When is it time to go with a dual-sport motorcycle? For me, it's NOW and it's a 2022 Honda CRF450RL!

[@AlfradiusRodriguez]

Considering one myself.

[@mxgryan]

You have some great stories on this channel, John. Thanks!

[@John5XR]

Thanks for the comment! Glad you’re enjoying them!

[@jarrod1687]

I just bought one, waiting for it to get shipped, can't wait. My first bike!

[@John5XR]

Good choice! You’ll love the power!

[@YZEtc]

Very nice video and I enjoyed the detailed background of you and your kids riding. I've had numerous dual-purpose bikes and in September of 2021, I saw that my local Honda dealer had a used 2021 CRF450RL with just 612 miles on the odometer. When I asked how much I could get it out the door for, I did a double-take when they told me $6,150. This bike looked like new, so, I didn't need any persuading to hand over the cash and wheel that bad boy into the back of my truck for the ride home. I had been following the CRF450L since it made its 2019 debut by reading articles and posts and watching videos about test reviews of the bike, so I was familiar with all the things riders did and did not like about it. Before I rode it, I installed suspension springs suited for my 150-pound weight, mounted real knobby tires, removed the fuel evap canister and the "smog" air injection parts, and took it on its maiden voyage out to my local State Forest where there is a rock-n'-rootsy New England motorcycle trail loop that's legal for street-registered motorcycles. I stood on the easier trails with the big CRF, but I had a great time on that first ride. I went on several more weekend rides on those trails before the winter set in, and during the winter downtime I ordered the Vortex ECU and FMF Megabomb head pipe and Q4 muffler, as well as a one-tooth-larger (52 teeth) rear sprocket along with a shiny gold DID 520ERVT drive chain (and an optional rivet-style master link). Come April of 2022 I went out on the CRF450RL sporting the accessories I'd installed over the winter and the bike was even better. I bought the Vortex ECU out of curiosity after reading and hearing soooo much hype about it, and man, was it ever a great decision. No more snatchy, abrupt ON/OFF throttle response and the tendency to flameout and stall at the worst times were but a faint memory - just a nice and smooth-running bike that would keep running all day without any ill-mannered nonsense. Well worth the money. Beside the nice tone and less weight, the FMF exhaust gets rid of the cat in the stock muffler, and that means no more baking heat radiating from the muffler. This CRF450RL prefers terrain where you can keep some speed up, and the faster and rougher it is, the more it feels at home. I love the power, torque, excellent suspension, and tremendous straight-line stability over rough ground. All-in-all, I'm one happy camper. 🙂

[@ratherberiding5964]

The 450rl has been a surprisingly polarizing bike. I bought one new in 21’ and like a lot of people was surprised by how bad it ran at lower rpm’s. Flameouts were just a word I would hear people repeat but I had never experienced it. I assumed they were just stalling the bike. The mapping was actually pretty bad and once I got a vortex I realized I wasn’t just unable to ride a big bike in the woods, the mapping was just awful with the stock ecu. I also didn’t have much experience with tuning suspension either which I later found out that the Honda chassis is very tunable, very sensitive. Just a click or 2 front or rear on compression or rebound, changing your bar position a hair can really make you love or hate what’s going on in different scenarios. After a whole lot of messing with it, riding it, loving and hating it I’m actually very surprised at how much I didn’t enjoy it at times and also how impressed I am with it now that I’ve done some research on how to ride a bike with some technique and figure out how to set it up the way I feel comfortable for my speed and my terrain. After a mix of pretty hard riding and pretty chill riding for 5500 miles I’m really glad I didn’t do what a lot of people do, which is ride it, be a bit perplexed by why it doesn’t just work like some other brands and then sell it. Instead of setting the sag, getting the compression and rebound right, putting a little money into an ecu and playing with different tire combos. The bike it very tunable, so I think that’s what it boils down to. People don’t expect to buy a heavy dual sport and have it be so sensitive to suspension and other ergos. The thing is plenty capable. Hope to see you put some time on it!

[@John5XR]

Wow, what an amazing comment! I’m loving the bike and this is super interesting to me as I like tinkering.

[@janeembalsado7914]

Woww verry nice bike try to ride it here in phillippines all people here love to see dual sport bike

[@ken8212]

Great bike, good choice! 🤘🏽

[@John5XR]

I think so too!

