like the Versys 650 where it’s easy to modify for the full license buyers .
Still no test ride ? Three months later . Only a couple of half baked tests from MAD TV ect . It’s as if …it’s a forgotten bike . As a 300 rally owner , want to see this thing on back roads , dirt trails , motorways and then semi motocross tracks and gnarly single trail. None of the existing reviews show anything in detail …no wonder they aren’t selling .
I'm getting it next mate and I'll be putting it through the ringer. I agree, nothing decent out there yet. Supposed to be getting it this Saturday but looks like there's a delay 🤞
Damn, how come they are so hush hush about it. I just bought a 2019 with 200kms on the clock, near brand new condition for 10k aud, I might have held out for a brand new one if I knew this. Thanks for posting
Yes mate, price and everything is up on the Honda website. I'm getting one to test in the new year. I put a post up on my community board, but short version, doesn't need a different ECU to be derestricted
Have sat on one , ride-away price $13500 approx. At 5 ft 8 can put one foot down with a seat slide , both feet tippy toes , the bike feels light between the legs compared to CFR 300 rally I sat on straight afterwards. Might buy it tomorrow , and save up for a big drum of oil😮
Hey mate , i bought a 2019 model of this , absolute disappointment, you had to spend a further 3k on it to make it work, the worst bike I’ve ever owned , continuously stalling and a bit heavy, i put 100ks on it and traded it for my husky , would i buy another, definitely not , I’ve owned alot of Hondas but that one is the last, Honda seriously took the piss , $12,500 , should have just bought my husky straight off .and they weren’t good sellers , dealers couldn’t shift them, kinda shake my head why i bought one , and the after sale service at a particular dealer in Brisbane was garbage, didn’t want to know me when I started questioning them about this bike ….
They engineer the motorcycles to make it need all possible aftermarket parts after leave the dealer. The new Transalp was engineered to need a lot aftermarket parts to start any adventure riding and even with the asking price of $15800 doesn't sound like a good deal for me because of the welds quality, the very agricultural feeling from the engine and very v Strom 650 level of suspension. The completion is growing and even the Norden 901 that was selling for $25000 last year is selling for 21700 now. In June there were a few Nodern 901 demos selling for low $18000.
Do the husky’s fare well at 100kmph on the road mile after mile ? There are guys in UK and USA who have gone on 2000 km trips on the Honda …no piston failures or engine breakdowns…no gearbox failures ,the husky’s appear to be very fragile, like the KTMs . Honda, Kawasaki , Yamaha , Suzuki , they are bulit to last .
![Quando Rondo - Grow Up [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8zFnCg3BO4Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Its an awesome bike for light adventure riding, best suspension, and can carry weight easily. Very well made. Love mine for desert and high country riding
You're not the first person to say that, would love one
If they can get the oil change intervals up and sell them for under $14k they could be onto a winner.
Otherwise they shouldn’t bother imo.
I have the CRF450L in the US as an upgrade over the KLX300. It's great as a dual sport. The oil changes aren't that bad and they can be extended over what the published service intervals indicate; you're not going to be racing this thing. As a light ADV bike, it's superb. Drop any soft luggage and it's still a decent woods bike, a bit heavy, yes, but capable. I did get an aftermarket ECU, the AIM, but I kept the stock exhaust because I (and my neighbors) prefer my bikes to be quiet. The suspension may be considered harsh or stiff for slower trail riding or enduro type stuff, but it's exactly what you want if you're going to be blasting through whoops at high speed. If you keep in mind that it's a road legal CRF450X Baja race bike, not a road legal enduro or MX bike, it totally makes sense for it to be the way it is. At its heart, it's a bike that's made to ride 1000 miles in 24 hours or less at top speed across the desert.
Sounds pretty good to me
Yeah excited its returning but also disappointed that the oil capacity isn't increased and looks like nothing done about the ecu. ideally would have loved to see it released as a CRF450 Rally / CRF300 rally with better suspension and power.
CRF450 rally, the dream
From US videos it is smooth on the road , will cruise at 120km easy , can wheelie at will, put on a bigger tank , a little crf 300 type screen , it is a CRF rally with more power, better suspension , and can be lowered for short riders.
Sounds pretty much like a brilliant 132kg adventure bike and the oil changes they say are no big deal….takes 20 minutes or less…the cost of a few coffees each month…if done by owner.
