Right now is a great time to be in the market for a sub-500cc lightweight adventure motorcycle. Dealerships are flush with choices, and you’d be happy with most of the latest generation of these small-displacement travel motos. But what about if you are a BMW Motorrad fan? BMW’s G 310 GS is long in the tooth, but the 2027 F 450 GS is just on the horizon and headed to US shores November 2027. Should you hold onto your dollars until it arrives or run down to the dealer to place your pre-order deposit? We headed to Sicily to find out.

BMW has not announced the price for the F 450 GS, so making a determination of value for dollars is not entirely possible. We do know that in the UK it will start at £7000 and is £7760 for the most expensive Trophy Edition, that’s $9300 to $10,275 in a straight currency conversion, but other factors could make that number higher or lower. That is a premium price tag, but can the as-standard features make the spend a reasonable proposition? Unique and Powerful Engine A 420cc DOHC parallel-twin engine features a 135-degree crank—an outlier in a segment flush with 270-degree twins. But why a 135-degree instead of the seemingly ubiquitous 270 crank pin spacing? BMW says the 135 not only gives the engine a unique tone that is a bit rumbly and bumbly while delivering a strong-for-the-displacement claimed 48hp and 32 ft.-lb. of torque but it also creates a smooth engine using a single balancer shaft.

And there is no misrepresentation there from BMW. The first thing you notice is the engine feel and tone is unique but not entirely dissimilar to a 270-degree configuration, but there’s less gruffness or V-twin-like character. Roll on the throttle and the power is strong right of the bottom and pulls with authority all the way to the redline. There are a couple points in the rpm range where the output is more immediate– around 6000 things really get cooking. Smoothness down low mutes the character a bit and past 7000 rpm it gets a bit buzzy on the road. But overall I found myself describing the power as electric-like during conversations: immediate and strong for a small-displacement parallel-twin. That immediacy not only works for lofting the 19-inch front wheel over bumps and holes when off-roading, but it’s got plenty of oomph to make passes on the highway without worry of running out of steam. It’s a flexible powerplant, and that is what BMW is looking for in any of its GS models.

According to Astrid Neudecker, product manager of the F 450 GS, it had to be a real GS. “A GS is the best of both worlds” said Neudecker explaining the role of the F 450 GS. “So we have a solid off-road performance combined with maximum stability, agility and comfort on the road.” Full-Featured Rider AidsComplimenting the solid engine performance is BMW’s full suite of electronic rider aids. This area is where some of the 450 GS’s competition have scaled back, but not BMW. There are three standard ride modes (Rain, Road, Enduro) and an Enduro Pro mode that comes on the three of the four available variants. Each is packed with all the same acronyms found on bigger GS models that affect braking and traction: ABS Pro, DBC (Dynamic Brake Control), DTC (Dynamic Traction Control), and MSR (Motor Slip Regulation), BMW’s version engine drag torque control.

Each electronic rider aid is tailored to one of the ride modes with highest levels of intervention in Rain and the least in Enduro Pro. You can also completely turn off DTC via a button on the left switch pod. Modes are selected on the left. You can also customize each mode’s attributes via the very same 6.5-inch Bluetooth connected TFT dash found on the R 1300 GS. Also, on the left outboard of the switch pod is BMW’s scrolling multi-function controller wheel. All of this is indicative of the feature set expected from a GS.

Easy Ride ClutchOne feature not found on any other GS is BMW’s Easy Ride Clutch. This centrifugal clutch system eliminates the need to use the clutch lever to shift, stop, or start. Traditional modulation of the clutch is still active after the centrifugal section of the clutch locks up. It also stays locked on deceleration or coasting on downhills, while the slipper function is active.

It’s quite a unique construction and it took an explanation over a post-ride dinner with BMW’s F 450 GS chief engineer, Claudio de Martino. Basically a centrifugal unit with weighted ramps is the first layer inside the clutch drive basket. This unit pushes against two fiber clutch plates separated by a steel plate which then in turn pushes against the main clutch pack carrier or “hub” that houses the rest of the clutch plates and the slip/assist parts. The centrifugal clutch engages or “locks up” at 2800 rpm, and once that happens the unit acts like any other manual clutch. When the rpm returns to idle, the centrifugal section disengages the entire hub.

While riding the Easy Ride Clutch is, well, easy to use. You only need to pull in the clutch one time to engage first gear and then you don’t need to use the lever again. BMW’s Shift Assistant Pro provides clutchless upshifts and downshifts, completing the auto-clutch equation. Just click away through the tight transmission. If you have big feet you will find the shift lever to be short and will make for the occasional missed upshift. On the road, getting away from lights and stopping for traffic is worry-free and simple. Just remember to downshift when you come to a stop. If you don’t, the bike will remind you. The ERC is a no-brainer if you are spending most of your time on asphalt.

