BMW F450GS (2026) – Technical Review
By Ben Purvis
Motorcycle Journalist
04.11.2025
The sales of 400cc-class bikes are rocketing thanks to a combination of their appeal to A2 licence holders and a growing contingent of downsizing riders trading in their bigger machines. That means the addition of a BMW GS-branded twin in that segment could be a double-whammy in terms of sales success as it cashes in on the never-ending popularity of BMW’s big adventure machines and the growing interest in smaller, more accessible bikes.
The F450GS is just the first of a whole array of BMWs expected to use the company’s all new parallel twin engine, which bucks convention with an unusual firing order and an optional centrifugal clutch system that eliminates the need to ever touch the lever on the lefthand bar.
Pros & Cons
The BMW GS name has been at the heart of the adventure bike boom for decades and the F450GS targets a growing appetite for midsize twins.
Unusual engine is exactly on the A2 licence limit of 48hp, and the GS’s 178kg mass means it’s close to the maximum power-to-weight ratio for the A2 category as well.
Lots of tech, four model variants and a vast options catalogue means you can tailor it to your desires
The bike’s height could be a deal breaker for the less experienced
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Price & PCP Deals
The four versions on offer start with the appropriately named F450GS Basic, only available in black, which ducks under the £7k mark at £6,990 in the UK. Next there’s the F450GS Exclusive, also black but with more riding modes, offroad pegs, handguards, a plastic undertray, a quickshifter and a clear screen for a list price of £7,290. One step further up comes the F450GS Sport, gaining the Exclusive’s kit plus red paint and adjustable sports suspension, priced at £7440. At the top of the line there’s the F450GS Trophy in metallic blue, adding an aluminium engine guard and tinted screen to the Sport’s spec, plus BMW’s new, centrifugal Easy Ride Clutch (ERC) so you never need to use the clutch lever, with a price tag of £7760.
The bikes are due to reach dealers in Spring 2026.
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Engine & Performance
Despite the ‘450’ name, BMW’s new parallel twin is actually a 420cc unit, to be made in India by TVS, the company that already builds BMW’s G310 singles. It’s an unusual motor, not just in that choice of capacity but in the use of an oddball 135-degree crankshaft, where most parallel twins use either 180-degree or 270-degree cranks.
Designed specifically with the A2 licence class in mind, and the 48hp limit that goes with it, the engine isn’t a detuned unit, either. There’s a short 51.6mm stroke and a fat 72mm bore, double overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, plus a high 13:1 compression ratio and large valves, 29mm for the intake and 24.3mm exhaust. A chain drives the exhaust camshaft, which is then attached to the intake camshaft by gears.
That 48hp power peak arrives at 8,750rpm, along with 31.7lb-ft of torque at 6,750rpm, and there’s a balancer shaft to smooth out the uneven throb of the unusual firing interval from that 135-degree crankshaft.
It’s in the six-speed transmission that BMW really brings something different in the form of the new Easy Ride Clutch (ERC), which comes as standard on the top Trophy version but can be added to the other models as an option.
It’s similar to the SCS idea that MV Agusta has offered for a few years, combining a centrifugal clutch, like a scooter’s, with a normal transmission and an up/down quickshifter, so you don’t need to use the clutch lever either for gearshifts or when pulling away or stopping. The result is similar to Honda’s E-Clutch, but without the complex, servo-operated clutch actuator: the clutch lever is there if you want to override the system, but it’s not required in normal use.
For ERC, BMW says it’s developed a centrifugal clutch that doesn’t disengage on the overrun, as many do, so you get normal engine braking right until the bike nearly comes to a halt. Only when the engine drops right down to idle does the clutch disengage to make sure it doesn’t stall. And because there’s still a normal lever, you can always override the system, for example to modulate the clutch when manoeuvring at low speeds, or dipping it to hoist the front end.
The engine’s electronics are high-end, including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and engine braking control (MSR) as well as a trio of standard riding modes – Rain, Road and Enduro – plus a fourth ‘Enduro Pro’ setting on all but the GS Basic model.
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)
BMW might have shifted to pressed and welded steel frames for its latest generation of F800, F900 and R1300 GS machines, but the new F450GS is more akin to the G310GS in the use of a steel trellis chassis that helps keep its weight to a minimum.
The frame uses the engine as a stressed member, and gets a hollow aluminium swingarm at the back, supported on a KYB monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound. KYB also supplies the front forks, upside-down, 43mm units that are non-adjustable on the Basic and Exclusive models, but adjustable for compression and rebound damping in the ‘sports suspension’ version used on the Sport and Trophy variants.
As standard, all four models get cast alloy wheels, 19-inches at the front and 17 at the rear, wrapped in 100/90-19 and 130/80-17 rubber. Wire spoked wheels are an optional extra for a more offroad look.
Lean-sensitive ABS Pro is standard, with a single 310mm front disc and Brembo four-pot radial caliper plus a two-piston ByBre stopper at the back on a 240mm rotor. Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) prevents the throttle from being unintentionally opened when the brakes are on.
