Cycle News Staff | April 9, 2021
We give the CRF450RWE Works Edition the works.
By Ryan Nitzen | Photography by Kit Palmer
Honda’s CRF450RWE is the third contender in the world of Factory Editions. Hopped up with a laundry list of aftermarket parts, this red ride sports an MSRP of $12,399, $2800 more than the standard 2021 CRF450R. To accompany this price tag, the Works Edition rolls off the dealer floor with a complete Yoshimura exhaust system, Hinson clutch basket and clutch cover, D.I.D LT-X Wheels, Throttle Jockey graphics and seat cover, 18mm shock shaft (compared to 16mm on the standard model), Renthal grips, a ported cylinder head, and titanium nitride-coated lower fork legs. If you didn’t know better, you would think this was Ken Roczen’s race bike at first glance. It’s undoubtedly one of the best-looking bikes in the “Factory Edition” class, and features like the full exhaust system, engine porting, clutch basket, suspension coatings, and a larger shock shaft are extras that you won’t find on the comparable KTM or Husqvarna models. For perspective, the KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition retails $1100 more than the standard SX-F at $11,299.
If you price out all of the upgrades to the CRF450RWE “Works Edition,” the extra $2800 in the MSRP seems quite the bargain.
We often break the “Factory Edition” tests into two questions: Are the extras worth the extra money? And do they make a real difference out on the track? We calculated the Works Edition’s $2800 price hike to include a $1200 exhaust system, a $200 set of graphics and seat cover, and let’s call it at least $800 for the wheels and clutch system. That’s $2200 right there. Then factor in the suspension coatings, shock shaft and engine porting. We’d say that’s more than $600 from your favorite shop. To bite the bullet one time at an extra $2800 seems worth it in that regard. But how about out on the track? We took to the rolling hills of Cahuilla Creek to put the Works Edition to work.
The first thing that stands out is the chassis and suspension’s overall smoothness, working in conjunction to virtually eliminate every bump on the track. We thought cornering the standard ’21 CRF450R was one of the easiest in the class, but the Works Edition sets a new standard. Perhaps it’s the larger shock shaft or the fact that our test 450 has passed the 20-hour mark, but the bike’s rear end was noticeably more comfortable while entering and exiting corners. The shock sat up in the stroke, holding its position until the exact moment when I wanted it to squat in the rut. From there, it needed little to no coercion to carry momentum through the middle and exit of the corner. Mindreader technology? Showa techs, you heard the idea here first.
You’ll get no resistance from the CRF450RWE when you tell it what you want it to do in the turns. It simply does it.
One of the perks of owning the CRF450RWE is the standard Yoshimura exhaust system. It’s light and quiet.
Suspension is a significant upgrade over the standard model.
Before jumping on the bike, our Honda factory tuners for the day suggested lowering the forks five millimeters to offer some extra stability at the notoriously fast-paced Cahuilla Creek. However, this day, the layout was a bit tighter than usual, with some new 90- and 180-degree turns. The added stability was welcomed at first, especially on some of the faster downhill sections. However, in those tighter turns, I could feel the front end pushing and washing away towards the exit of the corner. The Honda crew then raised the forks back up to stock height, which dissolved all the front-end push I experienced. From this point, the bike was able to cut through the tight insides and rail the fast outer lines without giving up too much in the stability department.
The power of the WE is another serious talking point. The ported cylinder head and full Yoshimura RS-12 exhaust system work together to bring a smile-inducing throttle twisting experience. It almost sneaks up on you. It’s not that knockout-style hit like some of the previous Honda models, but rather a smooth bark that brings you up to speed in a hurry. Before you know it, you’ve hit fourth gear, and the bushes on the side of the track are one continuous green blur. I noticed the power most in the sharp, slow-speed corners that transition just before the long, fast uphills. Here, carrying speed is a necessity, and the Honda made that much easier than I anticipated. Exit the corner, find your body position, twist the grip, and hold on. More often than not, I was so trigger-happy that I found the front wheel lifting off the ground prior to the jump face at the summit of these hills.
The Honda isn’t the lightest bike in its class, but it’s so well balanced that it feels that way.
