BMW F 900 XR 2024 — Specifications

When Munich decides to tailor a sport-tourer for the common rider, the result is something interesting to analyze. The S 1000 XR has long reigned over its segment with the arrogance conferred by its 165 horsepower, reserving pleasure for those who know how to tame the beast and who have the budget for it. The BMW F 900 XR plays a different part, more accessible, without denying the sporty DNA of the house.

The engine is at the heart of the reasoning. BMW started with the parallel twin of the F 850 GS, widened the bore to reach 895 cc, revised the cylinder heads, adopted forged pistons, and slightly increased the compression ratio to 13.1:1. Result: 105 horsepower at 8500 rpm and 92.2 Nm at 6500 rpm, for a wet weight of 219 kg. It’s not the most refined engine in the segment; the Yamaha Tracer 9 and its trio of cylinders remain smoother and more musical at high revs, but the Bavarian twin has a consistency in the mid-range that riders who ride fast on open roads truly appreciate. For A2 license holders, a version restricted to 35 kW is planned, which further expands the audience targeted by this BMW F 900 XR test.

The chassis borrows the steel perimeter frame of the GS 750 and 850, with the engine integrated as a structural element. The 43 mm inverted fork offers 170 mm of travel, the rear mono-shock 172 mm. We are clearly above a classic roadster in terms of suspension travel, which places the center of gravity higher and offers the rider that elevated position, that feeling of reading the road from a rostrum. The 825 mm seat height is reasonable for the category, and BMW has planned adjustments allowing it to be lowered to 775 mm or raised to 870 mm depending on the rider's build. The front braking system with its two 320 mm discs and radial four-piston calipers is directly from the roadster world, incisive and well-modulated.

The electronics, this is where the BMW F 900 XR 2024 plays its best and worst cards at the same time. As standard, the 6.5-inch color screen is legible, Bluetooth connectivity allows you to manage calls and navigation, Road and Rain modes manage ABS and traction control. Up to this point, it's consistent for a motorcycle displayed at €11,790. The problem arises when you look at the list of options. Semi-active ESA suspension, cornering ABS Pro, dynamic traction control DTC, bidirectional quickshifter, center stand, heated grips, cruise control, all of this is charged extra. BMW has built a motorcycle whose base price is competitive with the Tracer 9 or the Tiger 900, but whose actual bill quickly climbs as you start to tick boxes. Mentioning that the USB socket is not included as standard on a machine with a connected screen in 2024 deserves to be pointed out without circumlocution.

The BMW F 900 XR price remains nevertheless an argument in comparisons. For the sporty touring rider looking for a versatile mount without aiming for the extremes of the S 1000 XR, for the experienced driver who wants to get out of the roadster world without switching to the off-road capabilities of the GS, the F 900 XR offers an honest proposition. BMW F 900 XR used models are now negotiated at interesting prices for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 model years, making them a more accessible entry into the XR world. BMW F 900 XR accessories, including cases and top case, complement the touring vocation of the whole. It’s not the brightest motorcycle in its category, but it’s a consistent, well-built machine, and versatile enough to convince a wide spectrum of riders.