CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?
  • BRWEIDEM
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    Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:46 am

    CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by BRWEIDEM » Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:13 pm

    I have a 2008 CRF450R that I don’t really want to part with but as I transition to more trail riding I thought it would be easy to take some X parts and put them on my R. I’m finding this not to be the case.

    Ultimately, I would like to make my R a little more off-road capable and street legal without all the terrible looking, universally mounted street legal parts. I plan to do 90/10 off-road to street riding. I want to be street legal mostly for the short road trips and street crossings to get me back on the trail. I know I need 12V DC power supply so I planned on buying the trail tech kit for my bike with their flywheel as well. After that, I am planning to install the following:

    1. CRF450X OEM front headlight bezel/visor
    2. Baja designs squadron pro light (fits inside OEM ‘X’ headlight bezel)
    3. CRF450X OEM rear fender with LED tail light/brake light.
    4. Baja Designs brake switch for Nissin master cylinders
    5. License plate bracket/light (still looking for a clean looking mounting option)
    6. Dunlop D606 tires (already have an 18” wheel laced and ready to go)
    7. Open to oversized tank options (acerbis, IMS, possibly X OEM tank for just a tad bit more fuel capacity than I have now?)
    8. Pro Moto Billet spark arrestor
    9. Cycra hand guards

    Here are a few questions I have:

    I know the X headlight bezel won’t directly mount to the R, but has anyone tried? Applied makes an adapter (P/N 5208) that looks like it might bolt to an R top triple clamp and also to an X bezel - I’m tempted to try it. My issue might be the HPSD that was new for 2008. Looks like it might be in the way of an OEM light set up. My HPSD mounts to the lower clamp where the 2008 X model has the HPSD mount on the top clamp, probably to make room for the headlight.

    I’ve read the X rear fender won’t mount to an R but in some product diagrams I can see why but in others I’ve seen aftermarket fenders look the same as my R fender. The example I can think of is the UFO rear X fender. Has anyone tried this?

    In regards to a license plate mount, I’d like to stay away from drilling holes in the fender to mount it. Has anybody come across a mount or bracket that does not require drilling in the fender?

    Has anyone interchanged R and X fuel tanks? I’d be ok installing a larger aftermarket tank but would prefer the X tank first if it fits.

    Lastly, although my goal is to build a clean looking off-road street legal R without using a bunch of universal parts I wonder if I should just buy an X model instead? I’m ok with kickstarting my bike and don’t think I’ll miss having a wider ratio gearbox that the X has. I like my carbureted 2008 R and do not see many X models that come up for sale in this area. If I can make this work the way I’m hoping for I will post results for anyone else wanting to do this.

    Thanks for the comments and feedback.
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    JimDirt
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by JimDirt » Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:34 pm

    I have a 2008 CRF450R that I don’t really want to part with but as I transition to more trail riding I thought it would be easy to take some X parts and put them on my R. I’m finding this not to be the case.

    Ultimately, I would like to make my R a little more off-road capable and street legal without all the terrible looking, universally mounted street legal parts. I plan to do 90/10 off-road to street riding. I want to be street legal mostly for the short road trips and street crossings to get me back on the trail. I know I need 12V DC power supply so I planned on buying the trail tech kit for my bike with their flywheel as well. After that, I am planning to install the following:

    1. CRF450X OEM front headlight bezel/visor
    2. Baja designs squadron pro light (fits inside OEM ‘X’ headlight bezel)
    3. CRF450X OEM rear fender with LED tail light/brake light.
    4. Baja Designs brake switch for Nissin master cylinders
    5. License plate bracket/light (still looking for a clean looking mounting option)
    6. Dunlop D606 tires (already have an 18” wheel laced and ready to go)
    7. Open to oversized tank options (acerbis, IMS, possibly X OEM tank for just a tad bit more fuel capacity than I have now?)
    8. Pro Moto Billet spark arrestor
    9. Cycra hand guards

    Here are a few questions I have:

    I know the X headlight bezel won’t directly mount to the R, but has anyone tried? Applied makes an adapter (P/N 5208) that looks like it might bolt to an R top triple clamp and also to an X bezel - I’m tempted to try it. My issue might be the HPSD that was new for 2008. Looks like it might be in the way of an OEM light set up. My HPSD mounts to the lower clamp where the 2008 X model has the HPSD mount on the top clamp, probably to make room for the headlight.

    I’ve read the X rear fender won’t mount to an R but in some product diagrams I can see why but in others I’ve seen aftermarket fenders look the same as my R fender. The example I can think of is the UFO rear X fender. Has anyone tried this?