Off-road, the benefit is a bit more nuanced. For a beginner who’s worried about stalling, the ERC is a clear advantage. For more experienced riders, there are situations where the centrifugal feature hinders feel and control. As part of complying with Euro 5+ emissions, the F 450 GS has to run 1500 rpm at idle, and for a margin of safety the centrifugal clutch locks up at 2800 rpm. That means there’s no riding the clutch at slow speeds and low rpm in that 1300rpm-wide dead zone. The bike just won’t move forward. And if you want to ride the friction zone, you have to rev the bike to 3000 rpm or more. Not ideal in this specific situation.

But that begs the question: why make the Easy Ride Clutch standard the most dirt-ready of the F 450 GS, the Trophy Edition? It can be assumed that it is the model that more accomplished riders would gravitate toward and may find issue with the clutch-engagement “dead zone.” For the other three variants (Base, Exclusive, and Sport) the ERC is optional. It’s a slick system that makes the bike easier to operate in most situations.

Both the Sport and GS Trophy variants we tested are equipped with Sport suspension that provides adjustment for compression and rebound damping on the 43mm KYB fork and a monoshock adjustable for spring preload and rebound. Both ends stroke through 180mm or 7.1 inches. Action on the road is fairly firm even for my geared-up 240-pound frame. You will feel the nastier potholes and pavement seams. But that suspension provides excellent holdup during braking and cornering. In the dirt, the suspension is firm enough to allow a quick pace as long as you don’t hit big g-outs or jumps. Damping and spring rate is spot on for its intended mission as a BMW ADV. It stops short of hardcore shredding.50/50 HandlingA true GS should be just as good on-road as it is off, and this is a true GS. On-road handling is quick and light, the bike entering corners with the slightest effort. Standard Maxxis Maxx Pro ADV tires wrap cast-aluminum wheels, 19-inch in front and 17-inch at the rear. This wheel size is ideal for street work, however the standard tires on cold, wet roads exhibit a tendency to flop into the corners, resulting in less front-end confidence. No such issues on the accessory Metzeler Karoo 4 tires.

Off-road testing in Sicily consisted of some sandy beach roads and muddy mountain paths strewn with large, unyielding rock patches. When the going gets soft, the 19-inch front wheel—even with the chunkier Karoo 4s and spoked wheels—knifes or pushes depending on the amount of throttle application. On flowing dirt fire roads the 450 GS is a blast, sliding predictably. Its 392-pound wet weight feels less than that, and the wide handlebar and enduro footpegs allow you to toss the bike around with ease.

Braking performance is quite good. The front brake is half of an R 1300 GS with a single 310mm disc mated to a four-piston Brembo monoblock caliper. Feedback is excellent through the adjustable lever (the clutch lever is also adjustable) and the ABS Pro works well on all surfaces without intervening too early. In the dirt, Enduro Pro removes ABS from the 240mm rear disc and single-piston caliper, allowing for full lock up. Actuation is abrupt on the rear, but not quite what we’d call lightswitch.

Sat behind the bars on the F 450 GS at 6000 rpm at 65 mph, wind protection on the Sport is passable but once speed move past that, buffeting and windblast is significant. The shorter, tinted screen on the Trophy is even less comfortable on the highway. The rest of the ergonomics are classic BMW: comfortable and roomy with well-sorted touch points. Seat height is a claimed 33.3 inches which isn’t particularly low for a small adventure motorcycle; there is an accessory low seat that brings that number down to 32.6 inches.

Should you wait for the 2027 F 450 GS?This F 450 GS, despite being one of the smaller units on offer from the brand, has the fit and finish on the level with the $30K-plus R 1300 GSA. BMW’s goal of striking an equal balance of on- and off-road performance is highly successful overall. On the road it’s a comfortable, stable, yet easy-to-handle motorcycle with an impressive feature set that even includes heated grips, the very same dash that’s on the big models, and multiple, customizable ride modes. And when the road ends, the Sport suspension handles just about anything you throw at it.

So should you wait? For anyone who is a BMW fan or looking to get into the brand, it’s a resounding yes. If you want a premium, well-built small ADV that delivers value via an impressive host of electronics and exceptional fit and finish, absolutely. And for those shopping the many choices in the lightweight ADV segment, it all depends how much patience (and likely budget) you can muster. What’s that saying about good things and waiting?

2027 BMW F 450 GS Specs:

GearboxHelmet: Alpinestars Supetech M10 Jacket: Alpinestars Maxdura Drystar XF Laminated Armored Shell Pant: Alpinestars Maxdura Dual PantsGloves: Alpinestar Manti Air GlovesBoots: Alpinestar Tech 7 Enduro Drystar