BMW
Most new riders, when they throw a leg over their first sportbike, want to immediately feel like Valentino Rossi or Marc Marquez. Yet superbike development stays leagues ahead of what trickles down to the entry-level, and GP bikes even further — R3s and Ninja 500s aren't exactly decked out with ride-height devices. Aerodynamics have begun to work their way down in price, though, and now we're finally seeing aero elements on entry level bikes: The BMW F 450 RR, BMW's latest entry sportbike, has all the front wing your beginner heart could desire.
The F 450 RR is the sporty sibling to the off-road F 450 GS, and it retains some of the same core specs. The 420 cc parallel twin engine still makes 48 horsepower at 8,750 rpm and 32 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 rpm, and it's still arranged with a truly baffling 135-degree crank offset, a number I simply won't understand until I get to swing a leg over one of these bikes for myself. The RR also matches the GS with the availability of BMW's Easy Ride Clutch system, which makes clutch use optional the same way a Rekluse does. The racier bike separates itself out with Brembo brakes (up front, ByBre in the back) and a more sport-oriented suspension with 5.5 inches of travel front and rear.
The best-looking beginner sportbike, hands down
BMW
The specs aren't what will really set the F 450 RR apart from the beginner sportbike crowd, though. 46 horsepower is par for the course, up against bikes from Kawasaki and KTM; around a track, this will probably be of comparable speed to its rivals. Where it stands out is how good it looks. Shrink an S 1000 RR down in your mind (or even a WorldSBK-spec M 1000 RR), and you'll have something that looks a lot like the new F 450 RR. For beginners that want to feel like a racer, it doesn't get much better than this.
We didn't get the G 310 RR here in the States, but the F 450 RR is headed to our shores — at least, the M Sport trim pictured above is. That model comes with the adjustable KYB suspension, lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, heated grips, a USB-C port, and a 6.5-inch TFT display to control everything. BMW hasn't confirmed when it'll hit dealers, but the bike is set to be a 2027 model so it likely won't be long. It's pricier for a beginner bike at $7,815, but come on. What else are you getting for under eight grand that looks like this?