2027 Honda CRF450RX

Comfort & Convenience

• ONE-PIECE RADIATOR SHROUDS: Our engineers used Computational Fluid Dynamics to fine-tune the radiator shrouds for increased cooling efficiency. The one-piece design ensures consistent power output and prevents overheating.
• SIDESTAND: Real enduro bikes need a sidestand, and we’ve given this bike a great one. Because there’s no muffler on the left side, we have tucked the sidestand closer when it’s folded for better clearance.
• FACTORY HANDGUARDS: Fully integrated handguards attach right to the control lever pivots, are color-matched to the bike, and are even vented.
• EASIER SERVICEABILITY: Changing the air filter, replacing the rear wheel, and servicing the rear shock have become simpler than ever. To access the airbox, simply remove the left-side number plate. Additionally, the redesigned side collars on the rear wheel make removal and installation much easier.
• ELECTRIC STARTER: To keep the bike light, our engineers use an electric starter with a lithium-ion battery.

Engineering

• HYDRAULIC CLUTCH: This bike has a hydraulically actuated Nissin clutch, the same design as our Grand Prix MX machines, with a 10 percent lighter pull than a cable equivalent. You won't need to make clutch-cable adjustments, even during long events.
• AIRBOX AND FILTER: For 2027, we’ve changed both the air filter’s density and its shape to reduce airflow resistance by approximately 10 percent.
• HONDA SELECTABLE TORQUE CONTROL (HSTC): Changing terrain requires changing power characteristics. No worries: This bike features our Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). Depending on the available traction, you can choose from one of three settings to dial your bike in perfectly.
• TITANIUM FUEL TANK: Every gram counts, so we equipped the bike with a titanium fuel tank. It is light and strong, and thinner than our previous plastic unit, freeing up more space and helping to centralize the fuel's mass.
• CLUTCH ASSEMBLY: Totally redesigned using HRC works feedback and developed on the MXGP circuit, the clutch-disc diameter is smaller this year, and the primary drive gear is redesigned for lightness. A back-torque-limiting system uses rubber dampers instead of springs, which also provides a slipper-clutch function—the world’s first of its kind? Compared to cam-type slipper clutches, it’s lighter and ideally suited to off-road use.
• LIGHTWEIGHT SPLIT-RESIN BEARING CAGES: Honda is famous for its transmission quality and shift feel, and the 2027 CRF450RX takes that to the next level. Split resin cage needle bearings work in conjunction with shorter transmission shafts to save weight, too.
• SKID PLATE: A factory skid plate is lightweight and offers the engine and lower-frame protection that an off-road racer demands.

Handling

• FRAME: The 2027 frame may look the same, but it’s really all-new, with slightly more steering rake and a longer wheelbase. The major frame components have been fine-tuned for rigidity and weight loss. Meanwhile, the footpegs moved back 5mm, making it easier to shift your weight over the rear wheel to help it hook up.
• SHOWA® SPRING FORK: Specially tuned for off-road riding, the 49mm Showa® fork features Kashima coating to the internal sliding components, enhancing stroke feel and improving smoothness. A DBS (Dynamic Blow System) main-piston valve increases compression damping in the extremely low- to low-speed range, improving stroke consistency.
• REAR SUSPENSION: A lighter shock body is surrounded by a red spring. The shock itself is more responsive, enhancing damping feel in the low-speed compression range and providing a more consistent feel throughout the suspension stroke.
• LIGHT NARROW CHASSIS: Experience faster cornering with the lightweight, superior chassis design, which maintains finely tuned lateral rigidity.
• UPDATED SWINGARM: Check out the swingarm. Meticulously hand-polished, the smooth step-free design and flawless welds elevate the bike’s appearance. The throat-welded construction also helps reduce weight by nearly a pound.
• DUNLOP GEOMAX AT81 TIRES: Dunlop’s Geomax AT81 tires are specifically designed for Enduro use. They are spec'd at 21 inches for the front and 18 inches for the rear.
• BATTERY BOX: The battery box is positioned low for an improved center of gravity. It’s also easy to service and watertight, so there’s less to worry about when racing in wet conditions.
• 18-INCH REAR WHEEL: Designed for enduro use, the 18-inch rear wheel and tire combo provides better bump absorption and a broader contact patch to smooth out the roots, ruts, and rocks that come with off-road riding.
• 260MM FRONT BRAKE: The large front brake disc measures a whopping 260mm. It offers great brake feel and a pattern that reduces weight, while the caliper is designed to reduce lever fade. A front brake-disc guard is also part of the package.
• RENTHAL FATBAR: The Renthal aluminum Fatbar features a bend tuned for off-road riding, making it the standard in excellence. You will love it!

