2019 Honda CRF 450L

[shade]

Congrats on taking the plunge and deciding to get back into riding, it's hard to stay away lol.

In regards to a Dual Sport segment bike it would be hard to long for more than what the 450L will provide, if you need more from the bike then you need a different bike altogether and should be looking at the middle weight ADV segment instead. One of the guys I ride with also has a 450L and he's 6'2 285 lbs and he has over 4,000 miles on his and absolutely rides the piss out of it so I wouldn't sweat your size and weight.

Tires range from $50-125 each depending on brand and model and suspension could be as cheap as a DIY spring swap at $250 all the way up to $1500+ for a full on overhaul/rebuild with fancy coatings and such. I did a complete overhaul with respring and revalve and I was at $750 which is pretty competitive as most shops wanted north of $1K for the same work. I'd set aside $1000-1500 for tires, suspension and a better seat, the rest will come in time as you see what you need and as things wear out.

Call around to multiple dealers in your area, you might get lucky and find some deeply discounted left over 2019's, those savings would cover the upgrades you mentioned.

Lightly used Ls are here and there, too. New or used, this is a good time to shop, especially if you have cash in hand.

 

[shade]

I'm a big guy at 6'2" 265 lbs and don't want to buy too small of a bike. Like was said here I figure I could grow into the 450L vs going smaller and then trading up. I suppose I'll need to tune the suspension for my fat ******** and swap the tires. Any guesses on what those upgrades will cost?

John T. Young has two videos on setting up his 450L for carrying your weight.

 

[Halligan]

Lightly used Ls are here and there, too. New or used, this is a good time to shop, especially if you have cash in hand.

Actually if you want brand new in my area a 450L is a rare unicorn right now. Only 1 dealer near me had one and it was a 2019, which in fact they brought in from another dealer because they were sold out of there inventory and wanted one on the floor. That dealer now has none if you get my drift. I certainly didn't steal it due to it being a popular bike and they had the only one in the area but whatever. Hopefully picking it up mid week and the mods will begin.

 

[Buliwyf]

Does this bike have the same swing arm, frame, and wheelbase as the 450R?

 

[Tex68w]

Does this bike have the same swing arm, frame, and wheelbase as the 450R?

I believe that the frame is the same but the swing arm is different and the 450R has a shorter wheel base, hence the different swing arm.

 

[Buliwyf]

Thanks. That sounds good.
My DRz has a shorter wheelbase. Great for cutting through a city on the sidewalks, not so great off road.

 

[Tex68w]

I had a 2014 DRZ400S, I loved the simplicity of that bike and its painless maintenance intervals but it was heavy and I always longed for a 6th gear. I wouldn't mind having another one for tooting around town on. The 450L is another league in every way, there are quite a few who Super Moto them as well. I have been very happy with it as a LW Dual Sport and even though I flirt with selling it from time to time, I plan to keep her around for a while to compliment other new bikes I'll be replacing and adding to the stable in the next year.

 

[Tex68w]

My factory bars had a slight bend in them from a rather direct drop on a rock ledge last year (Thanks Johnny!!!), I have been rocking them as such ever since and figured it was time for a change. I ordered Flexx Bars thinking I'd appreciate the added cushion in my arms and wrists but when they came in I hated that they weighed 3.5lbs so I returned them. I am a little bummed because I was excited about the Voyager Pro mount that would have put the unit perfectly in the middle of the bars and it provides a much more secure mounting surface than the Trail Tech provided plastic arm. Oh well, you can't win them all and I have some ideas on how to make my own improved mount.

I ordered up the tried and true Renthal Fat Bars in the 605 Ricky Johnson/CR High bend. The 605 bar specs are on top and the factory 7/8" 971 bars on the bottom for comparison. These are very similar in dimensions.

