The off-road 450 area is suddenly quite popular with offerings like CFMOTO’s 450 MT and Royal Enfield’s Himalayan 450. Not to mention KTM’s slightly smaller Adventure 390.
Now BMW Motorrad looks like joining in. It seems to be filling a gap in its GS range we weren’t even aware existed, until now. For it has just shown off its Concept F 450 GS. This is a model that will likely go into production and lie between the G 310 GS and F 800/900 GS models.
The idea was “to achieve the best handling for this segment and combine it with strong performance and optimal accessibility. The riding pleasure on-road and off-road is a top priority for this A2 BMW GS” said Sepp Mächler, Product Manager. A2 is essentially equivalent to LAMS here.
Resembling a mini version of the R 1300 GS, the colour scheme of blue, white and red gives the bike a dynamic and off-road-focused character, or so the designers reckon.
It’s a brand new engine too. A parallel twin with an unusual ignition offset (likely 285 degrees) evidently imbues it with character and willingness to rev.
The engine delivers 36kW and is designed to generate good torque at low revs. It’s also learner legal. Magnesium helps keep engine weight in check.
A clean slate design throughout, the chassis development aimed for true off-road capability and nimble, precise handling on road. The F 450 GS concept comes with a fully adjustable USD fork and a shock absorber with load-dependent damping. Marc Weber, the lead engineer of the BMW Concept F 450 GS, says wet weight is 175kg, amongst the lowest in the class.
Special features include BMW Motorrad ABS Pro (cornering ABS) and configurable riding modes. BMW Connectivity means smart phones can link to the 6.5-inch TFT display.
BMW Motorrad says it intends to build the bike. It will adjust the seat height for better accessibility and easier handling. Lightweight cast wheels (19 inches front, 17 inches rear) are likely as an option to the cross spoke wheels on the show bike. Production should kick off next year, probably via Indian partner TVS.
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