Double RR: New BMW sports bikes S1000RR and F450RR set for EICMA debut

Since spring 2026, the BMW F450GS has been the entry-level model in the BMW range. Even at its launch a year ago, BMW officials stated that the inline twin platform – produced by TVS in India and developed in collaboration with BMW – would form the basis for an entire family of models. The Bavarian manufacturer took the first step towards expanding its entry-level range when it unveiled the F450R, a naked bike, at the beginning of October. Now, the launch of a fully faired supersport motorbike is imminent.

Rumours of a fully faired entry-level sports bike, to be named the F450RR, have been circulating for some time. After all, BMW already had a G310RR in its range, based on the previous single-cylinder models, although this was sold exclusively in Asia. With the F450RR, which is set to make its public debut at EICMA in Milan in early November, the Bavarian manufacturer will also be targeting the European market, as the lower mid-range segment is becoming increasingly important in our part of the world too: Aprilia already has a strong presence in this segment with the RS457 and Tuono 457, and KTM is also fine-tuning a model range featuring an in-line twin-cylinder engine just under 500 cc, which will include a supersport bike with the model designation 490RC.

Die F450RR auf letzten Testrunden: Die technische Basis ist klar erkennbar

Foto: BMHoehne

In the run-up to the official launch of BMW’s entry-level sports bike, the Bavarian manufacturer released a teaser image showing a motorcycle with its lights dimmed. A closer look at a prototype spotted by our photographer during final test rides reveals more: as in the F450R, the heart of the F450RR is the 420 cc in-line twin engine that made its debut in the F450GS. As in both sister models, the twin-cylinder engine in the F450RR will also feature the characteristic 135° crankpin offset. The exhaust system was newly developed for the F450R. The engine delivers 48 PS in the roadster sister model and features a frame adapted for road use, with its own geometry and revised suspension. A comparison suggests that the F450RR employs a similar configuration here, albeit with sportier ergonomics. This means: a steel-tube main frame and a rear-wheel suspension system mounted on an aluminium swingarm. The front wheel is mounted on a KYB USD fork and is braked by a single 310 mm disc with a Brembo four-piston caliper. The subframe on the RR prototype is also similar to that of the F450R, as is the under-floor exhaust system. In the ‘R’, the Bavarian engineers have pushed the A2 class’s minimum weight limit of 175 kg to the limit with 48 PS – the ‘RR’ is likely to be only marginally heavier, if at all.

The fairing design thus combines its own unique details with the styling cues of the F450R and – unsurprisingly – the new generation of the flagship superbike, the S1000RR. The two-piece LED headlights at the front and smaller winglets are reminiscent of the latter. Its large four-cylinder sister model is also expected to make its debut in the near future. The superbike with its 1000cc four-cylinder engine has long since reached a stage close to production and has clocked up plenty of kilometres on test benches, racetracks and public roads on its way to series production. According to publicly available type-approval data, the new S1000RR is expected to deliver 215 PS, 5 PS more than before. The design of the front end, with its headlights and distinctive ram-air intake, closely resembles the ‘Concept RR’, which was unveiled for the first time on 23 May 2025 as part of the renowned Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este design event on Lake Como in Italy.

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Sie soll auf die BMW F450RR abstrahlen: Die neue Generation der S1000RR

Foto: BMHoehne

No wonder, then, that Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW Motorrad, described the Concept RR at the presentation as “a true masterpiece by our development team, both in technical and design terms”. Once again, visually striking winglets are featured, though they are integrated more harmoniously into the motorcycle’s design language. A patent that came to light in late summer suggests that BMW will be relying on a new manufacturing technique for the production of light-alloy castings in future, which allows for thinner wall thicknesses and thus lower weight whilst maintaining the same strength.

The Bavarian manufacturer’s range in the sports segment is likely to be further expanded in the medium term: at least one further twin-cylinder model, which will share its technical basis with the upcoming F600GS (as reported by SPEEDWEEK.com), is currently under development in Munich.