It’s this or a DRZ 400 , the Honda has EFI , more power and better on the road by miles , way better suspension , 6 gears and looks better .
I was tossing up between the KLX and the KLR. The 1k service and 1.5k piston and rings intervals put my right off the KLX.
If the Honda is better though, it could be very tempting.
There is no KLX that requires maintenance like that. Guys have 50k on the engines with 1 valve adjustment.
If guessing he means the KLX450R which is based off old mx bike. You'd be able to stretch the piston changes out but the oil needs to be done way sooner than 1k. More in the 300km region
Honda CRF450 Rally would be nice with better suspension than the 300 had
That's the dream
That would be epiiiiicccc
Kove450 rally hmmm yeah can see why they brought it back?
It will be a good, solid option to work with. If your pricing is close.
Curtis ,a lot of the people that bought the U.S, version of the CRF450 L were very disappointed with the low speed flame outs ,and the maintenance intervals. I always thought they should have made as a dual sport, and not a high performance KTM type bike.
I've heard that too. Lots of people complaining that it needed an exhaust and tune. Will be very interested to see how the Aussie version goes
Hi, me again...I've had it confirmed from a Honda dealer in SA.
I noticed that they were advertising them, so I sent them a msg, and got this in reply:-
"Yes the CRF450RL will be here approx. next month?
We are taking orders now
Looks like they will be in ‘Learner’ trim & will need some mods to get them up to spec."
So how good is that :)
Thanks mate. Fingers crossed not too many mods
Great news for returning rider on L bike restrictions until 2025
Very interesting!
Timeframe lines up well, be good to compare with the Husky's etc.
I put a deposit down in August with a Queensland dealer at that ride away price with delivery scheduled for November. It seems some dealers knew they were coming.
Nice mae. Seems like a good price
Its the obvious upgrade from a DRZ if u want lighter, efi and 6th gear. These are much better bikes for actual dual sport than the Beta/KTM 500, which are better if u just need a plated dirt bike. Tons of people have over 20k miles on the Honda without opening the motor, and the extra weight is mainly the subframe which u actually NEED to have a proper dual sport.
Theres a fella in America who has a Beta 390 still running strong after 450 or so hours on the original engine. I'm an old Honda man, but my loyalties lie with Beta these days. I think they have Honda covered in this category on pretty much all levels. It still pleases me though to hear that Honda haven't given up all together on the Aussie market. If only they could extend that to an injected 6 speed 650.......
@@bushybill7189 Iv heard of a lot of main bearing failures and electrical harness problems with Beta, thats the first time I heard of one going 400+ hours. Still aint close to 20k miles and Slaugo channel has one with 30k miles. But like I said if u use to ride offroad only instead of true dual sport then the lighter Beta Ktm's are better if not racking on miles
@@tieoneon1614 yeah, 98% off-road for my 480. Lots of guys here use them though for adv work. 400+ hours is bloody impressive IMO.
@@Kakahshee Actually, I'm onto my 3rd Beta now a 350, 300, and the 480. I still have the 300 as well as my 480. If Honda were delivering bikes that met my riding needs I'd be still loyal to them, but that's not the reality. You can call my approach impressionable, I simply see it as knowing what I like. Staying with a brand out of loyalty under such circumstances would be somewhat silly don't you think?
@@bushybill7189nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day there’s a bike for everyone. Also, the difference between every bike in the dual sport category is just a difference in “give or take”. In other words, not one bike does it all great, if it’s great off road it’s probably not great on road etc. . The Honda 450rl is the best for pure “dual sport”, good off road and good on road whereas the beta is great off road but not good on road.
I think this is good to hear.
I wanted one when they got discontinued. Was sitting on a 300 rally in the dealership 2 weeks ago. Want a smaller bike to park next to the AT1000.
