Q Is it a true all-rounder?
SCRATCHING
Head out for a spirited ride and the F900XR, at first, feels a bit flaccid. It’s not slow, but the motor doesn’t seem interested in getting a shift on. There’s a backbone of anonymous efficiency, rather than red-blooded excitement.
The solution is to hold the throttle wide open. Up to something like 75-80% throttle, the engine responds smoothly, cleanly and obediently, but not passionately. Then in the last bit of twistgrip travel, it shunts you forwards at a startling rate. Switching to Dynamic mode helps speed the throttle up but it still benefits from a confident right hand. This isn’t a revvy engine — there’s a flat torque curve and loads of grunt from low revs — but a slow-action throttle. The more you put in, the better it feels.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the two-way quickshifter, which feels stiff and unwilling however you ride. It’s not a patch on the S1000XR’S.
Handling is fantastic. Despite ultrarelaxed steering geometry, the F900XR snaps into turns easily and eagerly, holding and adjusting lines effortlessly.
There’s tons of stopping power too, and the grip, feedback and confidence from the OE Michelin Road 5 GT tyres are superb, especially in the wet.
TOURING
At motorway speeds the motor thrums along quietly, mirrors stay vibe-free, and the standard-issue BMW cruise control is a great brain-saver. Upper body sits happily in a spacious, relaxed, mostly upright stance, the only gripe being the shorter-than-standard screen fitted to this test bike, a questionable element of the ‘Sport’ style package. Too much windblast reaches your head, even with the screen set to the higher of its two positions — hopefully not the case with the taller standard item.
The lower half is mostly comfortable. It’s a long way from cramped, but legroom is a little less than anticipated – not as generous as a Tracer 900, for example. The seat isn’t faultless either, feeling firm, thin, narrow and short. You sense the pillion seat lip in your bum.
COMMUTING
The F900XR is so easy to ride, beautifully balanced, and lends itself perfectly to the varied and sometimes claustrophobic daily ride. In traffic the clutch lever is light, and the throttle response nice and docile. The bike’s height is a great compromise — tall enough to give you a decent view, not so tippy-toe tall that you dread every traffic light and T-junction. The F900XR is slim too — you could definitely make use of gaps that a GS Adventure and its sticky-out cylinders would baulk at.
If we’re being picky, the sidestand sits the bike at an unnerving lean angle. It’s no drama on flat ground but you’ll think twice about parking on a slope.
‘The more you put in, the better it feels’