MXA RACE TEST: THE REAL TEST OF THE 2025 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION

THE GEAR: Jersey: One Industries X-197, Pants: One Industries X-197, Helmet: Arai VX-Pro4, Goggles: Scott Prospect 2.0, Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10.

Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2025 CRF450 WORKS EDITION BETTER THAN THE 2024 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION?

A: Yes, by far. Honda has been making strides in the right direction over the last few years, and we liked the stock and Works Edition versions of the 2024 Honda CRF450 more than previous CRF450s, but they still weren’t anywhere near the top of our rankings in our 450 Shootout. In 2025, Honda improved in the areas where it needed to, and we applauded them for it. The stock CRF450 went from sixth in last year’s 450 Shootout to second in this year’s 450 Shootout, and the Works Edition is an even better version of the stock model.

Q: HOW LONG HAS HONDA BEEN MAKING WORKS EDITION MODELS?

A: Honda’s first CRF450 Works Edition came in 2019 after watching KTM create an entirely new market within our industry, selling Factory Edition bikes for seven years. KTM kicked off the Factory Edition craze in 2012 with its “Ryan Dungey Edition” bike, and since then KTM has been producing Factory Editions every year as a preview of what’s to come on next year’s models. 

We talk about the AMA’s “production rule” often because we appreciate it. The production rule requires factory teams to race production bikes to make things somewhat fair for the privateers and teams without multi-million-dollar budgets. Jett and Hunter Lawrence have to ride on a production frame, meaning HRC can’t sell one bike to the public and then make the Aussie brothers their own special prototypes (like they can in Europe for Tim Gajser). The rule book states that they can add material and brackets to the frames, but they can’t take away material, and they can’t change the frame’s shape/geometry. To get around this rule and make a new bike in time for Ryan Dungey’s debut on orange, KTM came out with a 2012-1/2 model and imported 400 units to the U.S., just in time to meet the AMA’s production rule cut-off date. 

The Factory Editions that KTM and its sister OEMs Husky and GasGas produce always preview what’s to come in the next season. If there are big changes on the horizon, we see the changes on the Factory Editions first. If there are no big changes coming, the Factory Editions are just regular models with hop-up parts, which is what they are for 2025.

Honda’s Works Editions, which they started producing in 2019, have never been “next year’s bike now” like KTMs. They’ve always been hopped-up versions of the stock bike. However, we’re not complaining, because Honda adds some significant upgrades to its Works Editions.  The 2025 Honda CRF450 Works Edition is a better bike than the stock 2025 CRF450, but it also costs $2900 more. Is it worth the additional moolah? That depends on you.

Q: WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THE 2025 CRF450 WORKS EDITION FROM THE STOCK CRF450?

A: Here’s a list of parts that distinguish the CRF450 Works Edition from the standard CRF450 and explain the $2900 price hike from $9699 to $12,599. 

(1) Hinson. The CRF450 Works Edition features not only a higher-oil-volume Hinson Racing billet clutch cover but a Hinson clutch basket as well. The Hinson billetproof clutch basket is machined from billet T-6 aluminum and hard-coated for five times the wear resistance of the stock aluminum basket. Being stronger, it doesn’t notch like the stock baskets. It improves oil flow and spins truer to keep the clutch cooler, improving plate life. 

(2) Exhaust. The CRF450RWE comes with a full Yoshimura RS-12 exhaust system with a stainless steel header and titanium muffler. 

Note the long head pipe to improved low to mid powerand increase torque.

(3) Engine. The CRF450RWE comes with hand-polished cylinder ports. Also, instead of an OEM Honda air filter, it comes with a Twin Air filter. The polish job is minor, but with everything put together, the engine does have a different feel on the track. 

(4) ECU. The ECU fuel and ignition settings have been optimized to work with the exhaust and polished cylinder ports. Like the stock bike, it has three map options and traction control options. 

