Just like the all-new CRF450R motocross model on which it is based, Honda’s 2017 CRF450RX closed-course off-road model has already begun to proliferate in GNCC and other national off-road racing series around the country, as well it probably should.
Featuring the same new Unicam SOHC engine and internal specs as the CRF450R–albeit with electric start-and delivering about 60 horsepower at the crankshaft, the CRF450RX motor is a good match for its all-new twin-spar chassis, new 49mm Showa coil spring fork and revised Pro-Link rear suspension set in off-road trim. Maybe one little bugaboo in the whole works is that the CRF450RX’s cable-operated clutch features a safety switch at the lever that prevents the CRF450RX from engaging the electric starter without the clutch lever being pulled-in at the handlebar. It’s a common quirk with electric-start dirtbikes since the switch prevents the bike from accidentally lurching forward from the torque of the starter motor if the rider either intentionally or accidentally thumbs the starter button while the bike is in gear. The same safety method has also been employed on Honda’s venerable CRF450X and CRF250X models for years.
But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t annoy our resident tech guru Jay Clark of Jay Clark Enterprises. To that end, Clark has produced a video that shows customers how to tweak their RX or X models to bypass the clutch safety switch and allow full starter engagement with the clutch being engaged. Clark’s “fix” is a fairly simple one, and anyone with a wire cutters and a soldering iron can get the job done with a minimum of hassle.
So if you feel the need to disable your Honda CRF450RX, CRF450X or CRF250X’s clutch safety switch feature, check out this video and Clark will show you what you need to do. It’s really nothing shocking.
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