Honda CRF450 Dakar racer

[haven]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/08/honda-debuts-production-dakar-racer-crf450-rally/

Honda now offers a replica of its CRF450 Dakar racing bike.

[Update: This is incorrect. The race bike is based on a production model, but the racer is not available to the public at this time. Its first race is later this month.]

 

[Clutch]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/08/honda-debuts-production-dakar-racer-crf450-rally/

Honda now offers a replica of its CRF450 Dakar racing bike. It's a full on race machine, no attempt to make it street legal in USA. No word on price just yet.

Sweeet!


Would be pretty easy to make it street legal in AZ.

 

[teotwaki]

I like gadgets but all of the junk blocking the view over the front fender needs a re-think :ylsmoke:

 

[Clutch]

I like gadgets but all of the junk blocking the view over the front fender needs a re-think :ylsmoke:

It is up high like that so the rider can take a quick glance down and look at all the instruments, less distance for the eye travel, so they can keep looking far down the road. When the rider is on the bike you see why they are in the location that they are.



I would imagine in the not so distant future that all of those gadgets will be transferred into a heads-up display mounted in googles. May
not take over the traditional equipment, perhaps as a secondary system.

http://www.reconinstruments.com/

 

[teotwaki]

I understand the whys of placing it there but something more integrated and lower profile would have been better. I imagine that as soon as a HUD is practical it will be a a great candidate.

 

[Clutch]

I understand the whys of placing it there but something more integrated and lower profile would have been better. I imagine that as soon as a HUD is practical it will be a a great candidate.

I dunno, if you get it any smaller/lower profile, be really hard to read skipping across the terra-firma at 100+mph...

As you can see, it is set up high on purpose, as there is plenty of room between the roll chart and bars to make it lower profile
if you wanted.




Riders usually stand, you would have to put your head down too much if it was any lower.

 

[sandalscout]

I like gadgets but all of the junk blocking the view over the front fender needs a re-think :ylsmoke:

Seeing the 10 feet in front of the fender when moving balls-out during a wide open rally is not important. When you are moving as fast as those guys are, missing something that was not viewable above the fairing is not going to make a difference as they likely don't have enough time to react before hitting it.

That's all my impression, of course. I gave up a small amount of "fender viewing" when I moved from my XT250 to the KLR, and then even more when I did the wheat wacker "rally fairing" mod to the bike. I don't miss it. A handful of KLR riders have painted the windscreen without complaint.

 

[teotwaki]

The 100 MPH speed angle makes sense. I am coming from a motocross racing background when I look at that stack of gadgets as forward view limiting :roost:

In a motocross race I know folks spend most of the time on the pegs but something as long as the Dakar? Iron legs must be the norm! LOL

 

[sandalscout]

Yeah, I can see significant differences needed in motocross. I'd be more worried about impaling myself in motocross then just limiting vision.

 

[Clutch]

The 100 MPH speed angle makes sense. I am coming from a motocross racing background when I look at that stack of gadgets as forward view limiting :roost:

In a motocross race I know folks spend most of the time on the pegs but something as long as the Dakar? Iron legs must be the norm! LOL

Off-roading is a different animal, that is for sure!

I actually stand a lot for off road riding/racing...almost the entire ride =, whether it is tight single track or open roads, unless it is a super smooth section or slow transfer section. You have much more control over the bike while standing, plus it plants the weight of your body on the pegs instead of the seat. Also it saves energy, you steer more with your legs than your upper body, and since you're standing you use your legs as suspension, so your body doesn't get so beat up. Safer to absorb unexpected quick changes in the terrain at speed, such as a g-outs, square edged rocks, ruts, ditches, potholes, etc... Weight transfer is easier if you're already standing too, being able to see farther down the trail/road. There are many pluses to stand while riding...I do it so much that sitting feels weird to me.

 

[watrboy]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/08/honda-debuts-production-dakar-racer-crf450-rally/

Honda now offers a replica of its CRF450 Dakar racing bike. It's a full on race machine, no attempt to make it street legal in USA. No word on price just yet.

Honda is not offering a replica bike. The bike shown is the 1st showing of the 2013 Honda Factory Team Bike. This is big news in the Dakar, as Honda has not fielded a team since the 80's when they won a few times. Here is the link to the teams site http://www.teamhrcrally.com/team-hrc-dakar/home/

 

[haven]

Looks like watrboy may be right.

The Autoblog article says, "Honda has chosen to honor this year's factory team with a production version of the race bike." That's why I wrote that Honda was planning to sell replicas.

However, the Honda press release just talks about preparing the new model for its factory race team. According to the press release, this is Honda's first factory endurance racer to be based on a production model, the CRF450X. No mention of selling it to the public. Here's the Honda press release
http://world.honda.com/news/2012/c121002Dakar-Rally-CRF450-Rally/index.html

 

[Clutch]

It does look very production "like". Not a cobbled together bike as we have seen with past privateer efforts. I am sure there is some factory wizardy under the hood though.