Australasian Dirt Bike – May 2019

muchneaterandlightersetofCycra
Stealthhandshields.
Weremovedthehorntosavemore
weightandalsoremovedthe airbox
lidsothefiltercouldbreathebetter.
Thislidisabulkypieceofplastic
thatrestrictsairflowtoreducenoise
butaddsweight.Therearbrakelight
switchisratherclunky,sitsinfrontof
theframe(ratherthanbehind)and
couldbedamagedintheeventofan
accident.Soweturfedit.Thebikestill
hasaworkingfrontbrakelightswitch
butifyouwouldlikeanoperatingrear
onethenIsuggestyoubuyahydraulic
switchthatscrewsintothebrakeline
underthebanjoboltatthemaster
cylinder.Thisisamuchneatersystem
thatislesslikelytofail.

SPROCKET
Therearsprocketisabig,heavysteel
onewithrubberdampersfittedonitto
reducechainnoise.Thisaddsadrastic
amountofunsprungweightsowe
ditchedthestandardrearsprocketfor
analloyRHKonefromJTR.We
neededtoimprovethebottom-end
powerandshortenthegearinganyway
sowewentuptwoteethto53.
Thisreducesthetopspeedbutgives
moretorquedownlowandallowsyou

tocarryhighergearsthroughtight

singey.Tofitthislargerrearsprocket

wehadtoremovethechainguideand

elongatetheholesinthealuminum so

wecouldrotatetheguidedown.Ifyou

don’tdothis,thechainwillrubhard

ontherubberguideandwearitout.

WHYALLTHISWORK?

Wemuststate,allthesemodsdeemthe

bikeunroadworthy.Ifyoumodify

anythingyoudosoatyourownrisk.

Wehavereceivedahammeringon

socialmediaforrunningalong-term

testbikethatrequiresconsiderable

modification.Letmebeclear,thisbike

isnotdesignedtoonlyberidden

throughtight,technicalsingletrack.

It’smoreofadual-purposebikethatis

designedtofillavarietyofrolesand

tackleavarietyofterrain.Wewanted

thechallengeofturningthis

impressivedual-purposemachineinto

aonetrickponyand,yes,weareaware

therearebikesavailablethatalready

comestockintheformatweare

hopingtoachieve.

Theyaren’tHondasand,formanyof

ourreaders,theclosestdealerisa

Hondaone.Unfortunately,someofthe

Europeanbrandsdonothave

dealershipsinremoteareasof

ENDURO BUILD | 2019 HONDA CRF450L

Frontbrakelightswitchisstilloperational Thisiswhat7.5kgofbitslookslike

Australiasopeoplehavelimited

choice.IfHondaisyouronlychoice,

thisarticleshouldgetyoustartedon

givingitanendurofeelwith6.7less

kilostolugaround.

Finally,therearejustsomepeople

whobleedred(waitaminute,isn’tthat

allofus?)andhavebeenwaitingfor a

road-legalHondaoff-roadmachine.

Thisistheonlyroad-legal450cc

endurobikeHondamakesforthe

Australianmarket.Ifyouwanttoride

throughthebushwithfullregoyou

havetobuytheCRF450L,nottheRor

RX.Morethan 250 peopledidjustthat

inlittlemorethantwomonthslast

year,makingitthe10thbiggest-selling

enduroof 2018 despiteitslatestart.

Parttwoofthisbuildwillseeus

wrapitinafreshgraphicskitand,

hopefully,boltontheFMFpipe.We’re

alsokeentotryasmallerfront

sprocketbuttheCRF-Lrunsitsown

countershaftsplinewiththesix-speed

gearboxand,aswewenttoprint,no

onewasmakingareplacementyet.

CRF450RWFactoryRide,Page 134

CRF450XReaderRide,Page 136

Gotsomethingtosayaboutthisyarn?

[email protected]

Moreimagesandinfoatadbmag.com.au

There are some

people who bleed

red and have

been waiting

for a road-legal

Honda off-road

machine

We i g h t

for it

Total standard – 122.5kg dry,

measured (131kg wet, claimed)

Total now – 115.8kg dry,

measured

Weight loss – 6.7kg

96 | MAY 2019 http://www.adbmag.com.au