BMW F900XR
BMW’S mid-capacity parallel twins are overshadowed by the German firm’s faster and flashier offerings, but six months spent with an F900XR TE shows it to be staggeringly competent and fun too…
Few machines are as immediately ‘right’ as the F900XR. Slide cheeks into the contoured seat and its sure-footed agility, willing engine, just-so ergonomics and remarkable togetherness put you instantly at home. You’re two-year confident in two miles. The XR'S an effortless commuter, chirpy on summer evening jollies and readily eats distance. You can spec it up with enough of-themoment extras for genuine desirability, too.
While these positive points will have you clawing for the PCP deal after a test ride, there’s a question mark over long-term appeal. The 900 isn’t as sporty as rivals such as Yamaha’s Tracer, and though BMW are seen as a premium brand its comparative affordability and workman-like air might not give the long-lasting pride of the firm's larger bikes. Is the XR really all the bike you need? Six months, over two thousand miles and judicious prodding of the £10,690 F900XR TE provides the answers.
Engine and transmission
‘Perfect for UK roads,’ froths Paul Lang, the XR’S custodian. ‘There hasn’t been one situation where I’ve needed more power. Makes me wonder why you’d buy an S1000XR?’
Bike’s design bloke can become a trifle enthusiastic, but it’s hard not to agree. These days the XR’S measured 100bhp (from a claimed 105bhp) doesn’t sound much but we need to put the 895cc parallel twin’s performance in context. It has fifteen horsepower more than the original R1200GS, and it’s enough to punch the F900XR from zero to sixty in just three and a half seconds, and tramp on to 136mph.
After half a year with the bike it still feels pleasingly perky in lower gears. The 900 accelerates eagerly to realistic road speeds, has a spread of torque that lets it stride from 20mph to the blue-light side of 80mph in third gear, and is calm during multilane hauls – 80mph in top (sixth) is a relatively relaxed and un-tingly 5000rpm. I reckon it sounds good too, with an edgier note than previous parallel-twin Beemers, though look-at-me Lang reckons he wants an aftermarket pipe to make the XR more audible at speed with earplugs in. It is true that the 900 doesn’t have any top-end whizzbang, so lacks the wheel-lifting excitement of, say, a Yamaha Tracer 900 or Ducati Multistrada 950. But this is the sort of thing you only really notice back-to-back riding them. The engine hasn’t gulped oil, sprung a coolant leak or had any behaviour tantrums either.
This bike also has the accessory ‘Gearshift Assist Pro’ two-way quickshifter (£330), which has proved reliably slick. Clutch-free changes are light and feel perfectly natural.
Handling and ride
Handling is a hard thing to measure. Sure, you can record lap times, or strap a load of strain gauges and potentiometers to the chassis to try and assess ride quality. But handling is rather subjective, and one the biggest things affecting your opinion of how a bike behaves and how easy (or hard) it is to toss about is confidence. When the original Yamaha R6 came out most riders gushed about its handling, but I never had confidence in its front-end feel – so, for me, it didn’t handle. The friendly F900XR doesn’t have such issues. It seems that everyone who rides it has instant faith in the BMW’S roadholding and capabilities.
‘The front end is the best part,’ blabbers Langy. ‘It feels secure and so confidence inspiring. I’m 25% faster through bends than I am on any other bike, and with 2000 miles of acquaintance I hold my own with riders who usually disappear to the horizon. This makes me very happy.’ Triumph make bikes with sharp steering geometry but that are stable, this BMW is the opposite with its superrelaxed 29.5˚ head angle and ample wheelbase. Yet it is fabulously agile. Light and standout nimble at low speed, the BMW is also breezy and easy to place on fast open roads, and never feels anything other than sucked-down secure. It’s this almost Honda-ish
mix of agility and stability, with ace balance, that brings so much chassis confidence. It was amazing in autumn rain and through winter slop. Ride quality is good too – the rear shock isn’t quite as finely damped and supple as the front end, but for a £10k bike the set-up is on the money. ‘Suspension is joyous on UK roads – it just handles bumps beautifully, and you glide around,’ confirms Langy. We both like the TE’S electronic suspension (adjusts the rear shock only) in Road mode, though. With the Dynamic ESA, that’s part of the Comfort Package, the ride is a bit too firm if you select the added Dynamic mode.
