Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
When I heard that my new 04 CRF was down at Yellow Freight arriving from Service Honda I was pretty fired up. At first glance you can see Honda refined the aesthetics of the bike. The fenders are more angular and it is more red than the 03. It also comes stock with Renthal bars, good move Honda! It comes with a factory gripper seat cover as well and 756 tire on the rear!

Having just come off a year of riding an 03 CRF I expected the 04 to fit like a glove. I mean from the outside it looks cooler, better tires and bars... Should be just right... Wrong! After my initial ride I was in shock at how different the bike was. The dropped 2 teeth on the rear sprocket because the Honda claims the new motor had too much hit off bottom, I disagree. Corners that I rolled into in 3rd on the 03 I had to hit in second on the new bike, but in second you are right in the meat of the power so throttle control is required. If I hit the corners in 3rd the bike would bog then come on strong. What I did not realize is that I was actually going faster even though the bike seemed as if it was bogging. This became evident when I over shot the finish line jump and flat landed... The bike is BLISTERING fast through the mid and top end, even with the smaller rear sprocket it revs faster and accelerates harder but it feels smoother if that makes any sense? I would say the gearing will take some getting used to, don't get frustrated, just ride it and get a feel for it. In all honesty the gearing feels more like the 4 speed tranny of the YZF450 with an extra gear. I will probably be going up one tooth on the rear sprocket.

The new seat is SOFT, I mean spongy soft. I am not a fan of a couch cushion for a seat so I put my SDG tall seat from my 03 on it after the first run. It made a HUGE difference in the way the bike felt. The cockpit of the bike is a little cramped, especially when you have a tall seat on. On my 03 I had Emig clamps to move the bars forward and tall bars, I will be making the same modifications to this bike.

The clutch is so soft it is hard to believe this is a 450. I mean 1-finger pulls are easy! Silky smooth. After moving the geat shift leaver up one notch shifting while standing, jumping or sitting was a breeze. Neutral is DAMN hard to find, that is my only complaint about the gear box.

The suspension is phenomenal! I have to be honest though, MX-Tech did the suspension before I got the bike. I rode the 03 the full year on stock suspension so it is not fair for me to compare the 04 suspenders to the 03. I will tell you this, I have never ridden a more perfectly suspended bike. Through the whoops it was insane, just line it up and hold it on the throttle stop. I have struggled for a year with those whoops on the Honda whereas on TX Bigguys YZ450 I could hit them fine. Now the 04 goes through like butter and I have to attribute that to the suspension. Jeremy put the Enzo sub tanks on this bike to keep it from bottoming. They affect the last 1/3 of the stroke. He told me I would not be able to bottom this thing out. Well above I told you I over jumped the finish line jump, about an 80ft table top/step down so I was about to test his claims of bottoming resistance. It was one of those jumps where when in the air you are saying to yourself "self, this is gonna suck". I expected BRUTAL landing but it turned out to be only mildly brutal and I did not bottom the forks out. Don't get me wrong, I won't try that again just to prove a point but it is nice to know if needed the suspension has got your back.

Cornering and braking... Typical Honda. Stops on a DIME and can surgically remove the inside line of a corner. The rear brake is a little soft but that is okay with me as it keeps me from stalling it. The rear brake of the 03 felt stronger.

Other things to note. The CDI has a new location, behind the number plate. The quick adjust clutch perch WORKS. Spokes come loose FAST, especially around the rim locks. I rode a few laps tightened them, rode some more and I was literally able to tighten a few of the rear wheel spokes by hand before ever putting a wrench to them (keep an eye on them). The foot pegs are the same as 03, meaning they pack with mud easily and have to be scraped out with a screwdriver.

I a not being down on the bike, in fact I think Honda has made huge improvements over the 03 model but I am being real. All of the magazine tests that I have read say this thing is perfect right out of the box, "slap numbers on it ad race". DirtRider Mag did say the gearing may be too tall for some but other than that one comment I could not find a bad word written about it. So is this bike perfect? Half of what I enjoy about riding is setting the bike up for me and my riding style. Honda did a good job of getting the big stuff right, the motor, suspension, tranny and brakes... And a host of little things like the bars, clutch perch and gripper seat. But there will always be things that each of us do differently in our bike set up and I think Honda realizes that. So to answers my question, this bike is perfect to sell to the public. If you choose to ride it in stock trim I am sure you will not be disappointed, but with a few tweaks here and there this bike has the potential to be nothing short of incredible.

