So what do you guys think about the new CR 450? I was thinkin about gettin one next year sometime. My bro rides a 2001 CR250 and it's sick. I wouldn't be racing but I would be riding motocross tracks, sand mountian, forest trails, etc. What should I get??

BTW: It has to be Honda. :D

Thanks for the input.

The new 450 is sick I have two friends that have them, havent had a report from one yet but the other loves it, he was at club moto racing a 426f and tangled bars and broke his leg in three places ooch. I just sold my 2000 yz 426 it was quick as all get out the four strokes put out amazing torque. If u want a cr450 I would wait a year so they can work the bugs out of it, The 02 cr250 won Dirt Bike 250 shootout..go for it and have fun !!!

So far there have been several engine failures under race like conditions. Until these go away i would wait as i tlooks like heavy or long use will result in engine failure. They also are not very comfortable for trail riding so unless it's club moto and hangtown tracks for daily riding i wouldn't suggest it but of course others will disagree. It still can't compare to the 520 no matter how hard honda tries!!!

i will give up my 2 smoke when they pry my cold dead fingers from the bars. resist the urge to go 4 stroke, 2 strokes arent dead yet and they still work. plus you get to laff at your buddies that have 4 strokes that dont know how to start them.

Never had a problem starting my 426 nad would eat ur 2 smoke for lunch and shit it out the pipe...:flipoff2:

If you think your Heavy 426 can beat a CR 250 or YZ 250 bring it to any of the Sac or Oakland areancross races or any of the CMC races and watch what wins every night in every class. Better yet race it in the 250 college boy or 250 INT classes and I will personally roost your beater and spit it out with my 02 CR 250. When the CRF 450 came out they killed the CR 500 even more reason to hate 4 strokes. Better buy a two stroke while you still can and vote Republican.

Originally posted by Disco
So what do you guys think about the new CR 450? I was thinkin about gettin one next year sometime. My bro rides a 2001 CR250 and it's sick. I wouldn't be racing but I would be riding motocross tracks, sand mountian, forest trails, etc. What should I get??

BTW: It has to be Honda. :D

Thanks for the input.

Forget Honda and get either a KTM MXC 400 or 520. Electric start, high quality stock equipment - oversized bars, good chain, hydraulic clutch, spark arrestor...The SX line would be an ok choice, but you don't get the larger tank, electric start, spark arrestor...or the 6 speed tranny. The KTM reliability is excellent also...if you were worrying about that...

Originally posted by orangezuk


Forget Honda

Sorry we only ride Red. :D No matter how much you other guys try. If you want something comfortable for sand and forest trails why not the XR 400 or something? I'm sure it can handle motorcross tracks and I would think it would better for the trails and sand.

I have 2 friends who bought them and the word is they rock! Get on the list now if you are looking to get one.

Originally posted by Weasel


Sorry we only ride Red. :D No matter how much you other guys try. If you want something comfortable for sand and forest trails why not the XR 400 or something? I'm sure it can handle motorcross tracks and I would think it would better for the trails and sand.

well...its your loss..i can't imagine a stock or near stock XR400 on a MX track...too heavy, way too soft...on the trail is a different story...the KTM is a prolly the best choice for what he wants to do....

:trooper:

DISCO!!! Long time no Talk!!!!! I rode the 450 last weekend, went up to jackson, it was ssssooo lick ass!!!!!! Sleek, light weight bike, hauls balls and gets it up the hills!! I loved it, shoot I want one!!! Call me and say hello stranger!!! You would love the 450 though I know it!!!:D

I've ridden one too and if you must ride a honda get a CR 500 i would not get on the list to buy one until someone around here figures out why they are grenading engines. Unfortunately if you want that type of power you got to pay and if your using it for motocross it needs suspension and different triple clamps with a different offset and that engine isn't great with the stock exhaust so you need that too. All in all i would get a 500 or even a used 250 with race mods. I think it would suck to drop 6 grand and blow the engine a month later

Find a picture of a CR450's piston.... Honda figured out how to attach piston rings to the connecting rod :rolleyes:

A guy in my club bought one of the first ones out, it ALREADY SMOKES AND BURNS OIL.....

