2020 BMW F 900 R & F 900 XR
R I D E R E V I E W
P46
We like the
overall value and
performance of
the F 900 R.
encounter an unusually bumpy road, otherwise,
I never felt the immediate need to make any big
adjustments, front or rear.
After spending 120 miles on the R, I felt surpris-
ingly fresh with no soreness, which was a good
thing, now that I was about to spend the next 120
miles on the XR on many of the same roads we
rode the R on, as we head back to our original
starting point in Santa Barbara.
Part II: The XR
Like the R, I found the XR to be pleasant and
extremely pleasurable to ride. Everything I enjoyed
about the R, I pretty much enjoyed on the XR, but
there were a few notable differences. The XR, with
its slightly taller and wider handlebars, has a more
neutral riding position, though it's not radically
different than the R's. Despite having more wheel
travel, the XR did not feel all that much taller than
the R, which makes sense since the seat height is
only barely a half-inch taller than the XR because
of the XR's more scooped seat. The bottom line,
both bikes are extremely comfortable.
I might be in the minority here, but I preferred
the smaller windscreen of the R. The XR I rode,
the gold metallic version, comes with a taller
