BEST ENDURO BIKE - Honda CRF450X
The CRF450X had been in the running for a class win all along but never quite made the grade until 2008. That’s when Honda went whole-hog on the X, with revised steering geometry and a slimmer profile that enhanced rider control. The chassis became quite a lot more nimble, yet thanks to the addition of the Progressive Steering Damper, stability wasn’t lost. And engine power was lively, to say the least. We called the 450X a “refined off-road tool” that was as at home flying through the desert as it was threading through the trees. And don’t forget its impressive wins in the Baja 1000 off-road race, a true test of machinery if ever there was one.
CONTENDERS: Change is constant, and companies such as KTM never sleep on the en-duro front, so its speedy XC line is certainly a threat. But even more of a spoiler could be Husaberg’s all-new, ground-breaking FE450e. The Swedes have spent long winters rethinking the layout of the modern dirtbike, and the FE’s “laydown” engine and innovative frame have truly broken new ground and elevated off-road handling to a higher level.