2025-on BMW F900XR review: Lighter, sharper and more bang for your buck. BMW spruces-up its F900XR!

As before, the F900XR has 43mm upside down forks, but they’re fully adjustable for ‘25, adding an extra layer of sophistication. We’re using them on standard settings during our Spanish mountain blast and they behave impeccably.

Steering is crisp, there’s plenty of hard braking support and feel for front grip. We see no reason to fiddle, even during spirited cornering, but the adjustment is there to suit your riding style and weight. Our test bike is fitted with the optional semi-active rear shock, which gives the XR superb composure, excellent ride quality and the ability to fine tune at the press of a button.

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OE rubber will be either Michelin’s Road 5GT or Conti Road Attack 4. Both are confidence-inspiring, all-weather sports touring tyres.

New 1.8kg-lighter S1000RR-style cast aluminium 17in wheels and a 0.8kg lighter battery contributes towards an overall 3kg weight saving over the previous XR. Tipping the scales at 216kg full of fuel, the XR still has a degree of heft about it when you pull it if its stand, but for an upright, sporty tourer it’s still relatively light.

It’s easy to manage at low speed and won’t tire you out on the long haul. The reduction of unsprung weight from the wheels makes the biggest difference at speed, especially in corners. The XR now has a sportier, lighter, more agile feel on the move and gives the suspension a better chance to do its thing, resulting in a plusher ride.

Chassis balance is a highlight: the F900XR can be flicked about easily regardless of speed or surface, yet always with total composure and confidence-boosting manners. There’s no shortage of real-road braking power and feel from the four-pot Brembos.

Like most current BMWs the XR’s tail and stop lights are now incorporated into the indicators to give a cleaner-looking back end. The bodywork and 15.5-litre fuel tank remain unchanged, except for the plastic headlight surround, reshaped to smooth airflow.

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Handguards are now standard and as before there’s a two-way mechanically adjustable screen. Our test bike is fitted with the 30mm taller accessory version, which will keep you drier in the rain, but for a six-footer it makes a right racket at speed in its high position and only slightly less set low. We rode the new naked F900R on the same day and by comparison there’s zero buffetting. The XR’s lower standard screen may be quieter in the wind.

For 2025 BMW managed to retain the same power and torque, despite its Euro 5+ seal of approval. It still makes 104bhp and 69ft-lb of torque, but the figures don’t tell the whole story.

This is an engine packed with a huge amount of midrange punch, so much so you can stick it in sixth gear and leave it there for most of your ride. It’ll also pull strongly out of corners a gear higher than you’d expect, making it easy to cover ground quickly without having to dance on the gear lever.

Power hits hard at the top, too, when you’re feeling fruity. Despite its impressive performance the parallel twin is more of a workhorse than an engine built to thrill. The deep rumble from the 270˚ crank makes it the best-sounding parallel twin BMW to date.

Throttle response in Rain mode is super-smooth; there’s a tiny off-on step in Road mode, but you get used to it within a few miles. Get the Riding Modes Pro option and the extra Dynamic mode gives more direct response but brings a snatchy action too.

The donor F850 engine (and the F800 before that) are proven and dependable, so we wouldn’t expect issues with the 900 in terms of mechanical build quality. Specific power (bhp-per-cc) is modest and it’s not a highly-strung engine, which avoids any cause for concern.

Chassis parts are good quality, switchgear and dash are as used across BMW’s range, and the level of finish is like you’d get on a specced-up BMW costing almost twice as much.

However, our previous BMW F900XR owners' reviews are a mixed bag. Few owners speak of several tales of unreliable bikes. Have a good read through before you take the plunge...

The 2025 BMW F900XR will still have a Yamaha thorn in its side with the (currently untested) updated Tracer 9, which starts at £11,300 and another triple: Triumph’s new Tiger Sport 800.

Both the BMW’s rivals are class acts and will be tough nuts to crack when we test them head-to-head, but the XR is off to a good start on price… before you start adding extras.

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BMW have upped the level of standard spec for 2025. As well as its new fully-adjustable forks you get heated grips, an adaptive LED headlight, USB-C charging port, lean sensitive traction control and a cornering ABS system with a function to prevent you accidentally opening the throttle during an emergency stop. It comes in Blue, black, white/blue.

Our test bike is fitted with: the Dynamic Package (an extra riding mode, up/down quickshifter and electronic suspension) and Comfort Package (cruise control, keyless ignition, 30mm taller screen, sat nav holder and pannier brackets).

It also has a smattering of other add-ons that bring the price up to £13,740. As well as all the usual BMW accessories available, new additions for ’25 include a fruitier-sounding, 1.2kg-lighter Akrapovic end can, billet aluminium rearsets, wheel spindle protectors, lockable soft panniers and 25mm-taller seat.

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