For anyone paying attention, BMW Motorrad is aggressively redefining itself. In place of flashy marketing campaigns shallowly trumpeting a new direction, the German brand is letting its two-wheel product speak for itself, unveiling one new machine after another. Their latest, the G450X, represents a bold move into semi-uncharted territory.Any off-road rider tired of the “usual suspects” of existing bikes. Nothing like being first on the block with a new motorcycle.
A perfect play bike, the G450X loves to wheelie, allowing aging, grey-haired guys to feel young again.
Although BMW virtually invented the Adventure class with the iconic, go-anywhere GS, and proved they weren’t afraid of getting dirty with multiple wins in the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally, this new bike represents BMW’s first serious gambit into the tumultuous off-road arena for the consumer. I see now that the enigmatic HP2 was merely an aperitif, hinting at the company’s more serious dirt-oriented aspirations. The G450X, a wholly fresh creation boasting some innovative design cues wedded to BMW’s signature sophisticated engineering
As a street-legal platform, the G450X was designed to comply with the exceedingly strict European emissions standards. However, U.S. recipients – under a different emission code – will benefit from the new bike being imported with an electrical “plug” that boosts horsepower significantly, adding 11 ponies to the European model, bringing output up to a solid 51 hp. In stock Euro mode the bike is no slouch, pumping out decent low-end, mid-range and top-end. However, the additional (U.S.) power is significant and gets spread out fairly evenly over the entire powerband, really showing itself on the top end when screaming the 450cc single in the upper rpm range. The importing transformation (which is actually about a two-minute procedure that involves removing a side panel and plugging the connector loop into place) helps to smooth out the engine at idle and low rpm
2009 BMW G450X - Specifications
USA MSRP: $8,198.00* USD Destination charge (not included in MSRP): $495 USD
Canada MSRP*: $9,400.00 CDN
Engine
Type Liquid-cooled single-cylinder
Bore x Stroke 98 mm x 59 mm
Displacement 449 cc
Horsepower 41 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque 32 lb/ft @ 6500 rpm
Compression Ratio 12.0 :1
Valve Gear DOHC chain driven
Valves 2 x 40 mm intake / 2 x 33 mm exhaust
Valves / Cylinder Four
Engine Oil Capacity 1.1 quarts
Engine Management Digital Motor Electronic (DME)
Fuel Requirement Premium Unleaded
Fuel Tank Plastic cell w/enclosed pump & filter
Fuel Capacity 1.8 U.S. gallons
Charging System 280 Watts @ 14 Volts
Battery 12 Volts 7 Amps/hour
Cooling System Single Radiator, 50/50 water/anti-freeze mi
