Honda Motorcycles’ Powersports division offers a range of dirt bikes in the U.S. market. When looking at their dual-sport motorcycle lineup as part of their dirt bike offerings, the title for the speediest model belongs to
The Honda XR650L has a maximum velocity of 91 mph.
. However,
The Honda CRF450RL boasts a maximum velocity of 90 miles per hour.
, closely resembles the XR650L and offers greater capabilities as a dirt bike. Choosing between these two depends on your desired adventure style and financial constraints. To elaborate, the CRF450RL is only 1 mph slower yet proves to be more versatile once you venture off-road from asphalt surfaces.
Nevertheless, the 2025 Honda CRF450RL has an MSRP of $10,099, considerably more expensive compared to the road-oriented 2025 XR650L –which retails for $6,999. Although our focus isn’t meant to pit these premium off-road bikes against each other, highlighting their distinctions can help determine which one might come out as the quickest Honda dirt bike. Given how similar they are when it comes to top speed, acceleration may play a crucial role. Unfortunately, consistent acceleration test data remains unavailable.
The XR650L features a bigger displacement engine, boasting a 644cc air-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder that produces 34.1 horsepower and 31.4 lb-ft of torque according to tests conducted by them.
Dirt Rider
Using a 2023 model, however, the 2023 CRF450RL, featuring a liquid-cooled 450cc single-cylinder engine, boasts higher horsepower yet lower torque — specifically, 38.0 hp and 27.8 lb-ft — as per additional data.
Dirt Rider
During the dyno test, despite the CRF450RL being approximately 60 pounds lighter, the XR650L generates almost the same amount of torque right from the initial rev of the throttle at 6,400 rpm.
Read more:
All of the Motorcycles That Are Part of Keanu Reeves’ Impressive Collection
What About Honda’s Specialized Off-Road Dirt Bikes?
Aside from dual-sport motorcycles known for their capability to perform well both on dirt trails and paved streets, Honda also offers some impressive options.
selection of CRF off-road motorcycles set for release in 2025
Those designed specifically for off-road adventures. Among them, the quickest ones will feature any of the 450cc variants. The CRF450R ($9,699), built for motocross, arenescross, and supercross competitions, whereas trail-focused dirt bikes encompass
The Honda CRF450X and CRF450RX
, each priced at $9,999 MSRP.
Honda’s top-tier motocross and supercross racing machine is the CRF450R. Despite having specs quite like those of the CRF450R-S and CRF450RX, this leaves the CRF450X looking somewhat different, yet you shouldn’t overlook it for that reason. All these three off-road motorcycles come equipped with 450cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled four-stroke motors featuring a 13.5:1 compression rate. Each one utilizes a closely geared 5-speed gearbox and has an overall weight ranging from 247 to 256 lbs when prepared for riding. The suspension setup includes 12.1-to-12.4-inch travel at the back thanks to a Pro-Link Showa mono-shock system, complemented by 12.2-inch-travel 49mm upside-down Showa forks upfront.
The Honda CRF450X features the same bore and stroke as its liquid-cooled four-stroke engine, yet
Honda
It lists its displacement as 449cc. Despite being significantly heavier — weighing in at 275 pounds partly because of extra skid plates — its wide-range six-speed gearbox contributes to higher top speeds. Additionally, the CRF450X comes equipped with Showa suspension parts; however, it offers just 11.8 inches of rear travel and 12.0 inches up front.
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