BMW Motorrad is revealing the 2026 BMW F 450 GS on April 23. It’s aimed squarely at a gap that’s been obvious for years — there was no sensible middle ground between the G 310 GS and the F 850/900 series. You either bought the learner bike or the big one. The F 450 GS is meant to fix that.
The Engine
At the core is a new 420cc parallel-twin. Small-displacement twins have a reputation for buzzing at highway speeds, but BMW has used a 135-degree crank and a balance shaft to keep it smooth. Whether that holds up over a long mountain stretch is something we’ll find out when someone actually rides the thing.
- Power: 48 hp
- Torque: 43 Nm
- Gearbox: Six-speed with slipper and assist clutch
There’s also an optional semi-automatic clutch. Unusual for an ADV — but if you’ve ever spent an hour in Bangalore traffic before a weekend ride, not pulling a lever at every standstill sounds less like a gimmick and more like basic dignity.
Specs and Components
Built at TVS’s Hosur plant, the same facility BMW has used for the G 310 line. Curb weight: 178 kg on a tubular steel frame. That’s light enough that the suspension — KYB upside-down forks up front, monoshock at the rear — doesn’t have to compensate for the bike as much as it does on heavier GS models.
Braking and Electronics
Brembo up front, ByBre at the rear. The electronics list is longer than you’d expect:
- Lean-sensitive ABS
- Traction Control
- Dynamic Brake Control
- Engine Brake Management
For a sub-500cc bike, that’s a lot. I’m not complaining.
F 450 GS vs. G 310 GS
The 310 was fine as a starting point. But it ran out of confidence on long highway stretches, and the single-cylinder character wears on you after day two of a tour. The jump to a twin changes the whole character of the ride.
Based on the image provided, here is the comparison table between the BMW G 310 GS and the upcoming F 450 GS (2026):
| Feature | G 310 GS | F 450 GS (2026) |
| Engine | Single-Cylinder | Parallel-Twin |
| Power | 34 hp | 48 hp |
| Electronics | Basic ABS | Lean-Sensitive ABS, Traction Control |
| Clutch | Slipper Clutch | Slipper + Optional Semi-Auto |
| Display | LCD | 6.5-inch TFT with Bluetooth |
The Competition
The F 450 GS goes up against the KTM 390 Adventure and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 — neither of which is a pushover.
Here is the comparison table based on the specifications in the image:
| Spec | BMW F 450 GS | KTM 390 Adventure R | RE Himalayan 450 |
| Engine | 420cc Twin | 399cc Single | 452cc Single |
| Power | 48 hp | 45 hp | 40 hp |
| Weight | 178 kg | ~175 kg | 196 kg |
| Front Fork | KYB Adjustable | WP Apex | Showa SFF |
| Tech | Dynamic Brake Control | Cornering MTC/ABS | Google Maps Integration |
The Pricing Problem
Here’s where my optimism stalls a little. BMW has a way of letting dealerships push the on-road number into awkward territory. Production at Hosur keeps costs down, yes — but that logic didn’t stop the G 310 GS from feeling expensive at launch relative to what it was.
If BMW lands this under ₹4.5 lakh ex-showroom, the KTM and Royal Enfield will have to respond. If they don’t, the F 450 GS becomes a bike that wins spec comparisons and loses sales. It has the X-shaped LED headlight and the beak — it looks unmistakably like a GS, and that’s worth something to the kind of buyer BMW is chasing. Just not at any price.
Final Thoughts
The F 450 GS is for the rider who’s done with the 310 but isn’t ready to manage an 800cc bike on broken mountain roads. Four trims Basic, Exclusive, Sport, and GS Trophy — mean there’s a genuine choice depending on how seriously you plan to take it off-road.
The bike looks right. The spec sheet looks right. April 23 is when we find out if the price does too.
