BMW Motorrad has finally launched its long-awaited F 450 GS in India at ₹4.70 lakh, ex-showroom. It’s equipped with a brand new 420cc parallel-twin engine, KYB adjustable suspension, and BMW’s latest electronic suite. It is available in 4 models: Basic, Exclusive, GS Sport, and the GS Trophy. And it will be made right here in India at TVS Motor Company’s Hosur facility.
Engine and drivetrain
Powering the new BMW F 450 GS is a new 420cc parallel-twin engine developed in partnership with TVS. it produces 47.3bhp at 8,750rpm and 43Nm of torque at 6,750rpm. The engine features a unique 135-degree crankshaft for better torque delivery, and it gets a 6-speed gearbox with BMW’s Shift Assistant Pro, which is a bi-directional quickshifter. The top Trophy model will also get BMW’s Easy Ride Clutch, which eliminates the need to use the clutch in stop-and-go traffic and even while starting or slowing down
The suspension duties are handled by adjustable KYB forks up front and a KYB monoshock at the rear. The bikes will get a 19-inch front wheel and a 17-inch wheel at the rear, with the Trophy version getting tubeless spoked wheels, while the other versions get alloys. It will get a single 310mm disc up front with Brembo 4-piston calipers and a 240mm disc at the rear with a single-piston floating caliper.
Design and colours
The F 450 GS will be offered in 3 colours: Racing Blue Metallic, which will be exclusive to the GS Trophy variant, Cosmic Black, and Racing Red. It will get a design similar to the bigger GS 1300 models and will feature a signature headlamp design with integrated X-shaped LED DRLs. It will feature a 14-litre tank, and the seat height will be 845mm, and it will have a wet weight of 178kg. It will also get a lowered and a rally seat option to better suit the rider’s preference.
Features and tech
The BMW F 450 GS comes equipped with a whole suite of electronics. It gets a 6.5-inch TFT display with smartphone connectivity, along with 3 riding modes: Rain, Road, and Enduro, with a special Enduro Pro mode that lets you switch off the rear ABS on all models except the base. Other features include dual-channel ABS, Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), and Motor Slip Regulation (MSR).
Prices and rivals
BMW India has launched the F 450 GS at a price of ₹4.70 lakh, ex-showroom, for the base model, ₹4.90 lakh for the exclusive trim, and ₹5.30 lakh for the top GS Trophy model. Its main rivals would be the Honda NX500, Benelli TRK 500, Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, and the KTM Adventure 390 S.
