Ryan Nitzen | August 5, 2024
The 2025 Honda CRF450R boasts a range of new features, including an updated rear shock linkage, a stiffer (yes, stiffer!) frame and updated bodywork. Honda’s goal with the ’25 model was to achieve a more balanced motorcycle with a more linear powerband, something that was absent in the previous few years. Honda says the 2025 CRF450R is based directly on input and refinements from last year’s factory bike, which, in the hands of Jett Lawrence, won the 2024 AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross Championships and AMA SuperMotocross World Championships, which, of course, included the perfect season outdoors.
Photography by Align Media
All-New? | 2025 Honda CRF450R Review
As a result, and by how it now looks, you might understandably assume that the 2025 Honda CRF450R is “all new.” It is, but not quite. According to Honda, it is 70 percent new, with most changes to the frame and chassis. The frame has been reinforced in key areas like the head tube, downtube, and rear shock tower to make the bike stiffer—yes, stiffer. We’ll explain in a bit.
The engine wasn’t completely ignored, either. It got a new airbox and air filter, a new longer header pipe, and a new ECU with the goal of smoothing out the overall power output.
Most of these changes have trickled down from the HRC race team’s findings. Looking closely at Jett Lawrence’s ride over the past two years, you’ll see some of these changes. The team’s gone through and welded on metal reinforcements to the headtube and downtube areas to stiffen up the frame to Jett’s liking, and since AMA rules allow teams to add material, not take away, these additions were legal for racing. So why stiffer? Despite our complaints of a harsh ride in the past, Honda says the previous frame was actually one of the “softest” in the class. The stiff feeling we’ve been moaning about, Honda says, comes from the soft aluminum twisting, bending, and reacting negatively to the bumps on the track. Jett apparently felt the same thing and these “reinforcements” quickly became standard additions on his race bike. Three 450 titles later and the results speak for themselves. Now, looking at the ’25 model, it’s easy to see these frame changes in OEM trim.
The new Honda has a touch of that old-school look. Still, the Honda is an eye-catcher.
Skepticism | 2025 Honda CRF450R Review
Still, I remained skeptical about these claims and the thought of a stiffer frame being better for the CRF. The Honda has felt harsh and twitchy for the past few years, and I couldn’t see how making it stiffer would possibly improve it. That’s until I rode the bike on the Ironman Raceway National track in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Right away, the Honda still felt familiar, more like a revamped version of the ’21-’24 rather than an almost all-new design. However, I was happy about that because the 2024 Honda is so adaptable right out of the box. The ’25’s seat/handlebars/footpegs relationship is still very neutral and comfortable, just like it was before, so it will make for an easy transition for die-hard Honda riders moving to this next-gen bike. The only big change in the cockpit is the rear side panels, which have a more symmetrical “flare.” They also have textured grip for added rider control. In a way, it reminds me of the dual-exhaust days and makes it easy for the rider to “lock in” to the rear end of the bike.
The rear body panels are symmetrical and textured for added grip.
On the track, the bike also feels noticeably more planted to the ground. The 450’s frame is the same as the 250’s, so after riding the new 2025 CRF250R earlier in the month, I had a roughly preconceived idea of how it would feel on the freshly prepped Ironman layout.
Again, the old bike felt twitchy and nervous at speed, and was unpredictable in the ruts and corners. Not anymore. The new bike has a much sharper and more precise feel. It’s now more stable in top gear and goes where you point it when entering corners. You can pick a rut, aim at it, and feel confident that you’ll nail it. Additionally, the chassis feels very forgiving, requiring less effort to get it to do what you want and wherever you want on the track.
New bodywork allows the rider to lock into the rear end of the bike.
Honda’s suspension has been reworked to achieve a better “rigidity balance.” As a result, components such as the fork tube, triple clamp, and front axle were strengthened to reduce front-end flex. This allows the fork internals to work more smoothly with less interference and binding.
