BMW F 900 R 2025 road test review strengths weaknesses problems performance top speed opinions reviews everything you (really) need to know

 

 

 

  

 

BMW F 900 R 2025 road test review strengths weaknesses problems performance top speed opinions reviews everything you (really) need to know

The bike on test:

The 2025 BMW F 900 R starts at €9,650.

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Build quality

There is nothing to complain about in the overall quality of the 2025 BMW F 900 R, well made, with quality plastics, excellent technical equipment, 6.5-inch TFT instrumentation, top-of-the-line electronics (especially with the optional ABS Pro and Pro maps), long list of accessories to customize the bike for sport or touring.

For the rest, the controls are of excellent workmanship, sturdy and wide footrests, and really comfortable and easy to use passenger handles.

A windshield is missing as standard, but is available as an optional in two sizes.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Ergonomics and ride comfort

The 2025 BMW F 900 R, with its combinations of seats, windshields, and suspension height, is completely customizable in terms of riding position, so much so that even the shortest riders will find a bike where it is easy to touch the ground with their feet.

The riding position is slightly sporty, with the torso slightly leaning forward and the legs slightly angled; the passenger is equally comfortable, thanks to the solid seat, effective handles, and footrests that are not too close to the seat surface.

A windshield is missing, which is an absolute must to exploit the bike's full potential, otherwise it is tiring to travel for long periods above 110 km/h.

The vibrations are barely noticeable but not annoying even after many hours in the saddle and are only noticeable at high revs.

Suspensions set to be “stiff” but not too stiff, and with the optional ESA the shock absorber can be easily and effectively calibrated with a click...

Easy and smooth to operate controls, top-of-the-range instrumentation and more.

Among the medium-displacement naked bikes, it is the best in its category in terms of comfort.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 Suspension Test

The 2025 BMW F 900 R can be equipped with Dynamic ESA, an optional extra that we highly recommend, so you can set the suspension to Road or Dynamic, whether you're riding alone, in pairs or with luggage.

A great convenience that allows you to always have the correct shock absorber calibration.

An excellent solution, the only motorcycle in its category to adopt it.

It's a shame that it isn't extended to the fork, which however works well and has a good compromise calibration, not too stiff nor too soft, but still adjustable.

Both the fork and the shock absorber are valid and allow everyone to customize the calibration according to their needs.

In conclusion, a valid technical equipment, a compromise between sport and touring.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Braking and traction control

The 2025 BMW F 900 R has a valid, powerful and adjustable braking system, not aggressive in the initial part of braking, but powerful overall, easily manageable and with short stopping distances.

The low weight of the motorcycle makes it easier to achieve short stopping distances.

The ABS works very well, as always some will find it invasive in sporty driving, as does the traction control, but we are going beyond the norm...

For the type of motorcycle, it seems to us to be a good compromise in this case too and absolutely competitive with its direct competitors, in fact often better than other motorcycles.

Cornering ABS is an uncommon feature in this price range, providing additional safety and demonstrating the overall quality of the bike.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Engine performance top speed

The engine of the 2025 BMW F 900 R 900cc confirms the excellent characteristics of the BMW parallel twin engine.

Very smooth in operation, it has a good torque curve, even if, in our opinion, it seems “suffocated and strangled” by anti-pollution regulations.

The three available maps: Rain, Road and Dynamic (the latter optional) are well spaced out from each other. The road map is great in the city, but for fun you need the Dynamic map, which is quicker and more responsive to the call of the gas.

Overall performance is excellent from a touring perspective, while for sports use one would ask for more grit at high revs, which is not lacking but the regularity makes this engine seem less high-performance than it actually is.

Ultimately, to go really fast, you don't need to constantly hit the limiter; it's better to take advantage of the engine's good torque and smoothness. From 3,000 to 8,000 rpm, it's pure fun without requiring effort, entertaining without stressing out trying to reach the redline.

This also means less effort in sporty driving, where you can even allow yourself to exit a corner with a higher gear and still be very fast.

The maximum speed is between 220 km/h and 230 km/h, the difficult thing is reaching it given the lack of aerodynamic protection and therefore the maximum speed itself is greatly influenced by the build of the driver and his clothing.

