BMW F 450 GS: New Wunderlich luggage bridge for solo tours

With the new luggage bridge for the pillion seat of the BMW F 450 GS, Wunderlich is targeting riders who travel solo and want to position their luggage further forward on the bike. In place of the pillion seat, an additional loading surface is created with multiple lashing points.

The concept is tailored for solo use. The luggage bridge takes the place of the pillion seat, moving any luggage secured to it further forward on the bike. Wunderlich expects this to result in a centre-of-gravity-friendly placement of touring luggage. The loaded BMW F 450 GS is said to remain nimble and stable both on the road and off-road as a result. How the changed luggage position actually affects riding performance would need to be verified in a real-world test. The aluminium construction features multiple lashing points for securing bags and other travel luggage.

One practical aspect concerns installation. The luggage bridge is locked in place using the original seat lock of the pillion seat. No additional tools are required. This means the BMW F 450 GS can be converted between pillion seat and additional luggage surface depending on the intended use. The concept is therefore aimed at riders who deliberately use their F 450 GS as a solo bike from time to time and need an additional or differently positioned carrying option.

To complement the luggage bridge, Wunderlich offers the seat and luggage rack bag ELEPHANT DRY BAG. It carries the part number 44152-000 and costs 189.90 euros. The bag's volume can be expanded from 12 to 16 litres. This provides a matched bag solution for the new luggage bridge. However, the luggage bridge is not exclusively limited to this bag. Its various lashing points are fundamentally designed for securing luggage to the loading surface.

Riders who need more storage space for longer tours can also combine the luggage bridge with a more comprehensive luggage system. Wunderlich recommends the X luggage system for the BMW F 450 GS for this purpose. This consists of the waterproof X-BAG X30 side bags and the matching X-RACK light carrier. The complete system carries the part number 40602-102 and costs 689 euros. This allows different luggage positions to be combined: the new luggage bridge creates a loading surface in place of the pillion seat, while the X luggage system provides additional storage space on the sides of the bike.

The new luggage bridge can therefore be used in different ways depending on the desired luggage capacity. For smaller travel luggage, the expandable ELEPHANT DRY BAG is available, for example. For more extensive touring equipment, the X luggage system can additionally be used. The key difference compared to a conventional rear luggage rack lies in the position: the luggage sits in place of the pillion seat and therefore further forward on the bike. Wunderlich sees advantages in this for the centre of gravity and riding performance, particularly with a loaded bike. These effects on riding dynamics are manufacturer claims and would need to be verified in actual riding conditions.

With the new luggage bridge, Wunderlich adds a transport solution specifically tailored to solo riders to its accessories range for the BMW F 450 GS. The aluminium construction is mounted in place of the pillion seat, locked via its original seat lock, and requires no tools for installation. For 199.90 euros, riders get an additional luggage surface with multiple lashing points. Complementing this, the ELEPHANT DRY BAG with 12 to 16 litres of volume and the X luggage system with X-BAG X30 side bags and X-RACK light carrier are also available. Further information on luggage solutions and accessories for the BMW F 450 GS is available directly from Wunderlich.