2025 Honda CRF450RL

For ages, European manufacturers had a huge advantage over their Japanese rivals when it came to what a dual sport motorcycle could be. During that time frame, the competition was (and still is) pumping out hardcore off-road machines with just enough changes to make them street legal. Meanwhile the Japanese were making overweight streetbikes that served double duty as dual sports.

Until Honda’s CRF450RL came along, the company missed the boat, despite offering some of the most potent motocross and off-road bikes on the market. But the CRF450RL has addressed this hole in its lineup in the only way that Honda knows how. Build a potent, but forgiving and refined dual sport that will satisfy those looking for a “real” off-roader, while offering the quality Honda customers demand.

At its heart is a 449.7cc Unicam single that is derived from the legendary CRF450R and CRF450RX engine that has been tuned for trail riding and on-road dual sporting. The crank’s inertia has been increased by 12 percent compared to the 450R for improved tractability. A wide-ratio six-speed transmission helps give the bike the flexibility to jump from street to dirt without a hiccup. A street-legal muffler meets sound emissions.

The chassis utilizes an aluminum twin-spar frame, while a beefed-up subframe ensures better load carrying ability. Up front a 49mm inverted Showa fork offers full adjustability and 12 inches of travel, while a fully adjustable Pro-Link system and monoshock offer 11.8 inches of travel at the rear. The front brake caliper is borrowed from the CRF450R, while the master cylinder and discs are upgraded for better resistance to fade. To help keep things quiet the aluminum swingarm is injected with urethane, while the final drive features a damper system for quieter operation.

Street-oriented items include LED turn signals, IRC dual sport rubber, an LED headlight, and mirrors.

The 2025 Honda CRF450RL comes in a single model for $10,099.