BMW F 900 R & F 900 XR BMW’s parallel-twins have grown a little and pack even more punch
Brand-new German hardware and some of the best riding roads in the world. It doesn’t get much better than this
The roads that wind through the foothills of southern spain’s famous sierra nevada mountain range are a motorcyclist’s dream. unending ribbons of supremely grippy tarmac lead you higher and higher into the chilly morning air as craggy, snowcapped peaks appear in the distance. But i barely feel the cold. inside my helmet a bead of sweat is starting to form on my brow and my breathing is getting quicker. there’s no time to admire the scenery; my eyes dart up the winding mountain road seeking out the next turn point, apex, and vanishing point as i chase the BMw Motorrad lead rider through a remote canyon, while he, it seems, is doing his best to shake me. this little-used section of road is extremely narrow and, with no guard-rail to protect motorists from the abyss below, the slightest miscalculation could end in disaster. all my attention is focused on picking the optimal gear, the correct line, right before i twist the throttle to fire out to the next bend, while under me BMw’s latest roadster obeys my every command.
with sights clearly set on taking on the likes of the triumph street triple, KtM 790 duke, ducati Monster, and the others in the naked middleweight segment, BMw Motorrad are planning a mid-2020 india launch for the F 900 r as well as the touring-oriented F 900 Xr. the F 900 r is the latest evolution in BMw’s roadster line-up and replaces the popular F 800 r internationally. BMw have so far steered clear of this lively segment in our market, but this bike is set to change all that with its
It’s awesome to see BMW Motorrad extending their reach to new segments in our market
fun and sporty persona to help steer more young riders towards the german brand.
this motorcycle aims to come across as modern and dynamic and this is reflected in the sharp design which incorporates minimal bodywork. eyes are drawn towards the muscular tank, which gives the bike a purposeful, front-heavy look, and down towards the forward-sweeping radiator shroud adorned with the aspirational blue and white roundel. the scooped-out seat is roomy and supportive and leads back to a conservative tail section that gets robust-looking grab-rails, while Led tail-lamp and turn indicators are positioned out on the overhanging rear fender. up front, a stylish Led drL incorporates the motorcycle’s “r” logo above a bright horizontal strip and the full Led headlights get an optional cornering function to light up the inside of corners when at lean. Propped up above the headlight is BMw’s now familiar 6.5-inch tFt display, which gives the rider access to ride modes, detailed vehicle information, and a host of settings and connectivity options via the switchgear and an idrive-style rotational controller alongside the left grip.
having made our way unscathed through the treacherous mountain roads and now turning on to a larger, busier motorway, it was time to let the 895-cc motor under me sing. i leaned slightly forward over the fuel tank and twisted the throttle all the way open to be greeted by the ever-ready torque delivery of a parallel twin, the 90-degree crank-pin offset and 270-degree firing order adding a touch of character and a loping exhaust note to the proceedings. although this is a new model for india, we were introduced to BMw’s parallel twin motor and steel bridge frame architecture with the F 750 gs and F 850 gs last year. the F 900 r uses a similar platform, with the new motor gaining 42 cc courtesy the 86-mm bore, which is two mm more than the 850’s, while both motors share their 77-mm stroke. the payoff is 10 more horsepower at peak than the 853-cc motor’s 95 hp and a meatier spread of torque through the mid-range. Peak twist is unchanged at 92 nm, although over 87 nm is available from as low as 4,500 rpm, ensuring responsive acceleration through the rev-range. (these peak figures are for the F 850 gs and F 900 r sold in europe. the F 850 gs sold in india is slightly detuned to work well with low-quality fuel and puts out 90 hp. Consequently, the F 900 r may be electronically detuned to 100 hp when it goes on sale here.)
this naked BMw puts the rider in a somewhat aggressive riding position, leaned over the fuel-tank, with the relatively high and rear-set pegs creating a compact rider triangle, perfect for the sporty image that BMw are going for. however, while we were blasting through the hills, i couldn’t help but feel that sharper handling characteristics would have helped this bike’s cause even more. it’s not that this BMw doesn’t handle well and accurately; it is quite capable and was great fun through the twisties. it’s just that the competition in this segment, especially from triumph and KtM, feel a lot more focused, nimble, and quicker to steer than the F 900 r. although this is something that most riders with standard on-road use wouldn’t notice, it is something to consider if you regularly thrash your naked bike through mountain roads or plan to take it to the track. the bike was still a blast through the hills, but i am of the opinion that slightly sharper steering would have been better suited to the aggressive, forward-biased riding position, ample cornering
clearance, and the bike’s roadster image.
it took more effort than i expected to get the bike to tip in and stay leaned over through the corners and this became even more apparent when i jumped aboard the faired F 900 Xr which, surprisingly enough, handled like a dream. the F 900 r’s touring-oriented sibling gets a shorter trail courtesy a different fork offset and a wider handlebar to help with leverage, which resulted in a bike that happily dived into corners with poise and fluidity; characteristics that i would have loved to see more of on the naked roadster.
i spent the second half of the day on the F 900 Xr, comfortably sitting bolt upright behind the adjustable screen as we headed back up into the hills. Both these bikes share frames, swing-arms, engines, transmissions, final gearing, electronics, and more, although the Xr gets the aforementioned screen, a larger fuel-tank, hand-guards, and is wrapped in stylish plastic bodywork to shield the rider from the elements.
