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BMW Motorrad has turned the F 450 GS into a small model family. Within two weeks it presented the F 450 R naked bike and the F 450 RR supersport. Both use the same 48 hp parallel-twin, and both are built for the A2 licence. Here is what the two bikes share, where they differ and who they make sense for.

1. Key facts
2. One platform, three bikes
3. The engine: 420 cc, despite the name
4. F 450 R: the naked bike
5. F 450 RR: the supersport
6. Shared chassis and brakes
7. Easy Ride Clutch and Shift Assistant Pro
8. F 450 R vs F 450 RR at a glance
9. What it means for riders

Key facts

Two new models: the F 450 R naked bike (presented on 1 October 2026) and the F 450 RR supersport (presented on 15 October 2026).
Engine from the F 450 GS: 420 cc parallel-twin, 35 kW (48 hp) at 8,750 rpm, 43 Nm at 6,750 rpm.
A2 licence: the output matches the 35 kW limit of the European A2 licence category.
Ready-to-ride weight: 175 kg for the R, 177 kg for the RR.
Standard equipment on both: cornering ABS Pro, traction control, heated grips and a 6.5-inch TFT display.
Option: Easy Ride Clutch, which lets you pull away and change gear without using the clutch lever.
Not announced yet: price, market launch date and production location.

One platform, three bikes

The F 450 GS was BMW's first twin-cylinder motorcycle in the A2 class. Now BMW Motorrad uses the same engine and chassis concept for two road bikes. The F 450 R is a naked roadster with an upright riding position. The F 450 RR is a supersport with clip-on handlebars and a full fairing.

Technically, the two bikes are very close. The frame, suspension, brakes, engine, fuel tank and display are the same. The differences are in ergonomics, styling, riding modes and a few details that matter more on a racetrack than on the road.

The engine: 420 cc, despite the name

The "450" in the name is a family label. The real displacement is 420 cc. The fuel-injected parallel-twin has a 135-degree crankpin offset and a balance shaft to keep it smooth. BMW says about 80% of the maximum torque is already available at 3,000 rpm. On paper, that means you do not have to keep the engine at high revs in town or on tight mountain roads.

Other engine figures are the same for both models:

Euro 5+ compliant, with a stainless-steel underfloor muffler and two catalytic converters
Fuel consumption of 3.8 l/100 km (WMTC)
14-litre tank and a claimed range of more than 350 km
Six-speed gearbox, X-ring chain on the left side
Reversible shift pattern for track use
Service interval of 10,000 km

A range of more than 350 km is a useful number. Small bikes are often seen as city machines, but with a full tank you can cover a long day of riding with only one fuel stop, or none.

F 450 R: the naked bike

The F 450 R continues BMW's naked bike line in a smaller format. It has an LED headlight with bracket-shaped daytime running lights and a roadster riding position. Standard riding modes are Rain, Road and Dynamic.

"We have developed a motorcycle that inspires confidence from the outset," said Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW Motorrad.

The F 450 R comes in four versions:

Version	Colour	Main extras
Base	Cosmic Black	Standard equipment
Exclusive	Cosmic Black	Shift Assistant Pro, Sport suspension
M Sport	Snaefell white / M Motorsport	Riding Modes Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, Sport suspension, white frame
M Sport with Innovation Package	Snaefell white / M Motorsport	As M Sport, plus Easy Ride Clutch

Riding Modes Pro adds a configurable "Dynamic Pro" mode, three Sport screens (traction control, braking force and lean angle) and a lap timer.

F 450 RR: the supersport

BMW calls the F 450 RR the entry point into its RR models. The design follows the current S 1000 RR: a nose-down, tail-up stance, winglets, a split face and asymmetrical side panels with gills on the right side. The clip-on handlebars are mounted on a forged-aluminium triple clamp. The clutch and gearbox covers are made of magnesium.

Standard riding modes are Rain, Road and Race. With Riding Modes Pro, the Dynamic Pro mode of the naked bike becomes "Race Pro". Flasch described the bike as "the perfect entry into the world of BMW RR motorcycles".

The F 450 RR also comes in four versions:

Version	Colour	Main extras
Base	Cosmic Black	Standard equipment
Sport	Racing Red	Shift Assistant Pro, Sport suspension
M Sport	Snaefell white / M Motorsport	Riding Modes Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, Sport suspension, white frame
M Sport with Innovation Package	Snaefell white / M Motorsport	As M Sport, plus Easy Ride Clutch

The RR weighs 177 kg ready to ride, or 178 kg with the Easy Ride Clutch. A tank bag and soft cases are available as accessories, so a weekend trip on the sporty version is also an option.

Shared chassis and brakes

Tubular steel space frame, with the engine as a load-bearing element
43 mm KYB upside-down fork; on the Sport suspension, rebound and compression damping are adjustable
Hollow-cast aluminium double-sided swingarm with a KYB shock (adjustable preload and rebound)
17-inch cast aluminium wheels with 110/70 front and 150/60 rear tubeless tyres
Front brake: one 310 mm floating disc with a Brembo four-piston monobloc caliper
Rear brake: 240 mm disc with a ByBre single-piston caliper
Seat height: 790 mm as standard, 775 mm with the low seat, 810 mm with the high sport seat

Easy Ride Clutch and Shift Assistant Pro

These two systems are the most interesting technical feature of the family. Shift Assistant Pro lets you shift up and down without the clutch. It is standard on every version except Base, and you can add it to the Base later.

The Easy Ride Clutch goes one step further. It engages the clutch automatically based on engine speed, so the engine does not stall when you stop. Combined with Shift Assistant Pro, you can ride and change gear without touching the clutch lever at all. The lever stays on the handlebar, so you can still use it when you want to. The system is standard on the M Sport with Innovation Package and available as a retrofit accessory for the other versions.

For new riders, this removes one of the most common stress points: stalling at junctions and on hill starts. For experienced riders, it is mainly a comfort feature in traffic.

F 450 R vs F 450 RR at a glance

	F 450 R	F 450 RR
Type	Naked roadster	Supersport
Handlebars	Upright	Clip-ons on a forged triple clamp
Weight (ready to ride)	175 kg	177 kg (178 kg with ERC)
Standard riding modes	Rain, Road, Dynamic	Rain, Road, Race
Pro riding mode	Dynamic Pro	Race Pro
Mid-range version	Exclusive (Cosmic Black)	Sport (Racing Red)
Extra details		Winglets, magnesium engine covers
Engine, chassis, brakes, tank	Same	Same

What it means for riders

BMW is entering one of the busiest segments in the market. In the A2 class, the F 450 R and F 450 RR will compete with bikes such as the Aprilia RS 457 and Tuono 457, the KTM 390 Duke and RC 390, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 and Z500, and the Yamaha R3 and MT-03.

At 175 and 177 kg, the BMWs are not the lightest bikes in this group. Their argument is the equipment. Cornering ABS, heated grips, a large TFT display with navigation and a clutchless riding option are not standard on most small motorcycles. If BMW prices the bikes close to the competition, that list will be hard to ignore.

For touring, the F 450 R looks like the more practical choice: an upright position, heated grips as standard and a range of more than 350 km. The F 450 RR is aimed at riders who want a sporty bike for winding roads and the occasional track day, with the option to add soft luggage.

Three key questions are still open: the price, the date the bikes reach dealers and where they will be built. We will update this article when BMW Motorrad publishes this information.

#BMW F 450 RR#BMW F 450 R#BMW F 450 family#BMW F 450 GS engine#A2 licence motorcycle#BMW Easy Ride Clutch#BMW Motorrad new models 2026

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