Would be a good match with the AT
I have had one for for three years now. For my riding, mostly flat fast desert outback type riding. It's a awesome bike. Sure I have had to make a few changes, because of emission standards mostly. But that's every road legal dirt bike these days isn't it?. Sure it's not cheap. You are buying a premium bike, with a platform to work on. Honda reliability and quality. Top end fully adjustable suspension. I waited one year here in Oz after the first model release, for the aftermarket to catch up. Now there is tons of stuff available. Put good tyres on. Simple Aussie made ECU change (hardly ever flames out now, 10X maps to chose from, adjustable fuel trims, traction control), throttle tamer, seat change. Even Aussie made tanks (15L or 20L) are easy to get now. Can make it wild or mild with a map and or pipe change's, with no internal motor changes. Oil changes are easy. Can extend them if you like to 2-3k if doing road or easy riding. Done 10k on mine at the moment and valves are still in spec. Sub frame can be loaded up and take the weight for adventure riding. Stop watching RUclips vids. Do your maintenance on your bike and go riding. Put some K's on one. Love mine..
Great comment mate. Talking about price, it's cheaper than the opposition by a fair bit now. What tuner are you using?
I got mine a bit cheaper than originally priced. Was end of year model sale. Vortex ECU, actually made here. Nomad tanks if you are after something bigger. @@onthebackwheel
Hi
How difficult would it be for a mechanically challenged older rider 😮 to change the oil and check valve clearance ?
Does doing your own oil changes , affect the warranty?
Back in the day riding two stroke Yamahas never touched any mechanical tasks other than chain lube, and spark plug , and spoke tightening .
Never broke down once in the bush even with white looking oil😅
Thinking changing oil …is a bit of a scam.
@@SomewhereInside changing the oil is incredibly simple. You'd have to check with your dealer but can't see there being any issues with you changing it. I think the valve checks are pretty far apart on these and don't really move from what I've heard
That’s reassuring…still no proper reviews on the bike….showing someone riding it fast .
Wish I knew this was coming back just got a new crf 300l and would like a bit more power.
I see an upgrade in your future
Yeh maybe but I was thinking would only get 8k for the 300l and if the the 450 is around the 13k mark If pump 3-4 k into the 300 it could be the perfect bike for me.
@@damo66633 true. They are very easy to mod the 300's too with last of aftermarket parts
Aussie legend! Thanks for the update.
Cheers mate!
I saw 2 x 450 RLs at Team Moto Virginia Brisbane last Friday. They were still being put together, but should be on the showroom floor by now. Maybe one is a demo? Cheers
Yeah maybe. I should be getting one from Honda at the start of the year to review 🤞
Hey man thanks for posting this. Very eager to hear the latest and will be contacting my local Honda agent here in New Zealand regards availability if any…. you’d have to think so.
I'd be shocked if it wasn't coming to NZ
@@onthebackwheel If no front and rear ABS it won't
Cool! I really wanted one of these when they came out but it disappeared so quickly. I wonder if it will be a full-power version, given the bad press of the initial bike. They should bring back the venerable Postie bike, too!😀
I'd be very surprised if it isn't the full power version. And yes, can't believe they got rid of the postie!!
no one was buying 450L…till honda dropped them and discounted the price by a couple $K
you could have a look a reiju mr pro 300 , rrp $13,900 at the moment. fully road legal enduro 2stroke. built off the gas gas . i like Honda and own a big one ATAS but that's a good buy for what you get.
They've got good suspension too the Rieju. The runout Betas are cracking value too
This bike is due in dealerships this week.
Keen to see them in the flesh
Noticed Honda are still advertising seat height “ at an accessible 1260mm, but on specific dealer websites they have 940 mm on the spec sheets.
$13880appears to be the rideaway price .
Perfect bike for wheelies, powerslides , and jumping all the things the big adventure bikes fall over at .
Unless you are on the back wheel class of rider 😊.
My friend I'm planning to buy the CRF450RL tomorrow. ( In stock ) I have an appointment.
Exciting, keen to see what you think
Fantastic , good on you …sat on one and it felt great , tall seat but not 1260mm😮 as most of the spec sheets state . 940 mm …but narrow seat .
Feels light between the legs and balanced .
They say the ECU has been sorted .
Make sure you get the 2024 model MY 23 ….as there are a few grey imports apparently ?
I think the 2024 model has a hydraulic clutch .
Not sure how much to insure .
They can wheelie in 4th gear with clutch .
Speaking of grey imports nearly every 300 rally is listed as a grey import on bike sales used and new.
As an old Honda man I am pleased to hear this. I won't be buying one though as I have just bought what I consider to be the modern day Honda, a Beta (480). It will be interesting to know if the new Honda will have all of that ECU stuff sorted as stock, or if it'll need changing?
