Page 1 of 2

BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:01 am
by Ben
bmw f900xr 2020 review spec price_41.jpg
bmw f900xr 2020 review spec price_41.jpg (145.55 KiB) Viewed 3767 times
BMW's new F900XR strikes me as all the bike anyone could ever need.

895cc parallel twin, 105bhp, 67ftlb torque (my ZX-10R makes 77ftlb), ABS, Traction contorl, TFT display, 12v socket, 220kg ready to go. £9825 to you, sir.

So... why wouldn't you buy one?

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 11:58 am
by RiceBurner
I've not ridden one yet - however: gut instinct says the Rotax derived parallel twin (which I believe this is) is one of the roughest feeling engines I've ever used (I've ridden the F650, both single and twin versions) and quite jars the riding experience.


I'd also say that 105bhp is quite a lot more than anyone 'needs'. ;)

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 3:14 pm
by Ben
It's 5bhp more than anyone needs.

+ you have a point about the motor (it's actually made by Loncin in China) but then most of the stuff I own is probably made in China and it's all very good. I doubt it would cause Honda's engine designers to lose any sleep but the last 'F' I rode was an F800GT and it was decent.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:02 pm
by oma
I like it but would I buy one?
I'd probably go for the MT-09 or I think a for a little more a Versys 1000 (or the 650 is a decent bike)

If it was the s1000xr , it would be a different answer

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:33 pm
by mangocrazy
It might be all the bike you need, but it certainly isn't all the bike I want. In that sector of the market my money would go on KTM all day long.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:09 pm
by Ben
oma wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:02 pm

If it was the s1000xr , it would be a different answer
Agreed. MT09 Tracer is a lot of bike for the money.

I had an S1000XR for the day and thought it was too much. It felt odd to have such a monster engine - inline 4 at that - in that type of chassis. A big twin works well in an adventure-type bike but that 4 was just eager to get going, all the time.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:59 am
by Gio
I'm told the seat is shit, but then thats par for the course with BMW.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:01 pm
by Gio
mangocrazy wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:33 pm
It might be all the bike you need, but it certainly isn't all the bike I want. In that sector of the market my money would go on KTM all day long.
Agreed, I love KTM's offerings shame I can't ride.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:29 pm
by oma
Ben wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:09 pm
oma wrote:
Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:02 pm

If it was the s1000xr , it would be a different answer

I had an S1000XR for the day and thought it was too much. It felt odd to have such a monster engine - inline 4 at that - in that type of chassis. A big twin works well in an adventure-type bike but that 4 was just eager to get going, all the time.
Im very tempted by the S1000XT but maybe not this year. :smt003 maybe

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:29 am
by snapdragon
Errm,
1, where's my camping gear/weekend go-bag/panniers going to sit?
ii) 220kg ?!
And B, how high is the seat?

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:14 am
by Ben
They do a version with panniers and you can buy them aftermarket too.

220kg wet is a real-world figure. BMW are one of the few honest manufacturers when it comes to weight.

SuperTenere 1200 264kg
Tracer 900 GT 215kg
R1200GS 245kg

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:42 pm
by snapdragon
I checked the seat height, 825 mm. So no, nitl . I'll stick.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:41 pm
by fatboy
I may be rapidly approaching retirement age but how the fuck does this compare with the Italian, Austrian and Japanese stompers that a lot of RS users own?
It may well tick some boxes on the spec sheet but it is in my eyes one ugly pig,Chinese made, I struggle to see any appeal

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 8:26 pm
by mangocrazy
It's a BMW thing, Paul. Some people 'get' them and then will buy nothing else. I'm completely unmoved by the 900 - it doesn't tick any of my boxes or raise my pulse by a single bpm, but obviously it does for some folk. For me a 20 year old Falco would kick its ass all day long.

Re: BMW F900XR - All the bike you need?

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:23 pm
by fatboy
It's not even a real BMW Graham, it has a Chinese generator engine in it. I owned a R100RT many years ago a will happily admit it was bloody brilliant bike if not a little pipe and slippers....
I fetteled it a bit !