[@mrsmel269]

congrats !!!! i was going to roll a 450l but there the honda version of ducks. i didnt want to wrench as much so we got a 21 650l. got a 22 drz sm to have more fun . enjoy the day and hope your out with the crew having fun

[@John5XR]

Thanks!! I don’t expect a ton of wrenching unless I want to on it. I’ve found there’s quite a few L owners out there who have tens of thousands of miles on theirs with no issues at all along the way. I like the 650 too, but wanted something a bit more motocross’y that I can ride on a track and technical trails (although the 650 can do that, I feel it’s more than what I needed)

[@wesc23]

Went from Monkey to CRF450RL too! (via WR250R). Your channel was great for figuring out how to turn a Monkey into a "Dual Sport". Looking forward to what you do the the RL.

[@John5XR]

Maybe the Monkey is a gateway drug to the RL?! Thanks for watching, I am loving the RL and have a ton of content coming down the line about it

[@ultimatejoe71617]

Did yours leak coolant within the first 100 mile break in?? I just got a 25 and had this happen. Not sure if it’s overfilled or what.

[@John5XR]

No leaking found for the time that I had the bike, sounds like some bad luck

[@jarrod1687]

Seems like it's the ultimate do it all bike dirtbike, less vibration and nicer to ride on the street but pay the price for slightly more weight in single track. Honda reliability, looks amazing, heaps of power. I considered a wr450f which is road legal in Australia, a ktm 450excf and 500 excf, crf300lrally and a drz400. After learning the motocross bikes can go 1000-1500mi between service in normal riding conditions I was sold on the crf450l, like you I weighed up all my options after getting stuck in analyses paralysis and pulled the trigger on the 450l. To me the twitchy throttle isn't a big deal and the vortex doubles as a power adder any way so I don't mind spending the extra.

[@John5XR]

The Austrian bikes may have the edge in off-road performance, but they’re higher maintenance and more costly when you get into parts. I’m a Honda loyalist, so while I feel the Austrian bikes may be better in terms of performance, I wanted to stay on a Honda. The DRZ is the worst choice for off-road, I had one and it just doesn’t have the motocross design and feel enough to ride confidently on tight trails. Forget about a track! The WR may be an interesting choice, I haven’t had time on one enough to know

[@Spartan375X]

I did no research on my CRF230M and I had it for 9 years so far. I browsed the inventory at a local dealership and a month later, I just went for it. The CRF450L/CRF450RL, has been constant research since it was announced and I am for it for the most part. Right not it doesn't look good if I buy new because last weekend, I just put down my cat that had possibly treatable cancer, but ended up choosing a bike instead, at least that is my view at the moment. Next season looks like would be the time for a 450RL in my garage. I have 6 bikes to have fun with at the moment too.

[@John5XR]

You’ll love the RL! The power and go-anywhere nature of it is addicting

[@bradmootz2196]

Taking my new CRF450RL to the Black Hills of SD for a 4 day ride, then to the Alpine Loop out of Silverton Colorado for 4 more days. I'm excited, yet nervous as though ive ridden dirt most of my life, I haven't done many multi day rides. 😅

[@John5XR]

Man that sounds like an amazing trip! I’m jealous, enjoy!!

[@erk-1]

Great video. Think I might go with this bike. Is it to heavy to climb being that I’m in Comifornia?

[@jasonodeorain366]

Hi there A bike I would luv to own . Did ever consider 2022 crf450x over rl

[@John5XR]

Oh absolutely, but the 450X is basically the same as the RL but not street legal. You can turn the RL into an X by removing the emissions equipment and exhaust.

[@AhmadAlAjeel]

I am looking to also go dual sport as well from the honda monkey tho i really need something under the 33 inch seat hight..between 30 and 30 I was thinking the CRF300LS, or TW200 or XT250 or XR150L, or Suzuki DR200 Would be great if you can get these bikes and do a comparison

[@prominence2826]

These are cool but expensive

[@John5XR]

At first glance, yes, but when you look at the competition (KTM, Husky) they’re several thousand less. It way outperforms the DRZ400 or CRF300 type dual sports too, so you can feel the difference and understand why it costs more. It took me a long time to come to terms with spending $10k+ on a bike, but most race bikes are getting close to that mark now and aren’t street legal, so it’s really “in the range”

[@richarddevaottien7724]

Next ride, a wheelchair, like many bikers

[@John5XR]

I must know, why are you watching motorcycle videos on KZbin?! 😂

[@jarrod1687]

Lol what the hell