(5) Suspension. It has the same Showa forks as the stock bike, only the outer fork tubes have been Kashima-coated and the lower fork legs have been titanium oxide-coated. The shock also gained an 18mm titanium oxide-coated shock shaft. The CRF450RWE comes with its own dedicated suspension settings. The shock adjusters have been coated to look like A-kit parts, and the fork caps look like factory Showa forks as well with adjustable-by-hand compression clickers, which we love! 

(6) Wheels. The Works Edition comes with stronger D.I.D L-TX rims with Dunlop’s MX33 tires. A gold D.I.D chain is driving the rear wheel. 

The Kevlar grips are thicker than most.

(7) Grips. Grip is important! Renthal’s Kevlar grips are thicker than most grips and more durable. Most of our testers wouldn’t choose these grips, but they’re better than stock. The bike also has a ribbed Throttle Jockey seat cover. 

(8) Aesthetics. The triple clamps and fork lugs were both anodized in a dark charcoal color, even though they are the same as on the stock bike. The bike also comes with HRC-inspired graphics and a metallic-red cylinder head cover with the CRF Works Edition logo engraved on the exterior of the cylinder. 

Q: WHICH 2025 FACTORY EDITION GIVES YOU THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK?

A: There are five competitors in the Factory Edition 450 race for 2025. Yamaha sells a Monster Edition YZ450F, but it just comes with black plastic and Monster graphics for an extra $200. Suzuki has an RM Army Edition, but it was only available for people who bought a 2025 model before December 31st, 2024. Triumph is coming out with an RC Edition, but that’s also their only 450, so technically it’s just the base model. 

Let’s take a closer look at the five Factory Edition 450s available for 2025. 

(1) KTM/Husky/GasGas. These three 250 and 450 models are almost identical, with the exception of a few key items. The plastics, subframes, seats and fuel tanks are all different to accommodate each bike’s unique bodywork. The muffler is different to match each factory team’s exhaust. KTM uses an Akrapovic muffler, while Husqvarna and GasGas use FMF mufflers. And yes, mufflers only; the head pipes are stock. Otherwise, the suspension settings, triple clamps, wheels and other major components are all the same. Since the Austrian bikes won’t make big updates for 2026, these bikes are just modified versions of the 2025 bikes with aftermarket mufflers, PowerParts wheels, gripper seats, start devices, split triple clamps with adjustable offset, skid plates, and, of course, the new connectivity units that allow you to connect your smartphone to the bike to adjust throttle response and engine braking, and to access in-depth LitPro analytics. The GasGas 450 retails for $12,599, the KTM for $12,699, and the Husky for $12,799. 

(2) Kawasaki KX450 Special Racer. The Kawasaki KX450SR is the most expensive bike of 2025 at $13,599; however, it does come with a list of high-priced upgrades. Like Honda, Team Green makes some small engine mods to its cylinder head ports when assembling the engine. They added a titanium Pro Circuit Ti-6 complete exhaust system and remapped the ECU for it. For suspension, Kawasaki Kashima-coated the upper and lower Showa fork legs, increased fork oil by 4cc in each fork, and stiffened up the compression. The KX450SR also has Xtrig’s fixed-offset Rocs triple clamps with PHDS bar mounts, D.I.D ST-X rims, a Renthal sprocket, and a gold D.I.D chain. 

(3) Honda CRF450RWE. We already made a list of the value-adding parts that come on the Works Edition, but now let’s compare the Honda to the Austrian brands and Kawasaki. The KX450SR has coated suspension but doesn’t have the 18mm shock shaft. The Austrian bikes don’t have coated suspension. The Austrian bikes and the Kawasaki have Hinson clutch covers, but they don’t have Hinson clutch baskets. However, this isn’t really a knock against KTM since its bikes already come with a one-piece steel clutch basket/primary gear. Hinson doesn’t even make a clutch basket for KTM. The Honda doesn’t have the ability to customize maps like the others, and it’s also missing the aftermarket triple clamps. Still, the Honda has a bigger list of updates than its competition. We especially appreciate the clutch basket, since those are not simple to install. 

