Based on the CRF450R motocrosser, Honda’s all-new 2019 CRF450L is a highly capable, off-road-oriented dual-sport. (Photos by Drew Ruiz)
If you?re in the market for a 450cc dirt bike, Honda?s 2019 lineup offers you five options: the CRF450R motocrosser, the pro-level CRF450WE (Works Edition), the CRF450RX for enduro competition, the CRF450X for trail riding and?at last?the highly anticipated CRF450L, a 50-state street-legal dual-sport that?s light enough and powerful enough to satisfy all but the most hardcore of off-road riders. Until now, if you wanted a 450cc ?dirt bike with lights? your only choice was European?KTM, Husqvarna or Beta, even Aprilia and BMW dabbled in the class a decade ago. But cutting-edge 450 dual-sports have been conspicuously absent from Japanese lineups. Tall, narrow, fairly light and powerful with lots of suspension travel and ground clearance, the 2019 Honda CRF450L is the proverbial “dirt bike with lights.”
Of course, Honda is no stranger to dual-sports. Its history stretches back to the early ?60s with legendary bikes like the CL72 Scrambler 250, the Elsinore and various models with XL, NX or XR in their names. More recently, Honda launched the CRF1000L Africa Twin for 2016 and CRF250L Rally for 2017, and the all-new 2019 CRF450L slots right between them.
Read our 2017 Honda CRF250L Rally review
Since the 2019 Honda CRF450L is street-legal, it can be ridden to the trail, from trail to trail or even used as a commuter or lightwei...