ROAD,WIND, ANDSUN
While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the joy out of a lot of things, thankfully, we’re still able to face the road, wind, and sun on a motorcycle – and the new BMW F 900 R is a great motorcycle for those.
German company, BMW, actually started making motorcycles after World War I. When the Treaty of Versailles mandated that BMW cease production of aircraft engines, the company began producing small industrial engines, which turned out to be a godsend.
In 1920, BMW M2B15 flat-twin petrol engine was released. Despite being designed as a portable industrial engine, the small engine was also used by several motorcycle manufacturers because of its reliability and performance. The robust engines were a hit, and BMW became established as a builder of fine motorcycles.
Today, BMW motorcycles are beautiful machines that are wonderfully designed, technologically advanced, and an absolute joy to ride. At the beginning of the year, BMW launched its newest model, the F 900 R. This new bike is an updated version of the old F 800R (2009 to 2019), which was, admittedly, a pretty vanilla motorcycle. The new 900 is anything but.
The new F 900 R has been dramatically changed. It now offers a larger engine, more power and torque, up to date technology, and is much better than its predecessor in almost every way. It also gives a competitive kick in the pants to most of its competitors.
Powered by an 895cc parallel-twin engine, the F 900 R has a meaty 105 horsepower. This puts the 900 in competition with other motorcycles like the Triumph Street Triple R, Yamaha MT-09, and Kawasaki Z900 — all excellent bikes to be sure.
The first thing you notice about this bike is its 6.5-inch TFT screen, which replaces traditional mechanical gauges, and now shows all relevant motorcycle information. Switching views and menu selection are easy – thanks to an innovative thumb wheel located on the left side of the handlebar.
The F 900 R currently sets the technological benchmark in the midrange motorcycle segment with its standard equipment (connectivity, LED all round as standard) and their wide range of optional extras. In some cases, unique in this class includes Adaptive Cornering Light, Keyless Ride, Dynamic ESA, Riding Modes Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, Intelligent Emergency Call, ABS Pro, MSR, DTC, DBC, and RDC. There’s even a basic navigation menu to help you get where you’re going.
Hopping on the bike, the first thing you feel is the stiffness of the seat. The bike has a nice stance, while the rest of the ergonomics on the 900 are logically placed and comfortable. Its steel bridge frame is made for optimum rigidity, robustness, and riding precision. This bike rides tight, and it incorporates a world-first in motorcycle construction: A light, plastic-welded fuel tank with a 13-liter capacity.
The test bike we rode was the full option version, which means it had a keyless start, which is a nice feature to have on a motorcycle as there’s no more fumbling around looking for keys. Of course, on the other side, it the battery goes dead, you might run into a lot of problems as this vehicle is controlled entirely by advanced electronics.
After you push the start button, the F 900 R roars into life. It does take a bit longer to start, but once the twin parallel engine is ignited, it sounds like a growling cat that then idles into a gentle snarl. Twist the throttle, and you get a holler that sounds like a
teenage hotrod on steroids. In many ways, the sound is more pleasing than what comes out of a Harley Davidson’s throat. As you move off, those left behind will hear a deep-bass rumble as you rocket away. The engine’s sound and manner come in part from its 270-degree firing order, which allows the parallel-twin to mimic the finer points of a V-twin found on Harley Davidson models. And a new underfloor silencer system also goes to provide this bike with a particularly emotional sound.
As for modes, the dynamic mode is a bit aggressive and good for pulling wheelies, if you feel the need to show off. In all other modes, except Rain mode, the bike accelerates like an ICBM. The bike is excellent at ‘normal people speeds’, and it gives credence to BMW’s argument that some riders will want to use the F 900 R as a light touring bike. The 900 is also equipped with cruise control, which will help with the fatigue often associated with long roads and rides.
The F 900 R ‘s electronic suspension gives the bike a feeling of stability in the curves. Even though BMW has spiced up this bike quite a bit, it still sees the F 900 R as something for riders experiencing their first ‘big’ bike or for those wanting to ease themselves back into riding after some time away. Even so, for experienced riders, the bike is pure fun to drive.
And if you’re old school and detest nerdy electronics, you’ll still find that all those high-tech BMW bells and whistles are actually a pleasure to use. The multiple screens offered via the TFT dash can provide some interesting information, and might even make you a better rider. For example, the bike’s Sport screen tracks your steepest lean angle, resetting each time you restart the bike. And you’ll get a lot of some equally useful information by poring through all the data you can obtain if you connect your phone to the bike via BMW’s app. If you do that, you’ll be able to see your speed through every corner, the number of times ABS kicked, and lots of other ride parameters. While the old 800 may have been a bit fuddy-duddy, the F 900 R is no longer an old-man’s bike. With a starting price of S$31,000 the cost of the bike isn’t that exorbitant when you consider what and all you’re getting.
In line with the Blancpain Villeret collection’s elegance and clean lines, these two new models are exemplary additions to the well-loved range.