2020 Honda CRF450X [Model Overview]

Having six speeds in the CRF450X’s transmission compared to an MX bike’s typical five gives you more choice, and makes this versatile bike even more versatile. You have a gear for everything from east-coast rock crawling to wide-open Baja blasts.

Light, compact, and offering excellent performance—just like the CRF450X itself! Conventional batteries are heavy, but not this premium piece. It’s all part of why your new CRF450X performs as well as it does.

The CRF450X gets a special crankshaft, different from our CRF450R MX bikes and our CRF450L dual-sport. Why? The crank’s weight and inertial character make a huge difference in how a bike delivers power. A crank is expensive, but it’s no place to scrimp and try to save—with the CRF450X, power delivery is just what you want.

The CRF450X’s dual radiators feature a refined core area for superior heat dissipation compared with conventional dual-radiator designs. A coolant recovery tank is located in front of the engine between the frame downtubes for improved center of gravity, and the tank is protected by a plastic skid plate.

Holding 2.01 gallons, the CRF450X’s premium titanium tank is light and tough.

The CRF450X’s factory skid plate is light, yet also offers the engine and lower-frame protection serious riders demand on a machine like this.

Your CRF450X comes equipped with a complete lighting package (headlight and taillight) for riding at dusk.

An electric start system ensures trouble-free starting in all conditions. The electric starter also drives the clutch side of the crankshaft to provide superior lubrication to starter gears while producing a narrow engine with a short, strong crank.

Honda’s Unicam® cylinder heads combine the best of single- and double-overhead-cam designs. The configuration contributes to a compact engine that saves weight over a comparable dual-overhead-camshaft motor and also permits a narrow included valve angle. This flattens the combustion chamber to facilitate ignition flame propagation, allowing a high compression ratio. Since less space is taken up in the cylinder head, the camshaft sits lower in the head for a more compact engine and a lower center of gravity.

Lightweight titanium intake and exhaust valves permit use of smaller valve springs, reducing overall engine height.

The CRF450X features our proven fuel-injection system. It’s part of the reason the CRF450X offers such excellent torque and spot-on metering and response, especially in the critical low-rpm range. It also automatically compensates for elevation and weather changes.

The CRF450X uses a twin-spar aluminum chassis that takes advantage of all the lessons we’ve learned on the MX track and from winning countless Bajas. The frame is both light and stiff, and provides the basis for the CRF450X’s excellent handling. The chassis is also wider than the standard MX frame to accommodate the six-speed transmission.

The CRF450X’s Dunlop MX52 tires give you good superior off-road traction in a wide variety of terrain and conditions. Tires are always a critical part of any on/off-road bike, and we’ve hooked you up with some great ones here.

The compact Unicam engine and Honda’s famous concentration on center-of-mass engineering help keep the CRF450X’s center of gravity low. That means the bike feels lighter, and it helps handling too.

Compact twin-piston front brake caliper, anodized-aluminum brake pistons and lightweight 260mm front disc offer great stopping power while minimizing unsprung weight for improved turning and handling.

HRC works-type rear brake system uses a 240mm brake rotor to its integrated rear master-cylinder and fluid reservoir, a set-up that eliminates the separate reservoir and hose.

The CRF450X’s 18-inch rear wheel gives you an excellent choice of off-road tires. Plus, the black DID rims look great too.

The Gear-Driven Counterbalancer reduces vibration and drives the water pump. Eight clutch plates provide the surface area necessary to handle the engine’s massive torque, while carefully matched clutch springs provide a light feel at the lever.

Having a hard time spotting the differences between our factory MX bikes and the CRF450X? You’re excused. The “X” looks like our MX bikes because it’s derived from them—the smooth bodywork makes it easy to move around, and the in-mold graphics not only look cool but are durable, too.

Placing the rider’s legs at the narrowest part of the frame helps improve comfort and handling.

Hey, a sidestand may seem like no big thing, but take a look at the one the CRF450X uses. Tucked up high and out of the way, this forged alloy piece is just another example of how the CRF450X gets it right.

An important feature for planning gas stops and calculating your bike’s range under varying conditions, the Fuel Mileage Meter shows current fuel mileage and average fuel mileage as well as fuel consumption. Displays in either miles or kilometers, and applies to both the A and B tripmeters. The Fuel Mileage Meter is in the same digital instrument display as the speedometer, odometer, tripmeters and digital clock.