SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
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2023 MOTO GUIDE Go For The Win With These 2023 Model-Year Ready-To-Race Motorcycles By Stuart Bourdon Photography Courtesy The Manufacturers Motorcycles have been a big part of SCORE Off-Road Racing events from the very beginning, and they continue to be a significant element in SCORE Baja racing today. The latest 2023 models featured in this guide are designed for off-road competition, and are among the more popular models seen on SCORE International Baja off-road racecourses recently. For more detailed information and current pricing on these featured models and more, check out the manufacturer websites. Honda https://powersports.honda.com/ Honda CRF450X The 2023 Honda CRF450X might look a bit like a motocross bike, but it’s really a cross-country off-roader built for long-distance competitions like the SCORE Baja 1000. Honda’s CRF450X shares the same Unicam cylinder head design as the “R” model motocrosser, but the CRF450X gets a wide-ratio six-speed gear box and a chassis with steering geometry tuned for off-road riding. Notable features include a twin-spar aluminum chassis that’s a bit wider than the standard MX frame to handle the six-speed gear box. Honda CRF450RL Honda’s CRF450RL is a dual-sport bike that has been used to compete in some SCORE races, most recently by 2022 Baja 500 Pro Moto Unlimited class competitor Ivan Delgadillo. The 2023 Honda CRF450RL comes equipped with a catalytic converter and is street-legal and off-road capable anywhere in the world. You can ride it to the race, win the race, and ride it home. The CRF450RL also features the Unicam OHC four-valve-per-cylinder engine, a wide-ratio six-speed gear box, and a Showa suspension system front and rear. Honda https://powersports.honda.com/ Honda 2023 CRF250RX Designed expressly for desert races, enduros, and demanding trails, the Honda CRF250RX gets a double-overhead-cam engine, fuel-injection, an all-aluminum chassis, larger fuel tank, and a state-of-the-art Showa suspension system right out of the box. The CRF250RX underwent a major enhancement last year with new gearbox ratios, an 18-inch rear wheel, and special engine settings. It’s a lightweight and nimble motorcycle with an HRC Launch Control system that turns the CRF250RX into a hole-shot machine. Husqvarna https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-us.html Husqvarna FE 501 Part of the company’s Enduro group of motorcycles, the Husqvarna 501 features the biggest engine in the dual-sport line-up. It’s a perfect bike for long races like the SCORE Baja 500 or SCORE Baja 1000 that include rough dirt roads combined with miles of highway. Its 510.9cc powerplant weighs just under 65 pounds and provides premium performance through a lightweight six-speed gear box. The Husqvarna FE 501 is built upon a chromium-molybdenum steel frame with a WP XPLOR-USD 48-mm front suspension and WP XACT Monoshock with linkage in the rear. Husqvarna https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-us.html Husqvarna FE 450 The ergonomics of the Husqvarna FE 450 bodywork is tailored to deliver comfort and control, with narrow contact points making it easy to shift between riding positions. The XPLOR 48 mm front fork has a split damping function and easy access preload adjusters. At the rear, a progressive linkage, 300 mm of travel and pressure balance in the shock absorb every surface change. The BRAKTEC hydraulic braking system delivers even wear and reliable, modulated operation for enduro riding, with abundant stopping power and precise feedback. Husqvarna FX 450 The Husqvarna FX 450 received multiple upgrades for 2023 and continues to headline the company’s off-road machines. The engine was tilted back two degrees, significantly improving chassis anti-squat behavior while also better centralizing the engine’s mass for superior overall bike-handling characteristics. The chromium molybdenum steel has been refined for better energy absorption and straight-line stability, and new forged brackets on the lower frame rails make skid plate installation easier. GasGas https://www.gasgas.com/en-ca/models/motorcycles.html GasGas EX 450F GasGas produces a wide range of motorcycles for all ages, styles of riding, and level of competition. Based on the company’s insanely ridable motocross platform, the GasGas