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I can remember in the early to mid nineties there being talk of a new honda motorcross inspired XR. Many felt the XR650R was going to be honda's big answer. However it is far more Baja and trail inspired that what anyone had first thought. After it's release myself and from what I gather many others knew Honda had something else in the pipeworks. The rumours moved and shifted rapidly, as Honda remained poker faced and only the smallest skericks of info leaked out. Something was imminent as there was no way Honda could sit on it's laurels and let the YZ/WR 400 & 426's, DR400's and the veritable armada of other mid sized thumpers exploding onto the market take the market share forever. Honda created the explosion with it's ground breaking XR400 in 1996, but had done little since. The XR400 has continued to sell well despite the incredible competition, because the XR400 is still a fantastic mid sized trail bike, reliable, easy to ride and fairly quick in the right hands.
The XR4 is where many people felt the changes were going to occur, with similar updates to the XR650R. Rumours at the time suggested an aluminium frame (not twin spar), and a watercooled motor of around 450cc. Alongside the XR4 rumours the "CRX500 / CR500F / XCR500" was also popular speculation, but very little surfaced on that one.
As with the early 650R info, spy and show
photo's
emerged to stir things up somewhat, some of these can be seen here on
this
page. But the final clincher was Honda's press releases which
finally
unveiled what we all wanted to see.
Recent Press releases from Honda press page
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Hughes and CRF450R dominate 4-stroke competition in first US race 2001 White Brothers Four-Stroke World Championships, Round 1, Glen Helen Raceway, San Bernardino, California, April 22, 2001 Honda Racing's Ryan Hughes and the all-new CRF450R took both motos for the overall win on Sunday at Round one of the White Brothers Four-Stroke World Championships at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California — the unofficial US debut of Honda's first four-stroke motocross bike. Hughes won both motos in convincing fashion against a field of talented competitors, including Yamaha ex-factory racer Doug Dubach, four-stroke champion Spud Walters, Moto XXX's Michael Brandes and Yamaha of Troy's Nathan Ramsey. Although Honda Racing does not compete in the series, the factory team entered the race to temper both the machine and Hughes in preparation for national competition. Hughes, 2000 Motocross Des Nations winner, will race the 450cc machine in the upcoming 2001 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships. Hughes was ecstatic after the race — where at times he gained up to three seconds a lap on second place finisher Dubach. "I love the bike," said Hughes. "I've been looking forward to racing it, because I've felt great during practice, but I know that winning races is what counts. I can't wait for the season opener [of the Nationals] at Glen Helen in three weeks!" Watch for Ryan Hughes — and CR250R-mounted Red Riders Ezra Lusk and Sebastien Tortelli — and the new CRF450R to be in fighting trim when they make their official debut on Sunday May 13 in the first round of the 2001 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships, also at Glen Helen Raceway. Glen Helen Four-Stroke World Championships, top finishers Ryan Hughes; 1-1 Doug Dubach; 2-2 Spud Walters; 4-3 Michael Brandes; 5-4 Nathan Ramsey; 6-5 Tim Beatty; 8-6
04/19/01
Hughes will debut Honda Racing's latest creation at Glen Helen Raceway this weekend Torrance, CA — Honda Racing's Ryan Hughes, 2000 Motocross Des Nations winner, will contest the 2001 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships aboard Honda's all-new CRF450R four-stroke motocross race bike. Hughes, who joined Honda to assist in developing its new aluminum-framed liquid-cooled four-stroke motocross bike, will be the primary rider racing the machine in the 12-race series. "My first goal for 2001 was to help Honda develop the four-stroke. My second goal is to put the bike on top of the winner's circle," said Hughes. Motocross enthusiasts have eagerly awaited Honda's first four-stroke motocross bike. The race bike shares many attributes of Honda's legendary two-stroke designs, including Honda's latest, lightweight twin-spar aluminum frame. The all-new four-stroke engine blends Honda's considerable experience with its Baja-winning XR powerplants and the sophisticated technology developed in numerous road racing championships on both two and four wheels. As the final step in preparation for the AMA outdoor national series, Hughes will campaign the CRF450R at Round 1 of the White Brothers Four-Stroke National Championships at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California on Sunday, April 22. "There's no testing like racing, so we are going to have Ryan race the bike this weekend to work out any last minute details before round one of the outdoor national series," said Cliff White, Honda's Motocross Race Team Technical Director. The Hughes-mounted CRF450R will make its official debut on Sunday May 13 in the first round of the 2001 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships, also at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. |
CRF450R
The following is a Honda press release. For more info visit http://www.honda.com
| 02/01/01
Honda competition 4-stroke motocrosser to displace 450cc Torrance, CA — The Honda Racing Corporation has disclosed additional details about the prototype four-stroke competition motocross motorcycle that will soon be racing in the U.S. Called the CRF450R, the racing bike features a single cylinder four-stroke 449cc engine with a bore and stroke of 96.0mm x 62.1mm. The four-valve cylinder head utilizes a single overhead camshaft that acts directly on the two intake valves and, via a forked rocker arm, the two exhaust valves. The benefit of this design is a reduction of mass (elimination of one camshaft and rocker arm assembly) while maintaining accurate valve timing. Like Honda's high tech CR125R and CR250R, the CRF450R uses a specially designed twin-spar aluminum frame and swingarm. Dry weight is 102kg or approximately 225lbs. The CRF450R is scheduled to begin competition in the American Motorcyclist Association's Outdoor National Motocross series beginning May 13 at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. American Honda will announce the rider at a future date. Information concerning the highly anticipated production version of the CRF450R has not been disclosed. |
Here's a Pic sent to Me by Alec taken at the
UK Dirt Bike expo.
Note once again the "weird looking shock".
Click on pic to expand (big file so be patient)
Click on thumbnails to
enlarge 
Pics Used with Permission, check out the rest of these great shots at:
RM250Guys
Site (Photos by Toyko Tiddler.)
and more at: LAAS Sports
These shots were accompanied by a few bits and
pieces. Whether they are legitimate or not is yet to be
seen.
There was some discussion that it was a rumour deliberately leaked by
Honda
to slow the oppositions sales. Eric Gorr seemed felt that it was
feasible, on the dirtrider.net forum. A member in the forum said
that he was sure it was a NX250 motor grafted into the CR frame in
order
to create a mock up. He also went on to mention some involvement
in such a project with a honda dealer. He was adamant that it was
an april fools hoax. One point of interest here is the funky
looking
shock, check it out.
supercross.com's photo of Honda's New CRF450R
More news from Motorcycle Daily
2MX.com's White Bros. 4 Stroke World championships article
More juicy CRF450R news!! (motorcycledaily.com)
Info
from the actual Honda site!!!!!!!! 4 Stroke Motocrosser
motorcycledaily.com's article - Four Stroke Motocross Goes Big; Honda Still Hiding
motorcycledaily.com's article - Honda's XCR500 May Debut at AMA National, Rather Than in Europe
motorcycledaily.com's article - Water Cooled, Electric Start Honda XR400 Replacement On Its Way
motorcycledaily.com's article - Mike LaRocco On A Four-Stroke? Honda Might Do It.
cr500f,crx500,nxr400,xr400,rc450,xcr500,hondas new four stroke motorcrosser,hrc
