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To find the best dual-sport motorcycles for anywhere and everywhere, we test four 450-class dual-sport machines.
2019 Beta 430 RR-S Review
2019 Honda CRF450L Review
2019 Husqvarna FE 450 Review
2019 KTM 500 EXC-F Review
On January 6, 1941, Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave the State of the Union Address citing four essential freedoms. Each point was punctuated with “everywhere” or “anywhere in the world.” While these four have to do with basic human rights, as I gazed upon four of the most advanced, modern, high-performance dual-sports ever produced, set in front of snow-capped Utah mountains, two of FDR’s words rang particularly clear and true: anywhere and everywhere.
Dual sport motorcycles used to be about "most places" but were lower spec and less performance-oriented in comparison to manufacturers' race bikes. Now dual sports share much with top-of-the-line off-road models. Compromises are fewer, both mechanically and in capability. Any of the dual sports in this motorcycle comparison could be ridden to off-road races, raced, then ridden back home. Any race. And while it is true each might not be 100 percent the top choice as a race bike, they offer a combination of flexibility and performance unavailable in any other dirt bike.
To find the best dual sport motorcycle for anywhere and everywhere, we tested four 450-class machines. The 2019 Honda CRF450L is the impetus for this shootout. It is the first Japanese dual sport to venture into this high-performance category, one created and ruled by European brands. KTM's 500 EXC-F was a Cycle World Ten Best pick for its torquey engine and light handling. The 2019 Husqvarna FE 450 shares much with the KTM, but has its own premium Swedish flavor-despite being prepared and cooked in Austria-with up-spec parts. The 2019 Beta 430 RR-S has the smallest displacement, but more than makes up for it with its Italian looks and some features not offered by the competition.
2019 Honda CRF450L
In the spirit of these bikes, we could have chosen anywhere for this contest. But off-road mecca Moab, Utah, offers amazing testing environs worthy of these top-shelf dual sports. Rugged terrain with hundreds of miles of challenging trails offer the opportunity to test all aspects of the four machines. Our crew even camped outside of town, ensuring we would get dirt-road and street miles, both day and night. Once we got our Lance Camper and trailer parked, it stayed parked for the next three testing days. All travel, whether it was a ride on the world famous Hell's Revenge Trail or a quick blast to dinner in town, would be done on the bikes.
The 2019 Honda CRF450L is the newcomer to the dual-sport category and certainly grabbed the the attention of dual-sport riders and off-roaders the minute it was announced. Sharing most details with 2019 CRF450X off-roader means genes of the CRF450R motocrosser are also evident. An aluminum dual-spar frame, the only non-steel frame in the test, holds a Unicam 449cc single-cylinder engine that gets its own EFI mapping and lower compression than the X model to pass sound and emissions regulations. Reliability and legality are key focuses of the CRF450L as a street-legal enduro. But just under the facade of a model citizen hides the makings of a racer. All with the lowest price tag of $10,399.
2019 Beta 430 RR-S
Beta's sexy, white and red 2019 430 RR-S features a 431cc DOHC engine that resides in a chromoly steel frame suspended by ZF Sachs suspension. Changes from the off-road enduro models are few-DOT approved lighting, DOT Michelin Enduro tires, and some handy folding mirrors. Some very user-friendly touches set it apart from the competition. A Trail Tech Voyager GPS gauge flat out embarasses the spartan meters found on the other three machines, relaying navigation information, outside temp, and just about every other quantifiable adventure-related parameter. A slick push-button seat release is also handy, especially when we drained the RR-S's battery on multiple occasions. Unlike the Honda, the $10,499 Beta is on the other end of the "good citizen" spectrum in terms of noise and fury-it is undoubtedly the most rowdy in the group.
Read our full comparison here: www.cycleworld.com/honda-crf4...
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