EX line Cross Country bikes deliver everything a rider needs for some seriously fun woods or open desert thrashing. The EX 450F four-stoke machine features a 450cc engine, five-speed gear box, wet DDS multi-disc clutch, 8.5-liter fuel tank, WP XACT-USD 48mm front suspension and WP XACT Monoshock with linkage rear suspension. GasGas EX 350F The GasGas EX 350F is a big bike with little bike agility, delivering the light-on-its-feet handling of a 250cc four-stroke and the grunt-and-shove power of a 450cc four-stroke engine. A versatile motorcycle featuring WP suspension set ups front and rear to tackle the roughest terrain, a cross-country specific six-speed gearbox, and ergonomics that allow unrestricted movement while its flat high-grip seat profile delivers comfort and control in all riding conditions, the GasGas EX 350F is truly user-friendly. GasGas https://www.gasgas.com/en-ca/models/motorcycles.html GasGas EX 250F The baby of the GasGas EX line of four-stroke Cross Country motorcycles, the EX 250F is that little four-stroke that loves to rip. The GasGas EX 250F features a cross-country specific suspension setup, standard side stands, off-road-ready tires, and a large-capacity gas tank to keep you going when the others are refueling. Like the other bikes in the EX-lineup, the EX 250F is equipped with a Neken tapered handlebar offering easy-to-adjust free-play, so that by changing a cam, the progression of the throttle can be altered. KTM https://www.ktm.com/en-us.html KTM 500 EXC-F The 2023 KTM 500 EXC-F is powerful and fast, but thanks to a nimble chassis and compact high-tech engine, this large-displacement muscle bike is also surprisingly light and maneuverable. Smooth and quick power comes from the 510cc SOHC single-cylinder engine tucked into a lightweight chromium molybdenum frame. The KTM 500 EXC-F’s incredible power-to-weight ratio and a competition-bred suspension system combine to make the KTM 500 EXC-F nothing less than a potent competitor for desert racing, enduros, or rally events. KTM https://www.ktm.com/en-us.html KTM 450 SX-F The KTM 450 SX-F may be a MX bike, but it carried Juan Carlos Salvatierra to a first-place finish in the 2022 SCORE Baja San Felipe 250, and the SCORE Baja 500 Pro Moto Unlimited class. It’s no wonder KTM refers to the 450 SX-F as “the top of the food chain.” The KTM SX-F four-stroke SOHC powerplant with a 5-speed gearbox features a Quickshifter function to rip through from 2nd gear to 5th gear while you focus on where the bike is pointed. It’s all-new frame design engineered for longitudinal rigidity, and new shock mounting improves anti-squat for better traction coming out of corners. KTM 350 XC-F A middle ground between the 450 XC-F and the 250 XC-F Enduro models, the KTM 350 XC-F has a race winning record of more than a decade in long-distance competitions. The KTM 350 XC-F features an entirely new and improved “rider triangle,” providing better knee contact, especially when standing on the pegs, with upgraded gripping surfaces all around. A new flatter seat profile delivers exceptional rider movement and control. A switch allows the choice of two different engine maps, one for predictable power, the other for explosive power output. Yamaha https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorcycle Yamaha XT250 As of this report the only new 2023 models Yamaha has announced are its XT250, TW200, and the TT-R model line. Of these, the XT250 (pictured) is a dual sport is the most interesting for off-road riding enthusiasts. The 2023 Yamaha XT250 offers a wide-ratio five-speed transmission, 11 inches of ground clearance, a front fork with 8.9 inches of travel, and a rear Monocross link system that delivers 7.1 inches of wheel travel. The semi-double-cradle steel frame offers increased lateral and torsional rigidity. A 2.6-gallon fuel tank stretches riding range. Yamaha YZ450F Many of Yamaha’s off-road motorcycle models were already significantly updated in 2022. Among those were the YZ125 and YZ85 two-stroke models, and the YZ450F, YZ250F, and YZ250FX four-stroke models. Yamaha refers to is YZ450F as the ultimate open class YZ. Its liquid-cooled 450cc four-stroke engine features a rearward-slanted cylinder design and push-button two-mode adjustable engine mapping. A redesigned suspension and lightened rear wheel assembly offer increased stability on corner entry/exit and bump reaction.