To celebrate 50 years since Honda’s first production motocross motorcycle—the 1973 Honda CR250M Elsinore—the company has produced the 2023 Honda CRF450R 50th Anniversary Edition. Honda brought together past Honda-mounted AMA Motocross National Champions Gary Jones (1973), Johnny O’Mara (1983), Rick Johnson (1986-8), and Trey Canard (2010), along with former team manager Dave Arnold for the unveiling of the updated CRF450R with anniversary livery on the eve of the opening round of the 2022 AMA Motocross Championship Series.From left: Rick Johnson, Johnny O’Mara, Trey Canard, Dave Arnold, Gary JonesThe 2023 Honda CRF450R 50th Anniversary Edition shares the same updates that will be implemented in the new CRF450R, CRF450RWE, and CRF450RX racers. Let’s go over those, plus what makes the 50th Anniversary Edition stand out.
The motor has been worked over to produce power more smoothly and an added dollop of torque. Honda says the updates include a longer intake funnel, 2mm-narrower throttle body, narrower intake port shape, and a new cam profile.
The muffler has been beefed up. The inner pipe is a new design, and it sits inside a heat-treated aluminum body. In addition to being more durable, Honda also claims it is quieter.
Honda has changed the thickness of the frame in unspecific amounts and locations. According to Honda, this optimized the frame’s rigidity.
The new engine mounts are steel, replacing aluminum mounts. Honda tells us this improves traction at the front end.
With the revised frame rigidity and new motor mounts come complementary changes to the Showa suspension. The fork gets new settings, and the shock’s spring rate increases.
From left: Ken Roczen, Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, Chase Sexton, Lars Lindstrom
Honda tapped into the 1980s for the 50th Anniversary Edition’s styling cues. Sure, Honda could have gone with 1973 styling, baring the 2023’s titanium tank and giving it a green stripe along the top and the iconic yellow Honda wing on the tank, plus green number plates, but the company is pretty set on red these days. So, we get a blue seat, white number plates, gold D.I.D DirtStar rims, gold Renthal handlebar, dark-gray triple clamps, and a 50th Anniversary sticker on the front number plate.
Be patient if you want the 2023 Honda CRF450R 50th Anniversary Edition. It won’t be available until September, which is when you can expect delivery of the factory-enhanced 2023 CRF450RWE. Those in a hurry can get the standard CRF450R in July. Expect to pay a $300 premium for the 50th Anniversary Edition compared to the functionally identical standard CRF450R.
New 120th Anniversary H-Ds + Andrew Hewkin, Artist and philanthropist
byMotos and Friends by Ultimate Motorcycle
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Motos and Friends, the weekly Podcast brought to you by the editorial team at Ultimate Motorcycling. My name is Arthur Coldwells.
Motos and Friends is brought to you by the 2023 Suzuki Hayabusa. Head into your local Suzuki dealer now, or visit suzukicycles.com to learn more.
The new 120th Anniversary Harleys have been announced today, and in this week’s first segment Editor Don Williams takes us through the exciting updates to four models. The hero is probably the latest RoadGlide CVO with its spectacular 120th livery and badging.
In our second segment, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with celebrated artist and philanthropist, Andrew Hewkin.
Andrew chats about his life of unusual coincidences which have taken him on an unexpected and entertaining journey. Traveling through more than one hundred countries, Andrew captured the flavor and essence of the world. He takes us through a few of his hair-raising stories of travel and intrigue that he has expressed visually through over fifty years of his art.
He is a regular contributor to Childline Rocks in his capacity as Cultural Attaché for the Sons of Royalty annual motorcycle ride, and paintings of Cuba, Marrakech, Mexico, and most recently Kerala in Southern India, have been auctioned off for the charity. His work has also contributed to ‘The Princes Trust’, ‘Heart on my Sleeve’, ‘Fight for Sight’, ‘Cancer Trusts’ and many others.
Andrew is a supremely talented, kind, and fascinating man.
So, from all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!
Andrew’s biography “Before the Paint Dries…” is available on his website AndrewHewkin.com
