450 TEST RIDER REPORT CARDS: ALL HAIL THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2025 450s

Without telling tales out of school, we want to present report cards on the 2025 450s. Why? With the 2026 450 motocross bikes coming out now, last year’s bikes are leftover stock, and because of that, they will be offered at a discounted price, Yes, they are already a year old, but that doesn’t mean they are obsolete. To us, these are pure-bred race bikes that in a large number of cases are exactly the same as the 2026 models that they are making way for in the dealerships. The 2026 Suzuki RM-Z450 is really a 2019 RM-Z450 and so on down through the brands. The major exception, although not the only one, is the 2026 Yamaha YZ450F—it has been updated in a enough areas to consider it to be an actualy 2026 model.

The real news is that the majority of 2026 motocross models are what we call “continuation models.” Which means that most of the new 2026 models aren’t new at all, they are continuations of the 2025 models.  The 2026 Honda. CRF450 is a 2025 CRF450, the 2026 Kawasaki KX450 is a 2025 KX450, the 2026 KTM is a 2025 KTM 450SXF, the 2026 Husqvarna is not going to be sold in the USA, but instead the dealership will get left-over 2025 models.

To help consumers compare the performance of the 2025 KTM 450SXF, Honda CRF450, Yamaha YZ450F, Kawasaki KX450, GasGas MC450F, Suzuki RM-Z450, Husqvarna FC450 and Beta 450RX, we came up with quick report cards on each bike.

2025 KTM 450SXF

The KTM 450SXF uses the Rolls Royce equivalent of components. It has the strongest brakes, braided steel hoses, most robust clutch (with a one-piece, CNC-machined steel basket and machined-in primary gear). The transmission comes from Formula 1 supplier Pankl. The KTM airbox has been copied by most of the other brands. The suspension can be adjusted by hand. It offers clutch-less shifting (thanks to Quick Shift), split CNC-machined triple clamps, quick-release fuel lines, and our favorite ODI lock-on grips.

Previously the KTM frame felt harsh, stiff and unforgiving, but the updated 2025 frame, linkage, engine mounts, head stays and suspension settings made all of our complaints made all of our complaints go away.KTM has the second-most exciting engine on the track, but KTM takes the opposite tack from the very aggressive YZ450F powerband. KTM’s broad, smooth, torquey and supremely manageable powerband is not a revelation in brute force but an inspiration in usable power. 

2025 HONDA CRF450

For 2025, the Honda earned the title of the most improved bike of the year. The previous CRF450s were always ultra-sensitive to sag position and clicker adjustments. One small change and the whole bike felt off. The Honda is still more sensitive than some of the other brands, but it’s much better than before.

On the outside, the 2025 frame looks very similar, but it’s made up of 70 percent new components. The rigidity of the steering area, the subframe mount, subframe, linkage, triple clamps, fork tubes and front axle have all been optimized to make it a more predictable machine. Amazingly, Honda went with the age-old suspension trick “go stiffer to go softer,” and it worked!

As for the engine, we raved about it for the last three years. Even though it doesn’t make the most horsepower, it is very usable; however, the hydraulic clutch is inconsistent on starts. The seat foam is thin and wears out quickly. The forks are good for novices but too soft for faster riders.

 

 

 

2025 YAMAHA YZ450F

The Yamaha is the only rocket-ship 450 out of the current crop of 2025 models. It has the most exhilarating engine on the track. It feels like you got your money’s worth when you crack the throttle. Paradoxically, the YZ450F’s greatest attribute is also its worst attribute. That brutal powerband works against the rider, overpowers the chassis, and causes it to be twitchy at speed.

The front end does head-shake and requires extra respect when you’re pushing the bike at a race pace. Our test riders were always detuning the 2025 YZ450 instead of hopping it up. Because it is extremely fast, you don’t have to rush everything. It rewards the rider who is patient and smart with his lines. 

Ergonomically, the current generation of YZ450s is slimmer, sleeker, lighter and nimbler than any of the previous Yamahas, and is much improved at corner entrance. The throttle-to-rear-wheel connectivity is amazing, and the chassis does a great job of gluing all of the 59 horsepower to the ground.

It should be noted that Yamaha made serious strides towards curing most of the ills of the 2025 model for 2026.

2025 KAWASAKI KX450

Kawasaki came out with a new engine and chassis in 2024, and on the dyno, the 58 horsepower was nothing to be ashamed of, but none of our test riders could feel those 58 horses on the track. The KX450 is a second-gear bike in the corners, requiring an unhealthy amount of clutch work to get it to pull third gear. The KX450 made acceptable horsepower on the dyno, but it felt like a 350 in motion.