Electronics
A standard common-or-garden F900XR is £9830 and rolls out the dealer with two modes, ASC (automatic stability control, or basic traction), plus a swanktastic TFT dash with phone connectivity. ‘I really enjoy the BMW app that links to the bike,’ says gizmo-lover Langy. ‘It’s useful for getting directions on the dash, and for connecting to my Sena device for making calls and playing music. It’s really easy to use. You
‘There hasn’t been one situation where I’ve needed more power. Why would you buy an S1000XR’
can still have a regular accessory sat nav that you can control from the switchgear, but I’m not sure why you would.’ The ten-and-a-half grand TE model has cornering ABS, cruise control, extra modes and heated grips (plus pannier mounts). Using the cruise rapidly becomes second nature and the heated grips are great, but the sportier mode makes the throttle a tad switchy. Our test bike also boasts the Comfort Package with Dynamic ESA (makes the shock a bit firm), centrestand (useful) and keyless ride (‘every bike should have this system,’ according to P. Lang). On top of this is the Dynamic Package with DRL, quickshifter, and cornering lights that my eager colleague says are an option everyone should select: ‘They really help with confidence at night.’
Controls and comfort
There’s cunning in the XR’S bodywork. The fairing doesn’t look much but diverts blast like a proper sports-tourer. ‘I can’t figure out how the hell that minimalist plastic actually protects me,’ muses Langy. ‘Wind protection is top notch, and I love the screen and how easy it is to raise or lower with the neat lever, even at motorway speed. I prefer it set low.’
There’s something crafty going on with the seat and riding position, too. Like its larger S1000XR sibling, the 900 has a scooped-out seat that plonks you in a very set position – there’s little option for dodging back and forth – and the seat feels thin. The bike’s also noticeably less spacious than more adventurous rivals. Yet not only does the BMW stay comfy on long rides, it seems to work whether you’re a six-foot-plus beanpole like me or have minimal packaging, like five-footand-a-bit Langy. ‘That seat’s lovely,’ he chirps. ‘The riding position is so neutral, it’s easy to sit there all day. I’ve only had my son on the back but he says it’s a nice place to be, and has no aches or pains.’
The switchgear and dash functions take time to acclimatise to, and you may even have to resort to the owners’ manual. Once you’re acquainted it’s all easy enough, but the very many screens and sub-menus mean it’s tempting just to leave it on the attractive, clear main screen. And after 2000 miles it’s still annoying that the bit of the display showing trip, odometer, riding time, rest time and oodles of other information can only be scrolled through in one direction. Hunt remaining range, toggle past, and it’s into
‘Light, breezy and stand-out nimble, and yet the BMW never feels anything but suckeddown secure’
another distracting cycle of data to get back round. Still not convinced by the wheel thing on the left ’bar either because it does so little I can’t really see the point. (Its functions are increased on the new R1250GS, including control of the heated grips.)
We like the self-cancelling indicators, how easy it is to read the dash at night or in heavy rain, and the superb mirrors. Their qualities don’t jump out, but then you ride another bike and realise it’s just not as user-friendly as the F900XR.
Practicality
‘Loads of bungee points, especially as the TE has pannier brackets,’ declares Langy, who’s fond of strapping on. ‘Proper lugs, sturdy grab handles, number plate holder, pillion pegs – loads of places to tether stuff to.’
Despite being a mildly surprising 233kg with a full tank on our scales (14 kilos more than BMW claim), the compact and trim XR is easy to wheel in and out of a cluttered garage and an airy cross-town commuter. The tank’s fairly small at 15.5 litres, but with measured use you can eke out 200 miles. There’s a small toolkit under the seat but not really space for anything else, and unlike older BMW parallel twins the 900 has chain drive, not low-maintenance belt. It’s needed barely any adjustment though, and cleaning and lubing is simple with the centrestand (£120, or part of the Comfort Package). ‘So bloody useful,’ says Lang. ‘Why don’t all bikes have one?’ He’s equally chuffed with the headlight, describing it as, ‘quite literally brilliant’. Especially with the optional corning lights attached.
Quality and finish
Like every bike the brake discs soon look scruffy if not dried after wet riding. A longer front mudguard would be nice to keep crap off the exhausts and engine (BMW don’t offer one, but Pyramid Plastics do an extender for under £20). And the battery went flat when parked for a few weeks while the Lang family holidayed.
But overall the XR is good. Prices start under ten grand but finish is as fine as a sixteen-grand Beemer. Langy again: ‘My heart doesn’t skip a beat when opening the garage, but I like the sharp-edge styling – it looks like a bike of today.’ There’s no single-sided swingarm or variable valve gubbins, but finish, paint and switches feel reassuringly BMW, especially with the posh used-across-the-range TFT dash. Nothing has broken, worn or raised concerns in six months of use.