While Madonna once sang about living in a material world, perhaps a more modern version would be about living in a technological world. The vast majority of the population (at least in the U.S.) can t live without a GPS to get to the store, a bluetooth headset to talk on their iphones, and a plasma television the size of a warehouse to play their Wii video games. The MXA wrecking crew is positive that the invention of the light bulb was life-altering to people used to burning whale blubber at night. Can we say the same thing about our ability to check Facebook? Technology is FEBRUARY 2010 / MOTOCROSS ACTION 63
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Instead of completely modifying the 2009 Honda CRF450 to a standstill, Wiseco focused on specific problem areas. The suspension, exhaust system, clutch and fuel injection system received special treatment. ever-expanding, and the human appetite knows no limit when it comes to gizmos and gadgets. Forget about the days of leatherclad warriors going into battle on Czechoslovakian-built motocross bikes. Those days are over. A modern day motocross rider has more in common with a video game geek than Roger DeCoster. How so? Motocross riders are infatuated with new technology. Need proof? Three years ago, every four-stroke used a carburetor to regulate the flow of air and gasoline to their valve-and-cam engines. No more! Suzuki, Kawasaki, Husaberg, Honda and Yamaha have replaced the so-called archaic carburetors on their 450 four-strokes with electronic fuel injectors. Why? Marketing men proclaim that the technology is hassle-free and userfriendly. Engineers point to the finetuning capabilities of digital dots and dashes. Of course, the real selling point is that everyone, from young Billy to old Jasper, loves to tinker with new technology. Wiseco has been at the forefront of motorcycle technology for decades. It s imperative to their livelihood that the Ohio-based company develop products capable of satisfying the modern consumer s technological Jones. Wiseco s newest platform is electronic fuel injection software. Dubbed the Wiseco Electronic Fuel Injection Controller, it is a system that works in conjunction with the fuel-injected CRF450, KX450F and Suzuki RM-Z450. On its most basic level, the Wiseco Controller can change the performance of a fuel injector s throttle body in almost the same way as changing jets on a Keihin FCR carb. Having tested Wiseco s Yamaha YZ450F a year ago, the MXA wrecking crew yearned to try their purpose-built Honda CRF450. To sweeten the deal, the folks at Wiseco spoiled us by showing up with a fresh bike at a pristine track. SHOP TALK: WHAT S UNDER THE PLASTIC? Besides the Wiseco Electronic Fuel Injection Controller ($299.99), Wiseco utilized their 13:1 high-compression piston ($226.55) to boost power. The MXA wrecking crew was happy that they didn t kick the compression up any higher, because the beauty of staying away from high compression pistons is that we were able to run pump gas (typically any highcompression piston with a ratio of over 13:1 requires at least a 50/50 mix of race gas). FEBRUARY 2010 / MOTOCROSS ACTION 65
A huge problem area on the 2009 and 2010 CRF450 is the stock four-spring clutch. Wiseco makes an excellent six-spring clutch that is far superior to the stock unit. One of the chinks in the CRF450 s armor is the clutch. The stock fourspring clutch can t handle the rigors of hardcore racing. Wiseco Performance is no stranger to Honda s works-style stock clutch. To eliminate any possible issues, Wiseco revamped the CRF450 clutch by switching to their proprietary sixspring clutch. It was comprised of a forged inner hub ($279.00), forged pressure plate ($169.50) and clutch pack kit that included all the friction and steel plates, as well as springs ($160.18 for the kit). The clutch overhaul might seem like overkill, but unless you use the CRF450 clutch judiciously, it s a very good idea to upgrade to the six-spring system. The MXA wrecking crew stated in our CRF450 test that, Job one is to get stiff enough springs in the Kayaba forks to keep the front high enough to compensate for the stinkbug stance. Wiseco Performance must have read the test, because they enlisted the services of Pro-Action to revamp the suspension. Pro-Action revalved the forks and shock, and also installed stiffer fork springs to keep the front end up ($435.00 total cost for revalving and springs). Other performance modifications included a Yoshimura RS-4 titanium exhaust system, Pro Wheel hubs and wheels, Dunlop MX51 tires, as well as a Braking 270mm front wave rotor and standard size rear wave rotor. We have always been impressed by Wiseco s attention to detail. In our last test they outfitted their project YZ450F in an all-white plastic ensemble with red and gray accents throughout. The Wiseco Performance CRF450 relied on custom red/silver/black graphics from Johnny Signs. Along with the unique design scheme, Wiseco swapped the stock black radiator hoses for red CV4 hoses. They also used Cycra M2 pivoting hand guards, Renthal bars, dual-compound grips, gold O-ring