2017 Honda CRF450R

This video popped up from the Japanese MX Nationals. This could be the first look at the 2017 Honda CRF450R. As you can see, the bike has a magic button electric start which we like. The chassis looks all-new and the engine has been completely revised. There has been talks about the HRC Rally bikes needing more power and running twin-cam heads. This Works bike seen could very well have that all-new engine based off the Rally bike. Nevertheless, this is an all-new bike that we might see in 2017 and beyond. This would also be the first electric start MX bike Honda has produced.

Reports on sites have noted that Honda was very tight lipped about this bike and had it covered most of the time except for the brief second they had to go through tech. The video says it all, push-button start, although there is still a kick starter. There is an image of the bike if you want to check it out but due to copyright laws, we did not poach it from their site. Here is a link to the photo: CLICK HERE

This prototype or pre-production bike is all-new. Just looking at the right side of the bike you can see all-new engine covers, a new frame and bodywork. The shock reservoir is not visible from the right, meaning the adjusters are either hidden under the side panel, on the left side or under the seat.

Now that this cat is out of the bag and the 2016 CRF450R has not even hit showroom floors, I wonder if this is going to affect CRF sales? The current bike has been mocked for being underpowered, although who really needs over 60hp. Rumors say that this new engine, which could have very well been developed for the Rally bike, has the HP and torque to power a much heavier bike. IF this is true, Honda might be back in the HP game with a production bike that is on a level playing field with bikes like the Yamaha YZ450F, KTM 450SX and Kawasaki KX450F.

And just a few weeks ago Honda had a box van stolen in Southern California and many believe that a 2017 test bike was amongst the bikes that were inside the box van allegedly. So if you see something that looks like this bike running around Southern California, it might be the guy (or girl) that stole the Honda box van.