See The BMW F900GS From Every Angle

BMW will tell you the F900GS still has a beak sitting under its headlight, like all GSes before it did. You can kind of see one if you really squint, but the new bike really has that flat-faced Dakar style that’s so popular right now.

See? You can argue that there’s a beak. You can’t, however, argue that the rest of the F900GS bears much resemblance to other BMW adventure bikes. Look at how bare that rear frame is, how tall and open the front sits. This is the closest BMW’s gotten to a true purpose-built enduro since the HP2.

Previous images released of the F900GS all showed the European model, which carries some additional plastic on the rear end to move reflectors around. Here in the States, though, we just get the most compact tail section I’ve ever seen on a stock motorcycle. There isn’t even a tail light — the indicators do all the rear illumination work.

Overall, it’s a nice-looking bike. The new GS is far prettier than the old F850, and even beats out competitors like the KTM 890 Adventure R, though the Aprilia Tuareg may still prove too tough a challenger.

The new front end on the F900GS is a massive step up in looks over the F850GS. Almost as exciting, though, is the now-standard navigation bar that sits behind the tiny windshield. I wish I had such a convenient place to mount my Garmin on my own GS.

You can get the F900GS in other colors — black is the base, and your typical BMW blue/white/red is another available option — but if you do I’ll judge you for it. Unless you really need the enduro options, that only come in the M colors, you should be buying Sao Paulo Yellow.

Look at how little is happening in this rear end. Even the passenger pegs have big, exposed bolts, ready to be pulled off. It all looks, in the words of Hikaru Utada, simple and clean.

The new engine is bored out from the F850 bikes, bringing displacement up to 895 CCs. Unlike the old 360-degree twin from the F800 series, the only engine change between the new F800, F900, and F900 Adventure is mapping — no cams to swap out. It’s more vibrational than many of us on the trip expected, but no one would say it’s not a riot to ride.

That fancy Akrapovic exhaust is, surprisingly, not an option. As part of BMW’s weight reduction plans for the new bike, it’s the standard factory exhaust on even the basest models.

Our testers were equipped with BMW’s new M chain, which claims to allow a few more horses to make their way to the ground. I can’t imagine that’s wrong, but I also can’t imagine the difference is in any way meaningful. The gold looks pretty, though.

You may not believe that a bike with “GS” in its name can be a true off-roader. They’re all just touring bikes, aren’t they? Well, take a look at these foot pegs. Spiky metal, no rubber for the highway — not even an option for rubber. It’s a dirt bike first.

Rear brakes always have that serrated metal look, but this one is different, a factory dual brake controller for ease of use while standing. I’ve been meaning to add one of these to my own GS, but the F900GS just gets it from the factory.

Coming up on the eight hour mark after setting out on our ride, I was getting pretty tired of the F900GS’s seat. It was great on the dirt, nice and narrow between the legs, but dug into my bones after hours of highway speeds.

The base F900GS has adjustable suspension front and rear, though the back is only one-way malleable unless you pony up for the sport suspension. Up front, though, you also get a steering damper. I can’t say I noticed a major difference between it and adventure bikes without one equipped, but I also hit a sizable rock on a twisty mountain road and didn’t end up in a tank slapper. Hard to prove the steering damper did its job, but I’m glad I kept it rubber side down.

BMW wants the F900GS to be an enduro, but it’s not exactly the kind of lightweight dirtbike with lights that one generally finds in that segment. It’s an ADV, that’s undeniable, but one that hangs more with Teneres and KTMs than a Versys.