In the current state of off-road motorcycles, there are few firsts. New models from the popular stable of brands are molded, updated copies of copies with new originals brought in every third or fourth revision. With the addition of the BMW G450X, that sequence has been interrupted. Now there's something completely new.
There are a lot of things to take in when witnessing the BMW for the first time. Let's get those eyes open.
First, notice the unique motor-frame-drivetrain relationship going on here. Every aspect of the motor, from its cylinder angle to its final drive shaft, has been developed for a specific purpose and benefit. The most obvious is the countershaft sprocket relationship to the swingarm. The two spin, rotate and are secured to and from the same centerpoint. This unique relationship allows every other piece of the BMW 450 puzzle to work. It enables the bike to have a longer swingarm. Increased traction and stability were the performance goals, but the design effects are much broader.
Then there's the build of the motor. The crank and clutch are also unique in that they share the same centerpoint, the clutch is actually on the crank end. That means the clutch spins faster (2.6 times as fast as traditional designs) and is smaller in overall size. Again, in plain English this means "there's less stuff inside the motor there to move around." This provides a straight line and a rather long intake tract for the dual-throttle-body EFI system. From the airbox (located where the fuel tank is traditionally placed), through the throttle body and into the cylinder is a direct shot. This system is unique in that it isn't retrofitting a carburetor-equipped bike into a fuel-injected bike but is fuel injected from the beginning by design.
Fuel is held in an eight-liter tank (2.1 gallons) under the seat with fill access via a pop-in cover and screw cap. Two different seats (regular and short) are available, and the handlebar mounting position is ultra-adjustable to fit large-to-small pilots.
The design of the rear countershaft...
The design of the rear countershaft sprocket/swingarm pivot shaft is truly cool. We could talk about it for pages. If you'd like to get into it further, check it out online at www.dirtrider.com.
Since the pivot point for the final drive and swingarm is the same, the motor can be placed farther back in the chassis and, thus, tilted farther forward. This placement inherently raises the mass, moving it as close to the bike's center of gravity as possible. It is all about balance and ease of movement. The less weight you're moving out of center, the easier it is to move the weight...get it? We do (mostly).
While almost everything is unique to this motor in design and placement, the character of its performance mirrors more traditional bikes in the class.
As we idle directly out of the parking lot and through the quaint Spanish mountain community, I realize I'm flanked by Jol Smets and Andy Littenbichler-BMW's talented development riders tied to the G450X. Andy is fresh off the Beemer's largest race success: An ultra-respectable second place at the Erzberg Hard Enduro, a notoriously nasty enduro race, in Austria. Smets is straight off a spectacular world GP motocross career with four World Motocross championships.
It doesn't take long for us to leave the pavement and hit the trail, and immediately I know the 450 powerplant is one thing: powerful. In stock configuration (in compliance with strict Euro emissions regulations) the delivery is smooth and strong. It's not aggressive and has the drivability of a smaller-displacement bike. Don't say she's slow, though. When needed, the bike comes alive and truly accelerates into a long top-end.
The cable clutch pull is manly, and engagement is solid and quick. There isn't a lot of fudge room between off and on with the left throttle (that's your clutch). It's easily modulated, but with its weighty pull, long and technical riverbeds or rock-hopping trails will leave your left digits fatigued. The clutch also makes a semi-cool whirring sound on deceleration, in case you were wondering about cool noises.