THE VERDICT
Like we said from the beginning, we knew that the battle for supremacy in this class would be close, and with our Motorcycle.com Scorecard, it ultimately turned out to be amazingly so. However, just as one bike has to finish first, another bike has to finish sixth, and after adding up our test rider scores, that turned out to be the 2017 Kawasaki KX450F.
Honestly, more than a few were surprised, but the numbers didn’t lie. The KX is a machine that probably has a lot more potential hidden in some key areas that need more refinement, most notably its power output and suspension performance. If we were Kawasaki, we would figure out how to give the KX450F even more top-end hook and exchange its Showa air fork for the fine Showa SFF spring fork that is used on the KX250F. Those two changes alone would probably help the big KX achieve a much higher score than the 718.32 points out of the possible 900 available. Also, at $8849, its price tag matches at least one machine that outperformed it in every category.
Finishing fifth, the 2017 Suzuki RM-Z450 tallied a total of 730.02 points. Nobody on our crew disliked the Suzuki, but it is very clear that the race for the top of the class demands a motorcycle with a little more power, a more forgiving chassis and more supple suspension performance. If the recent news of the 2018 Suzuki RM-Z450WS works bike is any indication, Suzuki may be addressing some of these shortcomings for the 2018 RM-Z450 production model; we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, the RM-Z450 is a well-refined 5-year-old design that is simply coming to the end of its road. We could cut the Suzuki even more of a break if its $8749 MSRP was the cheapest of the group, but it isn’t.”
Fourth place really surprised us. We really get along well with the 2017 Yamaha YZ450F, but this year the blue bomber has gotten shelled by newer designs that boast much lighter weight, better handling and handlebar button-activated engine map controllability. Its 765.30 point total leaves little doubt that the Yamaha still has a powerhouse engine and boasts very good suspension performance, but our test crew felt that the Yamaha motor could stand to be wrapped in an even more compact-feeling chassis package with a lower center of gravity to aid in its handling. Better brakes to slow the beast would also be a welcome addition. Even so, at $8699, it is the least expensive bike in the group, and that punchy motor still makes the Yamaha a hell of a bargain.
Watching the points race among the top three was a lot like watching the last presidential election. Early on, we thought it was going to be lopsided in one direction, but as the scores filled-in, the balance swung the other way. Nowhere was this truer than with the 2017 Husqvarna FC 450, which started off strong in our scoring before winding up third with 789.69 points. Husqvarna has really created a fantastic motocross machine with the FC 450. It makes potent yet rideable power, its WP AER 48 air fork is the king of the genre, and it is slim and handles well. It’s just that our testers found other machines to be dialed-in better, and the Husqvarna’s $9499 price point didn’t do it any favors in a podium race that was so close.
How close? So close that its sister, the even more expensive KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition tallied 793.52 points—less than four more—en route to finishing second. Akrapovic muffler and blingy bits notwithstanding, the KTM just plain works well, thanks to its electrically smooth yet smokin’ fast engine, neutral handling chassis, brilliant WP suspension and powerful Brembo brakes. It all makes for an amazing machine. So what holds the KTM back? Price, mostly. At $10,399, the Factory Edition is an expensive proposition, and we can’t help but note that the standard 2017 KTM 450 SX-F would have pulled off the win in this shootout if it had been included.
That leaves the 2017 Honda CRF450R, which claimed top honors in our 450cc Motocross Shootout with a total of 794.46 points—that’s right, the Honda beat out the KTM by less than a point! When all was said and done, our testers pointed to the Honda’s brawny yet smooth-feeling power delivery, excellent adjustable engine mapping and quick-turning chassis as big reasons for the CRF450R’s win. Its new Showa coil spring fork eliminates a lot of headaches while performing to a much higher standard than the air fork that it replaced, and the Honda’s compact feel and trademark slick shifting transmission are also praiseworthy. The Honda is simply a strong overall package, and in the categories where it isn’t as strong it is close to the top. Its fit and finish levels are on par with the European machines in this test, and yet its Kawasaki-matching $8849 price bests the Husqvarna by $650 and the KTM Factory Edition by a whopping $1550.
We found happiness aboard all of these 450cc motocross machines, but the 2017 Honda CRF450R provided the biggest grins.
Your Privacy Choices