    In regards to a license plate mount, I’d like to stay away from drilling holes in the fender to mount it. Has anybody come across a mount or bracket that does not require drilling in the fender?

    Has anyone interchanged R and X fuel tanks? I’d be ok installing a larger aftermarket tank but would prefer the X tank first if it fits.

    Lastly, although my goal is to build a clean looking off-road street legal R without using a bunch of universal parts I wonder if I should just buy an X model instead? I’m ok with kickstarting my bike and don’t think I’ll miss having a wider ratio gearbox that the X has. I like my carbureted 2008 R and do not see many X models that come up for sale in this area. If I can make this work the way I’m hoping for I will post results for anyone else wanting to do this.

    Thanks for the comments and feedback.

    Welcome to the site !! \:D/

    The 08 R is a great bike to start with , the only issue is as you mentioned , the lack of swap parts from the X to R , as far as making it off-road/street capable , what you described is about your best bet with the Trail Tech kit , i am not sure on where exactly the X and R steering post mount sits to hold the HPSD , if its in the same location on the stem , then what you could do (not sure of your budget or how much you want to stick into this project) is put X triples on your R , you would then gain the OEM light bezel mounting , as the bottom has the pins to hold the bezel and the top has the side mounts

    Not sure how intense your off-road riding will be , but if its technical , you might want to add a Flywheel Weight , this will make it more off-road friendly , and i would also add (i did this on my 02 450R for off-road use) is add a 250X overflow bottle , you can get the entire setup on eBay with the hoses and everything for next to nothing , you can then easily fab a simple mount to the left fender bolt to hold it in place , it will sit right behind the number plate (i notched my side panel for the cap) , this will help with street use , so when your sitting in traffic or at a stop you wont lose your coolant (not sure how much actual city riding you will be doing)

    The rear fender i can't really answer , as i have never tried to swap , but what you might consider , is swapping subframe from a X , that way the fender will bolt up and your airbox "should" still bolt up , though i have not tried that swap , as mine is a 02 R , but i would "guess" a 08 X and R subframes should swap out fairly easily , but i can't confirm same goes for the tank , i can't say with certainty that the X tank with fit the R frame , so you might be better off with a IMS , etc... and you would get more range than a X tank , as only the 05-06 X have 2.3 gallon tanks , 07+ have 1.9 just like your R , so the swap would be futile if using a 07 up X tank

    As far as license plate goes , there are several ways , especially if you get the X subframe , then you have the 2 screws underneath that hold the light in place , and you can fab a small bracket to that to hold your plate under the fender and out of harms way (including harm to you if you have a getoff , as you don't want a plate sticking out to cut you while your falling) , no need to add to the physical injuries with a deep cut from a metal license plate

    That's about all i can help with , hopefully someone else chimes in with answers to the swap questions that maybe have done it ... The owner Ken (crfsonly user name) might have more detailed answers to the swapping of parts , as i know he deals with a lot of the parts , so maybe he has done a swap already , so maybe PM him directly https://www.crfsonly.com/forum/memberli ... rofile&u=3

    Hope that helped some anyway .... ;)
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho
  • BRWEIDEM
    Posts: 9
    Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:46 am

    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by BRWEIDEM » Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:48 am

    Jim,
    Thanks for the response. Regarding the HPSD and the triple clamps, I considered purchasing a set of X clamps. I compared the mounting location on my bike below:
    AB7A23AC-CBE2-4B7B-AF92-C0AC066DC65D.jpeg
    To a Dirt Rider pic of the X HPSD:
    F25F587A-7FB3-4835-A7EA-3C1F8178841B.jpeg
    And believe the mounting location on the frame is different. In addition, the R Ignition box is in the way. I considered buying just the upper clamp for the bezel and simply not running the HPSD. If I do, hopefully it won’t change the steering feel too much.

    Regarding flywheel weight, it looks like trail tech offers different sizes. Not sure how the size change the feel of the motor, is there one size in particular you recommend?
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    JimDirt
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by JimDirt » Sat Mar 17, 2018 1:33 pm

    Yea that is definitely a hindrance with the CDI and the mount location , its actually the same location my 02 is , as its the best location Honda could come up with to keep it away from the heat sources on the bike , though you could make a bracket that offsets the HPSD to the position of the X , and "relocate" the CDI a bit (the X CDI is located back by the airbox) , but not sure you want to go to that effort versus the gain , as the HPSD is mainly for cornering stability , not really for high speed stability and deflection like a Scott or other Steering Dampener

