Versatility has its merits, but broad-ranging abilities all too often fall under the domain of the old adage, "Jack of all trades, master of none." However, the Honda CRF450R has laid rest to that old saw. Ignited by a meteoric rise that cuts an amazingly wide swath across the motorsports realm, the CRF450R has proven to be a winner countless times over, in just about every venue remotely applicable - and then some.
Since its introduction in late 2001, Honda's CRF450 has not only earned an enviable win record in its primary fields of Supercross and motocross, it has also racked up truly impressive results, including race wins and championship titles in almost unbelievably diverse applications.
From GNCC (Grand National Cross Country), desert and 24-hour endurance races, to flat track and even Supermoto (with its hybrid blend of paved and dirt sections of track, along with high-flying jumps), the CRF450 has become the platform of choice.
And even for riders who have yet to make the big leap into professional racing, the CRF450R has plenty to offer; time and time again the Honda 450R has garnered rave reviews and top-rank awards from a number of enthusiast publications, all of which have contributed to the big CRF's immense popularity and runaway sales figures. All in all, it has become patently obvious that regardless of venue, the CRF450R offers riders of all levels the ability to win, thanks to a fundamentally sound and remarkably adaptable chassis, plus an incredibly strong engine.
Just how strong is the CRF450R Unicam motor? Consider this: During the course of the 2006 AMA Supercross season, the Honda CRF450R nailed down the holeshot in final events more often than all other bikes combined! To be exact, the Big Red 450 railed the dash to the first turn in nine of 16 Supercross finals in the hands of five different riders - an amazing tally. Team Honda's Ernesto Fonseca snared one, but the other eight rocket-style launches were staged by privateers: old-hand David Vuillemin and young-gun Jacob Saylor took one apiece, Moto XXX pilot Kyle Lewis claimed a pair, and MDK/Motosport Honda's Nick Wey racked up an amazing four holeshots during the course of the season - more than any other rider on the circuit! Wey also put his privateer CRF450R on the Supercross podium in San Francisco and Orlando ahead of a field of factory bikes. Such outstanding performance shouts volumes about the kind of power the CRF450R churns out, and also underscores why the big Honda has become the weapon of choice among privateers in the pro ranks.
More and more, the forces in today's motorcycle market pressure each and every model toward specialization rather than versatility. It's only natural; in order to answer the public's unyielding call for excellence, a narrower target allows for higher highs. So why has the CRF450R displayed such versatility from its very inception? Simple: Given its world-class power and championship-caliber chassis, the Honda CRF450R simply offers far and away more capability than any other motorcycle in its class.