CRF450 for XC Racing

[RedRider08450r]

So I have a really good buddy that just bought a 2008 crf450r and hes thinkng of racing XC with it. He knows tons about hondas and has owned many bikes. He likes the idea about the endurance portion of XC racing and I agree hed be great at it. But on a CRF??? I dont know. Im a huge mx guy and I imagine it will have power in all the wrong places which you might be able to fix with gearing. Suspension is great on the bike I assume you might be ok with mx suspension but overall the bike is a beast its heavy and has more power than most peaple can handle. Ive raced a few XC races in my day and alot of MX races and I just dont think you wanna throw around a heavy 50 horse dirtbike in the woods for a hour and a half. Well my question is am I over thinking this. Or is kinda a bad Idea.

[Scro]

You definately don't need that much motor for XC, especially for someone just starting out.

[400exrider69]

I wouldn't want a 450 for xc I did my first ixcr race in november and when we came to a swamp the guys on the crf 450's were laying it over all of the place i was on a 125 it seemed like the guys on the 450's were tired alot quicker because of the weight
i'd prefer a 250f or a 2 stroke for xc lighter the better
i'd also have my suspension set up for woods

[Flynbryan19]

Your over thinking it.

PLENTY of people race 450 mx bikes in XC. Is it more power than they could ever use? Sure! Would they actually be better off on a 250cc 2stroke or 250f? More than likely, but that doesn't stop countless people from doing it and still being successful. Just like any other machine, if he respects the power he'll be fine. It would be even more enjoyable for him if he gets that mx suspension changed over to xc specs, but I have raced plenty of mx bikes in xc with no trouble. Its just a little rougher on the body.

[RedRider08450r]

Ok thank you for the thoughts. I dunno I hope he does well. I know im not taking a 450 in the woods lol.

[usp4u]

Nothing wrong with a 450 in the woods...put it in 2nd or 3rd and leave it there all day.

[Flynbryan19]

Originally posted by RedRider08450r
Ok thank you for the thoughts. I dunno I hope he does well. I know im not taking a 450 in the woods lol.

Its all about respecting the machine. I only weigh 165lbs in full riding gear and I used to ride/race an 02' Crf450 in the woods. It was alot of bike, but I never hurt myself on it. I could have certainly done better on a Cr250 or a Crf250x, but it was what I had at the time. Just because your on a fast machine doesn't mean you'll automatically kill yourself. lol

[KXRida]

A 450 is a great bike for the woods. Has more than enough power for what you need. Just get a woods suspension setup and you're golden. I like my 250f, but it's not a woods bike for sure. I can be ridden to be a woods bike, but I'd much rather take a 450. As far as a 125 in the woods, that's the last thing I'd take.

[usp4u]

Don't forget....Scott Summers won a bunch of GNCC championships on XR600's.

[woodsracer144]

He'll do just fine.... he just has to learn how to handle it

[RedRider08450r]

Well any suggestions. About what he should do with the bike. Or is it pretty much the same as a quad

[andrew450r]

I plan on racing my crf in xc next year too. I think with a couple mods its a great woods bike.

All he would have to in swap to 50 or 51 tooth sproket, get a skid plate and some wrap around guards. Maybe a FFW if he finds in stalling alot at low speed.

Another thing you should do get a coolant recovery tank and and and some temp strips. Since they dont have fans they overheat alot at slow speeds. The coolant tank will help him from lossing a ton off coolant over the coase of the race.

[andrew450r]

And a bigger tank too. Those 450s have tiny taks

[deathman53]

to help the boiling problem, change the coolant to water-less coolant. It boils at something like 400 degrees. There is several water-less coolants, Evans, Ziptie(sp), two2cool and maybe more. Alot of enduro and xc racers use Evans and two2cool. I use Evans npg-r on my ktm450exc. The ziptie stuff was in dirtbike 2-3 months also, it got rave reviews.

[andrew450r]

Originally posted by deathman53
to help the boiling problem, change the coolant to water-less coolant. It boils at something like 400 degrees. There is several water-less coolants, Evans, Ziptie(sp), two2cool and maybe more. Alot of enduro and xc racers use Evans and two2cool. I use Evans npg-r on my ktm450exc. The ziptie stuff was in dirtbike 2-3 months also, it got rave reviews.

Waterless coolant works good, but since it boils over at such a high temp its hard to tell when you engine is overheating or not. With regular coolant, once it boils over you know your over heating and you should stop imediatly. With waterless, you just keep going and you can seriously mess you engine up that way

[deathman53]

true, it can overheat and you not know. In the past(w/ regular coolant), when riding hard, I boiled and didn't even know it. But again, I was riding hard in deep sand and there was a decent mix of mud and standing water in the combo. The way I was able to tell was how the motor ran.

As it got hotter, it didn't have as much power and I needed to give it more gas, it also stalled several times. When I felt the cylinder, it was HOT!!!! I ran a harescramble on my crf450r quad, in some of the tight stuff, that it barely fit in, it started the same thing. I also had a decent clutch fading. When I could, I pulled over and stopped for 20 minutes. I wasn't going for points, just fun.