We like the friendly handling characteristics and that it corners better than the previous 2019–2023 generation KX450s. But, thanks to the 1-degree-steeper head angle, it does want to oversteer and head-shake at speed.

We love the new Brembo front brake, and we appreciate that the Kawasaki can be mapped via smartphone, although it needs more power than the app can provide. Kawasaki sees a future where sound requirements are becoming stricter, and thus they muted the KX450 two to three years early to be prepared. 

2025 SUZUKI RM-Z450

The Suzuki RM-Z450 can’t win on performance, but the Suzuki engineering team could win in a battle of consistency! This bike has stayed the same since it was introduced in 2018. Suzuki made a fork spring change in 2019 and updated the graphics a few times since then. The best part about the RM-Z450 is the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $9299 can easily be lowered by dealers who are amenable to moving the yellow bikes off their showroom floors.

For the average racer, the 2025 RM-Z450 has user-friendly power. It does its best work in the low- to mid-range and falls off after 9000 rpm with lots of engine braking when you let off the gas. The Suzuki’s durability is a big selling point; however, the stinkbug layout of the chassis transfers too much weight to the front wheel, which creates oversteer in the turns. The Showa spring forks are soft, but they aren’t the worst part of this bike. Instead, the Showa BFRC shock is a suspension tuner’s nightmare.

 

 

 

2025 GASGAS MC450F

On the 2025 GasGas MC450F, the engine, frame, suspension, clutch internals, and transmission come straight from KTM, while the brake calipers, rotors, and hoses are downgraded versions from BrakTec. However, the Maxxis MX-ST tires, forged triple clamps (instead of CNC-machined clamps), 12mm-taller bars, no resonance chamber on the exhaust and no map switch (unless you buy the $180 accessory map switch) are part of the package.  

At its core, the GasGas is a great bike for many riders. The softer suspension is perfect for novices and vets, and those riders might be fine with the singular map choice and lack of QuickShift and Traction Control.   

Amazingly, even stuck in map one, the GasGas MC450F hits 57.9 horsepower with 35.6 pound-feet of torque. It doesn’t feel as snappy or exciting as the KTM, but it’s not far off. The big negative is that GasGas skimps on the components, but still manages to ask a premium price for a non-premium bike.

 

 

 

2025 HUSQVARNA FC450

The KTM group offers three different brands under one umbrella. This allows them to focus on different audiences. The obvious end user for the Husky FC450 is the vet rider. With 10mm-shorter forks, a shorter shock, and longer linkage, the Husqvarna’s seat is 1 inch lower to the ground than those of the KTM and GasGas. Lowering the center of gravity makes the white bike a dream in the corners. Vets appreciate it, while shorter riders, young riders and older riders love it.  

Apart from the reworked suspension components, the FC450 Husqvarna has all the same components with the exception of a closed-off airbox, which creates a mellower and broader powerband. Even with the closed off airbox, the 2025 FC450 makes the most peak horsepower in the 450 class. It is the only 450 bike to crack the 60-horsepower barrier in 2025, and it does it in a smooth and linear fashion that makes it easy to ride‚ even though it is a 61.2-horsepower juggernaut.

It should be noted that no actual 2026 Husqvarna FC450s will be sold in the USA in 2026. They will be “European only” models—however, the dealers will get fresh shipments of new 2025 models.

 

 

 

2025 BETA 450RX

2025 saw three new brands enter motocross in a big way. Triumph, Beta and Ducati all jumped in feet first, but Beta is different from Triumph and Ducati. Beta already had a full lineup of unique four-stroke enduro bikes—the 350RR, 430RR and 480RR, which gave them a leg up in production capabilities and a head start in R&D and durability testing.

Beta’s “rideability” tagline isn’t just marketing fluff, because rideable is exactly how the 450RX engine feels. The 450RX is deceptively fast in the midrange. The dyno numbers reveal 57.8 horsepower at 9900 rpm, with 34.78 pound-feet of torque at 7400 rpm. The Beta 450RX is a big motorcycle, and the steel frame provides easy access for maintenance on the chassis. The rear shock can be removed without removing the subframe.

Since the Beta 450RX has off-road roots, the MXA test crew took it on a play day on the trails to see how it liked the tight stuff. Thanks to the Kayaba suspension, it loved fast trail riding.