2009 BMW G450X Web Test

Opinions

By Bob Surmon
AKA San Felipe Bob
Age: 44
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180lbs street clothes 195ish with full gear and fanny pack.
Riding ability: Varies

I prefer to ride tight technical trails. (Slow is my new Fast).
District 37 Expert, SCORE sportsman champion
Claim to fame: Solo'd the Baja 2000 in 59 hours.
Excuse for riding too slow: I have been off the bike for 9 months taking care of my now 9 month old son.

My 3rd bike of the afternoon was the BMW 450. Right away I could tell something was very different about this bike, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Once again I was off on the 3rd more technical loop. The bike seemed to be very stable at slow speeds almost to a fault. It also seemed like it was riding in the bottom half of the suspension. Maybe it was set up for a lighter weight rider? As I went along I tried many different riding positions and styles. At the end I ended up riding it like a heavier bike that what it actually is. I rode it more like an XR600 / KTM LC4.

It did not respond very well to aggressive use of the clutch in the corners so I just left it in 1st gear and used the throttle to control entry and exit speed in the corners. This bike was very plush as long as you didn't hit anything too big or too fast. The forks have a tendency to blow through the stroke pretty easy. A smooth riding style was required to survive. As I got more comfortable I could tell this would be a great bike to ride for very long distances. It hooked up great without too much wheel spin or too much arm ripping power.

I did notice a bit of vibration when I lugged in 2nd gear. (Lack of Talent on my part?).

The rear brake appeared to be tucked in under the side case. (Probably due to a previous riders tip over?) So I pulled it out a tad and all was well with the brakes! Gearing seemed a bit tall for the tight sections of the 3rd loop. No issues with the clutch and the engine has plenty of power bottom to top. I had a chance to ride this bike later in the evening on different terrain.

My final conclusion:
San Felipe to La Paz Nonstop! I'm taking the BMW! I could ride this bike for days straight and not get too tired. Of course I would have to ride it slower than I would a CRF450 ..But I could not ride the CRF 450 for more than a few hours without getting tired. I might add a bit more padding to the seat so the gas cap can be protected from my tail bone. Or is that the other way? Tail bone from gas cap. A fun bike to ride.......... just not anything like other 450's I have ridden.

This would be a great bike to ride from Mexico to Canada off road! But I can't ride it in California!
San Felipe Bob

Shawn O' Leary
6'3"
175lbs
Regionally AA
Nationally A

I feel as if this bike was set up for about 60% street 40% dirt riding. It seems to track very well in ruts and settle into corners great. However the suspension seems very soft and will blow throw the stroke on large braking bumps and small off road style jumps. As for the power it was smooth but pulls about as strong as a 250F. Moving onto the brakes they felt plenty strong with great articulation and a non-fading feel. One thing that really stands out as needing improvement is the seat or lack there of.

BIKE: BMW450
NAME: Brett Nicholas
HEIGHT: 6'7"
WEIGHT: 240lbs
RIDING ABILITY: Intermediate

Comments: I was excited at the prospect of riding the BMW, after holding the company and their machinery in high regard for many years, coupled with the signing of Knight and Salminen. I currently own a CRF450, though owned and rode trail bikes back in Australia earlier this decade, so was interested to see how things had progressed in the off road market. After mounting the beemer, weight was the first thing that came to mind as I cruised away from the collection. Japanese bikes seem much narrower and lighter, and aligned to MX bikes comparative to this thing. Having selected the German Tank for my first ride I regretted eyeing off the tightest trail loop not too far from the take off point.

I entered the loop by dropping down a relatively easy though sandy section, yet was quickly caught out by the weight in the front end. The suspension was far too soft for my build, though the geometry also seemed like the rear was too high or the forks too far through the clamps. I started questioning my commitment to the trail as I watched my riding partner tear away on the KLX, considering we're normally close in speed. The gearing wasn't optimal for this trail either, which caused the bike to languish quite a bit as you'd turn tight corners and try to blast up short and steep accents. The motor felt strong though I didn't get to open her up any faster then a quick burst in 3rd, due to the nature of the trail we were on.

I was also caught out by the rear brake pedal, which is partially hidden or placed next to the engine case. With size 13 ski's for feet, my toes would catch on the case every time I'd be ready to square off a corner or berm, leading to a few close calls and blown through corners on numerous occasions. A wider pedal would be required if I found myself the owner of the BMW.

The net result was disappointment, as I truly struggled to get comfortable or excited by any aspect of the big girl. Lack of confidence in the front end, coupled with bad gearing and braking ability had me cutting the trail for a bee line back to the herd of awaiting 450's.