chain, and sprockets (with the stock gearing specs). TEST RIDE: TWISTING THE THROTTLE Although we paid attention to every area of the Wiseco Performance Honda CRF450, we were most interested in the EFI Controller. Wiseco gave us a short tutorial on how to properly install the plug-and-play Controller. The mounting process requires a few easy steps. (1) Remove the gas tank. (2) Disconnect the sensor cord on top of the throttle body. (3) Attach the Controller plug to the open sensor on the throttle body. (4) Route the Controller wiring along the frame rail toward the top gas tank bolt, following the other wires along the frame. Doing so will allow the rider to make quick changes without having to plug into an external device. How exactly does the EFI Controller work? It contains three zones of operation that are similar to a carburetor. One zone sets the pilot jet for idle. The second zone sets the needle for acceleration. The third and final zone sets the mainjet for heavy loads and wide-open throttle. Wiseco s goal with the EFI Controller was to offer the option of truly finetuning your fuel-injected bike just like a carbureted bike. We began with a specific base setting and then deviated from it by making incremental changes. The goal was to feel the effects of the EFI Controller and then improve the engine s performance. After experimenting with 16 different settings, we found the goose that laid the golden egg. However, we should preface this by saying that early on we found other settings that we liked, but we couldn t stop pressing the buttons and making new fuel settings after every lap. Several times we zeroed in on really great settings that moved the powerband around to our liking, but we didn t rest until we reached what we thought was perfection. There is one caveat. The EFI Controller did not make the CRF450 faster. What it did do was move the position of the power around in the powerband. This was a big plus. It allowed test riders to fine-tune the powerband to suit their riding style. If they wanted more low-end, they could get it. If they wanted more top-end, they could get it. And, while the bike never got physically faster, the rider could go faster when he had a powerband that was customtuned to his riding style. MXA s favorite fuel setting focused on the midrange so that we could ride the bike a gear higher and lug it down without flaming out. Exhaust system: The Wiseco Performance CRF450 was aided by the Yoshimura RS-4 titanium exhaust system. The MXA wrecking crew has spent extensive time testing this exhaust, and it is one of our favorite systems for the CRF450. It punches up the powerband, particularly in the midrange, and when coupled with the EFI Controller, it is a match made in heaven. Clutch: Another noticeable improvement on the Wiseco Performance CRF450 compared to 66 www.motocrossactionmag.com
We have always been impressed by Wiseco s attention to detail. There is something magical about Ohio when the leaves are changing. It made the Wiseco CRF450 test that much sweeter. Pro-Action makes a longer link arm that lowers the rear end of the CRF450 and prevents wallowing under acceleration. the stocker came in the clutch department. Any serious CRF450 owner should invest in a six-spring clutch assembly. Honda made a major error when they switched to a four-spring clutch unit. The stock springs aren t stiff enough to keep adequate clutch-pack pressure. With Wiseco s six-spring clutch kit, we could abuse the clutch to no end. The Wiseco six-spring clutch is bulletproof. It is the ultimate solution to a very ugly problem. Suspension: In stock form, the Honda CRF450 has a stinkbug stance and the forks dive under braking. We were elated to discover that Pro- Action revamped the suspension by A favorite CRF450 exhaust among MXA test riders, the Yoshimura RS-4 improved midrange power dramatically. installing stiffer fork springs and making valving changes. The Pro- Action-tuned suspension was wellbalanced and didn t suffer from any of the common traits found on the stock units. The forks and shock absorbed bumps without fail, the bike tracked well through ruts and under acceleration, and the Pro- Action linkage arm kept the rear end from wallowing. Our only complaint was that the settings were rather soft for expertlevel riders. Be sure to communicate your true skill level to Pro-Action when having your suspension serviced. Otherwise, you re just cheating yourself. The EFI Controller was easy to use and worked well. The Controller changed the powerband in a noticeable way. VERDICT: WHAT DO WE REALLY THINK? Wiseco Performance took a bike that was near the bottom of the food chain in the MXA 450 Shootout and gave it a facelift that Cher would be proud of. They fixed the spongy clutch, allowed riders to customize the powerband, eradicated the stinkbug stance, and even strengthened the braking power. If you re a proponent of cool new technology (and who isn t?) then you will marvel at Wiseco s EFI Controller. For more information, contact Wiseco at (800) 321-1364 or visit www.wiseco.com. FEBRUARY 2010 / MOTOCROSS ACTION 67