If it needs a new ECU and pipe again it'll flop. Those new Betas are bloody nice. Had a sit on one the other day
@@onthebackwheel I sold my old crf450x to buy my new beta 480. My only regret is that I didn't trade up sooner.
Wow this is very unexpected and quite exciting 👏
My thoughts too
I hope they don't go downhill in quality as they did with the new Transalp. I was expecting a lot from it and when I test rode it and saw it in flesh I got really disappointed. The welds look like a 5 year old children in Thailand did it, they engineered the sump to get damaged at first impact and took even the 12v port and temperature sensor from It. The engine was the only thing interesting, but even it, felt a bit agricultural when compared to other Honda engines. I hope the new crf450rl comes with the quality that Honda used to deliver.
They were good build quality wise, can't see anything to have changed but we'll see. I have similar thoughts about the Transalp, definitely built to a price and that sump... No doubt it will be reliable though
@@onthebackwheel It is too budget for my taste and now with the competition it is getting hard to choose it because it is a Honda("reliability").
@@erosas887 fair enough mate. Good to have competition
Here in the USA the difference between the 450l and the 450rl is the R still have to add exhaust and ecu
Yeah just a name change and graphics really
@@onthebackwheel the main thing is the side fearings the RL is all red and the l had white
I know there are some kove 450 rally’s in aus being tested that should be available next year.
I was nagging them earlier in the year 😂. Got to wait for them
It will be a good, solid option to work with.
Would be a big upgrade from your KLX mate
Already picked up a KLX400r (DRz400e) to trial this season. After that it will be a 650 for some long rides west, north & south. And most likely keep a 300/400 for bush work.
But yes the Honda will be worthy of a look, let's see what configuration they import. Spread of gears and higher speed stability, comfort will be big on my list. G650gs or a KLR are still high on the list or a G800gs if I can gather enough cash.
@@ShadowVonChadwick I forgot about your 400. The small bike and big one would be a good balance
Just watched a few US 450l reviews, it could be a great basis for a mid-size frame to work with. Bit confused about what fuel tank might fit. Getting ahead of myself, not going to invest much in the 400 until I can work out if it fits what I want it to do. Gearing might be the crunch. Still working through a tail to head service. Picked up a few things fucked up by clueless owners. It's a solid bike and can see why it has a strong following.
Are you ever going to do another group ride? Better prepared for the heat now & the 300 is set up for my weight & lack of endurance.
Cheers.
I had a 450L in the US. Wasn't impressed. I put on the full exhaust and ECU, and that did help the power a lot, but the suspension was still way too harsh. The EXC500F has a vastly better suspension in my opinion - have had 2 of those. Although both 450L and EXC have inexcusably uncomfortable seats, and engine vibration that is far and away the worst of any bikes I have ridden or owned in 47 years of riding. The excessive engine vibration is main reason I got rid of all 3 of those bikes.
They are definitely just dirt bikes at the end of the day, rattle and vibrate your brain out on bit trips 😂
Simple fix. Can u say Vortex ECU?
@@churchofbrap876 I used the Vortex ECU and full FMF exhaust. Did nothing for the vibration. What I think the bike really needs to smooth out the output down low is more flywheel.
@@leanit5756 hmmm, vibration doesn't bother me at all on mine. It's a thumper after all not an inline 4.
@@churchofbrap876 That's great, mine was pretty bad. It would literally give me a head ache and blurry vision if I sat down for even a pretty short time. I got tired of standing when riding on asphalt roads. I wish Honda would have balanced it like the DRZ400 / DR650S / Honda XL series. Those are smooth. Even the my two 690 supermotos were pretty smooth, as was my RC390 and WR250R.
On one my EXC500Fs vibrated so bad it would "walk" itself across the floor when on the kick stand. The second one was almost as bad. Dealer said counter balance shaft was installed wrong at factory on the first one. I must just be "lucky" with 500cc ish singles.
I got a T7 recently as my current dual-purpose bike. Love it. Plenty of beans, good fueling, and butter smooth.
The release last time was a debacle. It was pitched as a cut price competitor to the enduro based dual sports and turned out to be down on power, up on weight. Which made it just an expensive WR/DRZ with alot of maintenance. At sub 14k it might just find a market this time. KTM may have even done Honda a favour given the new EXC range is now well and truly out of their league on features, performance and price.
