Road Test

BMW F900 XR review

by Geoff Hill from https://www.mirror.co.uk Same engine, frame and brakes as the F900R, but a very different bike Small changes can make a huge different to a machine and the adventure version of this middleweight Beemer proves it by being much better than the naked roadster version, says Geoff Sometimes small is big. And before you think I’ve come over all Zen and am sitting on the stone floor of a hut halfway up Mount Fuji contemplating my hara and coming up with koan riddles, I mean that even small changes to a motorbike can alter its character completely. This can be a good thing, such as when Triumph moved the bars back on the Rocket III, and the pegs back and down very slightly, to create the Roadster. It was only a matter of an inch or two, but it made for a much sportier ride. It can also be a bad thing, like when Ducati moved the footpegs forward on the Diavel to create the XDiavel, effectively emasculating a brilliantly macho machine. Which leads me, naturally, to the BMW F900 XR. I’d just got off its stablemate the F900 R, which was good but not memorable, and although the XR has the same engine, frame and brakes, it feels like a completely different bike. Whereas the F900 R is a naked roadster, the XR is an adventure tourer and it feels like it from the moment you sit on it, with wider bars, and a more upright and neutral position, which not only means all-day riding comfort, but better visibility all round, including a better view in the mirrors. The TFT screen is the same simple but effective model as on the R. Riding off, it feels right from the start, with perfect low speed balance which on […]

BMW F900 XR review Read More »

BMW F900 R review: Nothing like a naked roadster on a freezing day

by Geoff Hill from https://www.mirror.co.uk Starring in his own remake of Freezy Rider, our man Hill tackles the elements to see if the Beemer has what it takes in the tough middleweight sector and finds it’s close, but not quite a cigar It was freezing, raining and blowing a gale – and I was on a bike with zero miles and new tyres. Perfect conditions, then, for pushing the limits of the Bavarian firm’s naked roadster whose mission, should it choose to accept it, was to give a good spanking to Triumph’s new Tiger 900 and the established and very popular Yamaha MT-09. “Mmmm. I’d start in Rain mode if I was you,” said Ian at the dealership, slapping me cheerily on the back and going back to his nice warm office, the swine. Oh well, I was obviously being punished after getting home from back to back launches in southern Spain and Morocco, and at least first impressions of the Beemer were good – compact but comfortable riding position, tilting you forward in a mildly sporty fashion on to the bars to give you a view of decent mirrors and a fairly simple but informative TFT screen. A quick toggle of the Mode button through Road, Dynamic and Dynamic Pro into Rain, another toggle of the Electronic Suspension Adjustment to solo rider with luggage to take account of the fact that I’m heavier than the average ride, three presses of the heated grips button to get them up to the maximum setting – and I was off. The fuelling at low revs was slightly snatchy and acceleration in Rain mode was a stately affair, and was never going to set my pants on fire, particularly since they were now soggy anyway. Why BMW designs very expensive suits with the

BMW F900 R review: Nothing like a naked roadster on a freezing day Read More »

Newly Published in the Cantina – read now

How to choose the best Bluetooth Helmet for your Road Bike With the prolific rise in technology, there has also been an influx of so called, “Smart Helmets” CLICK HERE TO READ about best Bluetooth Helmets. Motorcycle Museums Worth Making a Pit Stop For Can’t Miss these Motorcycle Travel Stops CLICK HERE TO READ THE REVIEWS OF MOTORCYCLE MUSEUMS. 2019 Kawasaki Z400 Vs. Ninja 400 How do the two 400s compare? CLICK HERE TO READ THE ROAD TEST REPORT. Triumph Resurrects Its Torque Monster, The Rocket III The all-new 2500cc inline three-cylinder engine has more torque CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW Triumph Rocket III. GET EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO 20+ YEARS OF BIKER CULTURE CONTENT – Subscribe to the Bandit’s Cantina. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx Click Here to Subscribe the the Cantina

Newly Published in the Cantina – read now Read More »

Scroll to Top