2025 Honda CRF450R First Ride Impressions: Did the Perfect Season Lead to the Perfect CRF?

I had the opportunity to ride the all new 2025 CRF450R last week during the media launch at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The track was dug deep and very soft with lots of ruts thanks to sporadic rain throughout the week. I am a slow Vet rider 6’2” 195 lbs. I’ve owned the 21/23 CRF450 Works Edition models and have recently ridden the 2024 CRF450R and Works Edition models. I currently ride a 24.5 KTM 450 Factory Edition. My fast son (5’10” 170lbs) attended the event with me and has seat time on the current CRF450R models though his usual ride is a 23 KTM 450SXF.
Prior to riding the new 2025 CRF450R we listened to an overview from American Honda and the lead CRF engineer detailing the latest design direction and updates to the frame, suspension, and engine. There are significant changes to the frame and suspension that are not so noticeable just looking at the bike. The new smaller radiator shrouds and updated side panels are noticeable and look better in person. Even though we only got a couple of hours ride time on the new CRF450R before the rain hit and drenched the track, my son and I were able to get an initial feel for the bike. Here are our first ride impressions of the all new 25 CRF450R:
Chassis: Honda changed the frame, forks, and triple clamp to increase rigidity. While I never got off the current CRF450 and thought it needed to be more rigid these changes provided improved front end feel and precision with better tire contact patch feedback. The bike still has that good CRF nimble corner entry and overall agile feel. Stability felt good. The forks have a smooth progressive stroke with no mid stroke harshness and plush feel overall. The rear shock worked well. My son made only one change to the suspension: 1-click stiffer compression on the forks. Since the track was soft I decided to ride a section of the GNCC offroad course to get a better feel for how the chassis and suspension updates felt at slower speed on more choppy terrain. I was impressed with how well the moto suspension setting worked off road with just a few minor clicker adjustments. Of course Honda does offer the CRF450RX with a more off road focused suspension setting. While I need to get the updated 2025 CRF450R on some dry hard pack tracks and trails back in Ohio to make a more complete judgement, overall the suspension worked well so it appears the stiffer chassis may be allowing the suspension components to work better providing a more controlled and stable bike.
Engine: The engine ran clean with crisp throttle response. The power is linear and strong across the rpm range with excellent throttle to rear wheel connectivity. There is a fluidity and smoothness to the power which is an improvement compared to the current CRF. Perhaps the new airbox layout, longer head pipe, and revised engine mapping all contribute to this feel. And there was a change to the clutch dampers to help smooth on/off throttle transitions. The low RPM rideability and smooth power response impressed me on the GNCC section I rode. My son rode Map 3 (aggressive map) due to the deep loamy track conditions. I rode Map 1 most of the day, even on the GNCC woods section. Surprisingly Honda did not offer an engine tuning app for the 2025 CRF450R though there are (3) different engine maps (Standard, Smooth, Aggressive) and (3) level of traction control. I did try Map 2 (Smooth) with Traction Control on level 3 - the most dialed back engine power setting (kind of like a CRF350). This setting noticeably dialed back the throttle response and power feel so there is a fairly wide range of engine power character tuning with the supplied (3) maps and (3) traction control settings even without an app.
Misc: Ergo’s felt spot on and that “just feels right” Honda layout is still there. The revised side panels offer a smooth symmetrical surface to grip the bike. The seat is same as current so a little firm and thin foam. The Renthal bar bend feels good. The hydraulic clutch pull effort is light. Brakes are strong and linear.
Overall Impressions: The current CRF450R has a reactive and quick responding chassis that can at times feel harsh and busy at speed especially on dry hardpack tracks. Though we did not get to evaluate the new 25 CRF450R under those conditions the updates to the chassis, suspension, and engine could easily be felt during our ride at Ironman. The engine power is strong yet easy to ride and combined with the chassis and suspension updates keep that quick and responsive fun to ride CRF450 character I like with a little more stability and comfort. In fact I liked the 2025 CRF450R so much after my ride I ordered one! Did the perfect season lead to the perfect CRF? I will find out when my 2025 CRF450R shows up in a few weeks! Stay tuned!