Here’s some news that everyone saw coming—BMW Motorrad has finally bumped up the capacity of their popular middleweight adventure bike. The 2024 BMW F900GS predictably borrows the bored-out 895 cc parallel-twin from its cousins, the F900R and F900XR. But what we didn’t expect, is how radically different the F900GS looks from the outgoing F850GS.
The 2024 BMW F900GS stands alongside another two new models—the BMW F900GS Adventure, and the down-tuned F800GS (not to be confused with the F800GS that was discontinued in 2018). All three bikes share several upgrades, but it’s the F900GS that’s most noteworthy.
Adventure motorcycles with rally-derived looks are trending right now and BMW Motorrad has taken note. Joining established bikes like the Aprilia Tuareg and the immensely popular Yamaha T7, the new BMW F900GS stands tall and skinny, with a forward-biased windscreen and an enduro-style seat. With no blocky dual headlights and only the tiniest of headlight beaks, it barely even looks like a BMW GS.
BMW’s intention is clear: they’re pitching the F900GS at riders who prefer dirt to asphalt—or, at the very least, want to look like they prefer dirt to asphalt. The relationship between the three models in the middleweight GS range hasn’t changed though; the F900GS is the core model, the F900GS Adventure adds extra long-distance capability, and the F800GS is a down-tuned version.
All three bikes have more of a kick now. The new 900 engine is 10 hp up on power from the outgoing 850, bringing its output to 105 hp at 8,500 hp, and it features updated mapping. The torque bump is more modest; a whole 1 Nm, bringing the 900’s torque to 93 Nm at 6,750 rpm. The F900GS Adventure makes the same numbers, while the F800GS clocks in at 87 hp (which, interestingly, is 2 hp more than the 2018 F800GS made).
Each bike comes standard with LED lighting, a TFT display with a Bluetooth connectivity suite, a keyless ignition, ABS, traction control, and a plethora of riding modes. All of them wear redesigned body panels and come in new colors. But while the F900GS Adventure [below right] and F800GS still loosely resemble their predecessors (the F850GS Adventure and F750GS), the F900GS [below left] is a different kettle of fish.
The new BMW F900GS not only looks a lot slimmer than before, but it’s physically lighter too. BMW has swapped the 850’s steel fuel cell out for a 14.5 l [3.8 gallon] plastic reservoir, wrapped the bike in trimmed-down body panels, and given it a new subframe. It also wears an Akrapovič muffler as standard, which is notably lighter than your garden variety OEM can.
That’s brought the weight down by 14 kilos, with the F900GS now tipping the scales at 219 kg [483 lbs] wet. Another upgrade is the Showa front suspension, which is now fully adjustable. The amount of suspension travel hasn’t changed much though; 230 mm at the front, 215 mm at the back, and a seat height of 870 mm (890 mm if you get one with the rad-looking ‘rally’ seat).
BMW has tweaked its ergonomics too, lowering the foot pegs and moving the bars to optimize the F900GS for off-road use. Enduro-style foot pegs, an upgraded brake lever, and an aluminum side stand are all standard on the F900GS, while all three bikes get a new folding gearshift lever.
There’s a hardcore upgrade package for the F900GS too, which includes everything from a heavy-duty chain to additional off-road-specific rider modes, and even a set of titanium nitride-coated forks. BMW’s excellent dynamic electronic suspension adjustment system is also available, ex-works, for the F900GS and F900GS Adventure.
Moving to the F900GS Adventure, you get an adjustable touring windscreen, a comfier seat, and a 23 liter [6.1 gallon] fuel tank. The Adventure also appears to share the core model’s Akrapovič exhaust, 21F/17R wheels, and suspension. It’s also pictured with crash bars and luggage racks, which BMW has traditionally included on GS Adventure models.
The F800GS [above] sits lower, with 19F/17R cast wheels, less suspension travel, and an 815 mm seat height. As usual with these down-tuned models, BMW is pitching it at newcomers, smaller riders, or anyone who doesn’t quite need the go-anywhere ability of its bigger siblings.
Each bike comes in a range of unique liveries, including BMW’s traditional white, blue, and red ‘GS Trophy’ scheme, and the unapologetic ‘São Paulo Yellow’ (which would be my pick, hands down).
There’s no denying that the new F900GS looks damn good (even if it does appear to have borrowed its headlight from the much smaller G310GS). What remains to be seen though, is whether it can tempt riders away from the competition. The Yamaha T7’s low-tech vibe and brilliant geometry have won it legions of fans, and although the F900GS now makes more power than the much-lauded Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro and only loses out on torque to the KTM 890 Adventure R, it still doesn’t have the same rally-bro appeal as the latter.
How well it fares will depend entirely on how well it rides.
Source: BMW Motorrad
