What better way for BMW – an established marque that is rapidly reshaping itself – to leave its longtime persona of gentlemanly conservatism in the dust than to build a serious dirt bike? The all new G450X is the latest in a continuing line of completely fresh, clean-sheet machines to emerge from the Munich-based manufacturer in a radical detour that reinforces the notion (to borrow a very tired cliché): this isn’t your father’s BMW.
For anyone paying attention, BMW Motorrad is aggressively redefining itself. In place of flashy marketing campaigns shallowly trumpeting a new direction, the German brand is letting its two-wheel product speak for itself, unveiling one new machine after another. Their latest, the G450X, represents a bold move into semi-uncharted territory.
Although BMW virtually invented the Adventure class with the iconic, go-anywhere GS, and proved they weren’t afraid of getting dirty with multiple wins in the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally, this new bike represents BMW’s first serious gambit into the tumultuous off-road arena for the consumer. I see now that the enigmatic HP2 was merely an aperitif, hinting at the company’s more serious dirt-oriented aspirations. The G450X, a wholly fresh creation boasting some innovative design cues wedded to BMW’s signature sophisticated engineering, was rolled out last week in Marbella, Spain for the world press.
Quite simply, the “G” designation of the 450 denotes a new Generation motorcycle for BMW. The nascent machine borrows some prominent internal technical DNA from the K-series sportbike, its aggressive, all-business off-road persona wrapped up handsomely in BMW’s striking racing livery of blue accents on bright white. The bike gets a “beak” front fender – made popular by its GS brethren – with sparse bodywork shaped by sharp angles that render an arrow-like wedge look. Razor-thin and compact, the 450 is a dynamic-looking machine.
Aesthetically, the most prominent design element of the 450 is the tubular frame. Constructed of twin cross tubes of stainless steel mated to forged union points, the chassis design foregoes the traditional undercarriage that cradles the motor. Instead, the main tubes run at a 45-degree angle from the beefy steering stem directly to the swingarm pivot. It is rudimentary engineering, designed to transmit the intense forces absorbed through the front forks to the machine’s center of mass via the most direct route. By comparison, a traditional under-slung frame carries the energy of impact through a somewhat circuitous route. The 450X’s unique chassis design requires less tubing than a conventional frame, resulting in an extremely light unit that nonetheless delivers exceptional rigidity. Replacing the natural protection afforded by conventional under-slung chassis tubes, the G450X is equipped with an ultra heavy-duty bash plate that is mounted in shock-absorbing rubber.
By Jeff Buchanan, Jun. 13, 2008, Photography by BMW
Source: Motorblog