Sure it's a 4 stroke, but it aint more relibale than a 125 2stroke :flipoff2:

Get a newer CR500 and put a flywheel weight on it ,a bigger IMS tank and some gards for the break pedal, radatiors and a skid plate and you'll have a killer trail bike that will be more relibale than any YZ400/426 or any other racing 4stroke :eek:

My brother just bought a cr450r and it HAULS some serious butt. It is one wicked bike. You guys are high if you thinks your foul smoking 2 strokers can keep up with it. I laugh. That bike hits harder than any 250 I've ridden. I'd say go for it! It's one sweet bike.

The truth comes out you've never ridden a 500 so you don't know.

And the feeling of power hitting and a bike actually being fast are two different things that matter only within the specs of the powerband. A ktm 520 feels slow yet your beating everyone else on it. And we'll see how hard it hits in a couple of months thats when your friend will begin to cry

I know someone who has a CR450 set up for FMX use and he hasn't had a single complaint about it at all. Besides the suspension work, he has also put an FMF Exhaust and a set of TAG Handlebars on it. He told me that it takes a little getting used to compared to riding on its only competition (the YZ426F) but thats his only advice. Hope this helps!

a CR450 used for FMX huh??? Your buddie and you must have no clue what you are talking about because nobody uses HEAVY 4 strokes for Freestyle. Watch any of the Pros in the freestyle videos or competitions they are all on 2 strokes. Buy a two stroke while you still can.

I guess HEAVY is a realative term, since the CR450F only weighs 231 lbs with gas. That's only a few pounds heavier than the cr 250 so I wouldn't exactly call it heavy.

honda says 231 lbs with gas i dont think so weigh one :D

My friend does know what he is talking about. He does use it for Freestyle Motocross. He just has to give it more throttle to get the same amount of air the 2 stroke guys are getting. BTW, Micky Dimond uses a YZ426F in FMX competition.

Micky Dymond huh , yeah he is only what 36? and never is in any of the big contests. He is usually the X-games track designer not rider. The people that win are ALWAYS on a two stroke Period. The only rider that was competitive on a 4 stroke was Trevor Vines on a 426 but he only rode it because he was getting paid to do it, and after crashing on it numerous times he wisely switched back to a two stroke. The 02 CR 250 weighs 217 dry Dec Dirt Bike Mag and the 02 CRF 450 weighs 234.5 dry Dec MXA. So there is a big weight difference.

I do agree that Micky is not that competitive, but on the rare occaisions that he does ride FMX, he uses a YZ426F.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm not gonna do anything right away. I will wait until the 2003's come out and see how they are. I might just go with the CR 250.

Well let me just put my 2 cents in for whatever they are worth. I have 2 honda three wheelers, a 200x and a 250r, and I have two dirtbikes, a 94 kawasaki kdx200, and a 95 klx-650r. I have had the kdx the longest, and even though it is a 200, with a FMF pipe, and the airbox lid off, it will roost pretty good. And the 250r three wheeler flies too. I got a 200x to trailride, etc. And it has not run right since I got it, so I really can't comment on the power there, but it can't be much. However, I recently bought a klx 650r kawasaki from a friend, in great condition, and for those of you that don't know, this is a open class bike, but the r has a small motocross style gastank, and not a bunch of turn signals and crap like the later ones do. It also is watercooled. I wouldn't have bought this bike if it wasn't a 650, and I thought it would scream, but it just doesn't have it. Now it does weigh a good bit, but I even regeared to a 13 tooth sprocket on the front, and a 51 toother on the back, to give it more nuts down low, and it still struggles to wheelie in 3rd gear. My old, thrashed out kdx easily pulls this off by the way. Is the bike fast, heck yes fastest 4 stroke I have ridden, BUT, can I roll it in nuetral down my driveway and immediately shift to third or fourth gear and wheelie as long as I want to such as my 250r or kdx will do? No way, there is no feeling as far as I'm concerned like the boot in the ass when the powerband kicks in good on a 2 stroke. Plus, they sound cool, and I burn klotz, and I even like the smell of it. I am very sad to see them quit making the CR500. I wonder how much longer they will make the KX500. I have never ridden a 500 2 stroker, but it has got to be awesome. I have ridden a friends kx250 w/ pipe and carb and other mods, and it is just sick. He weighs 300 and it will stand right up in fourth gear with him sitting on the tank. As the previous posters said, buy up the 2 strokes while you may, because I have a feeling they won't be with us much longer.

In the new dirt rider there is a 4-stroke shoot out. 450 wins