It was bound to happen. If the Austrian and the Swede updated their bikes, and the feisty Japanese brands wouldn’t just sit and watch. Any knowledgeable rider out there will tell you that if you are set on a dirt bike, Honda is at the very top. Now for 2024, its motocross line-up is all updated and packed with all kinds of goodies meant to make you forget all about the KTM, and the Husqvarna. The Honda’s CRF family, coming hot from the AMA Supercross Championship, is ready to offer you the most fun you can have on two wheels. Ready to shred dirt?
Honda’s Flagship Model Gets Updated
Honda CRF450R-S 2024 on a dirt track
It is coming in hot with a new 450 cc single-cylinder, Unicam SOHC engine. Improved to be more compact and lighter when compared to dual overhead camshaft engine (like the ones KTM uses?). What makes the engine compact is the fact that the camshaft is now placed lower in the cylinder head. To keep the engine light intake valves are now made from titanium which allows the valve springs to be smaller. The new and lighter engine combined with a new fuel-injection system promises an eruption of power and lots of torque right off the bat. Another thing made from titanium is the 1.7-gallon fuel tank. So it’s not only quick but also light. The whole bike (with fluids) now weighs 244 lbs.
The CRF450R-S’s frame is made from aluminum with a geometry designed to improve handling and traction. Front suspension is 49 mm inverted, adjustable Showa fork with 12.2 inches of travel. At the rear, the Pro-link adjustable mono shock from Showa is positioned lower than before to open up the air-box and lower the center of gravity. To stop this dirt racer you have a twin-piston caliper with a 260 mm disc at the front. The rear brake is a single 240 mm disc. The tires are Dunlop MX33s.
When it comes to tech, Honda wasn’t holding back. The CRF450R-S gets an HRC launch control. Push the button, open the throttle, and release the clutch. And off you go. Another super-cool thing is that now you get three different engine maps – standard, smooth, and aggressive. You also get to choose the level of torque control (called HSTC – Honda selectable torque control) from three different settings.
A side photo of a Honda CRF450RWE for 2024
Besides the CRF450R-S, there are two more versions of that bike. The CRF450R and the CRF450RWE. Honda leans heavily into the CRF450R being the choice of Chase Sexton, who won the 2023 AMA Supercross championship. Anyway, the engine is the same single-cylinder SOHC 450 cc, but now features a special cylinder head and an oval-shaped centralized exhaust port. This should result in explosive power once you hit 5000 rpm. On top of this, the CRF450R has a new single-pipe light-weight exhaust that is placed closer to the bike’s center, thus improving rider ergonomics.
The frame and the swingarm are the same throughout all the range. At the front, the CRF450R has a 49 mm inverted Showa fork with the inner rod done in a special Kashima coating, and the outer tube done in a titanium oxide coating. The front fork has the same 12.2 inches of travel. The rear suspension, the brakes and the tires are the same as the CRF450R-S’s.
The CRF450RWE is more of a blinged-up version but in the best way possible. You get a hand-ported cylinder head, top-of-the-line DID DirtStar LT-X rims, Yoshimura exhaust, Hinson clutch basket, different ECU settings, and HRC decals (there’s your bling). Everything else is pretty much the same compared to the CRF450R. They even weigh the same – 245 lbs.
The biggest difference between the three models is the price. The CRF450R-S has a base price of $8,899. The ‘improved’ CRF450R starts at $9,699, while the CRF450RWE will set you back for $12.499. For that money, it better be a KTM killer.
Improvements For The CRF250R
A side photo of a CRF250R 2024
Maybe the CRF450R has all the power, but its smaller brother, the CRF250R, has the agility and weighs less. This should translate into more fun on the track. It comes with a new and improved double overhead cam engine (unlike the 450 and the SOHC engine). It was designed in a big bore/short stroke configuration, so it got new, larger valves to make it high-revving. That kind of engine needs light components like titanium intake and exhaust valves. You not only end up with a revy engine, but you also get all that power available through low and mid-range. The exhaust is a single-pipe header style and is pushed closer to the bike’s center. The air-box now has 78% more capacity than the previous versions, which helps when you need an extra few horses over the competition.
To shave off any unnecessary weight (229 lbs with all the fluids), the frame was made light and narrow with a shorter swing-arm. That way, the CRF250R gets in and out of corners quicker. The front suspension is a fully-adjustable 39 mm Showa spring fork with 12.2 inches of travel. The rear suspension is a mono shock Pro-Link by Showa with spring preload, mounted low on the frame for a lower center of gravity. Brakes consist of a single 260 mm disc at the front and a 240 mm disc at the rear. For the CRF250R, the tires are Pirelli’s Scorpion MX32s.
The CRF250R also gets tech improvements. You can choose between three different engine modes, and you get an HRC launch control. The ECU is vastly improved. It gives each gear a special engine mapping for the best power output. All of these bells and whistles come with a base price of $8,299.
The Are Updates For CRF150R As Well
Honda CRF250R 2024 – right side photo
It might be smaller, but it is made to win races. The beating heart of this dirt warrior is a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, Unicam SOHC 150cc engine. This new Unicam engine has a brand new 32mm Keihin flat-slide carburetor with an accelerator pump to get all that power when you twist your wrist. The frame is made from super-light high-tensile steel. The suspension is a 37mm inverted Showa fork with 10.8 inches of travel at the front. At the rear is a Pro-Link Showa mono shock with 10.7 inches of travel. The brakes are a single 220 mm disc at the front and a single 190 mm disc at the rear. The tires come from Dunlop – MX51s.
There is however another version of this bike. The CRF150R Expert, the only changes are in the dimensions. With the standard bike, the wheelbase is 49.6 inches, the ‘Expert’ version is one inch longer. The ‘Expert’ also has a slightly higher seat (34.1 inches, compared to 32.8). On top of that, the ‘Expert’ version weighs 187 lbs (two more than the standard). The base price for the CRF150R is $5.399. The ‘Expert’ will set you back for $5,599.
