tenyearsgone79
Member
- Jul 1, 2005
- 10
- 0
I picked up mine today for the amazing price of $5945 which included freight and documentation fees which are kinda lame, but before those dumb things were figured in the bike had the tag of $5759 on it.. Almost exactly 20% off $7199 which is the current MSRP for the '05 and '06. My impressions:
Well, here's the thing; I probably wouldn't have bought it at a 6k+ price-tag, but because it was 20% off and because the bike just looks so amazing I figured F-it, and now I won't have to wonder "hmm, maybe I should have gotten the Honda." I was going to get a left-over '04 KDX 220R, but having come off an '00 RM250 and doing mostly trails riding, I figured I would have to mod the KDX more than what my mechanical skills (and patience) would allow to get it to perform up to my 'standards' (which are low :nod: to be honest!). So, I made an impulse buy and got the 450X.
Not only does it look sweet sitting in my garage, but the bike is just awesome to ride. The suspension is top-notch in that it is easily adjustable to taste, the power curve is such a hybrid between a 4-stroke and a 2-stroke in that 1st gear you can putt-putt around and then crack the throttle for a second to pull a nice wheelie, and if you want to go nuts you can rev-it to full twist in first, shift into 2nd (feel the front end come up) and then go to 3rd, 4th etc. and get the same thing just at a higher speed. It has that 250 2-stroke bottom-end torque pull all the way up into mid RPM's, BUT like a 4-stroke it feels like it should be able to rev more but you run out of twist even though you are probably going fast enough to shift up or already slowing down into a turn and need to shift down.
THE POINT IS, if you think the 450X might disappoint in the power delivery, you are wrong. The same rush and exhileration of a 250 MX'er is totally there. If you still don't think it will be enough, you can save 3-$400 and buy the CRF450R and get more 'zing' but then you have more maintenance issues because the bike just has less tolerances and revs higher and harder. The 450X has not disappointed too many people. Just look at all the reviews. The airbox mods, pink wire, and all the other mods to come will only make the 450X faster and even more indistinguishable from the CRF450R. The electic start is awesome, the lights are sweet, and the kick stand is quite a bonus. Trust me, if you've never ridden one of these modern 4-strokes you would be hard pressed to say the CRF-R and the CRF-X are like night and day..
Quite awesome bikes...
Riding should be about having fun and just being outside doing that.. It really doesn't matter which bike, just for me after doing all the research and asking all the million questions about which one, this or that, why, how, what if; the new 2005 Honda CRF450X is really worth the $$$. If this is the last bike I buy, it will be all I'll ever need.. They will always get better every year, but nowadays the bike companies on-road and off have closed the gaps between each other. I bought the RED-X b/c 1) I got a sweet deal, 2)The Honda-X has more parts that are similar to the MX'er than say a Blue WR (like suspension, frame etc.) and 3) Honda always seems to be the overall better choice for the average consumer wether it is on-road or off-road. Look at the popularity of the CBR's and the VTX's. They are sometimes more $$$, but basic economics of supply and demand, there is a real good reason why Honda does so well...
Yes, it's easy for me to be a Honda snob now b/c I dropped almost 6K, but really the bike is that good/solid. This is the bike to replace your 2-stroke MX'er if you primarily ride trails. If you split your time equally between track and trail, then go for the CRF-R. Anything other than that, the X is da bomb!
I look at the money situation like this: For motorcycles in general you don't have spend a lot more for the best where as in cars if you go from a Nissan 350Z to a Porsche 911, then we are talking about serious $$$, but both are still pretty sweet! :nener:
Honestly though, half the fun is doing all the research here, there and everywhere! OK, I'm done.. Time to ride.. you should be riding too instead of hesitating and sitting in front of your computer!!!!!! :laugh:
Oh, and by the way; for all you moms and dads out there, the 450's won't kill your teenagers who are stepping up from 125 2-strokes or slower/older 4-strokes like XR's etc. The power is totally manageable. Gosh, I would even let a beginner ride my bike.... :yikes: Well, the CRF450X does inspire a lot of confidence anyways!!!!!!
