Honda CRF450L Review | First Ride

Cycle World takes a first ride on the 2019 Honda CRF450L, and comes away impressed with its performance and handling. Can it be a contender for the dual-sport crown? When Honda released first details of the 2019 CRF450L, Honda fans rejoiced as KTM, Beta, and Husqvarna grit their teeth, knowing very well the European domination of the hard-core dual-sport segment is in jeopardy. A glance down the spec sheet and all looked great for Honda and worrisome for the big three. Until nearly the last line of the sheet—289-pound curb weight? Insert record scratch here. Fanboys held their heads and detractors high-fived. How can a combatant for the DS throne weigh in 25 to 30 pounds more than its competition? Online arguments exploded and trolls threw that number around with reckless abandon. All of the speculation and bickering can be put to rest—the CRF450L is a contender, 289 pounds or not. Built on the bones of Honda&CRF450R motocrosser, the CRF450L branches the farthest off the family tree via the CRF450RX and most closely the CRF450X. All share the same basic architecture: a 449.7cc overhead-cam Unicam engine, twin-spar aluminum perimeter frame, and premium Showa suspension. Journey from the R model through the RX to the X and the frame gets a bit wider in the hips to accommodate a six-speed wide-ratio transmission. The rear wheel morphs into an 18-inch hoop rather than a 19-incher and the tank capacity grows by just a third of gallon to 2.01 gallons. Suspension spring rates...