So given the 18yr old rider, Dad had to start the modification process...
"We" had three main gripes with the bike: 1. It sounds horrible as already said. 2. It runs extremely HOT - the main frame on the righthand side gets so hot, that you can barely touch it - very uncomfortable while riding!! 3. Jerky on/off throttle - difficult to control in traffic as well as technical terrain!!
So the research started: No one seems to import an Exhaust for these bikes in SA!!! (CRF450X/R won't fit...) So I took the standard muffler to an exhaust guy to operate... (It weighs 5,6kg!!)
We decided to leave the "cat" intact at the front of the muffler, but removed everything behind it and replaced it with a proper free-flow system including packing. (same diameter as header pipe and standard end-cap outlet hole. And it still weighs 5,6kg
). I'm not very happy with the neatness of the job, but boy does it sound good!!!
I've never heard a better sounding 450, and it is not overly loud.
Suddenly the "Heat" problem also completely disappeared - bargain for R1000!!
Then the local Dealer told me the "un-cork" airbox rubber will work and we ordered one at R650. Had it fitted - big mistake!!! Hellavu hesitation from low to mid, and then all hell breaks loose!!!
OK, then I ordered a Boosterplug from Roodt at West Coast Parts at R2630 - delivered to George in less than 24hrs - awesome service!!!
Ok, now the hesitation was gone - the thing would fly
until about 80% throttle where it would stall on and off - almost like a limiter effect - guess that must be the restrictions programmed into the standard ECU...
So, to cut a long story short - I reamed the tiny hole inside the standard airbox rubber - only about 1,5mm all the way around (max you can go). My calculations tells me it relates to about a 20% increase in area/air-flow. Then I had to strip about half the bike to swop out the airbox rubbers again!!!
Well, it was all worth it - the bike is notably stronger, no hiccups or hesitations anywhere, and the Boosterplug completely eliminated that snatchy throttle!!!
It would now reach 135 with the same input more or less it took before-hand to reach 120.
And I say again - it is so smooth now and sounds awesome!!!
Hope this can assist somebody else with the same issues...
ps: I guess I will eventually import an unrestricted ECU, and fit that with the bigger airbox rubber we now have - that with the Boosterplug and exhaust changes should make this thing a real monster! Honda SA's price for that ECU is just plain ridiculous - they should have fitted it standard in the first place!!!
Topic: CRF450L Surprised!! (Read 472 times)