Well, here's the thing; I probably wouldn't have bought it at a 6k+ price-tag, but because it was 20% off and because the bike just looks so amazing I figured F-it, and now I won't have to wonder "hmm, maybe I should have gotten the Honda." I was going to get a left-over '04 KDX 220R, but having come off an '00 RM250 and doing mostly trails riding, I figured I would have to mod the KDX more than what my mechanical skills (and patience) would allow to get it to perform up to my 'standards' (which are low :nod: to be honest!). So, I made an impulse buy and got the 450X.
Not only does it look sweet sitting in my garage, but the bike is just awesome to ride. The suspension is top-notch in that it is easily adjustable to taste, the power curve is such a hybrid between a 4-stroke and a 2-stroke in that 1st gear you can putt-putt around and then crack the throttle for a second to pull a nice wheelie, and if you want to go nuts you can rev-it to full twist in first, shift into 2nd (feel the front end come up) and then go to 3rd, 4th etc. and get the same thing just at a higher speed. It has that 250 2-stroke bottom-end torque pull all the way up into mid RPM's, BUT like a 4-stroke it feels like it should be able to rev more but you run out of twist even though you are probably going fast enough to shift up or already slowing down into a turn and need to shift down.
THE POINT IS, if you think the 450X might disappoint in the power delivery, you are wrong. The same rush and exhileration of a 250 MX'er is totally there. If you still don't think it will be enough, you can save 3-$400 and buy the CRF450R and get more 'zing' but then you have more maintenance issues because the bike just has less tolerances and revs higher and harder. The 450X has not disappointed too many people. Just look at all the reviews. The airbox mods, pink wire, and all the other mods to come will only make the 450X faster and even more indistinguishable from the CRF450R. The electic start is awesome, the lights are sweet, and the kick stand is quite a bonus. Trust me, if you've never ridden one of these modern 4-strokes you would be hard pressed to say the CRF-R and the CRF-X are like night and day..
Quite awesome bikes...
Riding should be about having fun and just being outside doing that.. It really doesn't matter which bike, just for me after doing all the research and asking all the million questions about which one, this or that, why, how, what if; the new 2005 Honda CRF450X is really worth the $$$. If this is the last bike I buy, it will be all I'll ever need.. They will always get better every year, but nowadays the bike companies on-road and off have closed the gaps between each other. I bought the RED-X b/c 1) I got a sweet deal, 2)The Honda-X has more parts that are similar to the MX'er than say a Blue WR (like suspension, frame etc.) and 3) Honda always seems to be the overall better choice for the average consumer wether it is on-road or off-road. Look at the popularity of the CBR's and the VTX's. They are sometimes more $$$, but basic economics of supply and demand, there is a real good reason why Honda does so well...
Yes, it's easy for me to be a Honda snob now b/c I dropped almost 6K, but really the bike is that good/solid. This is the bike to replace your 2-stroke MX'er if you primarily ride trails. If you split your time equally between track and trail, then go for the CRF-R. Anything other than that, the X is da bomb!
I look at the money situation like this: For motorcycles in general you don't have spend a lot more for the best where as in cars if you go from a Nissan 350Z to a Porsche 911, then we are talking about serious $$$, but both are still pretty sweet! :nener:
Honestly though, half the fun is doing all the research here, there and everywhere! OK, I'm done.. Time to ride.. you should be riding too instead of hesitating and sitting in front of your computer!!!!!! :laugh:
Oh, and by the way; for all you moms and dads out there, the 450's won't kill your teenagers who are stepping up from 125 2-strokes or slower/older 4-strokes like XR's etc. The power is totally manageable. Gosh, I would even let a beginner ride my bike.... :yikes: Well, the CRF450X does inspire a lot of confidence anyways!!!!!!
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