How Fast Is The Honda CRF450RL? A Look At Its Engine & Top Speed

Honda's lineup of 450cc four-stroke dirt bikes all wear some version of the CRF450 badge. The series includes the CRF450R, CRF450RWE, and CRF450RX supercross bikes, the off-road focused CRF450X, and the street-legal CRF450RL — the biggest and most expensive bike in the CRF line.

Unlike its brothers, the CRF450RL is made for cruising public roads and not chasing trophies. However, it still shows some of the racing pedigree that goes along with the CRF450 badge.

The 2025 Honda CRF450RL carries over the same engine, suspension, and frame dimensions from the 2024 model. The 449.7cc single cylinder four-stroke engine is liquid-cooled with a 12.0:1 compression ratio. Its four-valve setup is driven by an overhead cam, and the programmed fuel injection feeds the engine through a 46mm wide throttle. A six-speed manual transmission and chain drive send that power to the road, and the gearing allows for a top speed of 90 miles per hour.

The 90 mph top speed makes the Honda CRF450RL one of the fastest street legal dirt bikes you can buy. Even more impressive than its top speed is its ability to comfortably cruise at 60 to 65 mph with very little vibration. Mob Moto mentioned this smoothness in their YouTube road test, where they easily got the bike up to 85 mph. In their own YouTube review, Big Rock Moto speculated that one of the reasons for the reduced vibration is the Honda's substantial weight. The CRF450RL weighs 291 pounds compared to the KTM 500 EXC-F at 253 pounds. 

Despite the extra heft, the CRF450RL is easy to handle and a good choice for most riders. Larger displacement dual-sports will have more power and often faster top speeds, but they lack the agility of smaller bikes. They're also heavier if you need to load them into the back of a pickup or pull them out of the mud.