Built with a focus on comfort over long distances, the F 900 Xr’s rider triangle is a lot more relaxed than the roadster’s, with the foot-pegs placed comfortably lower and further forward and the wide handlebar a few centimetres closer to the rider for the typical sit-up-and-beg adV riding position. suspension duties on both bikes are managed by 43-mm forks supplemented by a monoshock at the rear, although the Xr gets more travel at both ends for better ground clearance and to better soak up bumps and bad sections of road when out on a road trip. Both bikes get
similar 17-inch alloy wheels, shod with 120- and 180-section Bridgestone rubber, although the r gets the sportier hypersport s21 tyres to make the best of the available cornering clearance, while the Xr leans towards longevity with the sport touring t30 hoops. at 1,521 mm, the F 900 Xr has a three-mm longer wheelbase than its naked sibling and, at 219 kg (wet), is also eight kg heavier; but point it at a set of corners and it will surprise you with its nimble nature. although both bikes share the same chassis and a 29.5-degree rake angle, the F 900 r’s steeper fork offset results in a 114.3-mm trail, while the Xr’s shorter 105.2-mm trail contributes greatly to its quickturning character.
the bikes we rode were equipped with dynamic esa, which is BMw-speak for electronically-controlled rear suspension. although the 43-mm usd forks on both bikes lack any adjustability, they seem well-set-up to handle a variety of conditions and didn’t give me reason to complain. For the rear, the rider can set the preload of the shock at the touch of a button, based on the load, to maintain the correct chassis pitch whether riding solo, with a pillion or with a pillion and luggage.
damping can be set to the comfortable and pliant road mode, which works well for most conditions, while dynamic mode stiffens things up for aggressive riding on smooth tarmac. it’s extremely easy to switch settings via the dedicated button on the left-hand switchgear and changes can be made on the fly as per the rider’s preferences or changing conditions. Braking systems on both bikes are by Brembo, with a pair of 320-mm discs gripped by four-pot radially-mounted calipers up front and a 265-mm disc with a single-pot caliper at the rear. the reach-adjustable lever has a nice feel to it LEFT: Two-way quickshifter is a convenient addition
and braking force is more than adequate, even from silly speeds. a nice safety feature is the dBC or dynamic Brake Control, which senses when you are in an emergency braking situation and completely shuts off the throttle, preventing accidental part opening of the gas which could increase stopping distances.
on the electronics front, both these bikes get rain and road riding modes as standard, while the optional riding Modes Pro package, equipped on the bikes i was riding, add the sporty dynamic and fully customizable dynamic Pro modes. the dynamic Pro riding mode allows the rider to personalize the parameters for throttle response as well as traction control and aBs intervention, both of which are leansensitive, to tailor the bike’s responses to a particular riding style.
the command centre is BMw’s fantastic tFt dash, which, in standard layout, features a bar-type tachometer running across the screen, with prominent displays for speed, selected gear, and current ride mode. the sport-themed display gets a large semi-circular tacho that takes up most of the real estate on the screen, with the speed, selected gear, and mode displayed along the top. additionally, this display option also shows you how much brake force you are using, the degree to which traction control is intervening, as well as current and max lean angles. the display also features Bluetooth connectivity and can be paired to a smartphone via the BMw Motorrad Connected app. apart from turn-by-turn navigation, the app allows you to save or share routes, access detailed telemetry from any part of your ride, and even tag and share pictures with the exact location along your ride. other creature comforts on board included heated grips that gave me respite from the biting, early morning cold, a two-way quickshifter/auto-blipper that allowed me to forego the clutch once on the move, and cruise control for those long hours on the highway.
it’s awesome to see BMw Motorrad extending their reach to new segments in our market with the hope of getting more young indian riders on to Bavarian hardware. it’s always nice to have more options and the F 900 r roadster will make for an exciting new addition to our naked middleweight segment. the F 900 Xr, on the other hand, is essentially a clothed version of the same bike, with taller suspension and wind protection to create a long-distance performance motorcycle that will go up against bikes like the triumph tiger XrX, ducati Multistrada 950, and Kawasaki Versys 1000.
Being partial to aggressive and sporty naked bikes, i travelled to spain expecting to swoon over the r; however, the Xr surprised and impressed me with its all-round ability and just seems to be the more practical of the two, without sacrificing on sportiness. You get wind protection and a more comfortable riding position to keep fatigue at bay on long rides, the longer-travel suspension better absorbs bad roads and will easily handle our worst speed-breakers, and the sport touring tyre compound should see the tyres on the Xr outlast the ones on its naked twin. in my eyes, the F 900 Xr strikes a fine balance between long-distance ability and sportiness and can fill several roles if you own just one motorcycle.