There is company out there that sells idiot lights for coolant/oil temp. You cut the radiator hose and put in a sensor, run the wire to the light and you put a power source to the power leads. I don't know who sells that one or how it would hook-up to a NON-A?C stator, you might be able to use a battery. If I remember correctly, the temp the light turns on is 220. The option that I know of, is Trail tech, they sell speedo/combo units that tell you everything about your bike and have 2 lights for temp warning, one is 200 and other is 230, you can change those settings also.

I read that the water-less coolants also cool better and have far less "hot spots", its when the coolant doesn't absorb the heat and a bubble forms, reducing contact with the metal. There is motor oils that supposedly run far cooler, that drop your coolant temps by alot.

[grantmi]

So how does 2 hours of XC on a bike compare with 2 hours of XC on a quad??

Every once in a while I think about picking up a bike.

[RedRider08450r]

Ive raced a few on a quad and I wonder the same thing. I was able to fly threw stuff Id think twice about on a bike. But I imagine you wouldnt get stuck as much. But Id really invest in a rekluse because a bike will be much harder to start in the mud. Other than that a revalve and spring, and some skids. Id imagine it would be alot cheaper. But id be worried about rock pinches on the tires and keeping mud out of you radiators and so much more on a bike. I to would like some more info on XC dirtbikes.

[deathman53]

for me, its the opposite. I'll go through stuff much faster on a dirtbike. With the quad, I'm cautious for fitting between stuff. I ride enduro trails on my dirtbike, I'm talking trails that bars cut down to 30" hardly make it past. Its far easier to dodge stuff on a dirtbike, atleast for me. Quads for me, are wide open sand and Mx. To the sand that I ride, I have to go through some trails, most fit my quad w/ room to spare. As for the getting stuck thing, getting stuck on a quad is harder to get it out than a bike. The reason being, a bike is lighter and less stuck wheels to lift. In general, you have more area to grab to lift/unstuck the quad. Most of the time I get stuck on a quad, the skid plate on swingarm is riding the center rut or its lifted up by the mud.

[k4f5x0r]

i'd prefer a 450 for XC simply because of the torque. I feel like if i used my 250f for xc it would be red hot and would just spin everywhere.

especially since i love being in the over rev so much. i hate short shifting :D

[woodsracer144]

you need to ride the bubble

[RedRider08450r]

Well I might have to look into another bick for xc racing it is sounding more like fun. 2010 CRF250 will be fuel injected. :)
I think I could afford one with all the money id save with not buying atv aftermarket parts.

[andrew450r]

Originally posted by RedRider08450r
Well I might have to look into another bick for xc racing it is sounding more like fun. 2010 CRF250 will be fuel injected. :)
I think I could afford one with all the money id save with not buying atv aftermarket parts.

You should man. I LOVE riding bikes in the woods. Their so much more nimble, you can simple just go around rocks and stumps. And the best part is their so much cheaper than quads. To build, buy, and mantain.

If you looking into a bike for woods i would def get the ktm 300exc. Its the perfect woods bike :D

[deathman53]

I rode a 300exc some time ago, it wasn't running that good, even. It was amazing in terms of power and controllable. Grunt of a 4 stroke w/ light weight of a 2 stroke and if you opened the throttle over 1/2, holy cow!!!! it moved and quickly. You can adjust the powervalve for how you want the power to hit, mid-wild. Many people with them use the stiffest spring, as it closes the powervavle, making alot of smooth, even power and no big jump. If you wick the throttle open, it still will throw you. They are called 3 strokes, once you ride one, you will see why.

[RedRider08450r]

I cant ride a ktm Im sorry Id love one. I only ride a honda its all I ever owned and all I ever will. So Ill pick up a crf.

What are you guys running for skids?
What do you do about flats.
Do you guys run solid bars or are you running flexx.
How about a rekluse.
Anyone know if RG3 does good woods suspension.

Id plan to keep the engine stock and just run some zip tie coolant. Other than that some asv levers and a metal twist tub with some radator braces.

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by RedRider08450r
I cant ride a ktm Im sorry Id love one. I only ride a honda its all I ever owned and all I ever will. So Ill pick up a crf.

What are you guys running for skids?
What do you do about flats.
Do you guys run solid bars or are you running flexx.
How about a rekluse.
Anyone know if RG3 does good woods suspension.

Id plan to keep the engine stock and just run some zip tie coolant. Other than that some asv levers and a metal twist tub with some radator braces.

so if ktm was like... i'll give you a full ride with the ktm bike of your choice you would be like oh sorry i only ride honda?!

[RedRider08450r]

Of coarse not but if im ever that good if a rider Ill worry about it when I cross that bridge. I love Ktm bikes I just wont own one. Ive owned hondas since I was three and have owned everything from a 50 to a 450. I am really good friends with my honda dealer he is a close personal friend and Im a loyal customer. He will do everything in his power to help me and In return Ill do the same. And in these tough times im sure he could use it.