On the track, the front end felt noticeably more connected to the ground, and the front wheel tracked as it should around the track’s bumpy layout. Overall, handling was less nervous, and it didn’t require a death grip on the bars to keep the front wheel straight. At the rear, the new shock mount and linkage kept the bike stable, and no amount of throttle unsettled the rear suspension. The entire rear end of the bike worked well, with the plastics keeping the rider locked in and centered while the rear shock did its job.
The shock and subframe mounts are new. Much effort went into balancing the frame’s strength and rigidity.
Overall, the updates to the front and rear suspension, as well as the new frame, have resulted in a more comfortable ride from turn to turn. In between, the jumps on the Ironman circuit put the suspension to work. When an obstacle is nicknamed “Godzilla,” it’s a dead giveaway that you’ll be logging some serious airtime. The landings certainly stress-tested the fork and shock. The amount of force on the front end pushed the 49mm Showa tubes to their maximum capacity and used up every inch of its 12.2 inches of travel. However, both the fork and shock performed well.
The Honda techs suggested that we drop the forks in the clamps and increase compression by two clicks to gain some stability and hold-up from the front end for the Ironman track. This helped keep the fork up in the stroke when under load and kept the confidence high when trusting the front end going into a bumpy turn.
The Honda’s suspension passed our landing test.
The engine remains mostly unchanged, but you do feel a slight difference on the track. I could feel a smoother and more consistent power delivery. I like anything that reduces the abruptness of the power delivery of most 450s—it makes them easier to ride—and the Honda does this admirably. While the CR’s 450cc engine has historically offered substantial power, harnessing that power has sometimes been challenging for Honda, but they came up with a good mix of changes that make the engine feel more user-friendly than before across its entire range. Gears two and three are more usable as they feel noticeably longer than before. I preferred map two (smooth) on the Ironman track, but one and three also had their advantages. Overall, the engine felt strong from bottom to mid while still offering good top-end when you open it up, and it just felt cleaner all around. The cherry on top? I experienced zero flameouts, something the old bike would do occasionally. Plus, traction control is a nice addition. It came in handy once the Midwest summer rains began to fall.
The Honda is an improved point-and-shooter.
Familiar But Better | 2025 Honda CRF450R Review
If you’re nervous about the 2025 Honda CRF450R being “all-new,” don’t be. Instead, look at it as being more heavily refined than completely redone, which has its disadvantages. The ’25’s engine and rider cockpit will feel familiar but better, and the bike is indeed overall more user-friendly and more comfortable than before. Honda did a commendable job addressing our areas of concern from the previous model, and you can thank Jett and the factory Honda HRC race team for that. We suspect that the 2025 Honda CRF450R will have you dreaming of your own perfect season the first time you ride it.CN
VIDEO | 2025 Honda CRF450R & CRF250R First Look
VIDEO | 2025 Honda CRF450 First Ride
2025 Honda CRF450R Specifications
| MSRP |
$9699 |
| Engine Type |
4-stroke, single |
| Cooling system |
Liquid |
| Displacement |
450cc |
| Valvetrain |
4-valve, Unicam SOHC |
| Bore x Stroke |
96.0mm x 62.1mm |
| Compression Ratio |
13.5:1 |
| Starting System |
Electric |
| Fueling |
Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI), 44mm downdraft throttle body |
| Transmission |
5-speed, hydraulic clutch |
| Frame |
Aluminum |
| Front Suspension |
49mm inverted Showa fork, fully adjustable |
| Rear Suspension |
Pro-Link Showa single shock, fully adjustable |
| Front-Wheel Travel |
12.2 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel |
12.2 in. |
| Front Wheel |
21 in. |
| Rear Wheel |
19 in. |
| Front Tire |
Dunlop MX33; 80/100-21 in. |
| Rear Tire |
Dunlop MX33; 100/90-19 in. |
| Final Drive |
13T/49T |
| Front Brake |
Single 260mm disc |
| Rear Brake |
Single 240mm disc |
| Seat Height |
37.8in. |
| Ground Clearance |
13.1 in. |
| Fuel Capacity |
1.7 gal. |
| Wheelbase |
58.4 in. |
| Weight (claimed) |
249 lbs. |
