BMW F 450 GS review: The GS experience in a more manageable package
- Premium design and excellent build quality
- Light 178 kg kerb weight makes it easy to manage
- Strong and effortless 420 cc parallel-twin engine
- Top-end GS Trophy is expensive at nearly ₹6 lakh on-road
- Easy Ride Clutch
- No Cruise Control
- The BMW F 450 GS is a premium and versatile adventure motorcycle that successfully brings the GS experience into a lighter and more manageable package.
We first rode the BMW F 450 GS in Goa and came away impressed with what the German manufacturer had managed to achieve with its new middleweight adventure motorcycle. But a launch ride can only reveal so much about a motorcycle.
To find out what the F 450 GS is really like to live with, we spent a week riding it in Delhi, using it through everyday traffic and on longer stretches of road. Having also ridden the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, one of the key benchmarks in the adventure motorcycle segment, the BMW had some tough questions to answer.
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Can the F 450 GS justify its considerably higher price? More importantly, does the BMW GS formula work just as well in a smaller and more accessible package?
Design and quality
The F 450 GS is a handsome motorcycle. BMW has managed to give it the stance and visual presence of a proper adventure tourer without making the proportions look awkward, which is something that smaller-capacity ADVs often struggle with.
From a distance, the motorcycle looks like a scaled-down version of the much larger BMW R 1300 GS. The tall stance, wide handlebar, pronounced beak and bodywork all draw inspiration from the larger motorcycles in the GS family.
Quality is another area where the BMW makes a strong impression. The paint finish is excellent, the switchgear feels premium and the components that the rider regularly interacts with feel well put together.
The motorcycle tested here is the range-topping GS Trophy variant, finished in Racing Blue. It gets Sport Suspension, BMW's Easy Ride Clutch, white handguards, a tinted rally windscreen, a white-finished chassis, Enduro Pro riding mode, off-road footpegs and an aluminium engine guard.
There are a couple of surprising omissions, though. Despite being the top-spec variant, it does not get a proper touring windscreen or a luggage rack. The Racing Blue colour scheme is also exclusive to this variant, with the lower variants only offered in black.
Ergonomics and everyday usability
The F 450 GS has a seat height of 845 mm, which might sound intimidating on paper. However, the motorcycle is relatively slim around the seat and tank area, making it easier to reach the ground than the specification sheet would suggest.
Once in the saddle, the ergonomics feel natural. The handlebar is wide, the riding posture is upright, and the controls are easy to reach. The wide handlebar also provides plenty of leverage when changing direction.
One of the biggest strengths of the F 450 GS is how manageable it feels. At 178 kg, BMW has done well to keep the weight in check for an adventure motorcycle of this size. More importantly, that weight seems to disappear once the motorcycle is moving.
Filtering through traffic, negotiating narrow lanes and making your way through the daily chaos of Delhi does not require much effort. The F 450 GS feels considerably more manageable than its adventure touring appearance might suggest.
Engine and performance
The BMW F 450 GS is powered by a 420 cc parallel-twin engine that produces 48 hp and 43 Nm of torque. The engine is not explosive in the way it delivers its performance, but it is quick and effortless.
A twist of the throttle is all it takes for the motorcycle to start gathering pace. There is enough bottom-end and mid-range performance to deal with city traffic, while the engine is tractable enough to avoid frequent gear changes. It can also comfortably hold triple-digit speeds, making highway touring well within its capabilities.
The engine uses a 135-degree firing order. Riders expecting the character and distinctive soundtrack of a 270-degree parallel twin may be left wanting a little more. It does not have that familiar uneven exhaust note, although the engine certainly does not sound unpleasant.
The six-speed gearbox is paired with a slipper clutch, while the top two variants also get a bi-directional quickshifter. There is a mild buzz through the motorcycle that remains present while riding, but it is not intrusive enough to become a significant annoyance.
Easy Ride Clutch: useful, but not perfect
The biggest talking point on the F 450 GS is undoubtedly BMW's Easy Ride Clutch, or ERC.
In heavy traffic, the system can be genuinely useful. It starts operating at around 2,700 rpm and removes the clutch operation required while crawling through bumper-to-bumper traffic. So, you just twist the throttle, and as soon as you cross the 2,700 rpm mark, the bike starts moving forward.
However, it does take some getting used to. Slow-speed manoeuvres and U-turns require a learning curve, particularly until the rider becomes familiar with how the system responds.
There is another issue when parking on an incline. The motorcycle can roll backwards because there is no hill-hold function or parking brake.
The gearbox can also feel notchy while downshifting using the clutch, and if the revs are not right, the motorcycle can feel jerky. The quickshifter works much better and makes gear changes feel considerably smoother.
After a week of riding, the Easy Ride Clutch remains a feature that is difficult to completely make up one's mind about. It is undoubtedly useful in traffic, but it also brings compromises that some riders may not be willing to accept.
Ride and handling
The F 450 GS uses 43 mm upside-down front forks with 180 mm of travel, along with a rear monoshock. While the suspension is adjustable, the overall setup is on the firmer side.
This is one area where the difference between the BMW and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 becomes apparent. The Himalayan feels more plush over broken roads, while the F 450 GS feels more focused on maintaining composure and handling.
The upside is that the BMW feels stable and confident through corners. The low weight and wide handlebar make it easy to change direction, and the motorcycle feels agile despite its adventure touring proportions.
Braking performance is another highlight. The front brake, in particular, offers surprisingly strong initial bite and inspires confidence.
Riding modes and features
The F 450 GS gets three standard riding modes: Rain, Road and Enduro. The range-topping GS Trophy variant also gets Enduro Pro, which can be customised for more serious off-road riding.
As expected from BMW, the motorcycle is well equipped. The feature list includes all-LED lighting, traction control, a USB charging port, a TFT instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity and heated grips.
One noticeable omission is cruise control. Considering the price of the motorcycle and its touring-focused positioning, this is a feature that would have been welcome.
Price and verdict
The BMW F 450 GS GS Trophy is priced at ₹5.30 lakh, ex-showroom. On-road, the price can climb to almost ₹6 lakh. And that is before adding accessories such as panniers, a luggage rack or a larger touring windscreen.
That makes the top-end variant an expensive proposition.
Personally, the GS Trophy would not be my pick from the range, despite how much I like its Racing Blue colour scheme. The Easy Ride Clutch is useful in traffic, but the motorcycle rolling backwards on inclines and the occasionally jerky or notchy downshifts make it difficult to fully recommend the system. As long as the quickshifter is used, the gearbox performs much better.
However, the F 450 GS gets the fundamentals right. It looks like a proper GS, feels premium, is surprisingly manageable in everyday conditions and has an engine that is equally comfortable in the city and on the highway.
It also lives up to the versatility expected from the GS badge. It can commute through the city during the week, handle a long highway ride over the weekend and venture off the tarmac when required.
The BMW F 450 GS is not cheap, and the top-end variant comes with a few compromises that are difficult to ignore. But for someone who wants the BMW badge and a genuinely capable adventure motorcycle that does not feel intimidating to live with, the F 450 GS makes a strong case for itself.
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