BMW announces roadster – with a 450cc twin-cylinder engine

When BMW unveiled the F450GS at the Milan Motorcycle Show in November 2024, it was clear that further models would follow based on this technical platform. It is now clear that next up is the F450R, a fairing-free road bike.

With 48 PS at 8,750 rpm, the GS is already perfectly suited to the A2 licence. It is unlikely that BMW will increase the power output for the roadster. However, it should be possible to shed 3 kg from the GS by removing the fairing, reducing the suspension travel and fitting a smaller front wheel. This would bring the F450R exactly to the minimum weight of 175 kg prescribed for A2 motorbikes with the maximum permitted 48 PS.

Judging by the backlit photograph, BMW appears to be incorporating as much as possible from the GS into the Roadster: from the steering head right down to the number plate holder, the two motorbikes appear identical; at most, the GS’s 180 mm suspension travel has been moderately reduced. The fuel tank shape and front end correspond to those of the flagship roadster, the S1000R.

The front end appears more crouched than on the GS, the fork is shorter, and the front wheel measures 17 inches instead of 19. The GS braking system, featuring a 310 single disc and four-piston caliper, has been retained. This time, BMW isn’t waiting until the Milan Motorcycle Show in early November to unveil the bike. We’ll know more as early as 1 October.