| October 25, 2021
Did Honda make all the right fine-tuning changes to the CRF450R it needed to be the bike it should’ve been last year?
By Ryan Nitzen | Photography by Kit Palmer
Honda gave its flagship motocrosser, the CRF450R, a complete overhaul in 2021, so it comes as no surprise that the ’22 model returns with few updates. But the updates it did get, however, are crucial.
To refresh your memory, the 2021 CRF450R got a ground-up redesign, shedding seven pounds in the process. It arrived on the scene with a new frame, swingarm, engine updates, and body styling that gave the bike a striking look, but the CRF450R was hurried into production last year due to the looming pandemic, and, as a result, some last-minute tweaking and fine-tuning were sacrificed. Consequently, our high expectations for the all-new CRF450R fell short, and the Honda brought up the rear in our 2021 450cc MX Shootout. The Honda’s culprits were glitchy ECU mapping and undersprung suspension, which robbed a lot of the bike’s true potential. Later in the year, we addressed these issues with our test bike. Techs from Honda flashed our ECU, and they helped us develop a better overall suspension setting. Ta-da! Much better. It was now the motorcycle that Honda had initially intended it to be.
The 2022 Honda CRF450R got some much-needed fine-tuning from the factory.
So, would these mods make it onto the ’22 CRF450R? These were the big questions we had when we rode it for the first time.
We’ll get right to the point: yes, they did. And you could feel them right away. The 2022 CRF450R is what the 2021 model should’ve been—a complete package but with stouter suspension and better throttling.
The updated ECU eliminates any of that dreaded lag or gurgle that the previous CRF450R suffered and now offers a consistently smooth delivery on every part of the track. Last year, our test riders said riding the ’21 CRF450R was like riding a carbureted motorcycle with a clogged jet, but not anymore.
The Honda isn’t afraid of the turns.
Like it did last year, the Honda’s motor has lots of power, and the three power modes and three levels of traction control do an excellent job of helping to harness it all. The rest is up to your wrist.
On this day, on what we considered to be a supercross-style layout that was much tighter than your typical motocross circuit, the map that we liked best (map two) was just “mellow” enough that we could hammer the throttle without experiencing the harsher hits we felt with the other two maps. Those maps would be better-suited for faster tracks with loamier and more power-robbing soil. In other words, of the three maps, you should find one that works well for whatever conditions you encounter because there are noticeable differences among the three maps. And all of them without the formerly associated hesitations or glitches.
It’s much easier to channel all the Honda’s power to the ground now that fueling has been improved.
As far as chassis, the bike retains all the razor-sharp handling characteristics from the year before, but the updated suspension makes it even easier to ride.
So far, we only have one full outing on the bike, but on this day, from early morning to late afternoon, we felt the need to make only a few simple adjustments to the bike, including some of the basic stuff like handlebars and levers. Last year, we never stopped fiddling with the bike’s onboard suspension turners (“clickers”) and never really came up with a setup that made us completely happy. This year is much different.
Stiffer suspension is much welcomed this year.
Suspension is setup far better from the factory than the ’21 model. The ’22 feels well-balanced, and the overall base setting is right in the ballpark. Last year, front and rear suspensions were just too soft at race speeds, and we couldn’t find that happy medium between cush and harsh via the bike’s adjusters. It was impossible. Now that the CRF450R comes from the factory much stiffer and properly dialed in, so it’s easier to fine-tune the suspension at the track. You don’t have to go to the extremes anymore. We wanted a bit more bite from the front wheel for the turns, so we lightened the fork’s compression by one click, which gave us just the feel we were looking for without sacrificing overall firmness. That was it for us on this day regarding clickers, mapping, and ergos. What a difference a year makes!
The CRF450R is now one of the lightest-feeling bikes on the track.
Our first impression of the 2022 Honda CRF450R is a good one. As we expected, Honda addressed and, more importantly, fixed, all those nagging glitches and hiccups that plagued last year’s model, which was an otherwise excellent motorcycle.
If there ever was a case about waiting a year for the manufactures to work out all the bugs of a new model, this would undoubtedly be it. CN
2022 Honda CRF450R Specifications
| MSRP: |
$9,599 |
| Engine Type: |
Single-cylinder 4-stroke |
| Displacement: |
449.8cc |
| Valvetrain: |
Unicam OHC, 4-valve; 38mm intake, titanium; 31mm exhaust, steel |
| Bore x Stroke: |
96.0mm x 62.1mm |
| Compression Ratio: |
13.5:1 |
| Cooling System: |
Liquid |
| Induction: |
Programmed fuel-injection system (PGM-FI); 46mm throttle bore |
| Ignition: |
Full transistorized |
| Starter: |
Electric starter |
| Transmission: |
Constant-mesh 5-speed; manual |
| Clutch: |
Multiplate wet, hydraulically actuated (6 springs, 8 plates) |
| Front Suspension: |
49mm fully adjustable leading-axle inverted telescopic Showa coil-spring |
| Rear Suspension: |
Pro-Link system; fully adjustable Showa single shock |
| Front-Wheel Travel: |
12.2 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel: |
12.4 in. |
| Front Brake: |
2-piston caliper hydraulic; single 260mm disc |
| Rear Brake: |
1-piston caliper hydraulic; single 240mm disc |
| Front Tire: |
Dunlop Geomax MX33 80/100-21 in. |
| Rear Tire: |
Dunlop Geomax MX33 120/80-19 in. |
| Rake: |
27°7’ |
| Trail: |
4.48 in. |
| Ground Clearance: |
13.2 in. |
| Seat Height: |
38.0 in |
| Wheelbase: |
58.3 in. |
| Fuel Capacity: |
1.7 gal. |
| Color: |
Red |
| Weight (curb, claimed): |
244 lbs. |
