2027 BMW F 450 R revealed
48 hp, 175 kg and LAMS legal
BMW Motorrad has expanded its modern 450 platform offerings with the F 450 R, a lightweight naked bike powered by the same new-generation 420 cc parallel-twin introduced in the F 450 GS.
Producing 35 kW (48 hp) at 8750 rpm and weighing just 175 kg ready to ride, the new F 450 R is one of the more interesting additions to the Australian LAMS naked-bike market.
BMW has developed the R as a standalone roadster rather than simply fitting smaller wheels and removing bodywork from the F 450 GS.
Different chassis geometry, road-specific suspension tuning, ergonomics, packaging and 17-inch wheels distinguish the R from its adventure sibling, while a compact 1405 mm wheelbase should further sharpen its responses.
It also comes with equipment normally found on more expensive machines, including cornering ABS, traction control, three riding modes, heated grips, a 6.5-inch TFT display and, on the range-topping F 450 R M Sport ERC, BMW’s Easy Ride Clutch.
Australian pricing starts at $10,290 for the F 450 R, rising to $10,790 for the F 450 R Exclusive and $11,490 for the flagship F 450 R M Sport ERC. All prices include GST but exclude on-road costs.
Markus Flasch – CEO BMW Motorrad
“The BMW F 450 R has everything that defines a true BMW naked bike: performance, precision, and pure riding pleasure. It is light, agile, and full of character. We have developed a motorcycle that inspires confidence from the outset while also generating a lot of excitement. With the F 450 R, we are bringing our decades-long naked bike tradition into a compact and especially accessible format.”
420 cc twin with an unusual crank arrangement
At the heart of the F 450 R is BMW’s new 420 cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin, first seen in the F 450 GS but specifically tuned here for road use.
Peak power is 35 kW (48 hp) at 8750 rpm, and maximum torque is 43 Nm at 6750 rpm.
Perhaps more relevant for everyday road riding is BMW’s claim that 80 per cent of peak torque is already available from only 3000 rpm.
The engine uses a 72 mm bore and relatively short 51.6 mm stroke, with a 13:1 compression ratio.
More unusual is its 135-degree crankpin offset and uneven firing intervals. BMW describes that crank arrangement as unique in the current motorcycle market.
A balance shaft mounted ahead of the crankshaft helps quell unwanted vibration, while BMW has also employed magnesium clutch and transmission covers as part of its weight-saving efforts.
Two overhead camshafts operate four rocker-arm-actuated valves per cylinder.
Mixture preparation is by port fuel injection, with BMW’s latest BMS-Z engine management and ride-by-wire throttle control.
BMW claims 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 169 km/h.
Fuel consumption is quoted at 3.8 litres per 100 kilometres. Combined with the 14-litre tank, BMW claims a range of more than 350 kilometres.
Service intervals are set at 10,000 km.
Underbelly exhaust keeps the mass central
The stainless-steel exhaust terminates in a compact muffler positioned centrally beneath the motorcycle.
BMW says the arrangement contributes to the low overall weight while also helping mass centralisation and cornering clearance.
Easy Ride Clutch explained
BMW’s Easy Ride Clutch, or ERC, is one of the more technically interesting features of the range-topping F 450 R M Sport ERC.
Rather than replacing the gearbox or turning the motorcycle into an automatic, ERC adds a precisely controlled centrifugal mechanism to the conventional multi-plate wet clutch.
The system engages based on engine speed, so the rider can pull away and stop without operating the clutch lever.
Combined with BMW Shift Assistant Pro, the rider can also work through the six-speed gearbox without touching the clutch during normal riding.
Importantly, the conventional clutch lever remains in place and can be used whenever the rider wants direct control.
BMW has also engineered ERC so the clutch remains engaged during overrun. That means normal engine braking is retained until shortly before the motorcycle stops. Only as engine speed approaches idle does ERC disengage the clutch automatically, preventing the engine from stalling.
