Dude, that is the most honest, nail on the head video of the 450L. Coming from other road bikes, is the weight really a huge problem? I don't think so. I'm 51. Have the Honda with a Vortex ECU. Broke my foot on it, but fucking love it. Got three other bikes: Moto Guzzi, home built Bobber and a big old Adventure bike for travelling to my sister in England. Having the Vortex is against the law here in Germany. Even Double Take mirrors without an e number printed on them is illegal. I could change the exhaust and lose some weight with a different can, but I'm athletic and can easily pick the bike up. And it's nice and quiet in the woods. We have to leave them pretty stock to stay out of trouble. Second hand they are affordable, with low mileage. Japanese reliability. Once I changed the ECU complete transformation. I'm a service technician so maintenance is second nature. You guys in the Staates seam a lot more relaxed with servicing. Most "bikers" here are pussies and don't even know what a bloody spark plug is. I got my bikes to ride and not look at them. Whichever bike you get, have fun on it. We should focus on the positives of these freedom machines, stay in practice and build our skills. Enjoy the smell and sound of fossil fuels as long as we can. I'm old and stuck in my ways, but electric is shit. Again, great video. Stay safe. Let's go Brandon!

Great video, I think you made a fair assessment of both bikes. The weight is what the Honda can’t get away from. Everything else can be delt with or modified to the particular rider’s preferences on either bike. I have a 21’ 450rl, 6,000 miles of riding it like a dirtbike, beating the balls off of it with complete confidence it’s just gonna keep going no matter how I treat it. Good oil, clean air and good gas is all it needs. Wish it was lighter but Honda earned their reputation for quality and reliability. I ride mine on tight single track, fire roads, hill climbs, around town, anything and everything. Great time to be an off-road rider. So many options….no matter what brand you go with it’s going to be fun.

Horsepower is close but the 450tq is what is nice. I've ridden a 350 and yes it was a absolute blast to ride but I couldn't lug a gear being 240lbs. My 450l can lug my ass around without running it at 9000rpm

Another fantastic video. Thank you

The 450rl does not need those upgrades. What i do see is that people think more power means better technique, and they'd rather spend money on equipment than time practicing technique. Then they put out a video where they sit down the whole time their off road, grabbing the clutch with their whole hand, and cant use the rear brake to save their life. If Pol Tarres can do hard enduro on a T7, then that proves that most people have bad technique. If you have good technique than weight wont mean much at all to you. All bikes feel light when they're upright! I rode a klx300r trail bike before getting my 450rl and the practice on the trail bike helped the riding on the 450rl. Yet people think Eli Tomac or Chris Birch are good because of their equipment, not the 20years of practice they have. Off roading is hard, and theres no short cuts to learning the techniques, it just takes time and people should understand that, and allow themselves the time to practice.

Thanks very much for your insight. You have help immensely on narrowing down the test rides for my needs.

Thats a cool asseessment and your easy style relates well to those in the quandary of which bike. You nailed it.

100% agree with all your comments, love my 450L, been an absolute joy since day 1. Gutted they aren't selling the RL in the UK, will therefore probably go 500 EXC next, although I'm tempted to get an RX and just be the local hooligan on the trails! Great review - thanks

Good review of the two bikes. I liked watching the terrain you're riding in. It's far different from the New England terrain out here.

What mirrors are those and would you recommend them?

They aught to take the 350/500 chassis and put the 399cc from the 2024 390 Duke in. Just a bit friendlier engine.

where you riding? love that trail at 10:30 looks amazing. I see Joshua Tress? thanks

Very good review! I've owned both bikes, and you nailed it. I now own the 450RL, and like it much more than the 350 except. I'm a dual sport kinda guy at my age (66). While the 350 is better at single track, it's a marginal dual sport. Once you do the stage I mods, the Honda really rips! Good grunt. Plus it has top end too.

Great comments on KTM and Honda oil change frequency. Also depends on how hard you run the motor to result in shorter/longer oil life, but 1-2K miles is decent if not riding hard.

What kind of reliability you mean, some example please?

I wonder how a CRF450L or RL compares with a Beta 390RS, from someone else's point of view. I have the 450L and have ridden a friend's Beta 390 Race Edition a couple times, on the trail only, though his is plated. That bike has great power delivery and fueling, totally linear, great for single track. It feels like it has about the same power and pull as the 450L. I was considering trading both my CRF250RX and CRF450L for a Beta 390 but the dealer asked what type of riding I used the 450L for. I put about 3800 miles on it over the last year, a mix of single track and backroads, paved and unpaved. I also commute a couple times a week on it. The Beta dealer told me he didn't think the 390 would hold up to the sustained high speed stuff as well as the 450L (glad to have an honest dealer to talk to). But, if you just wanted a dual sport to connect trails and otherwise were using it as a trail bike, I'd think a Beta 390 or 350 would be the thing. That 390 is so good stock, no need for ECU and all that. It's way easier on the trails than the 450L, and the Race Edition has suspension as good or better than the 450L, I wonder how the RS compares. But for a dual sport, I think the 450L is probably the best overall compromise due to its smoothness and diverse capabilities, after the ECU is sorted (I got the AIM). For loading a bike in the back of a pickup and hauling to the trails, nothing beats a 2-stroke. I went with the XTrainer for that, as the 7/8 sizing makes the gnarly and tight stuff that easier.

Nice video. For what I see, many of the 450RL owners add an ECU and a throttle tamer, making the price difference with the KTM less a factor to consider.

Good call Rodney

Ya there is big differences between xcf xcf-w an excf I’ve had them all in multiple sizes I will never own a exc anything again I currently am on a 350xcf-w an love it tones of bottom end climbs like a tractor not much on top as the xcf an is most balanced top to bottom in my opinion

where are you riding at? I have a 350 excf and a new 350 xcf, the xcf has a little extra power , which explains the 15 hp difference

Nice.

can the 350 carry some luggage?

Please do a couple South Park mmmmm Kay's in your next video

I'm pretty sure the stock wet weight of the 450rl is like 291 lbs... and that's before the 3gal tank

I’m between both bikes… I do a lot of trail riding but I also do a lot of on road riding. What is anybody else’s opinion? My dad just picked up a brand new CRF 450RL it’s smooth but I’m a ktm guy but I’m gonna be riding a lot and doing some trails and possibly jumps

I'll go to CRF 450 RL I'm looking to sells my T7, too heavy

Seems like the 450 vs 500 would be a better comparison. I think the 500 would smoke the 450. Im a ktm boy though haha.

I'm in the market for a bike. Thinking about a 2024 ktm 350 excf. Want the lighter bike.

Why get the EXC-F 350 over the EXC-F 500?

36hp? oh wait that's for America haha.

You say honda VS KTM but you clearly have a Husky

Honda every time…….and I ride a Husqvarna!