Track Tested | Works Chassis Lab Engine Mounts
Price: $174.95 (aluminum top mounts); $119.99 (titanium front mounts); $294.98 (complete set)
Application: Available for many current four-strokes (tested here on 2019 Honda CRF450R)
In recent years, works technology has become available to the public in the form of engine mounts and hangers with varying degrees of rigidity, thanks to different materials, thickness, or design. One might not look to engine mounts as a way to custom-tune the way your bike handles, but the truth of the matter is that the amount your bike reacts to the track’s surfaces has everything to do with the amount of flex in its chassis. Works Chasis Lab engine hangers and mounts are used by several top-level teams, including Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha, Monster Energy Kawasaki, and SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/Honda, and just about every option of more or less flex is available for most popular four-stroke motocross bikes.
Wayne Ashby is a regular at the Swapmoto Race Series, and since switching to the 2019 Honda CRF450R earlier this year, he’s complained to us on numerous occasions about the overly stiff feel of his new machine, and how he has yet to gain complete trust and a high level of comfort on it. A tall, musclebound guy, one might not expect Ashby to complain about hanging onto a motorcycle, but we figured that since his complaints about his new machine were specifically aimed at its rigid feel, we recruited him to test a set of softer Honda engine mounts from Works Chassis Lab for us. The kit he tested was of the least rigid variety and consists of a set of aluminum engine hangers (top mounts) and a pair of titanium front mounts, complete with a sizeable hole in the middle of them. (A stiffer option is available with smaller cutouts inside the front mounts.)
Wayne Ashby aboard his 2019 Honda CRf450R
“It was really an eye-opening experience getting to test the Works Chassis Lab engine mounts, back-to-back against stock. I’ve been struggling with the rigid feel of my 2019 Honda CRF450R since buying it, and I had not been able to gain the same feeling of confidence I had on my older CRF.
“So I had just put on some Xtrig PDHS bar clamps and hadn’t ridden with them yet, so I did a couple of motos first before putting on the engine mounts. I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t confuse the feedback of the clamps (which, by the way, work awesomely well) with anything I may or may not have noticed with the mounts.
“After doing a couple of motos, we switched out the upper mounts first and left the stock front mounts on. I went out and did a seven-lap moto, strong! I was really enjoying what I was feeling on the track. Immediately, I noticed that I was able to lean the bike over further coming into corners and the front end felt more planted than it did with the stock mounts. It felt like the connection to the ground was better and the front end responded better to my input. Secondly, I felt the handling was quicker. By that, I mean I was able to turn in sharper coming into the corners and exiting.
“Next, we installed the front mounts. I went back out for my fourth moto of the day and by this time the track was hammered. With the addition of the front mounts, I really only noticed how well the bike absorbed braking bumps coming into the corners. The track was the rougher for sure, but to me, it felt smoother! The front mounts seemed to soften up the bumps. I don’t know how to explain it any better than that. I was tripling down the rock jump and landing in braking bumps. It was getting really sketchy but with the front mounts, it seemed to absorb the bumps more predictably and I actually started twisting the throttle hard again.
“Overall, the Works Chassis Lab work very well. With the addition of the upper mounts, you can lean the bike over further and the front wheel is more planted. Whether the track is buttery smooth or Glen Helen beat to shit on a Thursday at 4:00 p.m., you will notice a difference with the addition of the top mounts. I’m not so sure that is the case with the front mounts. I believe that as the track gets rougher, the front mounts become more noticeable. The increased bump absorption provided by the front mounts was something I was not expecting. No matter the skill level, anyone who knows how to set up their bike and has a good feel for what their bike is doing will be amazed at the difference these mounts make on the 2019 Honda CRF450R. Even an old slow guy like myself felt the benefits right away!”
Might have to try these out!
These tech reviews are super intriguing would love to see more!