As mentioned before, it’s fast, like 2017-20 Honda fast, but now has all the smoothness of the ’21 model. Basically, it’s everything we’ve been asking from the current red ride. Map one was our preferred map of the day for its well-rounded delivery. Map two usually is my go-to for the powerful 450s (and what I currently choose on the standard CRF), but it was just a little too smooth for the high-speed Cahuilla hills. Map three, on the other hand, was a bit too much to hold on to. This bike also sports Honda’s Selectable Traction Control options, but we opted to not run it on the loamy Cahuilla soil.
There’s also something to be said about looking good, feeling good, and riding good. That old saying really holds true with the CRF450RWE, especially with those coated fork tubes adding to that feeling. The gold uppers and black lowers contrast nicely against the blood-red plastics.
The smooth bark of the WE’s power almost sneaks up on you.
Honda got the fueling issue with the standard CRF450R figured out with the Works Edition model.
Out back, the rear shock shaft also sports an ultra-trick black DLC coating. The team graphics radiate Ken Roczen vibes, and I must say I felt fast before even swinging my leg over the bike.
In the cockpit, the Throttle Jockey gripper seat cover offered the perfect amount of rear-end traction without trying to pull my pants off in the process. The Renthal grips were another welcomed “mod” compared to the stockers.
We had nothing but praises for the Throttle Jockey gripper seat cover.
During our test day, we were able to do back-to-back motos on the Works Edition and the standard ’21 CRF450R. Simply put, the Works Edition comes from the factory with everything we would change about the R. It has stiffer suspension with better hold up, a flashed ECU for smoother throttle response—which is indeed much-improved over the standard model—and overall more power from bottom to top. Other add-ons like the Yoshimura exhaust quiet the audibles, while the aftermarket grips and seat cover give the WE a much more comfortable feel in the rider cockpit.
The answers to our two main questions are yes and yes. Yes, the added parts seem worth the one-time hit when you break it down into their individual price tags. Exhaust, wheels, suspension, porting and graphics will all run you a pretty penny no matter where you do your shopping these days. Plus, the Honda has more bolt-ons than any of the other Factory Edition models. The second yes, came when we rode this thing out on the track. This is what we’ve been searching for from our standard CRF, and having it race-ready with everything we want is a massive bonus in our book. In fact, if Honda enlisted this bike in our 2021 450cc Motocross Shootout late last year, it just might have taken top honors. CN
2021 Honda CRF450RWE Specifications
| MSRP: |
$12,399 |
| Engine: |
4-stroke, single-cylinder |
| Displacement: |
449cc |
| Compression Ratio: |
13.5:1 |
| Valvetrain: |
Unicam, 4 valves, 38mm intake, titanium; 31mm exhaust, steel |
| Induction: |
Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI), 46mm downdraft throttle body |
| Ignition: |
DC-CDI |
| Air Filter: |
TwinAir |
| Exhaust System: |
Yoshimura w/ titanium header |
| Starting System: |
Electric |
| Transmission: |
5-speed |
| Final Drive: |
#520 RK gold chain |
| Clutch: |
Hydraulically actuated, Nissin; Hinson basket and cover |
| Frame: |
Aluminum |
| Front Suspension: |
49mm, USD, Showa coil-spring fork, fully adjustable |
| Rear Suspension: |
Pro-Link Showa single shock, fully adjustable |
| Front-Wheel Travel: |
12.2 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel: |
12.4 in. |
| Front Brake: |
Single 260mm disc w/ twin-piston caliper |
| Rear Brake: |
Single 240mm disc |
| Front Tire: |
Dunlop MX33 80/100×21 in. |
| Rear Tire: |
Dunlop MX33 120/80-19 in. |
| Rake: |
27°7’ |
| Trail: |
4.5 in. |
| Seat: |
Throttle Jockey |
| Seat Height: |
38 in. |
| Wheelbase: |
58.3 in. |
| Ground Clearance: |
13.2 in. |
| Fuel Capacity: |
1.7 gal. |
| Weight (curb, claimed): |
244 lbs. |
|
