With motorcyclists loving the idea of adventure on two-wheelers, the popularity of adventure bikes has literally urged all major bikemakers to jump in this space with multiple bikes. All of these aim to outgun their rivals, which in turn means innovation is always ongoing behind the scenes. That is good news for us consumers, as there’s no shortage of ADVs to choose from, and we keep getting new bikes each year.
Speaking of which, model year 2026 will bring us one such all-new adventure motorcycle that has all of us excited. It comes from the specialists at BMW Motorrad as a replacement for the reportedly discontinued G 310 GS. More importantly, BMW claims this is the mini R 1300 GS we’ve all been daydreaming about ever since the brand entered the entry-level ADV space. So to no one’s surprise, this is the most exciting adventure bike coming in 2026.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from BMW Motorrad and other authoritative sources.
The BMW F 450 GS Is The Most Exciting Adventure Bike Coming In 2026
For an upcoming adventure bike to qualify as exciting, our prerequisites were quite simple. The first thing was that it needed to be all-new, not just fresh colors, mild engine tweaks, or a small facelift. Second, it should appeal to the masses, instead of being some exotica that only a couple of hundred of us will ever get to own. Finally, its teasers should have already made headlines. Or preferably, broken the internet.
Taking all these into account, there was one clear winner: the BMW F 450 GS. When teased in 2024 via concept images, the baby GS caused a storm worldwide and alarmed all of its rivals, be it European or Asian. The hype simmered down a bit, but the adventure bike is back in the headlines, thanks to leaked spy shots. More recently, BMW’s patent filings for the production-ready F 450 GS went viral, revealing a lot of exciting details.
Other than this, there are two other adventure bikes that you should look forward to. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 750 is a no-brainer here, and the brand claims it is one of the most asked about products from customers. We believe that considering how much the current small-capacity Himalayans sell. Then, there’s the KTM 1390 Super Adventure R. It will be a new model for America in 2026, serving as one of the few over 1,000cc hardcore adventure bikes in the market. This would be the kryptonite to the Ducati Multistrada V4.
Why didn’t we pick them, you ask? Well, because neither is an entirely new platform. Plus, they will cater to a niche set of customers. The Himalayan’s ideal customer would want a heavy, understressed, and old-school middleweight ADV, while the Super Adventure’s customer would want the top-of-the-line kit without worrying about spending large sums. The GS, in comparison, should be much more mass-appealing, whether you want it as your first ADV or a second bike in the garage.
The BMW F 450 GS Will Employ An All-New Parallel-Twin Engine
Peak Power: 48 HP
Jumping into the deets, the F 450 GS will bring an all-new engine to the party. This is said to be a 450cc, parallel-twin setup that’s new from the ground-up. BMW has also paid special attention to keeping the size and weight of the mill low, achieved by innovative solutions and the use of lightweight materials, such as magnesium. We also know there’s a segment-first ignition offset setup here. This is said to help spread the power across the rev band, while ensuring a quick-revving nature.
All that enables an output of 48 horsepower. This is the highest among its entry-level peers, such as the Honda NX500, KTM 390 Adventure, CFMoto Ibex 450, and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. Add to that the expected weight of 385 pounds, and you’re in store for the best-in-class power-to-weight ratio. The torque figure remains to-be-announced, though.
BMW F 450 GS Engine Specs
|
Capacity |
450cc |
|
Layout |
Parallel-twin |
|
Power |
48 HP |
|
Torque |
NA |
|
Transmission |
Six-speed |
Long-Travel Suspension And Road-Biased Underpinnings Up The Adventure-Touring Experience
Chassis: Trellis
The BMW F 450 GS concept bike hinted at a seriously off-road capable adventure bike. But with real-world spottings, we can confirm the new GS will serve as an adventure-tourer. Think of it like a Honda NX500 arch-rival. Diving into the details, the F 450 GS will employ a new trellis chassis, paired with a double-sided swingarm and bolt-on subframe. This is topped with Showa 43 mm USD forks and a monoshock, both of which are adjustable. Alloy wheels (19-inch front and 17-inch rear) shod with dual-purpose tires further hint at the road-bias. Lastly, a single disc brake at each end helps you shed speed.
BMW Project Manager said:
For some customers, bigger isn’t always better, and we wanted to give the option to have the same GS quality and style, in a much smaller package. It’s true that a lot of riders are downsizing, and this is the perfect bike for the job – and we will be releasing the production version at the end of this year. Even though the capacity is small, it will still offer everything that a rider will need to have the best experience on and off-road. In keeping with the R 1300 GS, we’ll also only be offering it with a 19-inch/17-inch wheel combination.
BMW F 450 GS Underpinnings
|
Chassis |
Tubular |
|
Front suspension |
USD forks (adjustable) |
|
Rear suspension |
Monoshock (adjustable) |
|
Wheels |
19/17-inch (cross-spoke) |
|
Ground clearance |
NA |
|
Weight |
~385 pounds |
Modern Features And A Head-Turning Design Will Complete The Package
Instrument Cluster: 6.5-inch TFT
*F 900 GS shown for reference
When the G 310 GS debuted, our biggest gripe was that it didn’t look or feel as premium as a proper GS. Luckily, BMW is trying to make amends with the F 450 GS. There are a lot of premium touches all around, particularly in the features department. A 6.5-inch TFT is said to be standard, which would be the biggest in the segment. This will come standard with smartphone connectivity, ride modes, and cornering ABS, while a two-way quickshifter will be an optional extra.
Then, there’s the head-turning design. Revealed in the patent images, the F 450 GS takes heavy inspiration from the R 1300 GS. The headlights and its surrounding beak, plus the side panels and boomerang-type radiator shrouds, all remind us of the flagship. At the rear, things sharpen up, just like the R 1300 GS, and all the lights sit on the fender. As good as all this is, we hope BMW throws in a special Rallye version with the triple-tone blue, white, and red livery, along with spoke wheels like the concept bike.
BMW F 450 GS Expected Features
- Traction control
- Ride modes
- Switchable ABS
- Ride-by-wire
- All-LED lights
- Adjustable levers