Dimensions		W	H	R	CLP W	SWP	CNTRL L
Bar 1: 605 RICKY JOHNSON / CR HIGH / KTM ENDURO 2017-18		805	97	64	115	65	200
Bar 2: 971 RC (450L Factory bars)		802	97	62	135	53	201

I used the Renthal Fat Bar 5mm forward offset bar mounts to get them a tad further forward and closer to center over the forks. The offsets allowed for more sweep in the new bars keeping everything very close to stock while gaining 2mm in rise. It's not a huge difference but this is better kit than the stock clamps and grips and I no longer have to look at that tiny 7/8" bar and cross bar pad any longer. ProTaper Pillow Top Lite grips were chosen to round it out, I still need to safety wire them. The best part is that I found all of these parts (bars, bar mounts, grips) new (some on close out deals) for under $115 all in by scrounging around on eBay.

 

[Tex68w]

I added the upper frame guard grip overlays, they definitely make for more grip with the knees and I imagine even for the inner thigh when riding nuts to tank into a corner. A few more bits and pieces and I believe this build will be done. All that will be left is maintenance, replacing wearables, and enjoying every mile she lays down. I've got a 100+ mile gravel grinder ride planned for next week and then I think it'll be time for some new rubber.

 

[shade]

She'll look good parked between a 250 and a T7.

I have the lower frame tape to put on tomorrow, and I think I'll add some from a roll to the upper section like you did. Finishes it off a little nicer.

 

[Tex68w]

We covered close to 100 miles this morning, all gravel grinding. We started out right at sunrise 0630 hours and it was extremely cloudy with a steady south breeze, we couldn't have asked for a cooler morning for this time of the year. We were in central Texas near Brenham and Bellville incase you know the area. The bikes were loaded back up and we were eating breakfast at the local cafe by 0945. The tires are on the Elle are officially shot, the rear GT333N is toast at less than 1000 miles. This was my last time to transport the bike with the hitch carrier as well, I am officially moving over to using the utility trailer to transport the bikes going forward. There might be an 80's Japanese toy added to the stable soon that will also see some dirt bike transport duty.

My buddies 450X was quite the little ripper but lacking a 6th gear was a detriment when we ran head to head, he just didn't have enough up top to keep up with me beyond 75 mph. I am looking forward to seeing how he builds it out here in the coming months. Short of some maintenance and new tires I think my bike will be doing more sitting on the stand in the garage over the next 90 days than anything else. It's simply too hot down here this time of the year and my schedule is about to pick up tenfold. I'll be sending the oil sample off to Blackstone soon to see how it fairs with the 1,000 mile OCI.

I need to be better about stopping to take pics in some of the more scenic areas of our rides but I just get so caught up in the moment that the last thing I want to do is stop for a pic and ruin the experience in that moment.

 

[shade]

You're making me hungry. I may start some weekend breakfast rides with a few friends if my schedule changes soon.

So are you getting rid of your rack, or just planning on hauling more than a single bike most of the time?

 

[Tex68w]

You're making me hungry. I may start some weekend breakfast rides with a few friends if my schedule changes soon.

So are you getting rid of your rack, or just planning on hauling more than a single bike most of the time?

I'll be selling the rack. I am usually with one or two buddies when I go ride so I need to carry more than just my bike. We had been relying on another buddies trailer for each trip and it's just too big and heavy for three bikes behind a midsize SUV. Instead of dealing with that or forcing multiple vehicles to meet up I went ahead and got a smaller utility trailer for the sole use of carrying motorcycles for these day and short weekend trips. Putting these bikes in the back of a lifted 3/4-ton trucks isn't the most user friendly experience either so the small trailer should be the best option. I'll post some pics of the trailer when I am done building it out.

 

[shade]

You won't have much trouble selling it. I didn't know if your potential move would make it work any better for you.

I'm giving some thought to using it to haul the bike for shuttle service when doing section hikes, like the Colorado Trail. I also have access to a small flatbed trailer that can carry 3-4 bikes. If I ever get enough people together to need the capacity, I'll set it up for that. I look forward to seeing how yours turns out.

 

[Halligan]

Selling the Roll n Rack? I assembled mine the other day and it's first voyage is up to New Hampshire tomorrow. I like idea of the rack it but also see the practicality of a trailer when multiple bikes are involved. I'm fortunate to already have a 5x10 utility trailer with ramp gate that I've had for years if needed. I bought the rack to avoid the whole towing/parking a trailer everywhere I go with the bike.

Did you ever have any concerns with the Rack that made you want to switch to a trailer or was it strictly a practical reason?