2025 Honda CRF450R vs 2024.5 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition Back to Back Ride: What are the Differences?

Riding my brand new 2025 Honda CRF450R (thanks Honda Marysville Motorsports!) back to back with my 2024.5 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition. I had the opportunity to ride the all new 2025 CRF450R last month during the media launch at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The track was dug deep and very soft with lots of ruts thanks to sporadic rain throughout the week. I was looking forward to picking up my own 25 CRF450R and riding it at my familiar places to see if the great chassis and suspension and engine impressions I had at the press launch were still here in hard pack choppy conditions. Also I was very curious about how the all new 2025 CRF450R would compare to my KTM 450 Factory Edition. Back to back rides are a great way to feel the different characteristics between bikes!

Big standouts of the 2025 CRF450R from the first couple of rides: Engine is very smooth and strong and the maps offer a noticeable different feel, especially when combined with one of the (3) levels of traction control. The Showa suspension was plush - especially the forks! This is the best CRF450R suspension off the showroom floor I have ridden to date. I never felt the more rigid chassis - in fact the front of the bike felt calmer and more absorbing compared to previous CRF450R's I have ridden yet still had the effortless corner entry feel CRF's are famous for. The "just feels right" Honda ergos are still there along with slightly stiff feeling Renthal Fat bars. The revised front brake is strong and easy to modulate. Looking forward to more rides on this 2025 CRF450R including back to back comparisons to my 24.5 KTM 450 Factory Edition and my 2025 KTM 350XCF.

The 24.5/25 KTM 450 chassis is a great balance of cornering and stability at speed. Using the Connectivity Unit Offroad (CUO) I am running the Hard Pack/Dry power map with throttle response and engine braking both minimized for a smooth yet powerful easy to ride engine character. The reduced engine braking frees up the bike and gives it a little more playful and lighter feel in motion. Not a huge difference but noticeable. Also running my favorite set of WP Cone Valve spring forks (0.49 springs). I had Brad at RideWorx set up the stock rear shock. I was looking for more compliance and bump absorption for a slow Vet moto pace. I wanted more plush feel at the top of the stroke and more hold up on jump faces and G-outs. Brad installed a WP bladder kit along with a low friction piston band and re-did the valving. The shock works much better now! I got that more supple feel at the top of the stroke and also more ramp up in G-outs. Has a 60hp 450F ever been so easy to ride? Such smooth and long pulling power that makes this bike so fun to ride! I am really enjoying this new 24.5 KTM 450 Factory Edition!

Did the perfect season lead to the perfect 2025 CRF450R? I will being doing many more rides in different conditions and at different tracks. Stay tuned!

Here are mine and my son's first ride impressions of the 2025 CRF450R from the press ride at Ironman Raceway in July (lots of details in the video description)...
   • 2025 Honda CRF450R First Ride Impress...  

Here is a comparison of the (3) EFI maps and (3) levels of traction control on the 2025 CRF450R...
   • 2025 Honda CRF450R First Ride Engine ...