MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF THE 2024 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION

Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2024 CRF450 WORKS EDITION BETTER THAN THE 2023 WORKS EDITION?

A: No, it is identical to the 2023 model.

Q: IS THE 2024 CRF450 WORKS EDITION BETTER THAN THE STOCK 2024 HONDA CRF450?

A: Yes, it is. But, the two 2024 CRF450 motocross models—stock and Works Edition—aren’t aimed at the same audience. The production bike is spec’ed, outfitted and priced competitively. It isn’t the least expensive 450, nor is it the most expensive; It is a workman-like race bike that can perform at or near the highest level.

Conversely, the $12,499 CRF450 Works Edition starts as a basic 2024 CRF450 and gets a special complement of upgraded aftermarket components, performance mods and cosmetic enhancements. It is Honda’s vision of what they believe the ultra-serious, ultra-rich or ultra-vain CRF450 owner would want done to his CRF450—if money were no object. 

Which begs the question whether or not the chosen upgrades are what an owner would choose as the accessories, hop-ups and parts for his dream CRF450. For example, would they choose a Yoshimura exhaust or swing towards Pro Circuit or FMF? The Works Edition comes with a factory installed ECU, but many bucks-up riders might prefer a Vortex Ignition with Twisted Development mapping. The same goes for Enzo, Factory Connection or Pro Circuit suspension mods.

Obviously, you have to take the price difference into account, because the Works Edition retails for $2800 more than the production 2024 CRF450. To the good side of the monetary equation is that the Works Edition modifications are actually worth more than $2800 on the open market—and they come already installed—Which makes one wonder whether you could take a stock, $9699 Honda CRF450 and add on all the things you want for the same price as a Works Edition. We don’t think you can.Not only is the 2024 Honda CRF450 Works Edition attractive, but it has $2800 worth of upgrades and mods, making it more competitive.

Q: WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THE 2024 CRF450 WORKS EDITION FROM THE STOCK 2024 CRF450?

A: Compared to the stock 2023 Honda CRF450, the 2023 CRF450 Works Edition has a laundry list of special components. Here is the list:

(1) Cylinder head mods. The intake and exhaust ports on the cylinder head have been hand-polished to smooth out the transition at the valve seats. Additionally, the magnesium valve cover has been powder-coated bright red.

(2) Suspension. The Works Edition’s fork legs are titanium-oxide coated. Additionally, the outer fork tubes are Kashima-coated. The shock-shaft diameter is upped from 16mm to 18mm, and it, too, is titanium oxide coated for less stiction. Plus, the Works Edition gains its own updated suspension valving front and rear.

(3) Clutch. The CRF450 Works Edition engine comes with a billet-machined Hinson clutch basket and higher-volume Hinson clutch cover.

(4) Exhaust. The Works Edition is outfitted with a full Yoshimura RS-12 exhaust system, with stainless steel head and mid-pipes, mated to a titanium muffler.

(5) ECU. The 2023 CRF450 Works Edition has updated mapping in the ECU that is tailored to the aftermarket exhaust system, polished ports, and a smaller 2023 throttle body.

(6) Wheels. The D.I.D DirtStar LT-X rims are stronger than stock, and they’re outfitted with Dunlop MX34 tires.

(7) Grips. The bars come with Renthal’s ultra-durable Kevlar grips.

(8) Drive. The CRF450 Works Edition comes with a D.I.D DM2 Gold chain.

(9) Air filter. A Twin Air filter comes stock on the CRF450 Works Edition.

(10) Aesthetics. Throttle Jockey provides the HRC team-inspired graphics and five-pleat gripper seat cover. There are special graphics on the radiator shrouds, a red powder-coated valve cover, and an engraved, black-anodized clutch cover. 

Q: HOW DOES THE 2024 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION RUN ON THE DYNO?

A: The CRF450 Works Edition engine only has five important upgrades over the stock engine: (1) Touched-up intake and exhaust ports on the cylinder head. (2) Special ECU mapping. (3) The Yoshimura exhaust system. (4) A longer intake boot between the airbox and throttle body. (5) Revised cam lobes for increased torque. In combination, these five engine mods help increase horsepower to close to 60 horsepower. If you remember, the 2024 CRF450 engine was purposely toned down to 56.66 horsepower to make the chassis more manageable.

Surprisingly, although the extra horsepower of the 2024 Honda CRF450 Works Edition does make the bike significantly faster, it does it while maintaining the much-appreciated 2024 production engine’s usability. It should be noted that the Works Edition’s 37.30 pound-feet of torque is considerably better than the 2024 production engine’s 35.94 pound-feet of torque.