    As far as flywheel weight , it depends on your needs , on my 02 (which has the lightest flywheel of all year Honda 450's) I went with the heaviest , which was 13oz. , this gave a total of 35oz. , common swap would be a 6oz. or 9oz. , but i ride mine on some tight single track , and usually use it as a "loner" bike , so some of my less experienced friends can ride it off-road without stalling like it would in stock form , but for me on the track it works great , especially with not stalling in corners , as I have a Ken Roczen hand/wrist (mine actually looks worse than his) so I have a hard time working the clutch like I could before the bad crash I had in 2016 , so the ability to come hard into a corner without stalling it , is a nice thing to have , as when I grab the clutch , I have to use 4 fingers , so holding on becomes a challenge , this is where the weight shines for me because I need to rely less on the clutch in corners

    As far as what you notice , its kind of like going 2 stroke , it has less compression braking feel , not as little as a 2 stroke , but definitely not as much as it "normally" would have , you notice it , but its not a drastic change , but you learn to adjust to it very quickly , and are able to judge how to enter a corner after a few corners , once in a while , I will almost overshoot a corner because I came in too fast , but I can usually recover and ride out of it smoothly without stalling , but if you like to flow thru corners carrying speed , the weight actually helps with that as well

    Basically 4 stroke dirt bikes , were not really designed to sit there and idle or be run at low RPM's , like you would find street riding or off-road , and that is what the flywheel weight is designed for , to keep the rotating mass , rotating , simple as that , its harder to stall , does not affect power output , just the delivery of it , but I still have a hard time keeping the front end down coming out of a corner in 3rd gear , so you don't lose torque , its just smoother power delivery , so there really are no downsides to it , unless the type of riding your doing requires massive compression braking needs , like very very steep downhills , etc. , I have yet to find a situation on the track or trail where I felt I needed less flywheel weight
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho
  • Aussiecrf230
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by Aussiecrf230 » Sat Mar 17, 2018 6:06 pm

    Jim,
    I wonder how much of the steep downhill would be because of the flywheel being heavier rather than the weight of the bike and low traction. I would think the flywheel being heavier would maintain even revs downhill with the rear brake keeping it in check. It helps on the way up anyway.
    Ray
    Australia

    CRF230F 2004
    C30F Power Up needle
    Mains 132
    Idle 45
    2 turns out
    Baffle out, Screens In

    It starts,it runs,it gets to where all CRFs can get to without the valve or valve plate dramas
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    JimDirt
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by JimDirt » Sat Mar 17, 2018 9:48 pm

    Jim,
    I wonder how much of the steep downhill would be because of the flywheel being heavier rather than the weight of the bike and low traction. I would think the flywheel being heavier would maintain even revs downhill with the rear brake keeping it in check. It helps on the way up anyway.
    The issue with the steep downhill (that i have noticed) is that you gain momentum easier , which sometimes is not wanted if its real sketchy , without the weight , you have more compression braking which will keep you slower than with a weight which will allow the engine to keep rotating and make you actually gain momentum ...
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho
  • BRWEIDEM
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    Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:46 am

    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by BRWEIDEM » Tue Mar 20, 2018 9:27 pm

    I came across a cheap 450X headlight bezel in town so I picked it up to see how well it would fit on my R. Come to find out this bezel was off an 05 and the bottom holes did not line up with my 08. But I am hopeful that the upper Applied Racing adapter will work. I’m going to buy them and try it out then post my findings here. It looks like many things changed in 08 so hopefully an 08 bezel will work. Now to find one...
    07375C01-2C81-4C41-BE7D-1410A577BCA4.jpeg
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    JimDirt
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by JimDirt » Wed Mar 21, 2018 6:42 pm

    Thanks for the update .... but that dampener might still be a issue no matter what you do , have you thought about making a bracket from the fender mount bolts from the top side of the fender to the bezel (basically removing the fender , and match holes up , then sitting the plate on top of the fender , then re-mounting the fender) , out of Aluminum or sheet plastic to allow it to stick out a little more to clear the dampener ??? , that way the mounting is not a issue with the lower clamp , basically holding it in the position it is in , in your picture , its not that much of a difference from stock , so it should not be really a noticeable difference and would solve your issue with needing clamps , or a newer model bezel , since you already have this one , and no guarantee a newer one will mount differently anyway , so maybe save some bucks and adapt this one to fit ...
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho
  • BRWEIDEM
    Posts: 9
    Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:46 am

    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by BRWEIDEM » Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:48 am

    Jim,

    You’re probably right. A newer bezel will most likely not fit but I plan on searching until I confirm. I talked to someone at Applied Racing today and he was extremely helpful. He said that the lower mounting posts on the lower clamp for an R number plate are 110mm apart. The mounting holes on the lower clamp for an X headlight bezel are only 90mm apart. Not sure if these numbers changed with different years or generations, that is something else I need to confirm. But, this is what I was experiencing in the picture I attached earlier trying to mount an X bezel on my R. The holes did not line up with the posts and the HPSD was in the way.