 The Works Edition engine is linear yet exciting.

Q: HOW DOES THE 2025 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION RUN ON THE TRACK?

A: Our test riders already like the stock CRF450’s engine. It’s ultra-usable. It doesn’t overpower the chassis, and it makes the rider feel confident. The stock CRF450 dyno numbers are unique. The Honda has the least peak horsepower of the 450 class (yes, even less than Suzuki), and it has the most torque of the 450 class (yes, even more than Yamaha)! Isn’t that crazy? Even weirder, the power curve shows that the engine has a dip in the mid-range. Still, the dyno results are never the end all, be all of motorcycle testing. Dynos never line up and race; they only give us a visible picture of the engine’s power. Some of our test riders could feel that dip on the track, but not all of them. Even the ones who felt it didn’t have complaints about it. Overall, the stock engine works well.

Comparing the stock CRF450 engine to the CRF450 Works Edition, the mod version is faster and fills in the gap. One tester said, “The engine is linear and easy to ride, but it’s still exciting.” Linear can sometimes be a kind way of describing a mellow engine, but the Works Edition still has pep in its step. It’s snappy enough to pull third gear in most corners. 

As usual for Honda, it comes with three map options: one is standard, two mellow and three aggressive. The difference between them was noticeable but not groundbreaking. The mellow map toned the engine down, but it was still very usable and was even preferred by some test riders. The standard and aggressive maps didn’t make a very big difference. Most of our testers leaned towards the standard map.  

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

A: Last year’s 2024 CRF450 was our best experience on a Honda big bike since 2008, but we still had complaints about the handling. We attributed most of the positive-handling gains to Honda’s power profile being more linear. Finally, we have a chassis to rave about in 2025. The stock CRF450 chassis is more predictable and still turns into corners easily. It carves through ruts like before, but it’s more stable at speed now. It’s light, agile and fun to ride. 

What’s new about it? The frame is constructed from 70-percent new components, and the rigidity of the steering area, triple clamps, outer fork tubes and front axle have been adjusted to optimize handling. The subframe has new mounting points to increase rigidity, and the head stays are now steel. The shock linkage for 2025 is a one-piece structure with 1/2mm-longer pull rods that drop the rear of the bike slightly to balance out the chassis. Additionally, the pull rods are 11 percent more rigid. The bell crank features a new, stiffer rising-rate curve to decrease fore and aft pitching while improving bottoming resistance. To work with the stiffer setup, Honda went from 56 to 50 N/mm on the Showa rear shock spring. Fun fact: the Lawrence brothers have been running the stock linkage on their factory HRC bikes. Of course, this could change any day if their team finds something better, but for now, the stock linkage has worked, even for the best. 

We love the compression clickers. You have to wonder if KTM gets a royalty for every one of these on another brand.

Q: HOW IS THE 2025 HONDA CRF450 WORKS EDITION’S SUSPENSION?

A: With the coated suspension, stiffer valving and larger shock shaft, the Works Edition has a softer initial feel than the stock bike. The suspension makes you feel like you’re riding a wave—it’s smooth and plush on top, but it’s not so soft that you end up riding in the mid-stroke. The coatings make the initial part of the stroke move easier with less friction, while the increased damping ensures it doesn’t bottom or ride in a harsh spot. It has strong bottoming hold-up and works well for our test riders. Yes, the KTM, Husky, GasGas and Kawasaki Factory Editions have aftermarket triple clamps, but we don’t see a huge need for them on the stock CRF450RWE. 

The coatings on the forks legs lessen stiction and make the forks feel plusher through their stroke. The triple clmaps are the same as stock, but charcoal coated.

