Hand-painted Honda ready for La Ruta Del Nabab…
The Honda CRF450RX is Big Red’s big-bore competition off-road racer designed for closed-course GNCC, NGPC, and WORCS events. Unlike the green-sticker trail-legal CRF450X, the RX looks much closer to a full-on motocrosser, only with an 18-inch rear wheel, larger fuel tank, and kickstand.
It’s a highly aggressive machine that comes with a hydro clutch, multiple map modes, traction control, and an engine that puts down nearly 53 horsepower at the rear wheel:
“Plain and simple, the 450RX motor is a beast. It has gobs of power at all times and is one of the fastest bikes in its class.” –Dirt Bike Test
Recently, we heard from our friend Giorgio de Angelis of Rome’s De Angelis Elaborazioni. Back in 2022, we featured the Royal Enfield Himalayan he built to ride that year’s La Ruta Del Nabab — an invitation-only rally across 1000 kilometers of Morocco, mostly off-road.
Now Giorgio back with this 2018 CRF450RX built for the even longer 2023 edition of the rally:
“The motorbike will be used in May for the adventure in the Moroccan desert, La Ruta Del Nabab, 1500 km in 9 days between sand dunes and endless stone and earth roads.”
We’ll get to the modifications in a moment, but first we have to address the very special, one of a kind paint scheme on the bike and helmet.
“It’s completely hand-drawn by my 4 year old daughter, Adele. I also named the motorbike after her: La Bambina, The Little Girl :-)”
If there was ever a livery that could add a few horsepower and a hell of a lot of heart to a bike, it’s these sweet drawings from Adele.
Other modifications include vintage metal vintage metal mudguards at the front and rear that give the bike a more classic look. And if the headlight looks familiar, it’s the well-known but rare headlight from the Honda XR500R — the bike that gave Honda their first victory in the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1982.
Giorgio installed a complete GPR Italia racing exhaust, and he kept the Showa suspension but had it calibrated for sand and outfitted with XTRIG ROCS yokes. He’s running a 28/22mm variable section handlebar (28mm at the clamp area / 22mm at the grips), and the saddle was covered in brown leather.
The wheels have been wrapped in Rebel tires with Technomousse Italia mousse, and Giorgio installed an oversized 12-liter Acerbis Italia tank for the long days ahead.
All in all, this is one sweet yet potent 450, and Adele’s hand-drawn livery is sure to keep Giorgio’s heart rooted at home in Italy even while he’s 1000 miles away, blasting through the middle of Morocco.
We’re wishing you a safe and adventuresome journey, Giorgio! And you better hold on to this bodywork — not only will it be a treasured family heirloom, but if little Adele grows up to be a famous artist, who knows what it might be worth! 🙂
Follow the Builder
Builder / Rider: Giorgio De Angelis (@deangelis_gio)
Facebook: Giorgio De Angelis
La Ruta Del Nabab: Web | Instagram | Facebook
Photos: Giovanni de Angelis (@giovannideangelis1)
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