2020 BMW F 900 R & F 900 XR
R I D E R E V I E W
P40
ties between the F 850 and the new F 900, BMW
says the two bikes are very much different in just
about every way and share only a few part num-
bers throughout the motorcycle.
Okay, back to the engine. Compared to the F
850, the F 900 engine has a two-millimeter larger
bore (which pushes displacement up to 895cc),
redesigned cylinder heads, new forged pistons,
and a bump in compression. BMW claims the 900
divvies out 99 horsepower at the crank, which is
Problem is, not everyone has the bank
account to put a BMW in their garage,
mostly the younger crowd, a crowd
BMW desperately wants to tap in to. Get
'em young and there is a good chance
they will become BMW aficionados for
life. The Japanese manufacturers fig-
ured this out a long time ago, and many
European manufacturers have caught
on, too. BMW is slowly coming around.
The new F 900 XR ($8995) and F 900 R
($11,695) are proof.
What's Inside?
Here are two new affordable and approachable
middleweights that BMW is using to take dead
aim at the younger generation. A generation that
also may be new to motorcycle riding but isn't
willing to sacrifice quality and performance, and
bling, of course, while still wanting to be frugal
when it comes to their checkbook. But the bot-
tom line is they want a BMW.
BMW felt the previous F 850 GS was a good
inspiration for their new project. At the heart of
the F 900 is an 895cc inline two-cylinder engine
that was introduced in 2018 with the F 850 GS
but receives a 42cc increase. Like the 850, the
engine is built in China where it is then shipped
to Berlin for the motorcycle's complete assem-
bly. Despite the overall seemingly close similari-
(Left) Both F
900s come
fitted with the
same awesome
display found in
BMW's pricier
GS line. (Right)
BMW refers to
the naked F 900
R as its dynamic
roadster.
