When I was called to ride the 2022 BMW F 900 XR, it is safe to say that I was excited to experience the riding prowess of this middleweight adventure tourer. We had the opportunity to ride the bike through some exquisite twisties around the hills in Kochi and some not so smooth tarmac too. So what does the update offer? The 2022 F 900 XR is now available only in the Pro guise that has all the bells and whistles. Along with this, the price has come down and it now costs Rs 12.30 lakh (ex-showroom). But does this update to the kit and pricing make it a compelling buy for anyone that wants a capable companion for long journeys? We try and find out!
What do you get?
In terms of design, not much has changed. The outgoing F 900 XR and the new one look almost identical. The newer model is being offered in only one colour option – Sport style: Racing red. The red and black panels help one spot this bike from a mile away. The semi-faired front has adaptive LED headlamps and a windshield with a 2-step height adjustment. One can push or pull on a lever behind the windshield to change its elevation. In fact, BMW has even given an option to adjust the brake and clutch levers. The build quality is flawless and the finishing of the bike is top class as expected when you are paying north of Rs 10 lakh on a motorcycle.
All the gadgets on offer
There is a beautiful 6.5-inch colour display that shows you various layouts and houses a lot of information and stats related to the bike. There is a dial on the left handlebar that one can rotate or nudge to navigate through the various menus in the instrument console. The 2022 F 900 XR also comes with keyless entry, heated grips, BMW Motorrad ABS and four riding modes. While these features were optional in the previous bike, now they are standard and make it one of the most well-equipped machines in this price bracket.
Ergonomics
The seat height stands at 825mm, which could be a bit much for riders with a shorter height but thankfully the bike is rather slim, making it easier for your feet to reach the ground. The overall riding position is neutral and even after clocking over 50km at a stretch, I did not feel tired or uncomfortable in the least. A good chunk of the journey was through winding mountain roads and the bike felt as easy to handle on then as it felt on the straighter sections. I did notice a little bit of resistance from the handlebar while turning but quickly got used to the weight of the front.
How is it to ride?
The very first thing that I have to mention is the smooth nature of the 895cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled motor housed in the chassis of the F 900 XR. The power delivery is rather seamless and it does not unsettle you every time you twist the throttle by a few centimetres. Partial credit for this goes to the excellent selection of ride modes. One can choose from four riding modes – Road, Rain, Dynamic and Dynamic Pro. When needed, the bike can easily pick up the pace and cruise effortlessly at triple-digit speeds thanks to the 103.5bhp of peak power and 92Nm of peak torque belted out by the engine. Yes, it is not going to pack the acceleration capabilities of a sports bike, but it is still quick enough to make any kind of overtaking manoeuvres.
| Engine | 895cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, DOHC |
| Power | 103.5bhp@8500rpm |
| Torque | 92Nm@6500rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Seat height | 825mm |
| Front tyre | 120/70 ZR 17 |
| Rear tyre | 180/55 ZR 17 |
| Fuel tank capacity | 15.5 litres |
The front USD forks might not be adjustable but the rear monoshock is. In fact, one can electronically set the height of the suspension to three different levels. Despite this, the front suspension does feel softer than the rear. The rear can feel a bit hard and not as comfortable but one does quickly get used to the setup. A slightly softer setting for the rear would have complimented the setup better. Do not get me wrong, the bike feels absolutely confident in corners and also has a lean angle calculator. While I could only achieve a maximum lean of about 42 degrees, others were able to take it 3-4 degrees more. Both tyres give the bike an excellent grip and you feel like you are almost sailing through tarmac. However, the F 900 XR did feel a bit more nervous when we encountered a patch that was still under construction. The rear would feel somewhat uncertain and aggressive tuck on the accelerator could result in loss of traction.
As for the brakes, you get dual 320mm discs at the front and a single 265mm one at the back. On top of dual-channel ABS, the bike also gets cornering ABS, a traction control system and the ability to switch off the rear ABS. The result of these safety nets is a bike that you can ride without fear of something unexpected going wrong. Even if you make a mistake or come in too hot for a corner, the brakes will safely and gently slow your pace down.
Final word
Keeping in mind that the BMW F 900 XR is an update, it does rebalance the package to make this bike one of the most compelling adventure tourers in its category. For the price you pay, you get a refined machine with high quality finishing all around. It indeed feels like an expensive and premium product. Plus, the barrel of features thrown into the Pro iteration of the bike make it a very capable motorcycle even in the hands of someone who might still be getting to grips with riding big bikes.
