Weasel

Member
Nov 24, 1999
27
0
Finally after a two week delay I can talk about my new CRF450R!!!
A group of friend's and I alway's like to try and suprise each other every time we get a new bike. It started when I bought my '00 CR250 and I didn't tell anyone, I just showed up at Red Bud with it to suprise them (popeye, rayovac, and Big Country, zeke already knew about it) Any way, popeye decided to return the favor this year when he suprised me with his new '02 CR250. Well to shorten the story I was waiting to suprise him with the 450 again at Red Bud, but unfortunally due to the weather, Red Bud was cancelled so I broke the new's over the phone.

The fact is, I really didn't need a new bike, there is not a thing wrong with my 250. After reading many review's and seeing the 450 in person at a local race, (Ryan Hughes raced it at Log Road mx just before the Red Bud national) I decided to look into the 450 even more. I read more about it, checked out some thing's on the net, talked to a few people, just researched as much info as I could. Then I started calling around trying to find one, and just as I was about to give up, BAM! I found one that was not yet sold SCHWING!!! I was happy. So about 2 week's ago I bought it.
I was planning to get a new bike in the fall of '02 anyway. Now for the good stuff.

When I went to pick it up they had it sitting outside and the salesman asked if I wanted to ride it while he got the paperwork squared away, Hell yeah I did, so I not intentionally tore up their yard with it. While I was riding it another fellow was watching. After I airated their lawn the guy watching asked what I thought of it. I told him that it sort of reminded me of my 250 as far as the handling, but the power was un-beleivable. He mentioned that he wanted to ride one at some point, so I told him to take it for a spin.
He was shocked and naturally accepted my offer. After he rode it for a bit, we were talking about it, he was shocked buy the performance and overall feel to it, he two agreed that it felt like a 250 with more kick. As it turned out, the guy race's at the same track I do and is an A rider. He said he's rode 4-strokes before but the 450 did not remind him of a four stroke. I've riden alot of 2-stoke's over the year's, from 80's all the way up to 500's and I can tell you this, the 450 is all about speed, it pull's from the bottom to who know's where. I have yet to ride the beast on a mx track so I can't really say or rate the suspension just yet, but from the riding I have done on it so far, the spender's should be pretty damn good. It has been hard for me not to reply to various post's concerning the 450 because I wanted to suprise popeye. The bike fire's up easily, one or two kick's and it's alive, let it warm up by itself for about a minute, push the choke back in, and your good to go. The ergo's feel a bit strange compared to my 250, but this could be because if you get to far back on the seat the front end is wheeling, it's not like you have to ride the tank, you are just more toward's the front of the bike as compared to the 250. I read alot of post's about the loudness of the 450, my personal thought's on this are that it is just right, nice and calm on idle, but when you open it up, as with any gas operated machine, it naturally get's louder with almost a churping sound to it. Sound's good. I spent the first weekend I had it breaking it in, and I could not pull myself off of it, the thing is just a blast to ride. Unfortunally for me, old man winter is coming and it will be an extremely long winter at that.
I'm glad I didn't wait untill next fall to buy a new bike, the 450 is everything they said it would be. By the way, anyone interested in buying a '00 CR250 with Renthal bar's and sprocket's, renthal grip's, d.i.d. chain, new top end, new rear tire, MX-Tech suspension, woody graphic's, extra set of plastic, 2-stock pipe's and silencer's, 3-extra air filter's, extra seat cover, it's been well maintained, anyone ? Just checking.

Weasel
 

snaggleXR4

Member
Aug 5, 2001
309
0
Hey,
I'm originally from Indiana. Around Crawfordsville, about 40 miles west of Indianapolis. Anyway, cool story, sweet bike. I can sense your enthusiasm by reading your post. Good luck with the new bike, take care of her, and treat her right. Now, if Honda would just make a woods version, or update the XR4 in a similar manner... Keep on thumpin'!
 

Weasel

Member
Nov 24, 1999
27
0
Snaggle,
Hey thank's for the reply. I plan to take extremely good care of the 450. I like to keep my bike's in the best shape I can. My only concern at this point is if it will take care of me, by that I mean I hope it wont subject me to any un-necessary injuries. ;) It wouldn't suprise me if honda did indeed have an updated XR4 planned in the near future, especially with the long awaited success of their CRF. Time will tell.

Weasel
 

zeke

Member
Nov 15, 1999
16
0
I had the chance to ride his CRF450 a week ago and it is all I expected and more.I own a 90 cr500 and 96 cr250.I have ridden all the newer 250 cr's.
The first thing I noticed was the weight-it's light and it's carried low in the frame. Feels slightly heavier than 02 cr250. It is easy to start,it even started hot without the using the hot start lever.Suspension seemed very good
for my weight, at least(160).Now to the motor-and what a motor it is. This thing is very fast in every sense.I would not want this motor to have anymore
hit than it already has.Let me clarify-it does not have a hit in a conventional sense,it's just it responds so fast to you right hand that it can almost catch you off guard with how fast and hard it revs out. It makes me think of a real torquey 2 stroke that revs farther. This bike is a bullet.I see why the 426 and ktm 520 have done so well in the 4 stroke market. The brakes and clutch/shifting are excellent as well.The clutch lever pull is very easy. Honda finally stepped up. I am totally impressed with this beast. My biggest concern with the 4 strokes was the weight.My 500 is fairly heavy but I can deal with it. The 450 should be no problem in the weight dept. This bike is very fun to ride and I will be adding one to my garage as soon as I can because this bike is the real deal- as people have already stated many times. Sign me up.
 

Big Country

Member
Sep 18, 2000
1
0
Weasel,

You might find that CRF450 a little dirty when you get from work Thursday:p

AND you KNOW my intentions about upcoming purchases thanks to conversations with Zeke!!!!:)
 
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Weasel

Member
Nov 24, 1999
27
0
Big Country,
Hey no problem there! The 450 is all preped and ready to go.
Actually if you guys want to do a back to back compairson, go ahead and take the 250 out also, your more than welcome to, just save me some gas so I can ride too ;) and make sure that Zeke let's you ride the 450, you might have to get brutial with him to get that kid of off it. Have Fun!!! I think you'll find the 450 to be most impressive, enjoy!
 

sfc crash

Human Blowtorch
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 26, 2001
1,824
0
man! the more i hear about that 450! it sounds sweet. good luck.btw, when you and the 450 are in cen ill, look me up, i waana ride one tooo:( ,wait..just kidding, man i think my 426 heard that last crack..oooh i'm in for it now:D
 
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