The system adds just one kilogram, increasing ready-to-ride weight from 175 to 176 kg.
For Australia, Easy Ride Clutch is reserved for the range-topping F 450 R M Sport ERC. Shift Assistant Pro is standard on both the Exclusive and M Sport ERC, while BMW says it can be retrofitted to the base F 450 R.
Built as a roadster, not a lowered GS
The F 450 R shares the fundamental tubular steel space-frame architecture of the F 450 GS, with the engine employed as a load-bearing structural element.
From there, BMW says the chassis geometry, ergonomics and overall vehicle package were developed specifically for naked-bike road use.
Wheelbase measures only 1405 mm, with 110 mm of trail and a 23.4-degree steering-head angle.
For comparison, the F 450 GS stretches that wheelbase to 1465 mm and runs a 28.1-degree steering-head angle, highlighting just how substantially the R’s geometry has changed.
BMW says the targets were direct turn-in, stability and easy control.
Marc Weber – Lead Engineer BMW F 450 R
“We precisely developed the chassis geometry, rider ergonomics, and overall vehicle package for the demands of road riding. The result is a motorcycle with outstanding handling, direct feedback, and easy accessibility.”
KYB suspension with 140 mm travel
A 43 mm KYB upside-down fork provides 140 mm of front-wheel travel.
Models fitted with Sport Suspension gain adjustable compression and rebound damping at the fork.
At the rear, an aluminium double-sided swingarm operates a directly mounted KYB monoshock.
Spring preload and rebound damping are adjustable at the rear, while suspension travel again measures 140 mm.
Cast-aluminium wheels measure 17 inches at both ends and wear 110/70-17 and 150/60-17 tubeless tyres.
Brembo monobloc and cornering ABS
Braking duties up front are handled by a 310 mm floating rotor and four-piston Brembo monobloc fixed caliper. The rear uses a 240 mm disc with a single-piston floating ByBre caliper.
BMW Motorrad ABS Pro is standard, bringing lean-angle-sensitive ABS functionality to the F 450 R. Dynamic Brake Control is also standard. If the system detects significant braking while the rider is simultaneously requesting throttle, DBC can identify that throttle input as unintended and prevent the throttle valves from opening.
Dynamic Traction Control and engine drag torque control are also included.
Rain, Road and Dynamic riding modes are standard. Riding Modes Pro adds a configurable Dynamic Pro setting in which throttle response, DTC and ABS characteristics can be individually adjusted.
790 mm seat height
The standard two-piece seat is 790 mm from the ground.
BMW will also offer a low seat that drops the rider 15 mm to 775 mm, while the optional Sport seat raises the seating position by 20 mm to 810 mm.
A tapered aluminium handlebar sits relatively high and close to the rider, while the tank and bodywork have been shaped to provide knee grip and support.
BMW has even gone so far as to forge the aluminium gearshift lever, rear brake lever, and side stand in its pursuit of lower weight.
The passenger footpeg hangers are bolted to the rear frame rather than being permanently incorporated into it.
6.5-inch TFT and heated grips standard
A 6.5-inch TFT display is standard and operated through BMW’s Multi-Controller on the left switchblock.
Bluetooth connectivity provides phone and media functions, while pairing a smartphone with the BMW Motorrad Connected App enables turn-by-turn navigation directly on the display.
A USB-C charging point is also provided.
The F 450 R M Sport ERC gains three additional Sport display layouts with information including traction-control intervention, braking force and lean angle, along with a lap timer.
Heated grips are standard.
Full LED lighting is also fitted throughout.
S 1000 R influence
BMW makes no secret of the fact that the F 450 R’s styling has been influenced by the S 1000 R.
The designers describe the basic profile as a “tail up – nose down” arrangement, with the low front and higher rear intended to visually reinforce the bike’s light and agile character.
