MaybeweeGS
Registered user
Does the lack of chat re 2025 F900 XR mean nobody likes it or have folk bought it and found it so flawless they are overcome ??
F900 XR 2026
- Thread starter MaybeweeGS
- Start date
I’d imagine that it’s overlooked because most people on here will go for the 1000 XR as bhp is king .
Which is such a shame as I’d take the 900 over the 1000 every time .
Admittedly I’ve not ridden the 900XR but I have ridden the 1000 and found it a soulless uncomfortable sewing machine . Fast as fuck but zero character .
I had a Voge 900 with similar motor to XR 900 plus I’ve just done 500 miles in 4 days on 900GS in Gran Canaria . Same motor .
The bike was fabulous and the engine was a peach . Perfect fuelling and lovely power with great gear spacing . Sounds ace without being loud with the OE Akra , which XR doesn’t get . Only negative was GSAP which was shite .
I reckon it could be a cracker . Saw one in the sport colours and it looked good .
(Pic is from BMW, not GC )
Seems for 2025 they did make it a little better value. The 2024 bike I specced up came to around £15k. £13900 now if you take the base colour in red. Add another £655 for the red/white/blue.
However, compare that to the Tiger 800 Sport at £12445 with similar luggage options. The difference being you have to add packs to get cruise control and QS on the BMW where Triumph include them in the base package.
BMW need to stop having a headline price in poverty spec and actually have a base bike that customers want to buy without hitting the accessory catalogue with £3000 of stuff to get to a decent touring bike with luggage.
However, compare that to the Tiger 800 Sport at £12445 with similar luggage options. The difference being you have to add packs to get cruise control and QS on the BMW where Triumph include them in the base package.
BMW need to stop having a headline price in poverty spec and actually have a base bike that customers want to buy without hitting the accessory catalogue with £3000 of stuff to get to a decent touring bike with luggage.
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
having had a couple of 800 Tigers that "lost" oil i am now allergic to them !
The 2025 version has been "upgraded" as standard but ignoring the, price/value/extras/arithmetic, conundrum i was hoping for comment from folks that had actually riden one.
the negatives i have picked out, of some reviews, are that on the Side Stand it leans over far more than is necessary and it feels top heavy. It was unclear, to me, if the top heavy comment was related to hauling it up off the side stand --- or - .
I was hoping for some owner comment on those observations.
The 2025 version has been "upgraded" as standard but ignoring the, price/value/extras/arithmetic, conundrum i was hoping for comment from folks that had actually riden one.
the negatives i have picked out, of some reviews, are that on the Side Stand it leans over far more than is necessary and it feels top heavy. It was unclear, to me, if the top heavy comment was related to hauling it up off the side stand --- or - .
I was hoping for some owner comment on those observations.
I had a 2024 F900XR for a day whilst my R1200RS was serviced. Bearing in mind the boxer is a well balanced bike with a low centre of gravity, I did not find the F900 top heavy. I don't think there was any significant change to the design with the 2025 bike except cosmetic details and reducing the price.
As for the side stand, my RS was the reverse. Far too upright that you had to take care where you parked it. The extra, or normal lean of the F900 was fine.
Everything else about the bike was familiar BMW. Same switchgear but a slightly more relaxed riding position, which is what I was looking for due to hip pain when riding the RS.
Ultimately I went for a Moto Guzzi V85 Travel as it was new, reduced to 12k and came with almost every add on including luggage and of course shaft drive which I favour. Less power but the torquey V twin is nicer than the parallel twin with 270 deg crank. The V85 is comfier to ride as well.
Why not visit a dealer and try the bike yourself rather than procrastinating by getting views from people with different criteria to you? We are all different shapes and sizes and what works for me, used to heavy ADV bikes, might not work if you have not wrestled with a top heavy Tiger Explorer 1200 before! Most bikes do not feel unwieldy or top heavy to me after living with that thing for a while.
As for the side stand, my RS was the reverse. Far too upright that you had to take care where you parked it. The extra, or normal lean of the F900 was fine.
Everything else about the bike was familiar BMW. Same switchgear but a slightly more relaxed riding position, which is what I was looking for due to hip pain when riding the RS.
Ultimately I went for a Moto Guzzi V85 Travel as it was new, reduced to 12k and came with almost every add on including luggage and of course shaft drive which I favour. Less power but the torquey V twin is nicer than the parallel twin with 270 deg crank. The V85 is comfier to ride as well.