Back to back against the stock model, the CRF450RWE feels like it sits a little taller, but we attribute that to the added hold-up of the 18mm shock shaft and firmer valving. With the 2024 and prior-model CRF450s, our test riders increased sag to 107–108mm, dropped the forks in the triple clamps and tightened down the poor man’s steering damper. With the new chassis and suspension, our test riders are more confident to run 105mm, a normal steering-head stiffness, and the forks with either 5mm or 2mm showing. It still feels like a Honda, only it doesn’t scare you as much as Honda CRF450s usually do. Because of the stiffer frame, firmer linkage ratio, and updated suspension, this bike is much more predictable and confidence-inspiring. 

 

Yoshimura’s RS12 exhaust.

Q: HOW ARE THE ERGONOMICS?

A: We always say that the Honda has the best ergos, and it still does, but we have some complaints to mix in with our praise. The shroud shape is a nice nod to the Honda two-strokes of the ’80s and ’90s, but some of our test riders got their legs caught on top of the shrouds in deep ruts. The new side number panels are amazing for grip. For 2025, Honda added surface area to give your boots more surface area to hold onto. Our test riders love this; however, it is now a two-step process to access the air filter. The side number panel has to come off. Then there’s a second plastic brace that fits between the number plate and the airbox that requires another 8mm to be removed before you can change the filter. Once you go to put it back together, it takes serious skill to line up the number plate properly to slide it into place. 

We have also complained about the shift lever for some time now. The Honda shift lever is 17mm shorter than the KTM’s. This is fine if you have small feet or if you ride on the balls of your feet (like you’re supposed to), but if you have size 10 or larger feet and you don’t ride with Jett Lawrence’s technique, you might hit a false neutral here and there. Of course, you’ll get used to the lever, but MXA test riders switch bikes all the time, so it’s easier for our testers to spot differences like this. On a positive note, we love the gripper seat cover. It holds you in position, helping you save energy.

Q: WHAT DID WE HATE?

A: The hate list.

(1) 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. Works Connection sends a bracket with its Pro Launch device to beef them up. 

(2) Radiator cap. The stock CRF450 and the Works Edition come with a 1.1 kg/mm² cap. We always switch it for a 1.8 or 2.0 Twin Air cap. 

(3) Shifter. The shift lever is too short. We haven’t found a longer one yet. We just get used to it or install further-back footpegs. 

(4) Clutch. We like that the clutch is hydraulic, but it’s harder to modulate than all the other brands with hydro clutches. 

(5) Plastics. We have two gripes. Some riders got their legs caught on top of the shrouds in deep ruts, and the side number panels are hard to line up correctly to put back on. 

(6) Chain guide. The stock chain guide rubs the sprocket. It’s an aluminum outer with a two-piece rubber chain guide inner piece that wears and rubs on the sprocket quickly. 

Q: WHAT DID WE LIKE?

A: The like list.

(1) Ergonomics. We love how the CRF450RWE is put together ergonomically. The new side number panels offer even better grip for 2025. 

(2) Powerband. It’s linear but fun at the same time. 

(3) Sound. The RS-12 exhaust from Yoshimura boosts power while still being quiet. We like that! The stainless-steel header weighs slightly more than titanium, but it lasts longer. 

(4) Clutch basket. We hate installing clutch baskets. Thankfully, Honda does it for you on this bike. 

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

(6) Seat. We appreciate the Throttle Jockey seat cover. 

(7) ECU location. Thankfully, Honda moved the ECU from behind the mud flap to in front of the airbox. It’s better protected now. 

Q: WHAT DID WE REALLY THINK OF THE 2025 CRF450 WORKS EDITION?

A: Our test riders were jumping up and down about the new 2025 Honda CRF250 Works Edition this year. It was a huge improvement over the stock CRF250, which we weren’t huge fans of. We already like the stock CRF450, so the Works Edition model didn’t drum up as much excitement as the CRF250WE. The differences weren’t as drastic. Still, the Works Edition 450 is a better bike. Yes, the added $2900 is steep, but the coated suspension components, remapped ECU, Hinson clutch basket, Yoshimura exhaust, and polished ports pay for themselves and then some. Plus, you don’t have to waste any time getting those mods done yourself. Our test riders are fighting over who gets to race this bike on the weekends now.