The side panel is shaped into a stylised R, while the bracket-shaped daytime running lights, tank covers and general flyline tie the smaller machine into BMW’s larger naked-bike family.
Alexander Buckan – Head of Design BMW Motorrad
“With its distinctive side trim panel and the naked-bike-style flyline based on the ‘tail up—nose down’ principle, the BMW F 450 R unmistakably yet subtly references the design DNA of the S 1000 R without copying it one-to-one.”
Three F 450 R variants for Australia
BMW Australia will offer the F 450 R in three specifications.
The entry-level F 450 R is finished in Cosmic Black and carries an Australian RRP of $10,290 plus on-road costs.
For another $500, the $10,790 F 450 R Exclusive adds Shift Assistant Pro and Sport Suspension, while retaining the Cosmic Black finish.
Topping the Australian range is the $11,490 F 450 R M Sport ERC.
Finished in Snaefell White / M Motorsport with a white frame and M-coloured rim graphics, the M Sport ERC adds Riding Modes Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, Sport Suspension and Easy Ride Clutch.
That puts only $1200 between the entry F 450 R and the fully equipped M Sport ERC.
| Variant | RRP* | Key equipment |
|---|---|---|
| F 450 R | $10,290 | Cosmic Black, standard specification |
| F 450 R Exclusive | $10,790 | Shift Assistant Pro, Sport Suspension |
| F 450 R M Sport ERC | $11,490 | Riding Modes Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, Sport Suspension, Easy Ride Clutch |
*Recommended Retail Pricing includes GST but excludes on-road costs.
LAMS legal, but not merely a learner bike
Starting from $10,290 plus on-road costs, the F 450 R enters the Australian LAMS market with a specification that suggests BMW is pitching the bike well beyond riders serving out their learner and provisional period.
At only 175 kg ready to ride, it combines 48 hp and 43 Nm with quality suspension and braking hardware, cornering ABS, sophisticated traction-control functions, heated grips and a 6.5-inch TFT as standard.
The claimed 5.7-second 0-100 km/h performance and 169 km/h top speed reinforce that point.
Likewise, the ability to specify adjustable Sport Suspension, configurable Dynamic Pro electronics, a quickshifter and even reverse the shift pattern indicates BMW expects some owners to enjoy the bike for considerably more than commuting to their licence test.
Australian pricing starts at $10,290 for the F 450 R, $10,790 for the Exclusive and $11,490 for the M Sport ERC, with all three prices including GST but excluding on-road costs.
2027 BMW F 450 R Specifications
| Engine | Liquid-cooled parallel-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder |
| Displacement | 420 cc |
| Bore x Stroke | 72 x 51.6 mm |
| Compression | 13:1 |
| Maximum Power | 35 kW (48 hp) at 8750 rpm |
| Maximum Torque | 43 Nm at 6750 rpm |
| Engine Management | BMW BMS-Z |
| Transmission | Six-speed |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| Frame | Tubular steel space frame, engine load-bearing |
| Front Suspension | 43 mm KYB USD fork, 140 mm travel |
| Rear Suspension | KYB monoshock, preload and rebound adjustable, 140 mm travel |
| Front Brake | 310 mm floating disc, Brembo four-piston monobloc caliper |
| Rear Brake | 240 mm disc, ByBre single-piston floating caliper |
| ABS | BMW Motorrad ABS Pro |
| Front Wheel/Tyre | 3.00 x 17-inch / 110/70-17 |
| Rear Wheel/Tyre | 4.00 x 17-inch / 150/60-17 |
| Wheelbase | 1405 mm |
| Trail | 110 mm |
| Steering-head Angle | 23.4 degrees |
| Seat Height | 790 mm |
| Fuel Capacity | 14 litres |
| Ready-to-ride Weight | 175 kg / 176 kg with ERC |
| Fuel Consumption | 3.8 L/100 km |
| 0-100 km/h | 5.7 seconds |
| Top Speed | 169 km/h |
