BMW Spied Testing An All-New Middleweight Adventure Motorcycle

A prototype BMW middleweight adventure motorcycle was spied testing. All signs point to this being either an F 600 GS or a revival of the F 650 GS.

Photo by: Enrico Punsalang

By: Robbie Bacon

Aug 19, at 9:05am ET

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We've been hot on the heels of BMW's many all-new upcoming bikes. Between an all-new M 1000 RS and a frankly bonkers R 20, I wasn't expecting to see much else from the Austrian brand this year. As usual, I was wrong.

BMW was recently spotted testing what appears to be an all-new middleweight adventure bike. The bike looks like it'll sit between the current F 450 GS and F 900 GS, filling a very apparent gap in BMW's adventure lineup. With bikes like Yamaha's Ténéré 700 and KTM's 690 Adventure crushing it in this ever-popular category, it could prove a wise move for BMW to throw its hat in. The question is whether the manufacturer will have what it takes to compete with platforms that've been refined over a few generations.

As is the case with these types of spy shots, we don't have a lot of info to go on, but in this instance there's plenty to speculate about. What looks pretty clear is that the chassis and braking system are based on the current F 900 GS, and it rolls on spoked rims, with a 21-inch tyre at the front and an 18-inch to the rear. We can also see that the prototype uses a steel bridge frame, which is very similar in design to that found on the F900 GS.

Adventure enthusiasts will be happy to know that this bike is based on the capable F 800 GS's chassis, but there are still elements of the brand's entry-level F 450 GS on this all-new motorcycle, including the engine. It appears that this upcoming model might use a heavily reworked version of the powerplant found in the F 450 GS, but that shouldn't come as a surprise.

What do you think?

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BMW is partnered with TVS, which uses a heavily revised version of the F 450 GS's engine in the Norton Atlas. In the Atlas, that parallel twin puts out 70 hp, but it's unclear whether BMW will use an almost identical unit in this new model or change the displacement. In any case, all signs point to this being in and around 600 cc, leaving the question: will this be a BMW F 600 GS or will the brand revive the F 650 GS?

I don't think we'll find out whether this model is set to become an F 600 GS or F 650 GS anytime soon, based on the unfinished bodywork. It mightn't hit markets until 2028, but keep your eyes peeled at EICMA this year in case I'm wrong.