It really was a debacle. They can't do the same this time
Mmm the offical Honda website states the seat height is 1260mm😅…gees that is almost 10 inches of seat lowering just to get on it without a ladder
😂
Hell yeah I'll be getting one 👌
Are the service intervals still 1000 kms?
Yes, it will always be 1000km (600miles). Honestly it isn’t an issue. I change mine every 1200 miles or so. I’m not racing it, just putting around the woods.
Hi
Can you lower a 450 RL?
I am 5ft 7 with shortish legs …currently riding a KLR 650 with lowered link.
Really want a rooster , wheelie , easy pick up when dropped powerful road legal machine .
Just a heads up though , have a 2016 , with a aftermarket exhaust and jetting to suit .
It’s not slow …no way .
Just bloody heavy …imagine that engine in a 140 kg package .
Yeah you can lower it. Add a link and see how you go. After that you could do the front too. It'll be near enough 70kg lighter than the KLR, massive difference!
Cheers
Awesome
So road legal? What about the ABS laws? I'm guessing Oz rules are similar to us in NZ
Yes it'll be road legal. I can't see why it won't be in NZL too
It must have 2 channel or else we wouldn't get it. Oz dropped the new Postie because it only had ABS up front
@@jamiecox2506 I reckon they've worked around it by classing it as an enduro bike, doesn't need it then
I recently bought a new crf300 Rally and it only has ABS on the rear wheel.
@@aussiesam01 You sure? Does it have the ABS sensor plate on the front? On mine it's only switchable on the rear wheel, it's there on the front but always on so it doesn't appear on the little graphic on the ABS switch.
So where is it ?
Willing to buy one …but no stock😮
They were saying November
👏🏻
they missed the price point the first time around and it will happen again at $13k+….yeh i know that ktms are $18k…i’m not interested unless the crf450l is $10k on the road….
I think my local Honda dealer had the original up around $10.5/11k, so I wonder if there's any updates
@@jamiecox2506 i remember doing the maths of bike+bashplate+lge tank+ecu etc and going wohhh thanks nearly 18k on the road…so just decided that my xr650r was worth keeping…and supplemented it with a crf300l plus ALL the fruit for $13k last year…like i say the 450L would have to be dirt cheap to replace both of those bikes in my shed
They are 10k USD and the CRF300 is now near 10 so no way will it be that cheap. Was a bloody bargain for that at the time. If I wasn't overseas I would have snapped one up!
@@onthebackwheel wasn’t a bargain at all in 2019…thats why it sat in the Honda dealers for $12990 for a couple years before they ran them out at $10-11k…even in todays money a 13K price tag is too much when you have to add accessories to make it dirt worthy…it only had a 7.3L tank…they have to price it as close to $10k as possible
@@H3avyHaul3r mate 10k is a bargain in today's market and was then. What would compete for the price? But yes, their stuff up with the ecu and exhaust made it horrible value for sure and just a pain when all the other brands didn't need anything
Hey mate, after watching your video, I went to my local Honda dealer in Melbourne. They told me, they haven't got a …….clue what I am talking about🤷🏻♂ go figure. It is strange considering your mater put deposit on it already. Which dealer is he dealing with? Thanks mate👍
Well there you go! I rung Brisbane Motorcycles and they were definitely getting them and some people have already put deposits down at other shops
@@onthebackwheel thanks for the info👍 I'll ring around today. Try some other dealers.
What are your thoughts regarding turning it into a light adventure bike and the 1000km service intervals?
1000km oil change is just rubbish.
They have to be at least 2.5k or they shouldn’t bother.
I think it's near perfect for light adventure riding, especially couple of day trips nearly all off road. 1000km is the limiting factor for sure, so on big rides you've either got to change it, stay away from the roads or stretch it out the changes. Bit of a pain
If they are $13k, but then you need to spend more $ to fix all the issues then you’re no cheaper than KTM Husky etc. You can get a brand new Husky 450 at Olivers Brisbane for $15k (23 run out model). Cheers
I agree, it'll be a no touch if it isn't full power out of the box
@@onthebackwheel yes full power and also smooth throttle and no weird flame outs.