Overall, despite our criticisms, it is a well-made and competitive engine. It is not the most powerful, but it has plenty of torque at low and medium revs, a good compromise for those who use the

bike in the city, for touring, even as a couple, and for sporty road use.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Gearbox

The 2025 BMW F 900 R can also be equipped with an electric gearbox.

The gearbox is slightly rough, but precise, with a limited travel, silent and fast.

Using the electric assisted is very fast and there is no criticism to be made.

It performed flawlessly throughout the entire test.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Riding skills Handling Stability Safety

The 2025 BMW F 900 R has a slightly high seat (for those 160cm tall), but the bike handles very well when stationary.

In the city it is very pleasant and easy to ride, safe, an excellent motorbike for commuting from home to the office, very comfortable and practical to use.

While tiring on motorway transfers, where the lack of real aerodynamic protection is felt, it proves to be one of the easiest and most fun bikes to ride on winding routes.

Easy to handle and precise, it leans quickly but always precisely; once the trajectory has been set, it maintains it as if on rails.

Extremely safe on viaducts and high-speed bends, it is not affected by crosswinds or truck slipstreams, at least not to any significant extent.

It always requires little driving effort to go fast, always making everything very simple, easy and safe.

Even with a passenger, the situation remains the same: in fact, the dynamic behavior of the motorcycle is not affected in the least by the presence of the second guest, also thanks to the suspension with ESA which always allows for optimal calibration of the shock absorber.

Excellent and competitive on narrow mountain roads, where, if you want, it can maintain the pace of a sports car on the road.

It is equally competitive on all those winding roads, where the top speed does not exceed 110 km/h, where the frame geometry, braking and above all the engine torque allow you to be fast with very little effort.

So, as long as there are no long straights, where it is the air pressure rather than the engine that slows down, you discover that you can maintain high speeds, like a sports car on the road, with less effort.

It is undoubtedly not the fastest in its category on the track, but even on the road there are some that brake harder, some that lean faster, some that have stiffer suspension suited to sporty riding, some that have less invasive ABS, on the other hand it is the easiest to ride, the one that instills the greatest driving safety, the least tiring and the most pleasant and fun to ride with two, as well as the most comfortable for rider and passenger.

A fun, safe, easy-to-ride motorcycle that's at ease on any road (except the motorway), a true all-rounder, we might say; it's a joy to use on the commute to the office, on trips to the lake, but also on a mountain pass with friends and, if desired, even for long-distance touring, given its provision for panniers and excellent load capacity.

In this respect it is unique in its category.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Real-world fuel consumption

In the test the 2025 BMW F 900 RIt had an average consumption of around 25 km/l, with peaks of 28 km/l and a maximum consumption that barely dropped below 20 km/l.

Excellent values overall which testify to the qualities of the BMW F 900 engine.

  

BMW F 900 R 2025 test Conclusions, advantages and disadvantages

The 2025 BMW F 900 R has proven to be a motorcycle of excellent construction quality, with many components that increase passive safety, such as the Cornering ABS, and others that are unique in the category, such as the excellent ESA.

Years go by but it remains a valid, practical, reliable, long-lasting motorcycle.

It's expensive, that's true, but it offers technical features that are often unknown to competitors and often even to higher category motorcycles.

It should also be noted that the "basic" version has a competitive price, despite its excellent build quality.

Excellent for safety, absolutely the most comfortable for traveling as a couple and certainly the easiest and safest to drive.

For some, it might lack the “adrenaline” rush, but its rationality allows you to enjoy the

motorbike in all its aspects, alone, to go to work, for tourism, as a couple, the most versatile motorbike in its category, this is beyond doubt.

It may lack that “pinch” of braking and rigidity, but competitors with these characteristics cannot boast the same versatility, comfort, safety and ease of driving.

An excellent naked, 100% BMW, for safety, comfort, versatility and ease of riding, as well as excellent performance.

Price can be a barrier.

If you have any other questions or concerns, or would like to report any problems with this bike, please write to: salvatelliluca @ hotmail.com