Why not visit a dealer and try the bike yourself rather than procrastinating by getting views from people with different criteria to you? We are all different shapes and sizes and what works for me, used to heavy ADV bikes, might not work if you have not wrestled with a top heavy Tiger Explorer 1200 before! Most bikes do not feel unwieldy or top heavy to me after living with that thing for a while.
I had a 1200rs and now own a 900xr. The only problem is the seat. So i changed that, apart from that its been a good bike and I use it for touring sometimes with a pillion no problem. The 900xr does have its own forum maybe thats why you don't see many posts on here
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
Visiting a BMW dealer tomorrow as it happens.
Your second post was a little more helpfull than the first.
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
Not too many posts on the 900XR forum - but i will look again - maybe i found the wrong 900XR forum.
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
I havev seen a lot of negative comment about the Standard seat -- what did you fit ?
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
wessie , apologies your second post was very helpfull.
my first post was addressing why they are scarce which is what you seemed to be asking. The scarcity is not because it is a bad bike, just a tad expensive for what it offers if you are interested in a chain driven parallel twin touring bike as you have to add accessory packs to match what comes as standard on much of the competition.
if you had framed your original question differently then you may have got my third answer earlier
I've had a couple of small cc XRs as courtesy bikes. I believe the seat raw materials come from Ailsa Craig. 
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
Having spent a bit more time on the F900XR Forum there is (unsurprisingly!) quite a bit of content relevant to the 2025 F900XR - but it does need searched for.
The Granite seat and Excessive side stand Lean figure get referenced quite a lot.
On the positive side folk that are happy with 100odd horses and 900cc generally like it.
The point is well made that many forum posters, across all motor cycle forums, only post when they have a problem so the opinions on bikes are slanted to the negative side.
The Granite seat and Excessive side stand Lean figure get referenced quite a lot.
On the positive side folk that are happy with 100odd horses and 900cc generally like it.
The point is well made that many forum posters, across all motor cycle forums, only post when they have a problem so the opinions on bikes are slanted to the negative side.
I had one as a loaner for a weekend and did about 400miles on it. Engine was lovely and it handled great on reasonable surfaces, however the seat was uncomfortable and the positioning between bars, arse and feet left me feeling somewhat cramped. i couldnt get comfortable on it.
Barry
Barry
Wunderlich has helped. To be honest 2-3 hour and I need a break anyway. Also I fitted lowering pegs to improve the knee angle
MaybeweeGS
Registered user
I had a seat on a 2025 F900XR yesterday --- i could not believe how far over it leaned on the side stand nor how heavy it felt to lift up ---With an Empty Tank .!
My interest in the bike has expired.
My interest in the bike has expired.
I took one for a test ride just after they were launched and enjoyed the bike but didn't, at that time, feel the need to get rid of my F800GS.
Roll forward to 2025 and youngest son makes a good offer for my F8GS, so off that rolls into his garage, whilst dad finds an early, no gizmos bike locally.
Turns out it is the demo bike that I rode some years earlier. Low miles, full service history and a good price.
Not done too many miles on it as it entered the garage not long before the salt started to be spread on the roads up here, but I put in 2 tank full rides and found the seat to be fine . . . but thats me coming from a F8GS and several XRV750 Africa Twins before that, so maybe I'm used to a harder seat.
Ride quality, handling, fit & finish all make me smile, so this machine, right now, works for me. I will be using it on many camping trips around the country this year, having added some "essential" bling, and I have no doubt it will still be making me smile, even after some good 300= mile days.
SteveT
Roll forward to 2025 and youngest son makes a good offer for my F8GS, so off that rolls into his garage, whilst dad finds an early, no gizmos bike locally.
Turns out it is the demo bike that I rode some years earlier. Low miles, full service history and a good price.
Not done too many miles on it as it entered the garage not long before the salt started to be spread on the roads up here, but I put in 2 tank full rides and found the seat to be fine . . . but thats me coming from a F8GS and several XRV750 Africa Twins before that, so maybe I'm used to a harder seat.
Ride quality, handling, fit & finish all make me smile, so this machine, right now, works for me. I will be using it on many camping trips around the country this year, having added some "essential" bling, and I have no doubt it will still be making me smile, even after some good 300= mile days.
SteveT
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