Honda has upped its Motocross and Supercross ante this year with a new model, the 2019 Honda CRF450RWE. It’s a limited production version—dubbed Works Edition—of the standard CRF450R, which also has enjoyed serious updates for 2019.Let’s take a look at what’s new in the CRF line of five supercross and motocross motorcycles.
The 2019 Honda CRF450R gets a number of upgrades.
New cylinder head with a focus on exhaust port efficiency.
Exhaust headers are much larger—35mm and 43mm, compared to 32mm for both.
Exhaust length is increased—98mm longer on the right, and 187mm on the left.
Clutch updates increase oil supply to the plates and discs to add durability.
Two 12mm oil pumps replace the 16mm pump to increase oiling and reduce friction.
The kickstarter has been removed and the cases redesigned.
The three riding modes have been updated.
Fork settings are new to reflect use of low-friction oil
The triple clamp now allows four mounting positions for the new lower-mounted Renthal Fatbar.
New swingarm is lighter, and the shock settings updated to reflect that.
The new front brake caliper is lighter and uses 30mm and 27mm pistons, rather than exclusively 27mm pistons, for increased braking.
The front brake hose is more resistant to expansion for increased braking feel.
New footpegs are 20 percent lighter and shed dirt more efficiently.
New fork leg protectors provide more coverage.
2019 Honda CRF450R Price: $9299 MSRP
The 2019 Honda CRF450RWE brings works performance to the CRF450R. After you take a look at the upgrades to the standard 2019 Honda CRF450R, here’s what the works edition brings to the track:
Ports hand-polished at the factory, with an increase in low-rpm and midrange power.
Yoshimura titanium muffler with carbon fiber tail caps.
HRC launch control settings based on Ken Roczen’s factory racer.
Kashima fork-tube coating used for smoother sliding on hard-anodized aluminum.
Titanium nitride coating on the fork legs for smoother operation.
Shock shaft has Super Finisher processing and titanium nitride coating
Upgraded DID rims.
Upgraded RK chain.
Throttle Jockey Team Honda HRC graphics, Roczen seat cover, and black triple clamps.
2019 Honda CRF450RWE Price: $11,499
Honda did not forget to update the 2019 Honda CRF250R. Although the CRF250R is quite similar to its big brother, and enjoying some of the same changes for 2019, it has its own list of impressive upgrades.
New cam profile focuses on acceleration out of corners.
Intake and exhaust port geometry is changed to enhance low-rpm power
A 44mm throttle body replaces the 46mm body for improved acceleration.
A five-nozzle piston oil jet replaces the four-piston design for improved cooling and to allow more precise ignition timing.
The right-side exhaust is 50mm shorter for increased top-end power.
The new AC generator is lighter and has less drag.
The triple clamp now allows four mounting positions for the new lower-mounted Renthal Fatbar.
The new front brake caliper is lighter and uses 30mm and 27mm pistons, rather than exclusively 27mm pistons, for increased braking.
New footpegs are 20 percent lighter and shed dirt more efficiently.
New fork leg protectors provide more coverage.
New engine guard flows more air to the motor.
2019 Honda CRF250R Price: $7999 MSRP
2018 Honda CRF150R ExpertThe 2019 Honda CRF150R and CRF150RB returns unchanged. Both the standard CRF150R and the big-wheel CRF150RB will be available for 2019.
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly Podcast—Motos and Friends.
My name is Arthur Coldwells.
This week’s Podcast is brought to you by Yamaha motorcycles. Discover how the YZF-R7 provides the perfect balance of rider comfort and true supersport performance by checking it out at YamahaMotorsports.com, or see it for yourself at your local dealer.
This week’s episode features Senior Editor Nic de Sena’s impressions of the beautiful new Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST that is loosely based around the original FXRT Sport Glide from the 1980s. Hailing from The Golden State, these cult-status performance machines became known as West Coast style, with sportier suspension, increased horsepower, and niceties including creature comforts such as a tidy fairing and sporty luggage.
In past episodes you might have heard us mention my best friend, Daniel Schoenewald, and in the second segment I chat with him about some of the really special machines in his 170 or so—and growing—motorcycle collection. He’s always said to me that he doesn’t consider himself the owner, merely the curator of the motorcycles for the next generation.
Yet Daniel is not just a collector, but I can attest a really skilled rider. His bikes are not trailer queens, they’re ridden, and they’re ridden pretty hard. Actually, we have had many, many memorable rides on pretty much all of the machines in the collection at one time or another.
From all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!