Chinese clone of the Honda CRF450X review: cheap but an illegal copy 😢︱Cross Training Enduro

http://www.crosstrainingenduro.com http://tractionerag.com Chinese clone of the Honda CRF450X review! A 450 enduro bike at close to half the cost of existing models? I got to ride this Chinese 450 recently. A Canadian guy planned to import these until he ran into a major issue that will be a stumbling block for China if they want to get into the Western market. More on that later.

It's a Chinese clone of the 2006 Honda CRF450X, and excellent bike in its day. It has been rebranded and sold under different names... the Asiawing Backfire. Heikon. Odes. Crossfire. MXR. And the Cristini all wheel drive bike uses this engine.

Some say the Chinese can only copy other brands, not invent their own models. I beg to differ.

And the copy looks pretty good. The finish isn't quite up there with Japanese and European bikes, but it's way better than I expected. And they even anodise the triple clamps and hubs, that has to be good for an extra five horsepower, right? Wrong. The engine is detuned from the original, they claim 43hp which feels about right and should be a good thing, making this more of a souped dual sport bike than a direct competitor to modern 450 dirt bikes. Good bottom end and midrange power and it sings along at high revs, this Chinese clone of the Honda CRF450X, but just lacks that crazy punch of the typical 450 enduro.

Cross Training Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJAvmhgP0h1AEKY8vTEJPJg
Cross Training Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cross.training.enduro.skills/?ref=ts
Our enduro vlog series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlur54ugvzNJlUO0y6D10jVOGMLI4Raci
Cross Training website: http://www.crosstrainingenduro.com
Like to support our vids? http://www.crosstrainingenduro.com/cross-training-support-donations.htm
Traction eRag: http://tractionerag.ca

The Chinese clone Honda CRF450X engine did bog at times with handfuls of throttle. Apparently the Mikuni carburetor did the same thing on the 2006 Honda, the Chinese copy is no exception. Honda fixed it by swapping to the FRC pumper carb, it's a pity the Chinese didn't follow suit.

The suspension on this Chinese CRF450 dirt bike? It did the job but it felt mediocre... pretty much what I expected from a copy of 2006 vintage suspension. It's still a lot better than say a DRZ400 but way short of modern bikes. One review said the fork internals are all steel which would explain the weight.

The specs often claim only 105kg, a laughable work of fiction but then the Japanese and Europeans often lie through their teeth too. At other times the specs say 120kg which I suspect is the real figure.

The brakes? The rear was okay but the front was very mushy and weak. The owner said he would probably fit genuine Nissen brakes if he imported these bikes as the Chinese copy was unacceptable. I agree as far as this Chinese clone Honda CRF450X review goes.

Some years back there was a decent effort here in Australia to sell these Chinese 450 clone bikes under the Odes name with decent brakes, Ohlin suspension and I assume a pumper carb to fix that bogging issue. One of the magazines tested it in the gruelling Finke race, the fastest desert race in the world. Often the fastest riders rebuild their engines at the halfway point because having the throttle pinned in top gear for hours tends to kill motors fast. They dyno tested it before the race and after, plus stripped the engine down to check for wear.

Despite the Chinese dirt bike issues mentioned, I'm impressed with the potential of this bike. It's cheaper than a DRZ400 and fills that niche between boring heavy dual sports bikes like the DRZ400, and the expensive enduro thoroughbreds. It's a good strong engine, the suspension is better than a dual sport bike, the bike isn't too heavy. And if they fitted the pumper carb and put on a decent front brake then the major issues are gone.

But the Chinese have shot themselves in the foot. Remember our Canadian guy who hoped to import these? He kept asking for proof that they owned the rights to reproduce the Honda design. They kept saying they did own the rights, but couldn't find the paperwork. This went on for some months before they finally admitted this Chinese dirt bike was an illegal copy.

I find this incredibly disappointing. The Chinese are gradually showing the sort of quality control needed to make a serious dirt bike, some more so than others. But clearly some factories aren't prepared to act ethically yet. This tendency to rip others off and not play by the rules will make it much harder for Chinese companies trying to do the right thing and become serious competitors on the world stage. Thus ends the Chinese clone Honda CRF450X review.

#crosstrainingenduro #chinesedirtbike #crf450x #tractionerag #chinese450

Engine: 449cc 96mm x 62mm SOHC liquid-cooled single-cylinder
Max Power: 43HP
Compression Ratio: 11:1
Ignition: Electric and Kick
Transmission: 5-speed
Final Drive: 520 Chain
Frame: Aluminium alloy

Видео Chinese clone of the Honda CRF450X review: cheap but an illegal copy 😢︱Cross Training Enduro канала Cross Training Enduro