FOR die hard BMW fanatics the introduction of an enduro bike to its line up may be considered as a changing of the guard, but it really is adding a string to the company’s bow which complements its current range of off road and adventure bikes. This bike will challenge the way many off road riders look at BMW and it will also be a major challenger to every other hard core enduro machine on the market.

First impressions are very important when it comes to the overall looks and styling of a bike and an off road machine is no different. The G 450 X is not a scaled down adventure bike, nor is it refined version of the G 650 XChallenge. It’s a bike that was built to meet a specific purpose and doesn’t take on any traits from other models.

On the stand

Straight up, this bike looks all business from an off road stand point. One of the first things noticed is the frame which is void of your typical engine cradle. It may look slightly unusual, but the stainless steel tubular frame which is in place feels very taught, with the engine acting as a stressed member. Nothing new on the road bike scene but very new in off road circles. It also looks very slim through the middle and the ergonomics prove just that with the seat, peg and handle bar positioning.

Another particular item noted was the countershaft sprocket which shares the same pivot point and axle line as the rear swingarm. It looks a little different and also begs the question as to the ease of changing the sprocket. BMW assured us that it takes about 20-30 minutes for a sprocket change. Although this looks a little unusual, this set up is stated to improve chain life by drastically reducing the chain slack needed on conventional bikes due to their suspension movement in reference to the front sprocket.

Although not immediately noticeable, the swingarm is 30 mm longer than your average swingarm which allows the engine to sit further back and employ a better centre of gravity. In furthering weight distribution and handling, the fuel tank is located under the seat, while the air box sits nice and high above the engine where a traditional fuel tank would be located. Filling the fuel tank is done by lift off a cap in the seat and then unscrewing the fuel cap lid.On the trail

Anticipation is a great thing with an all new bike and it was certainly worth the wait. Hitting a grass track on a hill side for a morning warm up the G 450 X felt confidence inspiring from the word go as you fired up the 450cc motor and put plenty of the tractable power to he ground. After few laps, the only adjustment which was required was to wind a few clicks off the compression on the front suspension.

Back out for a couple more laps and it felt spot on with precise handling and the firmness in the initial stroke was gone. Tipping into a corner is easy due to the flat seat which enables you to place your weight well forward on the bike or if on the pegs your weight is easily transferred as you approach and exit corners. Off camber corners are confronted in the same manner and the bike’s supreme handling gives you plenty of confidence to push hard. An important factor when it comes to trail riding is the fuel range of a bike, especially for those extended rides. With a mixture of terrain and riders, every rider managed to get over 100km from the eight litre tank, with the average over a six rider group being 112km, with a best of 123km. Winding on the throttle reveals a gutsy motor with awesome tractability, resulting in plenty of drive from the back wheel.

Due to the engine’s torque from the four-valve DOHC motor you can easily ride up a hill in a gear too high and not suffer from stalling, as the motor is just that useable. Gearing is well spaced from the five speed transmission and feels ideal for track or trail conditions. Don’t think for a moment that the motor is lazy as there’s 52 horsepower available and at the ready. Keihin digital engine management on the electronic fuel injection further adds to the engine’s usability and responsiveness which we can only describe as first rate.

A lovely note resonates from the exhaust when under throttle and it sounds good without being offensive. A catalytic convertor is contained within the exhaust to keep up with emision standards, and although it looks a bit big does a great job. We could not see any real reason for changing it to an after market item unless you were searching to lose a few kilos of weight.

 Suspension 

Keeping the front end in check are Marzocchi 45 USD forks that offer 300mm of travel with compression and rebound adjustment. The forks feel great and handled everything thrown at them over the course of a day’s riding, which included a grass track, open trails, enduro loops and tight single trail. On the rear it is all class with Ohlins looking after the rear suspension duties and offering a massive 320mm of travel from the aluminium swing arm. There is no linkage to worry about with the rear end set up and as far as handling went, we could not fault it. Adjusting the rear end would have to be one of the easiest tasks thanks to adjusters which are easy to reach and adjust as required.

The stoppers

On every bike we have ridden, the brakes are something which can be easily overlooked as they all work very well with plenty of feel and great stopping power. The BMW G 450 X is no exception and we would almost go as far to say that this bike has the best front brake we have ever used. This comment was certainly thrown around in the group of riders using the bike, where the front brake offers exceptional stopping power and feel to the rider. Of course much of this can be attributed to the Brembo brakes but even so we have ridden plenty of bikes fitted with a Brembo that have not felt this inspiring. A 260mm floating solid front disc with an outer wave pattern handles the duties while the 220mm rear disc and Brembo caliper rounds out the duties.

Bits and pieces

A single mounted radiator keeps the engine at a desired operating temperature. If the motor gets a little hot, then a thermo fan mounted behind the radiator kicks in. The air box for this bike sits atop the motor where the fuel tanks usually lives, with the air intake coming from the right hand side shroud. To remove or check the cartridge style air filter, it’s just a case of removing a couple of bolts from the right hand side shroud, unclipping the cassette to slide out the filter. A thin dual density foam filter fits is easily removed from the cassette for cleaning or to replace with a spare.

It may also be recognised that the G 450 X is void of a kick starter as a secondary form of engine starting. BMW is so confident in its product that it felt there was no need to have one sitting there doing nothing. No bike during the launch had any problem starting hot or cold so we can’t argue with BMW on that one.

One of the only real criticisms of the G 450 X is the seat, which is quite hard even in today’s terms, but as you spend time on it though it doesn’t seem to feel any worse than when you first sit on it. It is an unique seat in that it is made from a single piece of foam rubber, and it’s not until you remove the seat that you appreciate its one piece design. Handlebar adjustments are also a breeze on this bike, to accommodate a taller or shorter rider the bar clamps can be adjusted in only a few minutes. The entire G 450 X as it stands comes in at a mere 111 kgs dry. Ready to ride with fuel and oil it comes in at 121 kgs, making it one of the lightest bikes in the 450cc class.

The final say

We really liked the bike from the moment we sat on it till the moment we handed it back. It is trail or race ready straight out of the box and apart from personal adjustments and settings it’s ready to go. Being still comparatively new the G 450 X is still an unknown quantity, but if Joel Smets can punch one around without breaking it, along with handling the rigours of racing in the Enduro World Championship, well that’s good enough for us.

One big question is the price of the bike and to answer that, the G 450 X can be yours for $12,450, which really puts the cat amongst the pigeons, plus it is also backed by the BMW two-year limited warranty. We are confident that BMW owners looking for an enduro bike to add to the collection, this bike will already have been pencilled in. For those currently thinking about updating or looking for a new enduro machine, drop in to your nearest BMW dealer and take one for a squirt in the dirt as the G 450 X really is that good.