Honda finally took the wraps off the 2010 CRF450R and, after having done so, gave us an opportunity to spin a few laps on the refined - and improved - machine.

Last year, Honda gave the CRF450R a complete makeover, giving it fuel injection and a lighter chassis. The bike, as it turned out, was very good, but it wasn't for everybody. Hard-core experts generally liked the bike for its hard-hitting power and quick handling, but for just about everyone else, the '09 450 was - how should we put it? - a handful. For 2010, Honda made changes to the CR's FI mapping and small changes to the KYB suspension to help make the bike more user-friendly for a wider range of riders.

"We have a better base line when it comes to mapping and chassis - a wider spread of adjustments," said a Honda spokesman. "Last year, we could make adjustments to suit the experts but didn't really have the range to go the other way. Now we do, by providing a more middle-of-the-road base setting for both the ignition/fuel-injection mapping and suspension."

Basically, Honda made no major physical changes to the motor with the goal of improving on-track performance, except for giving the ECU (electronic control unit) new programming to "improve off/on throttle control."

One of our biggest complaints with the '09 Honda was just that: too abrupt on/off throttle response at lower rpm, which was especially noticeable while just riding the bike back and forth between the pits and the track. That feeling carried onto the track as well. While this herky-jerky motion can still be detected at idling speeds, it's not nearly as prominent as before and is far more acceptable. The new mapping can also be felt on the track, as the Honda, while still very fast and powerful, now has a much smoother and more manageable motor. Throttle control is much improved, too. But if you liked the harder hit of the '09 motor, no problem. Honda says you can easily change the ECU programming to emulate the '09's powerband if you so choose. Or you can even go the other way now.

Honda also made it easier to make these changes by relocating the PGM-FI tuning connector behind the radiator shroud for easier access.

The '09 Honda was a little finicky when it came to starting, too, so Honda re-engineered the auto decompression system by revising the decomp pin shape and decompressor weight/spring. These changes work wonders. The new CR starts ridiculously easily now. Our test bike started on the first kick all day long. We even started it in street shoes with no problems.

The '09 suspension was also tuned more for the expert rider, but Honda made some minor changes to the shock and fork to appeal to a broader range of riders. The fork now carries slightly more oil, and has new midstroke valving, and the shock has a new piston with larger oil holes, and the end result is overall a much plusher ride over the smaller bumps while still maintaining strength to soak up the harder hits. The track we rode on this day wasn't extremely rough, so the verdict is still pending on the Honda's suspension, but we can say, "So far so good."

Everything else that we've come to expect from the Honda CRF450R is still there. The brakes are as strong as ever, and the bike turns great, handles well, and just feels tight and compact as always. And it feels light, too, as it should - at a claimed 238.4 pounds, it's roughly 10 pounds lighter than most of the bikes in its class.

But here's the big (bad) news: The 2010 CRF450R won't be showing up to a dealer near you until February! When it does, it will carry an MSRP of $8,099, which is $500 more than the '09's original MSRP, which have certainly changed. If you don't want to wait till February, '09s are still available at what you might say are very "attractive" prices.