shade
Well-known member
I have a very nice 1/4" drive torque wrench that doesn't weigh much, and probably covers the range of many things on the bike. I wouldn't have to use it, but I'm funny that way.
2019 Honda CRF 450L
- Thread starter Tex68w
- Start date
Tex68w
Beach Bum
I found some time this afternoon to get out on the bike for another gravel grinder ride. The weather was almost too hot with a high of 91F I was most certainly perspiring. It was good to see people out and about fishing and just enjoying the outdoors in general. The beaches open back up tomorrow, it might be time for another Gulf front rip beside the surf this weekend!!!
I rode very spirited the first half of the 87 mile trip and I averaged 38 mpg, on the way back I rode as I would characterize as "normal" lol and I averaged 41 mpg. There were sustained speeds in excess of 80 so I am sure that I can improve upon those fuel economy numbers. If I took it easy and slowed down some in areas I bet I could get that average up to 45-46 mpg. Considering the Vortex and exhaust I can live with any number north of 40 mpg.
I spent most of my day down in the marshy areas on this portion of the coast line. These pics are from an area known as Chinquapin (named after the white oak) near Lake Austin (not the one in Austin lol). Apparently a large portion of this section of the coast line is a National Wildlife Refuge known as Big Boggy.
I rode very spirited the first half of the 87 mile trip and I averaged 38 mpg, on the way back I rode as I would characterize as "normal" lol and I averaged 41 mpg. There were sustained speeds in excess of 80 so I am sure that I can improve upon those fuel economy numbers. If I took it easy and slowed down some in areas I bet I could get that average up to 45-46 mpg. Considering the Vortex and exhaust I can live with any number north of 40 mpg.
I spent most of my day down in the marshy areas on this portion of the coast line. These pics are from an area known as Chinquapin (named after the white oak) near Lake Austin (not the one in Austin lol). Apparently a large portion of this section of the coast line is a National Wildlife Refuge known as Big Boggy.
Tex68w
Beach Bum
8,10,12mm sockets will get you through a large majority of this bike. Obviously axle nuts, shock adjustment and the drain plug would require other sizes as well. The drain plug uses a rather large allen.
shade
Well-known member
Thanks. I was just reading about toolkits on the advrider 450L mega thread.
I'm impressed with your UOA efforts. When I get a bike, I'll contribute some OEM interval reports for a stock bike.
About the Vortex and throttle response. On a stock bike ridden on-road, is the throttle still too twitchy? I can see eventually wanting a Vortex, but I know I'll be building experience with easier riding before getting into any difficult terrain where low speed throttle management is critical.
Tex68w
Beach Bum
I'll keep doing oil analysis for the foreseeable future, hopefully it helps others.
Buy the bike and ride it stock to see what "YOU" think it needs. I can tell you that I wouldn't want one without it but how I ride and my capabilities might be worlds apart from yours, I don't know. There are owners out there that are perfectly content with the bike in stock form and some only buy a throttle tamer or JD Jetting tuner, it's different for everyone. In time you will know whether or not the Vortex is for you and you can spend that money then.
Buy the bike, get a better seat and better tires and get out and ride.
shade
Well-known member
I don't plan to change anything until I decide I need to make a change, just like with my truck. I'm immune to the hyper mod virus, and only make changes after a lot of thought. I was just curious if I could expect the throttle to be so twitchy that it'd be difficult to even learn to ride a bike. I have plenty of experience with 4 wheeled MTs, so I'm not all that concerned about it, but I don't want to routinely dump or stall it at a stop light.
My plan is to get through an MSF course for the license, and ride the stock rubber off the bike before doing anything more than changing the oil. I may use the stock seat that long, too. After that, only minimal farkling, since I want to keep the bike OEM quiet as much as possible.
I didn't hear back on the used bike I'm after. I'll give it a little longer and try to catch the guy on the phone.
Wallygator
Adventurer
I decided to keep mine basically stock because I love how quiet the stock muffler is. I'm on the east coast and being quiet is sometimes a benefit here. However, I did get the JD jetting tuner. I feel it's almost a necessity as the stock fuel mapping is horrible in the first part of the throttle IMO. The stock setup is very choked off and Honda definitely went out of their way to please the EPA. The JD tuner cleaned that up and I love the thing after that mod. Maybe one day I will throw down on the vortex and pipe to really release the potential but it's fine how it is now for my use.