Performance

• 450CC UNICAM® ENGINE: An engine this year features a redesigned Unicam® valve layout that aligns intake and exhaust rockers on a common axis to increase valvetrain rigidity and create a more compact package.
• SMALLER, LIGHTER ENGINE: The complete redesign results in an engine that delivers 10.3 percent more peak horsepower, 3.7 percent more peak torque, and is 17mm narrower and nearly 6 pounds lighter than the 2026 model.
• BROADER, MORE USABLE POWER: Cam profiles and a bore and stroke help deliver increased midrange and high-rpm power.
• LARGER INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES: The titanium intake valves have increased in diameter from 38mm to 40mm, and the exhaust valves from 31mm to 32mm. The valve angle in the head also changed to optimize intake efficiency. The intake port is shorter, too, all of which contributes to the boost in power.
• HIGHER COMPRESSION RATIO: The bigger bore and shorter stroke (97.0mm x 60.8mm), larger piston, and piston-crown profile all result in a higher 13.8:1 compression ratio for better overall combustion efficiency and more power.
• ROUND-PROFILE CRANKSHAFT: Now, with roller main bearings at both ends, the crankshaft profile has been radically reshaped compared to the traditional anchor design. This works in conjunction with the clutch to reduce frictional losses and more efficiently convert combustion into rotational energy while fine-tuning the engine’s overall flywheel effect. The result is smooth, predictable power that’s easy to modulate and that helps keep you hooked up.
• SEALED AIRBOX AND FILTER: The airbox design has no separate lid, allowing you to access the air cleaner just by removing the sidecover.
• CENTRAL-PORT CYLINDER HEAD: The engine features an oval-shaped, centrally located exhaust port, which, along with the single-muffler exhaust, boosts power from 5000 rpm and improves exhaust efficiency.
• DOUBLE-SPRAY INJECTOR SETTINGS: The system sprays fuel twice per intake cycle for better atomization and increased midrange power and overrev performance. You'll feel it the first time you twist the throttle.
• SINGLE-PIPE EXHAUST: The single-pipe header routes close to the center of the bike, and its light overall construction helps improve weight distribution. Compared to the previous generation, it also produces more controllable power in the low- and mid-rpm range.

Style

• SMOOTHER BODYWORK: Smoothing out the bodywork transition between the front of the seat and the radiator shrouds makes it easier to move effortlessly on the bike. The seat itself features larger radius corners up front and smaller radius corners on the rear to improve comfort, hold, and handling.
• BOLD HONDA GRAPHICS: There’s no way you can miss the Honda graphics. Straight off our factory MXGP bikes, everyone will immediately know you’re on a 2027 model. The blue rear fender and side number plates are a nice nod to Honda’s historically dominant off-road machines and proudly reflect the tri-color HRC Racing look.
• BLACK DID RIMS: The DID DirtStar rims are lightweight and strong, while the black color looks good and is easy to clean.

Technology

• ENGINE MODE SELECTION BUTTON: Customize your engine's power delivery on the fly with the convenient handlebar-mounted button, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Standard, Smooth, and Aggressive modes to suit varying track conditions or rider preference.
• HRC LAUNCH CONTROL: This special ECU program allows you to select a start mode, then simply hold the throttle open and release the clutch, letting the bike do the rest. Trust us when we say it gives you a significant advantage into the first turn.