CRF450L

[ktm jeff]

Re-tuning it for decent power/torque will require a proper full exhaust system , imported , for maybe 35 - 40 K. Then a custom ECU , for how much , plus maybe an injector/throttle body. Of course this invalidates any warranty , but also road legality with the noisy and non-stamped exhaust. You end up with  a CRF 250 , with enduro service requirements ( valves every 3K/1800 miles ) or more power , but illegal .

[pbas400]

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/things-to-know-honda-crf450l/

[taninthai]

1 hour ago, pbas400 said:

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/things-to-know-honda-crf450l/

Well that sounds a little better,,,,I haven’t really got a problem with the power of my crf250 for off roading,it’s only when road riding it has lack of power,with oil changes 600 miles and valve checks every 1800 km for the 450l I think I’d just stick to my 250l,also have another bigger bike for road trips now so only use crf for nipping to shops and off roading.

[canthai55]

I see it as a bike with too many negatives

25HP - not enuf. Sure, put USA parts on it and it is good to go. But ...

32,000 km engine teardown - piston rings, valve grind/new valves ...

If priced at 300 K - for that money you can buy a good second hand CRF250L - with all the mods - and a Versys/CB650F - with all the mods, and have baht left over. Plus have bikes made for purpose - one off road, one on road.

Now if Honda made it with 50 HP and the service requirements of a CRF250L than it will sell well. Can't see it in this state.

[taninthai]

4 hours ago, canthai55 said:

I see it as a bike with too many negatives

25HP - not enuf. Sure, put USA parts on it and it is good to go. But ...

32,000 km engine teardown - piston rings, valve grind/new valves ...

If priced at 300 K - for that money you can buy a good second hand CRF250L - with all the mods - and a Versys/CB650F - with all the mods, and have baht left over. Plus have bikes made for purpose - one off road, one on road.

Now if Honda made it with 50 HP and the service requirements of a CRF250L than it will sell well. Can't see it in this state.

The quote from advpulse link above Honda are claiming 40 something hp ,600 mile oil change and 1800 mile valve checks,,as said in my post I don’t think it’s a bike for me.

[nikotin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUmtzOlqAtc&feature=share

[BBJ]

 

Double post.

 

[JonnyF]

All a bit of a mystery isn't it. If the US spec vs Euro spec idea is true then i am not sure why Euro 4 would choke the bike that much when the litre bikes are still able to put awesome power and still comply with Euro 4. I understand it losing 2 or 3 hp but not 20.

 

Also I don't see how it can have 25hp and also have short service intervals. Surely it's one or the other, not both. A 450 detuned to 25hp would surely be so overbuilt that it was bullet proof.

 

Anyway let's see. Honda seem capable of making some very strange decisions so maybe they will actually screw this up as has been suggested.

[canthai55]

10 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Anyway let's see.

Sound advice

[canthai55]

Sounds like all the low HP talk was garbage ...

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/things-to-know-honda-crf450l/

[BBJ]

On 6/30/2018 at 7:45 PM, canthai55 said:

Sounds like all the low HP talk was garbage ...

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/things-to-know-honda-crf450l/

Better news.  I wonder how many will be put off at the service intervals.  For me, not an issue as I'm only a few clicks from a dirt track.  But I reckon many were hoping for a medium distance traveller.

 

All boils down to price if it hits Thailand.

[jackdd]

26 minutes ago, BBJ said:

Better news.  I wonder how many will be put off at the service intervals.  For me, not an issue as I'm only a few clicks from a dirt track.  But I reckon many were hoping for a medium distance traveller. 

 

All boils down to price if it hits Thailand.

I think the service interval is not a too big problem. Don't forget that this engine is used by professional motorbike riders who squeeze everything out of them, so the intervals are quite short. For the average hobby rider it can probably be prolonged by a multitude, and getting it serviced is cheap and easy in Thailand. So as you said already, in the end it depends on the price of the bike, which in my opinion will be too high to find many customers.

[canthai55]

Price will be the kicker. This bike is basically a street legal X model.

And services at 600 miles - use full syn, change at 5000 km for primary road use - think supermoto conversion. It will be fine like this.

 

 

[eisfeld]

While probably true that you can stretch the service intervals quite a bit by not riding it like a professional offroad racer, doing so would most likely also make Honda hesitant to honor any warranty claims.

 

The only dealers who'll stock parts like oil filter etc will be Bigwing. So either you better live not far from one, have a trailer, don't care about warranty or do the service yourself. Not very attractive options imho. Surely some people will deal with this but I personally wouldn't.

[canthai55]

I would do as per warranty until it expires. Then as above.

My CRF manual calls for oil changes many miles more than the dealer wants me to come in for. He wants oil change every 2500 km - even with full syn

[thaiguzzi]

12 hours ago, jackdd said:

and getting it serviced is cheap and easy in Thailand.