We love the CRF450 Works Edition engine.

Q: HOW DOES THE 2024 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION RUN ON THE TRACK?

A: The 2023–2024 Honda CRF450 production model was a giant step forward for Honda—almost all thanks to the five modifications made to the stock CRF450 engine. Here is a list of those mods.

(1) The intake port has a narrower shape, while the air funnel is longer. This combination results in increased low-end torque and improved throttle response.

(2) Honda changed the cam with revised lobe profiles for increased torque. 

(3) In 2023, Honda lengthened the air boot that connects the throttle body to the airbox by adding the length inside the airbox in the form of a longer trumpet to help increase air velocity.

(4) The Keihin throttle body’s Venturi diameter was reduced in 2023 from 46mm to 44mm. The 46mm throttle body flowed more air at high rpm, but gave away midrange power at lower throttle settings.

(5) The CRF450 Works Edition is outfitted with a Yoshimura RS-12 exhaust system, featuring a stainless-steel head pipe and titanium muffler. The Yoshimura exhaust system utilizes a resonance chamber to increase power and torque. It is also much quieter and lighter than the stock exhaust.

All these 2024 engine updates carry over from the 2023 model, and, when combined with the rest of the Works Edition mods, produce an ultra-smooth powerband. We liked the 2023–2024 CRF450 Works Edition’s power delivery, because the throttle is better connected to the rear wheel. It allows even the most maladroit CRF450 rider to get the most out of the smooth and linear powerband. The connection between the throttle, engine, rear wheel, and ground is extremely manageable, which helps decrease lap times and increase consistency.

The Showa forks are titanium-oxide-coated.

Q: IS THE WORKS EDITION SUSPENSION BETTER THAN THE STOCK SHOWA PARTS?

A: Yes. The 49mm Showa coil-spring forks on the 2023-2024 CRF450 Works Editions have been updated. The lower fork legs are coated with titanium oxide to minimize stiction and improve ride quality, while the outer fork tubes are Kashima-coated to enhance the Works Edition’s aesthetic appeal. 

The forks are an improvement over the stock 2023–2024 CRF450 forks. The Works Edition’s compression damping is metered out more progressively. The titanium-oxide coatings reduce harshness at the end of the stroke and have a more fluid feel in motion. One interesting fact, the titanium coating decreases stiction so much that you may want to increase the compression damping a click or two.

As for the shock, it feels freer, which allowed Honda to spec a stiffer 56 N/mm shock spring for 2024 instead of the previously spec’ed 54 N/mm spring. The new spring rate is the one MXA has run for the last couple years

The increase in shock shaft diameter from 16mm to 18mm helps the damping hold the rear end higher, while the coating on the shock shaft reduces stiction, allowing the suspension to move more freely without the stagey feel of the stock shock. This results in a slightly softer damping effect. Hold-up is improved as a result of the stiffer spring and larger shock shaft displacing more oil. The rear suspension is not only firmer but follows the undulations of the ground with less hop.

Q: HOW DOES THE 2024 CRF450 WORKS EDITION HANDLE ON THE TRACK?

A: MXA test riders have not been enamored with CRF450 handling since Honda dropped the brilliant 2007-2008 CRF450s in 2009. The frame has had a “fast twitch” quality since the horrible 2009 chassis, and Honda’s engineers can’t seem to iron that out; however, the positive handling gains that have been achieved, specifically in 2023 and 2024, are mostly a result of Honda’s power profile being more linear.

The updated Showa suspension deserves some of the credit for Honda’s improved handling, but both ends are still overly sensitive to every small change. As a rule, we drop the forks down in the triple clamps until the fork caps are flush with the top of the clamps and set the sag between 107mm and 108mm. Both of these changes kick the head angle out to a slower, stabler and more controlled angle. These settings also put less weight on the front tire and help to further smooth out the corners. You might think the slacker head angle would hurt the CRF at turn-in, but it doesn’t.

The best advice that we would give any post-2008 Honda CF450 owner is to spend less time hopping up your CRF450 engine and more time mellowing it out. The mellower 2023-2024 CRF450 Works Edition engine is the biggest contributor to making the CRF450 handle better.

Q: HOW ARE THE 2024 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION GEAR RATIOS?

A: Both the stock 2023 and 2024 CRF450 Works Edition models come with 13/49 sprockets. Most MXA test riders were happy with the stock gearing. Still, test riders over 175 pounds often went to 13/50 to help carry third gear through the corners.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST MAP SETTING?

