BMW F900XR TE
Free of any sense of worthiness, BMW’S new XR is nimble, intuitive and priced to impress. Which isn’t good news for Honda and Yamaha…
If you stumbled into the police box piloted by that Dalek-fighting lass and were whisked from 1990 to 2020, chances are the F900XR would be as unbelievable as her larger-on-the-inside spaceship. BMWS used to be obstinate buggers. They had curious three-switch indicators, odd servo brakes, narrowboat handling and excess kilos. And now here’s the F900XR: an 895cc all-rounder that’s so intuitive, straightforward and simple to ride you hurl it around like a moped within moments.
It’s remarkably nimble at lower speed. The XR flicks in a way that defies its weight and geometry, yet without feeling flyaway or insubstantial. ‘The F900XR feels heavy when you pick it off its stand, yet transforms as soon as you move,’ says Bike subscriber Dom Mattock. ‘I’ve read about GSS feeling unwieldy when you wheel them around but being light as a feather when you’re riding. The XR is exactly like that.’ It’s smaller than the other two, noticeably so next to the spacious Yamaha, with quite a locked-in riding position. There’s little scope for shuing. Positioning yourself for high-speed antics isn’t as natural as on the sportier-feeling Tracer, though this doesn’t mean it isn’t brisk. ‘In some respect it’s easier to ride fast on A-roads than the Yamaha,’ continues Dom. ‘You go fast on the XR without trying, where the sportier Tracer encourages more effort.’
The BMW seems stiff after the plush Honda, especially on country lanes, but damping is impressive. Get greedy with the front brakes (best here, with superb bite, feel and power) and the forks are brilliant under load. This bike’s optional Dynamic ESA shock has semi-active damping, and its action is level and controlled. Roadholding is wondrously secure – in conditions where the Tracer is skittish the F900XR gives huge confidence. There are two ESA modes, Road and Dynamic; the blend of comfort and control is best in Road. It also has optional Riding Modes Pro, adding Dynamic to standard Rain and Road throttle modes for the big-bored F850 engine. The parallel twin supplies a rumbling GS soundtrack and bottom-end stomp, but is also free-revving right to the limiter. Well, as long as you give it a handful – a lot of wallop is released in the last bit of throttle travel. Dynamic mode gives even crisper response, but also a switchy on/off throttle. BMW say 105bhp; our dyno says 100bhp at the wheel. There’s more oomph than the Tracer all the way to 9000rpm, but the Yam carries on for another 2000rpm, makes 5bhp more and feels longer legged. Side-by-side tests show there’s nowt in it: from 30mph in third gear it’s a dead heat all the way to 80mph. Dom and I rate the engine’s character. Bike designer Paul Lang is less sure. ‘Sound and feel are closer to a Husky 701 single than what I expect of a twin. It’s a world away from my Ducati Monster. I’m not a fan of the quickshifter either – downshifts are clunky, especially at low speed.’
He’s far more taken with the five-star accommodation, frothing over the TFT display with phone connectivity, ergonomics and weather protection, despite this ‘Style Sport’ variant having a smaller tinted screen. ‘The XR’S slim in the middle with a lovely riding position, great headlight, toasty heated grips, and I’ve never known a bike clear rain off my visor so effectively – it’s like having a Dyson Airblade on the front. And the dash makes the Honda look like a 20-year-old Motorola.’ Though this TFT is standard, many fancy bits are extras. Standard spec has automatic stability control (simple traction), ABS and the two riding modes for £9825. This TE version has posh traction, cruise, extra modes, cornering ABS, pannier mounts and hot grips for £10,685... and also has the Comfort Package (Dynamic ESA, keyless ride, centrestand), Dynamic Package (cornering lights, DRL, quickshifter), Style Sport colours and tyre monitoring, making it £12,275. That’s lots, though it’s easily the highest spec. BMW want to nick Tracer sales (the Yam’s hugely popular in Europe), and out-extra-ing is a good way these days.
So is being a slightly different proposition. The XR might not fizz as much as the Tracer but it matches its performance, while also having the breezy nature and usability of a Honda NC750X, the quality and any-road confidence of the Crossrunner, plus the brand lure of that roundel. What an appealing motorcycle.
‘So simple to ride you hurl it around like a moped within moments’