Staff Stuff

Staff Stuff

During our recent 2X2 comparison between the Honda CRF450R and Suzuki RM-Z450 (CW, March), I was surprised that some of our test riders felt that the CRF’s power was too aggressive. Honda had claimed to smooth the power delivery on the ’08 bike with a redesigned head pipe and a new works-type ignition system, but the fuel-injected Suzuki proved to have a more linear and tractable power delivery. On softterrain tracks where traction is never an issue, monster power is always welcome, but the CRF’s big hit was more difficult to manage on slick, hard-pack surfaces.

After our test was complete, I started riding the CRF at local tracks, and even though I wasn’t bothered by the hard hit of power, I thought I would try to fix it anyway. Someone suggested I use the Throttle Cam System from G2 Ergonomics (g2ergo.com), which claims that its eccentric twistgrip cams provide better throttle control. I was skeptical because I’ve ridden long enough to know how to apply power properly. Why would I need a throttle cam to do it for me?

Well, let me tell you, I was wrong. The G2 system made a big difference in my ability to control the CRF450R’s power delivery.

The $100 Throttle Cam System consists of a billet-aluminum throttle tube and three cams with different ramp profiles. Installation is easy, requiring only a simple swap of throttle

tubes. While I was at it, I installed softer-compound grips so I wouldn’t have to mess around with prying the stock grip off the original plastic throttle tube.

The way the system works is simple. The first part of the cam has a very short radius that does not pull the throttle cable as much as the stock cam; the radius then increases so that as the throttle is opened farther, the cam pulls the cable equal to or slightly more than stock. The net effect is that the carburetor slide is not lifted as far during initial throttle opening, which helps ease the hit of the motor.

Of the three interchangeable cams,

I preferred the H200, which is the least changed over stock. It only softened that hard initial hit, making it easier to power out of corners without losing valuable traction. The H400 cam has an extended short-radius area, and I thought it took away too much power at smaller throttle openings. The H100 cam has the same profile as the stocker so you can easily go back to the standard throttle ratio without having to swap tubes.

So in my quest to find help for other riders who thought the CRF had too much initial bite, I actually found something I liked and that helped make the CRF450R an even better motocross bike. -Ryan Dudek