Bike Files: BMW F 900 R/F 900 XR

BMW’s underrated twins are an often overlooked option in the middleweight motorcycle sector…

BMW twins, without cylinders sticking out the side?

That’s right, the F 900 range is powered by parallel twin engines and not BMW’s traditional flat twin layout (those are the ones with the cylinders sticking out). It’s not a particularly new concept though, as the first ‘F-series’ parallel twin models appeared in 2008.

Although they’ve never quite grabbed the headlines in the same way as the R series range (that’s the ones with the flat twins) they’ve been good sellers which are a bit more mainstream and accessible to a wider range of riders. The current 900 range consists of the adventure-styled GS and the R and XR, which we’re focussing on here.

What are the F 900 R and F 900 XR all about?

The R is a naked roadster, in the style of a KTM Duke or Triumph Street Triple, while the XR is more of a sports tourer/ADV crossover, akin to a Triumph Tiger Sport or Yamaha Tracer. Both share the same 895cc, 105bhp engine but have fairly significant chassis differences in order to help them meet their respective design briefs.

What are the differences between the F 900 R and F 900 XR?

With 35mm taller suspension (which only translates to a 5mm taller seat height), bigger fuel tank, more upright ergonomics and a neat fairing to aid its touring ability, the XR looks and feels bigger, and is more comfortable to ride. Technically, though, they are very similar, hence us bundling them together for the purpose of this Bike File.

As well as the engine spec being the same, they both use the same steel frame and have very similar specification levels, for example they have the same Brembo braking set up and have sporty 17” wheels fitted with the same sized tyres both front and rear.

So what do the F 900 R and F 900 XR ride like?

The parallel twin engine is very punchy. Top end thrills aren’t quite as much as the rivals from KTM or Triumph we mentioned earlier, but that doesn’t really matter too much – especially on the XR, which has been designed to be more relaxed and long legged. They’re surprisingly capable and fun machines, as can be seen with the F 900 R Cup racing series.

Race series? Tell us more?

BMW has a one-make race series for the F 900 R, which takes place at selected British Superbike Championship rounds. It’s designed as a budget race series, to showcase the BMW’s capabilities while letting amateur competitors strut their stuff in front of big crowds and the TV cameras. It’s cut and thrust action, which provides plenty of thrills despite minimal modifications to the race bikes.

On the road, both bikes can certainly boogie – even if you wouldn’t call them high performance motorcycles. It’s a quality product, as you’d expect from anything wearing the BMW badge.

But BMWs are expensive, right?

The F series has always been one of BMW’s more affordable ranges and that remains true here. Both the F 900 R and F 900 XR are well priced against the competition, in many cases even costing less, but there is a big but (we cannot lie) because a lot of the cool spec costs extra. If you want the Comfort Pack, with heated grips, cruise control and keyless ignition, that’s extra.

If you want the Dynamic Pack, with more riding modes, quickshifter and electronic suspension, it will cost extra. Some of the colours cost extra and, overall, it’s easy to add more than 25% to the RRP by ticking enough option boxes. With all the spec, it feels less sharply priced, but it’s still an excellent proposition which is well built and very accessible to a wide range of riders.

So what does come as standard?

On the latest ones the spec is still good. There is a really cool TFT dashboard, really intiative switchgear, multiple riding modes, Brembo brakes, cornering ABS, good quality tyres… The XR also gets an adjustable screen and, overall, it’s a decent spec for a middleweight machine.

Why should I buy a BMW F 900 R?

You like the idea of a sporty and accessible naked middleweight twin but find the idea of a KTM a bit too extreme.

Why should I buy a BMW F 900 XR?

You want a capable all-rounder which is capable of munching miles, while being affordable, accessible and fun to ride on a sunny Sunday morning. It gives a lot of the dynamics of an upright adventure bike, while being lighter and lower than most bikes of its time.

What about the other F-series BMWs?

They’ve been around for years now, with the F 800 R (the successor to the 900) being introduced in 2009 and providing a solid second hand buy. Most F-series machines are in GS spec, providing a more accessible and affordable entry to the legendary GS adventure bike than the bike boxer twin examples, like the R 1250 GS. These are more commonplace than the XR, making them easier to find on the second hand market.