2024 BMW F900GS Review | BMW adds rugged new appeal to its middleweight adventure tourer

BMW have gone down a muddy new path with its new £11,999 F900GS adventure bike and it couldn’t be more different to the F850GS it replaces. With its bigger parallel twin cylinder engine, taken from the BMW F900R/XR and a new steel chassis, it’s lighter and more powerful, but crucially it’s evolved into a genuine, big BMW-badged enduro bike.  

That said, it’s still a 219kg, 104bhp machine and you need to have your wits about you, but the F900GS is always enjoyable and never intimidating.  

With an extra 10bhp on tap the F900GS is more willing on the throttle than the F850GS. There’s a nice bark from the new standard-issue Akrapovic exhaust can and the power delivery is smooth, manageable and controllable, especially in the off-road riding modes. 

Switch to the tarmac and the F900GS is every inch a GS with its big colour dash, familiar switchgear, wide bars and an even more spacious riding position thanks to 15mm higher bars and 20mm lower pegs.  

However, if you want a luxurious, adventure shaped BMW tourer to effortlessly gobble up the miles, the old R1250GS or the latest R1300GS is still the one to go for, especially to carry a pillion and lots of added luggage. 

The F900GS is perfectly capable of doing it all should you prefer a smaller, more manageable machine, but it never quite lit my fire. Whilst dynamically capable, it lacks the character of its boxer brother and indeed some of its middleweight rivals. 

With the likes of the Ducati Desert X, Honda Africa Twin, Honda Transalp, Husqvarna Norden 901, KTM 890 Adventure, Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro and Yamaha Tenere 700 all vying for position, the F900GS is up against stiff competition that sometimes surpasses it in terms of outright fun factor. 

Comfort aside, it’s hard to fault on the road. With over 100bhp it doesn’t hang, it’s neutral steering, stable and confidence inspiring through corners, despite running a 21in front wheel.  

Brakes are full of feel and power, too. But it lacks drama, handling predictably and perfectly admirably for a mud-plugger, but without but without any sense of excitement or rider involvement. 

Owing to a lighter swingarm, new aluminium side stand, exhaust can, tail section, battery, headlight and a slimmer fuel tank the BMW now weighs 14kg less than its former incarnation, making it noticeably urgent on and off-road, if lacking a character somewhat. 

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BMW have lifted their 895cc liquid cooled parallel twin motor straight from their F900R/XR. The new engine, up from 853cc thanks to 2mm bigger bores, new cylinder heads and forged pistons 2mm, gains 10 additional bhp. With14kg less heft to shift, the new motor offers greater grunt than the F850GS it replaces.  

Now lighter and more powerful than the likes of Honda’s Africa Twin models, you’d expect more urgency from the Beemer than you get. The engine has such a flat power delivery it’s easy to bang into its limiter when you’re not looking. It’s not underwhelming, but it is uninspiring. 

Quality is typically BMW. Finish is excellent throughout and there is an air of premium about the bike. Chassis parts, switchgear and dash are widely used already throughout BMW’s range, and should give few issues.  

The 895cc motor is a proven unit, with most owners reporting strong mechanical reliability. The few horror stories that are circulating are mostly related to oil leaks and it would be a good idea to take a look at our F900XR owners reviews to get an idea of how the GS will perform over time.  

BMW claim the F900GS should be good for 60mpg. With its 14.5 litre tank that should allow for a theoretical 204-mile range or around 323 miles from the 23-litre tanked F900GS Adventure.  

At 104bhp and 219kg, the mid-sized GS should hardly be a tyre eater, so expect good wear life from consumable parts.  

BMW have bestowed their mid-capacity adventurer with more goodies than ever. These include heated grips, a manually adjustable screen, hand guards, LED lights, 12v charger, phone/sat nav holder, two-way length/height adjustable gear lever, two riding modes, traction control and cornering ABS.  

BMW have still managed to slide in some extras on our test bike with a £480 Dynamic Package and even more toys, bringing the cost up to £14,180.  

Also available as an option is the £1430 Enduro Pack that includes a fully adjustable shock and chunkier forks, 24mm handlebar risers and wear-resistant chain, plus a handful of extras, bringing the cost up to £15,080.