BMW F900GS
IN MANY WAYS, BMW’s new £11,995 F900GS is better than a big GS. It’s cheaper, nimbler, easier to manage, and with its bigger 895cc parallel-twin engine taken from the F900XR (up 10bhp to 103bhp), it doesn’t hang around either. Acceleration is potent, it handles tarmac beautifully despite running a 21in front wheel, brakes are superb, and there’s a pleasant roar from the Akrapovic can when you tickle the throttle.
It’s better equipped than the F850GS it replaces, too. Standard equipment includes heated grips, a manually adjustable screen, hand guards, LED lights, a 12V charger, phone/satnav holder, two-way length/height adjustable gear lever, two riding modes, traction control and cornering ABS. Being aBMW there are lots of accessories to lighten your wallet, too.
BMW has moved the game on in the way the F900GS performs off-road – and that’s given it a purpose. It’s no longer the cheaper understudy to the big GS – with its new chassis, fully adjustable forks, slimmer bodywork and chopped-down tail it now has the look of a hardcore enduro bike. It looks especially tough when you fit knobbly off-road rubber. It looks right and is right.
This is a GS that’s easy to ride in the dirt, even for the less experienced. The power is easy to control, and thanks to a 14kg weight reduction it isn’t a GS you need to wrestle, unlike an R1250GS or R1300GS. BMW has lightened the swingarm, sidestand, exhaust can, tail section, battery and headlight. The fuel tank is slimmer and made of plastic instead of steel. Capacity is down half a litre to 14.5 litres, but with a claimed 60mpg it should still give you a theoretical 204-mile range.
For pure road riding the F900GS is wise choice, too. It’s tall, spacious and feels every inch like a ‘proper’ GS with its chunky styling and large colour da
