Between the F 450 GS and the F 900 GS: BMW’s new mid-range GS is coming in 2028

SPEEDWEEK.com readers had known this for some time: a few weeks before BMW unveiled its new entry-level range, the F 450 GS, in Milan, BMW Motorrad boss Markus Flasch had already hinted, in a conversation with editor-in-chief Ivo Schützbach, that the Bavarian development engineers would be taking another close look at the new F 450 platform for the next expansion of the model range. As we were also able to report for the first time shortly afterwards, this new iteration of the parallel-twin engine will debut in a lightweight touring enduro, with which BMW is targeting customers of Yamaha’s best-selling Ténéré 700 and will be bringing the legendary ‘GS’ designation into a new market segment.

Initial photos of an early test prototype now reveal for the first time the approach the Bavarian manufacturer intends to take to make its mark in the segment between the F 450 GS and the F 900 GS: The touring enduro shows clear technical parallels with the F 450 GS and draws on a similar approach for the exhaust system and chassis components. The rear shock absorber mounting, for example, is similar to that of its little sister, and the swingarm is of a similar design.

Yet the differences are also clear: the motorbike is fitted with a 21-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear wheel, and looks considerably more grown-up than its by no means petite little sister. The steel bridge frame on the prototype is also more closely modelled on the F 900 GS, and the braking system resembles that of its big sister. The fairing parts also reveal that the bike is still at an early stage of development, yet many design details are already finely crafted. For instance, the headlight will apparently be modelled on that of its big sister, the R 1300 GS, although the characteristic ‘beak’ is still missing. At the same time, the design details that are still missing reveal that development is far from complete. The name is also still up in the air: ‘F 600 GS’ would fit into the BMW nomenclature, whilst a revival of the ‘F 650 GS’ or ‘F 700’ designations would also be a logical possibility. In any case, actual engine capacity would not be a determining factor for the name: the F 800 and F 900 GS, for example, use the same engine and therefore have the same cylinder capacity.

Diese Ansicht gibt den Blick auf den Motor der möglichen «F 600 GS» frei

Foto: BMHoehne

BMW Motorrad CEO Markus Flasch: “Something bigger”

On the subject of engine capacity: “Something bigger” is on the cards for the new mid-range model compared to the F 450 GS, as BMW Motorrad CEO Markus Flasch hinted during a conversation with us at the time – the engine still has “reserves”. That’s not very specific, but a look at the current BMW model range reveals a large gap between 420 and 895 cubic centimetres of displacement, and a look at BMW’s partner TVS also helps. The Indian company manufactures the F450 range on behalf of BMW and has also just brought a bored-out version of the parallel-twin to production for the ‘Atlas’ from its British subsidiary Norton, thereby demonstrating the development potential of the engine. In the Indo-British variants, the Atlas and Atlas GT, the BMW engine – in a heavily revised form – delivers a displacement of 585 cubic centimetres and 70 PS.

The engine in BMW’s mid-range GS differs from that of the Norton in several respects in our photos, whilst others show similarities. The internal workings will certainly differ: the British model, for example, uses a crankshaft with the 270-degree ignition offset typical of this class, whilst the BMW F450 GS employs an unorthodox 135-degree crankpin offset. Reportedly, the displacement of the BMW and Norton is said to be on a par, and the rated power output is also likely to be comparable, depending on the final design of the engine: This would mean between 65 and 70 PS for the Bavarian model, placing it just below the class benchmark, the Yamaha Ténéré 700.

Last but not least, there is the question of the launch date: the test bike shows that BMW still has some development work to do on the new mid-range GS. A launch is therefore not expected before 2028.