BMW Motorrad has put out a teaser for a new motorcycle, to be revealed on October 1, 2026. It’s a naked roadster, and Autocar India, RushLane and BikeDekho have already christened it the F 450 R. BMW hasn’t. As things stand there is no name, no spec sheet and no price, and BMW’s own press sites carried nothing on it when we checked on September 24. Which is fine. Teasers are meant to be thin. But this one arrives at a very, very awkward moment.
Here’s the thing. I think a naked 450 is the BMW this market should have had first. Nobody has ridden this one yet, me included. But I have done enough miles on a borrowed 390 Duke, and on 650 twins, to know most of us don’t need a tall adventure bike to get to work. We need something light and sharp in traffic, with a twin’s calm on the highway. That’s a roadster, no? Simple.
The GS still has a problem BMW has to solve first
Allow me to explain. The F 450 GS lists from Rs 4,95,000 ex-showroom for 48 hp from a 420cc twin. In June, Autocar India reported that dealers had stopped taking bookings. Today, BMW’s own page for the bike offers you a test ride. That’s all.
We at SBW have been talking to would-be buyers, and the price is not what bothers them. A Mumbai commuter who wants a twin under about Rs 6 lakh on-road has a GS test ride lined up, and was told the wait is about a year. Another rider said on September 1 that bookings still hadn’t reopened. So what does a second 450 do for a buyer who can’t get the first? Nothing, unless BMW builds enough of both.
And the price window is tight. My guess is the roadster has to land somewhere between the GS and the Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition, which Autocar India lists at about Rs 4 lakh. I have wanted a big Tuono for years and still can’t afford one, mind you, so I’m not exactly neutral here.
Make it light, make it sharp, and make enough of them. A great bike you can’t buy is just a nice photograph.
