JC pitches it sideways for the camera moments before he looped out while goofing off. Moron.

Some may argue that our abundance of one-wheeled antics point to our mullet ties in Southern Oregon. We don’t care and we love poppin’ wheelies. If you’ve got a problem with that then it’s time to look deep inside your self-loathing soul and admit that you wish it were you instead.

With only two years of production on the CRF450X, Honda has created a very good package for enduro riders.

Moving around in the saddle of Honda's CRF450X is easy and comfortable. A slim profile not only makes for great ergonomics, but pays dividends in the handling department as well.

Playing around in Corral Canyon was fun on the Honda, but we’ll admit that it wasn’t as fun as some of the other bikes, especially in the rocky climbs.

BC at it again.

With such a moto-oriented package, the CRF begs to be ridden aggressively which ultimately leads to a few blown corners.

Some of the other bikes come with quick release airboxes, but only he Honda has a hinged door. We thought that was cool.

Squeezing by unforgiving tree trunks is made easier by a thin profile on the 450X.

Though it’s tough to determine in the photo, this was the top of a no-fall zone. BC had the confidence to tackle sketchy climbs and terrain on the versatile Honda.

Some of the nervousness was attributed to the Showa fork and some riders blamed the tire. Either way, we never came to terms with the over-caffeinated front end.

A testament to BC’s hillclimbing skills. The hardest part of this monster was a rutted base that allowed for no momentum and an off-camber turn ¾ of the way up. From the limited tracks, very few succeed here.

Brian likes moto and off-road, luckily so does the CRF.

JC’s meager rock-hopping skills on the Honda weren’t what they were on the WR and EXC.

The dyno didn’t reflect what our riding impressions made clear. The Honda has a wheel up on the competition in the motor department, but it’s not as rider-friendly as the others.

BC gets bucked over a slippery log after a recent rain at John’s Peak.

We’re less timid about charging old wooden bridges on the third-lightest 450X.

Being the good journo that he is, JC looks over the CRF and makes a few notes before hitting the trail.

JC was doubtful when Ken claimed he could straighten the bars by hand, but the old geezer turned out to have more grit than our nay-saying whippersnapper.

JC liked getting after it on the CRF, but hard riding didn't take long to wear out his puny forearms. Luckily he had the excuse of taking notes to allow for the swelling to go down.