Ride Engineering 23.5 Offset Split Triple Clamps For Honda

What it is

• 23.5mm offset triple clamps.
• Split design for increased flex.

Ride Engineering produces a variety of quality products that are more than just bling. Adrian puts a lot of time and effort into developing pieces like his triple clamps to bring a benefit to the handling/performance of the bike and not just add style. We seeked out a set of his triple clamps for our 2023 CRF450RX (which fits 2021+ CRF450R/RX models) to change some handling quirks we were faced with on big red.

The Split Triple Clamps in the 23.5mm offset (up from 22mm) are designed and engineered to increase comfort and flex in the front end of the Honda. The increased offset is a big selling point with this clamp as it changes the offset and is designed to add more stability. Additionally, they are claimed to decrease vibration and offer a -5mm lower, +3mm forward bar position from stock. They are constructed from 2024 Aluminum and bolt right onto the Honda frame with no modifications. The clamps retail for $674.90 and are available in Silver, Black, and Red.

How it works

• Increased stability and bump compliance.
• Less playfull handling character.
• More versatile, larger operating window for the Honda 450.

At first glance, the machining and finishing work of Ride Engineering’s Split Triple Clamp Set is a thing of beauty. The polished aluminum looks trick, all of the cutouts look and are purpose built, while everything lines up to a T. 

Right away, the difference in feel between the stock clamps and the Ride Eng clamps is apparent. In the right setting and conditions, the Honda 450 can be as good a bike as any. However, we’ve struggled at times with the CRF450RX (and CRF450R for that matter), when the bumps get sharp and when traction is at a premium. A lot of this comes down to the sensitive chassis and how it reacts, and a lot of that is felt at the front end. With the Ride Eng clamps, we gained stability, bump compliance, and in some cases, better turning. 

Right away, the clamps minimize that harsh, edgy feeling through the front end of the Honda. As is the case with most bikes, going to aftermarket triple clamps sees benefits in this area and this combo is no exception on the Honda. It feels as if we softened the compression in the forks a few clicks, but after the chance, we felt we could add a few more clicks of compression in the fork without increasing harshness in the forks. 

In stock trim, the 2023 Honda 450 is one of the best turning bikes in its class and, at times, turns too well with some oversteer causing issues. With the stock 22mm clamps, we dropped the forks to flush in the clamps to help alleviate this, and while it did help, it didn’t completely eliminate the issue. With the 23.5mm offset clamps and running the forks at +2mm, we aren’t experiencing much oversteer in corners or knifing under braking. Instead, we gained quite a bit of stability at speed and under braking while having a more consistent turning bike. We run the forks between flush to +2mm in the clamps depending on the terrain and if our riders are looking for a little more lively bike that didn’t lose all of its edge in cornering and still maintained enough stability.

Overall, we feel Ride Engineering’s 23.5mm Triple Clamps are a big winner for Honda’s CRF450R/RX. To sum it up, it makes the sensitive chassis a little less sensitive and a lot more versatile in its window of operation. In dry, edgy conditions (typical on the West Coast), we now feel much more comfortable and confident on the 450RX. To boot, we still feel like we made improvements in terrain where the Honda already shined. The more consistent turning character was liked overall, though the bike did lose some of its playfulness and quick turning – all things we feel are worth the sacrifice in what we’re looking to achieve (plus the bike still very much retains these characteristics in comparison to most of the other bikes). It’s a pricey modification for the Honda 450, but one we’d rather not ride without now.