@@glossblack1098 fingers crossed. Looking forward to seeing what they do. I sent them an email asking for further information and see if they get back to me
Honda need to sell it dentuned to make it L plate legal😊 for us consigned to lower power to weight ratio bikes .
They however should make it like the Versys 650 where it’s easy to modify for the full license buyers .
@@SomewhereInside The 300L would be more popular with L plate riders. Cheers
Bloody hell,why still no mid level ADV bike. Would be so easy to do. And would sell a shit load of em.
Who knows, the market is crying out for one
what are the service intervals like on the new rigg????
1000km oil changes, 24000km pistons
Don’t know why they don’t do a rally version.
Who knows, would be fantastic
Still no test ride ? Three months later .
Only a couple of half baked tests from MAD TV ect .
It’s as if …it’s a forgotten bike .
As a 300 rally owner , want to see this thing on back roads , dirt trails , motorways and then semi motocross tracks and gnarly single trail.
None of the existing reviews show anything in detail …no wonder they aren’t selling .
I'm getting it next mate and I'll be putting it through the ringer. I agree, nothing decent out there yet. Supposed to be getting it this Saturday but looks like there's a delay 🤞
@@onthebackwheel
Great news,will be waiting ⏱️
@@SomewhereInside you and me both mate. I wouldn't say they are organised 😂
Damn, how come they are so hush hush about it. I just bought a 2019 with 200kms on the clock, near brand new condition for 10k aud, I might have held out for a brand new one if I knew this. Thanks for posting
Yeah it's bizarre. Well you might have saved yourself 4 grand depending on the price
Any more news
Yes mate, price and everything is up on the Honda website. I'm getting one to test in the new year. I put a post up on my community board, but short version, doesn't need a different ECU to be derestricted
Have sat on one , ride-away price $13500 approx.
At 5 ft 8 can put one foot down with a seat slide , both feet tippy toes , the bike feels light between the legs compared to CFR 300 rally I sat on straight afterwards.
Might buy it tomorrow , and save up for a big drum of oil😮
@@SomewhereInside haha not a bad way to go it. My mate just bought a big drum of penrite from super cheap, pretty economical
Hey mate , i bought a 2019 model of this , absolute disappointment, you had to spend a further 3k on it to make it work, the worst bike I’ve ever owned , continuously stalling and a bit heavy, i put 100ks on it and traded it for my husky , would i buy another, definitely not , I’ve owned alot of Hondas but that one is the last, Honda seriously took the piss , $12,500 , should have just bought my husky straight off .and they weren’t good sellers , dealers couldn’t shift them, kinda shake my head why i bought one , and the after sale service at a particular dealer in Brisbane was garbage, didn’t want to know me when I started questioning them about this bike ….
Yeah right, that's a bummer. Would love one of the new Husqys, beautiful bikes
@@onthebackwheel such a great bikes , make me look really good 😊
Put fuel in and go
They engineer the motorcycles to make it need all possible aftermarket parts after leave the dealer. The new Transalp was engineered to need a lot aftermarket parts to start any adventure riding and even with the asking price of $15800 doesn't sound like a good deal for me because of the welds quality, the very agricultural feeling from the engine and very v Strom 650 level of suspension. The completion is growing and even the Norden 901 that was selling for $25000 last year is selling for 21700 now. In June there were a few Nodern 901 demos selling for low $18000.
Do the husky’s fare well at 100kmph on the road mile after mile ?
There are guys in UK and USA who have gone on 2000 km trips on the Honda …no piston failures or engine breakdowns…no gearbox failures ,the husky’s appear to be very fragile, like the KTMs .
Honda, Kawasaki , Yamaha , Suzuki , they are bulit to last .
I hope this information is legit !!
I bought one of the last LX's, back in Sept '19...spent a lot of $$ on extras....
Nice mate. Definitely coming back 👊
I'd be more excited if you could pronounce the name of our country correctly instead of, 'Austraya' :p
Sorry, I'll say Straya from now 😜
@@onthebackwheel 😂
"our" country 🤣
Honda is dead to me. Their bikes are just not designed right and they don't listen to customer feedback. Pitty because of their heritage.
I would of already bought one if it didn't need $2k to be worth a shit.....
💯
Back in the day , you rode and loved what you got .
It needs nothing extra , firm seat ? Wear bike shorts .