- 50th Anniversary Edition version honors 1980s CR models
- CRF450R, RWE and RX receive significant engine and chassis updates
Celebrating five decades of elite motocross heritage, Honda today unveiled the latest edition of its flagship motocross bike, the 2023 CRF450R, during a media event. Held on the eve of the opening 2023 AMA Pro Motocross round at Fox Raceway, the function featured the entire Team Honda HRC lineup – Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence and Jett Lawrence – as well as Honda legends from the past, including champions Gary Jones, Johnny O’Mara, Rick Johnson and Trey Canard, as well as former Team Manager Dave Arnold.
Introduced 50 years after the debut of the 1973 CR250M Elsinore – Honda’s original motocross machine – the 2023 CRF450R receives key engine updates and chassis revisions targeted at enhancing corner-exit acceleration and improving handling. In addition, a 50th Anniversary Edition is offered, honoring Honda’s motocross heritage with a special livery evoking the iconic CR models that dominated 1980s AMA Supercross and Motocross.
Honda’s success in motocross started with the aforementioned 1973 CR250M Elsinore, which Jones piloted to Honda’s first AMA Motocross Championship. In the half-century since, additional titles have been delivered by a long list of champions including Marty Smith, Chuck Sun, Johnny O’Mara, Ron Lechien, David Bailey, Darrell Schultz, Micky Dymond, Rick Johnson, Jeff Stanton, Jean-Michel Bayle, Mike Kiedrowski, Doug Henry, Steve Lamson, Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael, culminating in current Team HRC rider Jett Lawrence delivering the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross 250 crown, as well as the 2022 AMA Supercross 250SX West Region title. These renowned riders have played an integral role in the development and innovation of CR and CRF motocross bikes, while cementing Honda’s legendary status in the sport. Originally introduced in 2002, the CRF450R continues Honda’s tradition of race-driven innovation by incorporating feedback from Team Honda HRC riders.
“Honda is synonymous with motocross, and that’s a direct result of our dedication to the sport for the past five decades, as well as the invaluable contributions of top riders – from Gary Jones in 1973 to Jett Lawrence in 2022,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Sports & Experiential. “The 2023 CRF450R is worthy of that heritage, and the 50th Anniversary Edition pays tribute in a way that we’re sure will be appreciated by motocross enthusiasts. We look forward to current and future Honda champions continuing to grow our motocross legacy.”
For 2023, The CRF450R’s engine and chassis updates also carry over to the premium CRF450RWE and the closed-course off-road-focused CRF450RX, raced by the SLR Honda and JCR Honda teams in the NGPC and WORCS competition.
While Honda celebrates 50 years of motocross heritage with the 2023 CRF450R, the rest of Honda’s popular CRF Performance lineup, including the CRF450R-S, CRF450X, CRF450RL, CRF250R, CRF250RX and CRF150R, continues to deliver industry-leading performance and reliability.