2023 Honda CRF 450RL

RIDE IT ALL

Building a great dual-sport bike has to be one of the toughest jobs in motorcycling, but also one of the most rewarding. And that’s why we’re so proud of our Honda CRF450RL. When it comes to versatility and features, it’s way better than just a motocrosser with a license plate. And when it comes to off-road riding, it offers stellar performance where others compromise. Why is this bike so good? One reason is because we start with our CRF450X, with its six-speed transmission and excellent chassis geometry. And it’s not what we’ve added, but what we haven’t—which is how we’ve kept the CRF450RL light and nimble. What you get is a true dirt bike that can handle a wide range of terrain, that’s built for long-term reliability, and that lets you ride just about any trail or terrain a motorcycle can handle—including pavement, which makes finding fuel (or lunch) a lot easier. So, ditch the pickup or the trailer: discover the world on a Honda CRF450RL.

Features:

Comfort

• FACTORY HANDGUARDS: The 2023 CRF450RL comes with handguards installed right from the factory. They’re fully integrated, too, not like some aftermarket add-ons. They attach right to the control-lever pivots, are color-matched to your new bike, and are even vented.
• BLACK DID RIMS: They may not help you go faster, but the sweet black DID DirtStar rims sure look good.
• FUEL MILEAGE METER: An important feature for planning gas stops and calculating your bike’s range under varying conditions, the Fuel Mileage Meter shows current fuel mileage and average fuel mileage as well as fuel consumption. Displays in either miles or kilometers, and applies to both the A and B tripmeters. The Fuel Mileage Meter is in the same digital instrument display as the speedometer, odometer, tripmeters and digital clock.
• GEAR-DRIVEN COUNTERBALANCER: The Gear-Driven Counterbalancer reduces vibration and drives the water pump.
• SIDESTAND: Hey, a sidestand may seem like no big thing, but take a look at the one the CRF450RL uses. Tucked up high and out of the way, this forged alloy piece is just another example of how the CRF450RL gets it right.
• SUPERIOR ERGONOMICS: Placing the rider’s legs at the narrowest part of the frame helps improve comfort and handling.
• WORKS MX STYLING: Having a hard time spotting the differences between our factory MX bikes and the CRF450RL? You’re excused. The “RL” looks like our MX bikes because it’s derived from them—the smooth bodywork makes it easy to move around, and the in-mold graphics not only look cool but are durable, too.

Convenience

• ELECTRIC START: An electric start system ensures trouble-free starting in all conditions. The electric starter also drives the clutch side of the crankshaft to provide superior lubrication to starter gears while producing a narrow engine with a short, strong crank.

Engineering

• WIDE-RATIO SIX-SPEED TRANSMISSION: Like our CRF450X, the CRF450RL rocks a wide-ratio six-speed gearbox. That gives you a low gear perfect for tight, slow situations, and a top gear that’s tall enough for highway riding to the next gas stop or trailhead.
• DUAL RADIATORS: The CRF450RL’s dual radiators feature a refined core area for superior heat dissipation compared with conventional dual-radiator designs. A coolant recovery tank is located in front of the engine between the frame downtubes for improved center of mass, and the tank is protected by a plastic skid plate.
• ELECTRIC FAN: The CRF450RL is a “ride anywhere” type of bike, and because conditions vary so widely, we’ve equipped it with a light electric fan for the radiator. Rock crawling or riding on a hot Arizona single-track, it helps keep your engine running cool.
• FINAL-DRIVE SPROCKET DAMPER: Designed to keep your bike quieter while not adding any weight, these unique drive sprockets are just another example of the CRF450RL’s innovative engineering.
• INERTIA-TUNED CRANK: The CRF450RL’s crank has 13 percent more inertia than the CRF450R. Why? To smooth out power delivery and make the engine more user-friendly in tight, technical situations.
• LED HEADLIGHT: The CRF450RL features an all-LED lighting package, including the headlight. That’s a big deal, because it takes a lot of weight off the front end. And the lighting pattern is also specially designed for both on- and off-road situations.
• LED TAILLIGHT: The LED taillight is integrated into the rear fender. It’s light, compact and rigid.
• LITHIUM-ION BATTERY: Light, compact, and offering excellent performance—just like the CRF450RL itself! Conventional batteries are heavy, but not this premium piece. It’s all part of why your CRF450RL performs as well as it does.
• SKID PLATE: The CRF450RL’s factory skid plate is light, yet also offers the engine and lower-frame protection serious riders demand on a machine like this.
• TITANIUM FUEL TANK: Holding 2.0 gallons, the CRF450RL’s premium titanium tank is light and tough.

Handling

• 18-INCH REAR WHEEL: The CRF450RL’s 18-inch rear wheel gives you an excellent choice of on/off-road tires.
• IRC GP TIRES: The CRF450RL’s tires give you good off-road traction and on-road life. Tires are always a critical part of any on/off-road bike, and we’ve hooked you up with some great ones here.
• LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY: The compact Unicam® engine and Honda’s famous concentration on center-of-mass engineering help keep the CRF450RL’s center of gravity low. That means the bike feels lighter, and it helps handling too.
• TWIN-SPAR CHASSIS: This is the same design as our latest CRF450X uses, and that’s a really big deal. It means the CRF450RL is a true off-road bike, and not some compromise. The twin-spar aluminum frame is both light and stiff, and provides the basis for the CRF450RL’s excellent handling. The chassis geometry is specially selected for responsiveness, and also is wider than the standard MX frame to accommodate the six-speed transmission.
• WORKS-STYLE FRONT BRAKE: Compact twin-piston front brake caliper, anodized-aluminum brake pistons and lightweight 260mm front disc offer great stopping power while minimizing unsprung weight for improved turning and handling.
• WORKS-STYLE REAR BRAKE: HRC works-type rear brake system uses a 240mm brake rotor combined with an integrated rear master-cylinder and fluid reservoir, a set-up that eliminates the separate reservoir and hose.

Performance

• 450CC UNICAM® ENGINE: The CRF450RL’s Unicam® cylinder-head combines the best of single- and double-overhead-cam designs, and shares its DNA with our championship-winning CRF450R. The configuration saves weight compared to a dual-overhead-camshaft motor, and the camshaft sits lower in the head for a more compact engine and a lower center of gravity. You also get a narrow included valve angle that flattens the combustion chamber for better ignition flame propagation and a high compression ratio.
• FUEL INJECTION: The CRF450RL features our proven fuel-injection system. It’s part of the reason the CRF450RL offers such excellent torque and spot-on metering and response, especially in the critical low-rpm range. It also automatically compensates for elevation and weather changes.
• TITANIUM INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES: Lightweight titanium intake and exhaust valves permit use of smaller valve springs, reducing overall engine height.

Versatility

• FULLY STREET LEGAL & OFF-ROAD CAPABLE: The CRF450RL is equipped with a catalytic converter and is fully street legal in all 50 states—and off-road capable just about anywhere on the planet. That means you can ride it wherever it’s legal to operate a motor vehicle—in state and national parks, on the road, on public lands. Plus, you don’t need to haul your bike to the trailhead in a truck or on a trailer.