BMW F 900 GS 2025: Road Test, Pros, Cons, Problems & Performance – The Full Review
BMW F 900 GS 2025: Road Test, Pros, Cons, Problems & Performance – The Full Review
This in-depth article will thoroughly analyze the BMW F 900 GS 2025, covering its pros and cons with a complete road and off-road test. We'll delve into real-world fuel consumption, top speed, and its on-road and off-road handling. This comprehensive BMW F 900 GS 2025 review aims to provide all the essential information you need.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Test: The Bike Reviewed
The test bike was a full-optional version.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Base Price: €14,600
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Full Options Price: €18,500
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Build Quality
The BMW F 900 GS 2025 has seen significant improvements in build quality over time, with continuous enhancements year after year. In this latest evolution, the overall quality and standard equipment have further increased. Today, from a quality perspective, it can be considered one of the best motorcycles in its segment.
It now features an adjustable fork, albeit as an optional extra, while radial-mount brakes are still missing. Notably, with the Enduro kit, the suspension quality is truly excellent. We don't understand why an 18-inch rear wheel wasn't adopted, as it would have expanded the choice of off-road tires.
The long list of accessories remains: the engine is already pre-drilled to accommodate excellent tubular protection in case of a fall, aluminum sump guard, option for a lowered suspension setup, various seats, and an infinite quantity of dedicated accessories. A further advantage is the emergency call system; those who travel alone will appreciate its utility. The bike is expensive – nothing comes free – but it's an example of superior build quality.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Ergonomics and Riding Comfort
For riders under 170cm, the bike's ground clearance is quite high. However, on the flip side, the leg angle is not at all extreme, and it's easy to stand on the pegs. In fact, the riding position is now more geared towards off-road use, placing you more "on top" of the bike, making it easier to shift quickly and stand on the footpegs. Even standing, the position is now perfect.
Controls are easy to reach, soft, and intuitive, if a little "crowded," but you quickly learn to navigate the various buttons that control the entire bike. The TFT instrumentation is truly easy to read in all light conditions (it automatically adapts to ambient brightness) and has the advantage of highlighting any malfunction or simply the need to refuel. The Connect function is very useful for those who can't do without their smartphone even when riding; it has the advantage of not distracting from riding while keeping you reachable. The maps and navigation function of the BMW Connect app are, in our opinion, good; we never experienced connection or functionality issues.
The seat offers good comfort for both rider and passenger, but ultimately, it's a sporty seat designed for serious enduro, less suited for long journeys. However, it holds the body well, is flat and long, making it excellent for solo off-road riding. The windscreen provides good protection up to legal speeds. A taller windscreen is available as an optional extra. Vibrations are absent.
The fork is softly sprung and absorbs everything, being fully adjustable, just like the shock absorber, which can be adjusted to your liking. The fuel tank, thanks to low fuel consumption, allows for good range. The gearbox is slightly rough but works perfectly, and the quick shifter's operation is excellent, smoother and more precise than in the past.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Suspension
The enduro kit fork is fully adjustable, works smoothly, and is perfect for the most challenging off-road use, catering to capable and fast riders. This marks a significant step forward compared to the past. It's easy to customize it to your riding needs and abilities. It's an excellent component.
The rear shock absorber, if possible, is even better, being fully adjustable in preload and hydraulics, at both high and low speeds. It's impossible to be disappointed or fail to find the perfect setting for your riding style.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Braking, ABS, and Traction Control
Another area where the BMW F 900 GS 2025 performs exceptionally well. It lacks semi-integral braking, which would have been ideal, but otherwise, the power, modulation, and low lever effort are among the best in the category. The ABS intervention is also excellent and programmable.
The ABS Cornering function works perfectly. The ABS can be deactivated if desired. Braking distances are excellent both on-road and off-road. The front brake's modulation off-road is notably superior to direct competitors. The ABS is calibrated for "idiot-proof" safety, performing its functions optimally in all conditions and providing significant assistance in safety, especially for fast riding on asphalt with enduro tires or on wet asphalt. There's nothing to add except that it worked perfectly throughout the test. Faster riders can even deactivate it; you might go faster, but not safer.
It's worth noting that the braking power is excellent, and the limit comes from the narrow front tire; essentially, any radial-mount calipers or greater braking power could not be fully exploited.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Engine Performance and Top Speed
The BMW F 900 GS engine is a superb engine, one of the best in its category, further evolved and competitive against other engines of similar or slightly larger displacement. It remains smooth from 2,000 rpm up to the redline, with a limiter that sharply cuts power, reminding you to shift up immediately. But there's no need to rev out every gear; there's plenty of torque, and keeping the engine in the mid-range provides all the performance you need.
