News – News Honda 2013: CRF450R, CRF250R and CRF110F – CRF450R 2013: beast of race!

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Honda 2013 news: CRF450R, CRF250R and CRF110F

News - News Honda 2013: CRF450R, CRF250R and CRF110F - CRF450R 2013: beast of race!

Honda makes big changes to its 2013 motocross range: the CRF110F makes its appearance, the CRF250R offers significant improvements and the formidable CRF450R is profoundly redesigned, especially in terms of the cycle part. Presentations.

2013 CRF450R: racehorse !

To describe its sixth generation of CRF450R, Honda is not going all the way: for the world’s leading manufacturer of motorized two-wheelers, this new vintage would quite simply constitute "the future of motocross"(see video below).

Developed jointly by the HRC and the teams entered in European and American championships, the new Honda CRF450R 2013 takes a specific approach: the Japanese conceived it as an extension of the pilot, and not as an object on which the latter comes – more or less naturally – graft.

To this end, engineers have focused their efforts on mass centralization – an area where Honda has a certain know-how, both off-road and on its road bikes. The CRF450R also has a lower center of gravity thanks to the displacement of the cooling system and certain electronic components downwards..

Logically, the double-beam aluminum chassis had to be completely redesigned following these changes, as did the new swingarm. The geometry of this 9.35 kg frame has notably evolved in favor of better traction and improved stability at high speed and under braking: the wheelbase increases by one millimeter (1492 mm against 1411 mm) and the hunting changes from 26.52 ° to 27 °.

Honda has also decided to adopt an inverted pneumatic type fork on its spearhead, like the new 2013 Kawasaki KX450F (read our). This fully adjustable 48mm Kayaba uses air to provide damping functions, resulting in an advertised weight gain of 800g compared to a conventional fork. A hell of a "less weight" for this motocross announced at 111 kg all full facts !

For Honda, the interest of this pneumatic technology also lies in its greater reactivity during the transitions between compression and expansion, and in its greater sensitivity to settings. Simplified adjustments on the way, since all you need is an inflator and an adapter to adjust the reactions of the fork !

On the other hand, as with all air suspensions, the sensitivity to temperature variations should be monitored: in action, the air inside the tubes will heat up and expand, which can affect the damping … At the rear , the Pro-link mono-shock absorber adjustable in compression, preload and rebound is renewed in its functions, but presents new calibrations.

On the braking side, the 2013 Honda CRF450R introduces a new disc cover now made up of two parts to facilitate maintenance, while the front continues to rely on a single disc device clamped by a double piston caliper (240 single disc mm and single piston caliper at the rear).

Finally, the single-cylinder 449.7 cc single-cam (Unicam) has been revisited in favor of low- and mid-range torque: its bore and stroke ratings are similar (96 * 62.1), but the diameter of the exhaust valves increases by one millimeter (31 mm) and the compression ratio goes from 12.0: 1 to 12.5: 1.

The engine is also equipped with a new piston whose machining with molybdenum allows to reduce friction. Honda also worked on the intake (the airbox is brand new), the PGM-FI injection and the new dual exhaust, while the five-speed gearbox adopts a new clutch that would allow better handling. from the point of attachment.

Thanks to all these modifications, the new CRF450R would deliver 10% more torque in low revs, while its thrust would be more pronounced up to high revs..

On the other hand, in terms of pure performance, the 2013 Honda CRF450R loses a few horsepower and newton-meters of torque in operation: it goes from 41.5 kW (56.4 hp) at 8,500 rpm in 2012 to 38 , 3 kW (52.1 hp) at 8,500 rpm in 2013 and from 50.3 Nm at 7,000 rpm in 2012 to 47.7 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm in 2013…

Contacted about this by Site, Honda France replied that "everything has been improved to take advantage of low and mid-range, and this effectively results in slightly less power. But, in the end, this will benefit everyone because the CRF450R engine is more usable, in particular to the benefits of traction.", Bruno Skotnicki tells us.

"The same goes for the torque value: the maximum peak is admittedly a little lower, but it is available earlier and for longer", explains Honda France’s new press officer to Site readers.

Finally, when asked about the weight gain of this new vintage (from 106.9 kg all full made in 2012 to 111 kg in 2013), Bruno Skotnicki confirmed to us that this increase was largely attributable to the increasingly severe noise standards which have forced Honda to completely rethink its exhaust system.

"Moreover, we were forced to return to a double exhaust, essentially for this reason", comments the press manager, before telling us that the rear loop of the aluminum frame also contributes to weight gain. , because it is reinforced to accommodate the double silencers.

The 2013 CRF450R will be available in September-October 2012 in the (in red and white only), at a price not communicated at the moment.

Video presentation of the CRF450R

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