Here is what I plan on doing to the bike for me. Suspension, done! New pegs, I liked the PC pegs I had on the 03 and will go with them again. Add a tooth to the rear sprocket. New Chain! SDG Tall Seat, done. I will add a pipe that will move the power lower in the RPM range, going with what worked on the 03, PC Ti-4. Emig clamps and tall bars for more room and to move the bar position forward. That should make that bike fit me like a glove!

I'll keep you updated on anything I find. Also I will let you know how the air filter change goes. I hope they made it easier than the 03. And BTW, the ManFunnel fits and works great on the 04 for your oil change.

If you have any questions I will do my best to answer...
 

Farmer John

T.C.F.<br>(tire changin' fool)
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 8, 2000
1,993
7
Good info, there, Thump. :thumb:

I have been seriously considering getting an 04 despite my feelings about bikes that run straight gas. I have been & will continue to watch this forum for more reports.
 

BEEF706

Sponsoring Member
Jan 24, 2002
1,566
0
Thunp, thanks for the review, I hav ebeen looking longingly at the 04's down at my local shop! What were you on before you were on the 03 crf was it ayzf? Do you feel the bike corners sharper than your 03?
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
FJ, You would not be disappointed, I promise you that much.

Beef. I was on a YZF400/420 then to a 426 then to the CRF. Cornering feel about the same as the 03, but I think the suspension work hellps it corner better. The front end on the 03 would push in flat corners now it sticks like glue, not sure how much of that is OEM and how much is MX-Tech though.

I forgot to mention that the engine braking feels stronger than the 03 was. It reminds me of my old 420. Possibly due to the higher compression piston?
 

motometal

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 3, 2001
2,682
3
did you say your '03 has a 2 tooth larger rear sprocket?&nbsp; couldn't you just swap rear wheels (or sprockets) to try that out?&nbsp; I have found that changing the rear sprocket one tooth is a pretty minor change (about 2 % is all), it takes two teeth to make any real noticeable difference.

does the bike feel lighter than your '03 or about the same?
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
I can't swap the rear wheels because I sold the 03. I really do think that if I put a 50T on the rear it would be a bit too wild. 49T ought to be just about right. The 03 came with a 50T the 04 with a 48T. All the bike needs is about 2% LOL anymore and I would be in trouble.
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
Originally posted by motometal
does the bike feel lighter than your '03 or about the same?
No, feels the same, but the 03 felt light. It feels WAY lighter than the YZF though. I think because the weight of the motor is lower. The YZF motor is top heavy with the DOHC's and to me the CRF is easier to lay into a corner. JMO though.
 

rickyd

Hot Sauce
Oct 28, 2001
3,447
0
What about starting the bike?? I've always had 2 smokes and am thinking about buying a CRF450r at the bike show soon..
Thanks in advance,
RIck
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
Starting the bike is easy. Pull the choke when cold and kick it. Don't give it any gas and it will light up on or before the 3rd kick. Straight out of the crate it fired up on the 3rd kick. no decompression levers... nothing, just kick and go. Once it is warm there is no need to choke it to start and if you wreck or stall it on the track or trail pull the hot start lever on the clutch pearch as you kick it. This leans the bike out temporarily till it fires up. let go of the hot start and get on with it.
 

rwhitlock

Member
Dec 11, 2002
83
0
So Thump,

If you don't mind us asking... how much did you pay for the bike as delivered from Service Honda...

Dying to get one of those...

Rod
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
Originally posted by rwhitlock
So Thump,

If you don't mind us asking... how much did you pay for the bike as delivered from Service Honda...

Dying to get one of those...

Rod
$6300 will get you one delivered. MX-Tech suspension work would be extra if you had it done pre-shipping.
 

Okiewan

Admin
Dec 31, 1969
29,555
2,237
Texas
Okay. I'm sold :aj:
 

jboomer

~SPONSOR~
Jan 5, 2002
1,420
1
Well, my wife succomed to the pressure (I told her I needed new linkage bearings, an SDG seat, and plastic for my KX). SHE SAID I CAN HAVE A CRF!! Well, I called a couple shops today and found one within driving distance with an '04 for $6200 PLUS they'll pay all taxes and fees. Is this a good deal?

Thump, does that bulging head pipe get in your way when you throw out your right leg?
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
$6200 is a good deal but call Gregg Foster at Service first, tell him Thump told you to call. 219.932.3588

You could have one delivered and you would be supporting a MAJOR sponsor of DRN. Delivery took 3 days from Indiana to Dallas, TX. Just consider it.... Supporting the sponsors is the reason they sponsor.
 
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