You have seen with your own eyes a Big Wing Genuine Honda tech with a micrometer and a box of valve shims?

[thaiguzzi]

12 hours ago, jackdd said:

and getting it serviced is cheap and easy in Thailand.

You have seen with your own eyes a Big Wing Genuine Honda tech with a micrometer and a box of valve shims?

Double post.

[jackdd]

2 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

You have seen with your own eyes a Big Wing Genuine Honda tech with a micrometer and a box of valve shims?

I've seen with my own eyes a genuine Honda tech doing the valve check at my PCX (of course a "small bike" Honda shop). So i assume Honda Big Wing can do it as well.

It was not so easy to find a shop willing to do it, but at the end i saw the reason for this... it took 2 people like 1.5 hours (they have to disassemble half of the bike) to do this and they only charge about 200THB for it.

[ktm jeff]

6 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

You have seen with your own eyes a Big Wing Genuine Honda tech with a micrometer and a box of valve shims?

As many here have found out the hard way , Big Wing can hardly service the CRF 250 valves , so doing so on this bike is going to be interesting. The service intervals just dont make sense. If it was making a motocross level of 65-70 BHP then OK , but 40 !. With a 370cc KTM single cylinder road bike making more power , why can the KTM go so long between oil changes and valve checks but this Honda cant. You go over , and no warranty. 

[thaiguzzi]

10 hours ago, jackdd said:

I've seen with my own eyes a genuine Honda tech doing the valve check at my PCX (of course a "small bike" Honda shop). So i assume Honda Big Wing can do it as well.

It was not so easy to find a shop willing to do it, but at the end i saw the reason for this... it took 2 people like 1.5 hours (they have to disassemble half of the bike) to do this and they only charge about 200THB for it.

Checking...…………..

Measuring? With a micrometer?

Using a calculator, pencil & paper and noting specs?

Changing shims?

[ktm jeff]

19 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Checking...…………..

Measuring? With a micrometer?

Using a calculator, pencil & paper and noting specs?

Changing shims?

Never going to happen.  PCX is screw adjustment. And "not east to find a shop that will do it". Removing camshafts and micing up / swapping around shims then calculating what shim brings the clearance back into spec isnt going to happen at Honda shops that cant even set tire pressures correctly. These bikes need to be maintained right. That means doing it yourself or finding a very capable independent mechanic. Warranty will be void.

[Rhys]

Sweet Bike.. but miss the Honda  SL 350...

 

[ktm jeff]

I fondly remember the XL range. Was the SL more towards trails.

[KiChakayan]

On 5/24/2018 at 7:12 AM, canthai55 said:

https://thumpertalk.com/articles/honda-broadens-crf-lineup-with-expansive-new-model-launch-r871/

This thing doesn't have any pedals, so you have to sit an push with your feet?

[Rhys]

46 minutes ago, ktm jeff said:

I fondly remember the XL range. Was the SL more towards trails.

 

 

I recall the SL  Street Legal.. took it on the trails, the hills, it did just fine... Road it on the streets. 

[Neilly]

18 hours ago, Rhys said:

Sweet Bike.. but miss the Honda  SL 350...

 

Just had to look that up as I hadn't heard about it before...looks the part.

 

I had an XL500 (cantankerous f'in thing) and then an XR350 that I loved 

[Ks45672]

18 hours ago, ktm jeff said:

Never going to happen.  PCX is screw adjustment. And "not east to find a shop that will do it". Removing camshafts and micing up / swapping around shims then calculating what shim brings the clearance back into spec isnt going to happen at Honda shops that cant even set tire pressures correctly. These bikes need to be maintained right. That means doing it yourself or finding a very capable independent mechanic. Warranty will be void.

Scooters are disposable imo..... 

Modern warranty is 36,000-50,000km or 3-5 yrs

After that long you will probably want to buy something new anyway

 

[ktm jeff]

4 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

Scooters are disposable imo..... 

Modern warranty is 36,000-50,000km or 3-5 yrs

After that long you will probably want to buy something new anyway

 

I dont know if many are doing 12,000 per year on scooters , but yes , as you say , they dont require much skill to maintain. Many will never get their valves checked , or if they are , will they be done correctly. This 450 must be done right , every 3K. By some one who knows what they are doing. Who are you going to trust to do that if its so difficult to get an official Honda dealer to even check a scooter. Now , who wants to guess the Thai price. 350,000 ?. 

[DDBKK]

I'll go with 420K - Can't see them coming in plated and green book for less when requiring import. 

[ktm jeff]

It costs 340K in America , once import charges etc are paid.  As there are now no more import taxes from Japan to Thailand , as far as i know , i would expect / hope the price will be similar.  Unless Honda tries it on.