I think I would like to eliminate the thermostat and some of the emissions stuff before that though. I feel if the bike ran cooler it would clean it up even further. The other mod I would like is more fuel capacity but dam those tanks are money. May just get a bladder as a bandaid until I feel like throwing a few dollars at it.
Last but not least the stock tires feel like you just entered a Flintstone cartoon. They are pretty good on road but horrible off road. I actually still have mine on there as I have not had time to switch them out. This is for sure on the short list. The stock tires are so bad I am hesitant sometimes to take it down any challenging trails. I live in the mountains and I honestly don't know if these tires could find traction on slick up mountain terrain. But this is usually the case with most stock bikes as tires are very subjective. Other than those things, a good bash plate, hand guards, and radiator guards the bike is great right out of the box. As mentioned I love it and it will be with me a long time.
shade
Well-known member
That seems to be the universal opinion. All the more reason for me to put time in on the road to wear them out. One of my friends has a No-Mar tire changer, so I should be able to do tire work quickly, but I'll still get some practice doing it by hand. I've done plenty of bicycle tires, so I at least have that experience.
I agree on the noise. I don't see myself altering the exhaust unless it has minimal impact on noise levels. If I was able to rip across vast stretches of BLM land regularly, I might feel different, though.
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Tex68w
Beach Bum
You should start reading the nearly 500 page long 450L Megathread over on ADVRider. There are some options for gutting/modifying the stock muffler and using a 450X header. With the FMF Q4 and it's quiet core insert I could barely tell a difference between it and stock in regards to an increase in noise.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
I’m a fan of quiet bikes. A safe rider regardless of bike rides like a ghost because only a few cagers ever see you especially today with texting and driving. Only takes one person passing you in your own lane completely oblivious your there or a couple of cagers running into the back of each other as you filter by “lane sharing” to realize your a ghost and short of driving a bright pink 10 ton dump truck people have a hard time noticing traffic around them especially motorcycles.
Tex68w
Beach Bum
The Giant Loop Possibles Pouch finally arrived. This thing is 100% water and weather proof, it's very similar to a roll up dry bag like you would use kayaking or on a boat. It's both larger and yet somehow smaller than what I had expected it to be lol, but I think it'll be the perfect everyday companion for the tail of the bike. In these photos I have a 21" tube stuffed inside with tons of room to spare and seeing how the roll top is expandable you can tailor/expand the interior space to fit your gear/kit/load.
I imagine it's payload will vary depending on the ride, my needs, and whether or not I am using it along with the saddlebags as well. I might try losing the cinch straps for securing it to the rack in favor of some shorter Pronghorn straps, they would certainly make it easier to mount and remove it while on the go and it would clean up a lot of the loose ends as well. When mounted I think it looks similar to factory tail bags that came on the 650L, Trans Alp and the older XR400/600's.
I imagine it's payload will vary depending on the ride, my needs, and whether or not I am using it along with the saddlebags as well. I might try losing the cinch straps for securing it to the rack in favor of some shorter Pronghorn straps, they would certainly make it easier to mount and remove it while on the go and it would clean up a lot of the loose ends as well. When mounted I think it looks similar to factory tail bags that came on the 650L, Trans Alp and the older XR400/600's.
shade
Well-known member
I have been. Good stuff, and it reads pretty fast once you know what to scroll past.
shade
Well-known member
I heard back on the used 2019 that's about an hour away.
$7200: 650 miles of light riding, with quality aftermarket handguards, licence plate holder, skid plate, radiator guards, and a rear rack.
I think I'll see if it was serviced at 600, and offer him $7k once I get some sleep.
$7200: 650 miles of light riding, with quality aftermarket handguards, licence plate holder, skid plate, radiator guards, and a rear rack.
I think I'll see if it was serviced at 600, and offer him $7k once I get some sleep.
shade
Well-known member
@Tex68w - Are you happy with your hitch carrier?
I was going to use Dad's small tilt bed trailer to pick up the bike tomorrow, but I just learned that he hasn't repacked the hubs - ever - in 35 years. I'll get to that soon enough, but I won't take it on the highway until the bearings are happy, so I'm borrowing a bike trailer from a friend. Regardless, I'll probably want a hitch rack at some point.
I was going to use Dad's small tilt bed trailer to pick up the bike tomorrow, but I just learned that he hasn't repacked the hubs - ever - in 35 years. I'll get to that soon enough, but I won't take it on the highway until the bearings are happy, so I'm borrowing a bike trailer from a friend. Regardless, I'll probably want a hitch rack at some point.
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