BMW joins the midsize adventure bike party with its near-production ready Concept F 450 GS.
The wraps have come off a new BMW Concept F 450 GS in what looks like a nod to the success of other bikes in the midsize adventure class such as the CFMoto 450MT and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
BMW Motorrad says the near-production-ready Concept F 450 GS offers a glimpse of a BMW GS for LAMS class, and what a whole new model series between the BMW G 310 and F 800/900 could look like.
“What was particularly important to us in the development of the new BMW Concept F 450 GS 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 [LAMS] BMW GS,” Sepp Mächler, Product Manager says.
According to Alexander Buckan, Head of BMW Motorrad Design, “The BMW Concept F 450 GS carries the characteristic DNA of the GS family. We have succeeded in designing the Concept with the sporty dynamic appeal of our large off-road icon in a particularly compact form.”
The Concept F 450 GS features a newly developed parallel twin-cylinder engine that is limited to 35 kW (48hp) for LAMS compliance. BMW says the engine features a never-before-used ignition offset and that it is particularly characterful and eager to rev, yet provides plenty of torque even at low revs.
The Concept F 450 GS is claimed to set new standards in the segment with premium technology. Marc Weber, lead engineer of the BMW Concept F 450 GS says, “We were able to start the development of this vehicle with a clean slate. The aim was to enable excellent off-road capability and, at the same time, a nimble and precise handling on the road. Accordingly, the BMW Concept F 450 GS is equipped with a fully adjustable upside-down fork and a shock absorber with load-dependent damping, drawing on technology from rally and enduro sport.
“Through the targeted use of lightweight construction and other state-of-the-art solutions, we can create a sensationally light vehicle close to the minimum weight requirement in the A2 [LAMS] class of 175 kg.”
The Concept F 450 GS is also claimed to set new standards in the areas of safety and functionality in its class, with BMW Motorrad ABS Pro (dependent on lean angle) to a performance brake, to freely configurable riding modes. It also features a 6.5-inch TFT display with smartphone and networking capability.
It’s pretty likely that most of the features and tech seen on the BMW Concept F 450 GS will make it through to production, with Johann Simon, vehicle project manager explaining, “Following the very sporty off-road focus of the Concept F 450 GS, we will implement the bike as close as possible to this concept. We will only adjust the seat height for better accessibility and easier handling. As an alternative to the cross-spoke wheels (19 inches front, 17 inches rear), lightweight but high-strength cast aluminium wheels in the same dimensions are also conceivable.”