The whole bike, ready-to-ride, comes in at just 178kg, and under A2 licence rules wouldn’t be allowed to be much lighter than that. The A2 regulations say you’re not allowed a power-to-weight ratio above 0.2kW-per-kg, which at the 35kW (48hp) power limit for the class equates to a maximum wet weight of 175kg. In short, the F450GS provides about as much performance as you can get in the A2 category.
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Comfort & Economy
BMW is promising ‘a sophisticated ergonomic triangle’ and ‘optimal ergonomics’ for the F450GS, with a choice of three seat heights – the standard 845mm version can be swapped for optional 830mm or 865mm versions – and the possibility to raise the bars by 20mm with an optional bar riser.
The pegs have removable rubber inserts that isolate vibes but can be pulled out to leave serrated offroad grips, and the foot brake lever and gear shifter can both be height-adjusted by 20mm to switch between seated on-road mode and a standing off-road riding position.
The options catalogue is your friend if you’re looking to boost comfort further, offering both a high, height-adjustable ‘touring’ screen and a clear or tinted ‘rally’ windshield option.
The Exclusive model and above get wider enduro footpegs, which can also be added to the Basic version as an optional extra.
A 14-litre tank might seem small for an adventure bike, but the F450GS’s impressive fuel economy – 74.3mpg is claimed – means it’s enough for a theoretical range of around 227 miles from brimmed to dry.
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Equipment
All four versions of the F450GS get the same, 6.5-inch TFT dash, which has two display modes and phone connectivity as standard for music, calls and navigation.
The model tiers are distinguished by their equipment levels, with the Exclusive and above getting the quickshifter, Riding Modes Pro that adds the Enduro Pro setting, hand guards, an engine guard and enduro pegs. The Sport and Trophy add sports suspension, and the range-topping Trophy gains a tinted screen and aluminium, instead of plastic, engine protection.
A vast options list means you can pick and choose from dozens of add-ons, from the Easy Ride Clutch to luggage, extra protection bars, and even an Akrapovič exhaust.
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Rivals
The market for midsize adventure bikes is heating up, with a host of single-cylinders and twins available in the 400cc-500cc region. Your preference might depend on how much tech you want and whether you’re focused on road or off-road use, but you might consider these alternatives:
Honda NX500 | Price: £6899
47bhp / 31.7lb-ft
196kg
Kawasaki KLE500 | Price: £TBC
TBC / TBC
TBC
CFMoto 450MT (Ibex 450) | Price: £5699
41.6bhp / 31lb-ft
175kg
2026 BMW F 450 GS - Verdict
Given BMW’s strength in the adventure bike market, allied to the increasing number of riders abandoning their litre-plus machines for something more easily handled, the F450GS is an essential addition to the range. On paper it’s a nailed-on certainty for sales success, too, so unless BMW fumbles the ball this is one of the most significant new models we’ll see for 2026.
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2026 BMW F 450 GS - Technical Specification
| New price | From £6,990 |
| Capacity | 420cc |
| Bore x Stroke | 72 x 51.6mm |
| Engine layout | Parallel twin |
| Engine details | Water-cooled, two-cylinder, four-stroke in-line engine with four valves per cylinder operated by rocker followers and two overhead camshafts per cylinder as well as 135-degree crankshaft journal offset |
| Power | 48bhp (35kW) @ 8,750rpm |
| Torque | 31.7lb-ft (43Nm) @ 6,750rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed, chain final drive |
| Average fuel consumption | 74.3mpg claimed |
| Tank size | 14 litres |
| Max range to empty | 227 miles |
| Rider aids | ABS Pro, Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and engine drag torque control (MSR) |
| Frame | Steel tubular space frame, engine centrally mounted |
| Front suspension | KYB USD telescopic fork, 43 mm |
| Front suspension adjustment | Rebound and compression damping adjustable for "Sport" and "Trophy" variants |
| Rear suspension | Aluminium swingarm, directly linked KYB WAD spring strut |
| Rear suspension adjustment | Preload and rebound damping |
| Front brake | Single disc brake, 310 mm, Brembo 4-piston monobloc fixed caliper |
| Rear brake | 240 mm disc, ByBre 2-piston floating caliper |
| Front wheel / tyre | 100/90-19 |
| Rear wheel / tyre | 130/80-17 |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 2161mm x 869mm x TBA mm |
| Wheelbase | 1465mm |
| Seat height | 845mm (830mm and 865mm options) |
| Weight | 178kg (wet) |
| Warranty | 24 months |
| Servicing | 10,000km/6,000 miles |
| MCIA Secured Rating | Not yet rated |
| Website | www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk |
What is MCIA Secured?
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As we all know, the more security you use, the less chance there is of your bike being stolen. In fact, based on research by Bennetts, using a disc lock makes your machine three times less likely to be stolen, while heavy duty kit can make it less likely to be stolen than a car. For reviews of the best security products, click here.
MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:
A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard
An ignition immobiliser system
A vehicle marking system
An alarm system
A vehicle tracking system with subscription
The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.
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