A: Honda went crazy with its mapping options. This was to make them seem like electronic heroes. With so many brands having WiFi mapping apps with infinite options, Honda found a way to have too many choices. It is confusing to have three to four different flashing light choices for mapping, Launch Control and Traction Control. Many Honda riders elect not to fiddle with the Christmas tree-style flashing lights.

Here is a quick primer on living with the lights.

The 2024 CRF450 and CRF450 Works Editions have three different map settings (standard, mellow and aggressive) for virtually every electronic aid. Here is the rundown:

(1) Standard map (one flash). Every MXA test rider preferred to run the Standard map in most situations. It offered the broadest spread of power and was the most usable.

(2) Mellow map (two flashes). The Mellow map is just as advertised. It delivers a no-rush style of power that best suits slippery surfaces or timid riders. 

(3) Aggressive map (three flashes). The Aggressive map is certainly more exciting off the crack of the throttle, has more of a hit down low, and feels faster overall; but, that is an illusion, because the Aggressive map actually produces less horsepower from top to bottom than the Standard map.

(4) Launch Control. As for Launch Control, it also has three different settings (which are uniquely just rev-limiter settings). Launch Control Mode 1 limits revs to 9500 rpm. Launch Control Mode 2 limits revs to 8500 rpm and Launch Control Mode 3 limits revs to 8250 rpm.

(5) Traction Control. Traction Control, which Honda calls  “Selectable Torque Control,” has four different settings. Mode 1 is the least obtrusive and kicks in at a higher rpm. Mode 2 activates with even more obtrusion and much sooner than mode 1. Mode 3  kicks in the soonest, and Mode 4 is when Traction Control is not engaged.

As a rule of thumb, most MXA test riders trust their own instincts more than electronic overlords. They stick with the standard map, prefer holeshot devices over Launch Control, and rarely ever use Traction Control.

Q: WHAT DID WE HATE?

A: The hate list.

(1) Maps. Too many maps, too many buttons and too many flashing lights.

(2) Fork guards. The fork guard’s Allen-head bolts fill up with dirt. Plus, the fork guards are not strong enough to support a holeshot device. 

(3) Radiator cap. The stock CRF450 and the Works Edition come with a 1.1 kg/mm² cap, while the KTM, Husky and GasGas come stock with 1.8 kg/mm² radiator caps. Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki need to make the switch.

(4) Handling. Hondas have always been front-end sensitive. If you miss the mark on your suspension/chassis balance, it can be hard to tame the CRF450 at speed.

(5) Shifter. The shift lever is too short.

(6) Levers. Honda’s clutch and front brake levers are awkwardly shaped. 

(7) ECU location. Space must be tight on the Honda, because they mounted the ECU under the rear fender behind the mud flap.

(8) Air filter. Initially, we liked the design of the upside-down Honda air filter because we thought that it would stay cleaner. Wrong! Plus, we lost faith when we saw that the factory CRFs don’t use the upside-down airbox.Q: WHAT DID WE LIKE?

A: The like list.

(1) Ergonomics. With the exception of the short shift lever, every aspect of the 2024 Honda CRF450 Works Edition is perfectly placed. This is the way a motorcycle should feel.

(2) Powerband. The 2024 Works Edition’s long and linear power characteristic tames the often sketchy nature of Honda’s aluminum, twin-spar chassis.

(3) Sound. The RS-12 muffler from Yoshimura makes the CRF450 quieter.

(4) Clutch basket. We like the fact that the CRF450 Works Edition comes with a Hinson clutch basket that already has the primary gear riveted on. 

(5) Style. Hondas always look good, especially the Works Editions.

(6) Gearing. The 2024 Works Edition comes with 13/49 sprockets.

(7) Add-ons. The Works Edition comes with a pleated seat cover, front brake rotor guard, glide plate and upgraded D.I.D DirtStar LT-X rims.

Q: WHAT DID WE REALLY THINK OF THE 2024 CRF450 WORKS EDITION?

A: The 2024 Honda CRF450 has a really ginormous price tag, but if you walk through the pits, you’ll find a lot of bikes that the owners spent much more than $2800 on without achieving the finished result of the Works Edition. Potential Works Edition customers can take solace in the fact that the coated suspension components, remapped ECU, Hinson clutch, Yoshimura exhaust and polished ports more than pay for themselves. Plus, it looks so good, feels perfect and is undeniably well put together.