    We discussed several things and it seems the options are as follows:

    1. 2008 CRF450X upper and lower clamps.
    Upside: the headlight bezel was made to mount to these clamps.
    Downside: Cost and availability. 2008 CRF450X parts are hard to come across (recession related??), even on eBay. Buying new OEM would be far too expensive and I would consider a set of aftermarket from Applied before buying new OEM. Also, HPSD will for sure be eliminated. Even thought there is a hole to mount it on the X top clamp, the mounting hole on the R frame is in a different location than on the X frame.

    2. Keep R clamps and use Applied adapter P/N 5208 to mount bezel on top clamp and fabricate a bracket for lower mounting posts.
    Upside: Far more cost effective
    Downside: HPSD would still be eliminated. Lack of proper fabrication equipment to create a lower mount.

    The Applied 5208 adapter mounts to the pinch bolts on the upper clamp. They are originally designed to be used with Applied clamps and the contact at Applied told me that the 5208 adapters have a center-to-center measurement of 22.2mm, while, the center-to-center measurement on the R top clamp pinch bolts is 18mm. Not an exact fit but with some filing you could use this adapter to cleanly mount an X bezel on the R clamp. As mentioned previously, a lower bracket still needs to be fabricated.

    A lot of info with no results, I know. But hopefully I will work out the kinks and someone who comes along in the future will be able use this to achieve the same results.

    Summary:

    Tried to mount a 2005 CRF450X headlight visor/bezel/shell on my 2008 CRF450R and found that it needs upper and lower mounting adapters or other solution. Will try other year combination for exact fit and experiment with mounting solutions and post results.

    Did some more research on other components I will add soon, updated my list below.

    1. CRF450X OEM front headlight bezel/visor
    2. Baja designs squadron pro light (fits inside OEM ‘X’ headlight bezel)
    3. CRF450X OEM rear fender with LED tail light/brake light.
    4. Baja Designs brake switch for Nissin master cylinders
    5. License plate bracket/light (still looking for a clean looking mounting option)
    6. Dunlop D606 tires
    7. 18" Excel Takasago wheel
    7. Black Acerbis oversied fuel tank
    8. Pro Moto Billet spark arrestor
    9. Cycra hand guards
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    JimDirt
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by JimDirt » Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:03 am

    I still believe that you could easily make a bracket (no special machining , just a little hand work , it would bolt to current mount location , then , with a thick enough aluminum plate which you can get at Home Depot in a 1/4" thick x 1/2" or 1" x 24" for a couple bucks and cut it down to length and tap it for a 6mm or 8mm short bolt **not sure what size the HPSD bolt is** , bolt it to the original HPSD location , then bolt the HPSD to the extension and you have a relocated HPSD) , then using the X clamps that issue is solved , then you just have to figure out where to mount the CDI , you could easily adapt the original mounting tab from the frame to the bezel and attach it there , so you won't have to cut into the wiring for relocation , simply move the hanger off the frame and onto the bezel and spin the CDI around and attach it

    That would at least solve some of your major issues , the rest is just a matter of buying the street legal parts ...... A license plate bracket can be made from sheet aluminum as well , you can buy it in i think 4"x 8" plates , cut it down with a jig saw to fit the license plate and to fit the light bracket under the fender , and make a 20 degree or so bend , drill it for the license plate holes , then match it up to the underside light bracket that holds the light in the fender , drill matching holes and mount it to the light bracket using the original or slightly longer screws , that way there are no holes in the fender , and it will look "factory"

    That is what i would do , it would be inexpensive and you can do it all with basic hand tools (you can buy a cheap jig saw at Harbor Freight Tools if you don't have one) , a little filing and sanding and polishing , and you would not be able to tell your homemade bracket from a manufactured one ....
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho
  • BRWEIDEM
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    Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:46 am

    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by BRWEIDEM » Sun Apr 08, 2018 4:08 pm

    It’s been a few weeks but I was just able to locate an entire 2007 450X bike to experiment with. I will play around with what fits and what doesn’t and post again soon.
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    JimDirt
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    Re: CRF450R with X Parts? Or buy an X?

    by JimDirt » Sun Apr 08, 2018 10:15 pm

    Yea , keep us posted as to what you come up with 8-[
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho

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