Compared to its best competitors of similar displacement, it offers similar performance but significantly more smooth operation and torque at low and mid-ranges; overall, it's better. It might feel slower, but it's the exact opposite, precisely because of its smooth operation. Now, with the new tuning, it's more aggressive at high revs and extends faster, in addition to having a more decisive and sporty throttle response.
Indeed, it's easy to reach the top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph) without resorting to special tricks. The engine's ideal operating range is from 3,000 to 8,000 rpm; below that, it's less responsive, and above that, there aren't many advantages. At low revs, we always recommend using the clutch to shift gears, as the quick shifter is less smooth when shifting at low revs. The clutch, however, is soft, progressive, light to operate, and perfect.
Obviously, the engine's power is absolutely sufficient to maintain a cruising speed near 130 km/h (81 mph) on the highway and for long-distance touring with a passenger. Our test bike had the "Pro Maps" available; each map has a distinct personality: Rain provides remarkable stability in wet conditions, Road is excellent for city riding and touring, Dynamic for when you want to go fast, and Enduro Pro for off-road. All are well-tuned, always with safety in mind.
We also note that the Enduro Pro map is customizable in terms of engine response and stability control—a further "plus" that allows you to "tailor the bike to yourself."
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Gearbox and Transmission Problems & Functionality
The gearbox is precise, easy to operate, only slightly rough. When using the quick shifter, its operation is perfect. Sometimes, finding neutral isn't easy, requiring some practice, as the issue disappeared by the end of the test. The clutch is soft, progressive, light in its operation, and perfect.
Overall, we don't see any particular critical issues.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Handling, Maneuverability, Stability, and Safety
In the city, the BMW F 900 GS 2025 handles well, as it always has, but it remains a bike for open spaces. Nevertheless, the excellent work done by the suspension is noteworthy; it absorbs everything. The excellent braking and the perfect safety of the ABS and traction control operation are also standout features.
Highways certainly aren't intimidating; it's stable and secure. The steering lightens slightly at high speeds or in fast corners, but well beyond legal speed limits. If you frequently use the bike on highways, it's better to adopt a larger windscreen. Vibrations are nonexistent, handling is at its maximum ease, and long journeys are perfectly feasible. Only the enduro seat feels hard over long distances, which is normal for a specialized seat.
On rural roads, the fun and performance are abundant, although the fork and shock absorber tuning are clearly geared more towards off-road use than sporty street riding. However, it doesn't perform differently – or worse – than other competing bikes. Agile, stable, always safe and easy to ride, it invites you to lean and open the throttle, and only the traction control activation light reminds you that it's not a bike for racing on asphalt. For touring use, everything is perfect; no complaints whatsoever, a true BMW made for safe and relaxed travel.
It's a perfect bike with a great "big engine" that certainly challenges a setup designed for off-road riding rather than going fast on paved roads. And rightly so, otherwise, it would be better to make a pure street bike. On mountain roads, the bike continues to impress: nimble, quick to reach the apex of a corner, it's impossible not to be fast on mountain roads, especially when the route is narrow and very twisty. There's no need to rev out the gears; simply exploiting the engine's excellent torque and smoothness is enough to keep up with all competitors.
But it's off-road where the BMW F 900 GS 2025 is truly appreciated: the easiest to ride in its class, the most intuitive, the one with which a beginner achieves the best performance, but now fully capable of satisfying even the expert rider, thanks to suspension truly tuned for off-road, a virtually perfect riding position, and an engine always ready and responsive to throttle input. Extremely easy on simple off-road trails, it continues to impress even where the terrain becomes technical. The more difficult it gets, the more you appreciate the bike, which is significantly better than the previous 850 GS and even better than other more cumbersome alternatives. Whether it's tight or fast, the handling performance is always excellent.
The fork and shock absorber work very well, while the standard tires do their job well; they are good on the road and decent for light off-road. For challenging off-road, the optional "enduro" tires are excellent, which we tested, and which allow the bike to perform at its best off-road. In short, off-road, it has few rivals because it's very easy to ride – heavy, but less so than rivals; cumbersome, but less so than rivals. At the moment, it wins the off-road challenge against other potential rivals, especially for its ease of riding, chassis tuning, and engine response.
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Real Fuel Consumption
Fuel consumption is very low, around 22 km/liter (51.8 MPG US), which is excellent and the best in its category. Riding gently can exceed 24 km/liter (56.5 MPG US), while hard off-road riding rarely drops below 14 km/liter (33 MPG US).
BMW F 900 GS 2025 Review: Conclusions
The BMW F 900 GS 2025 did not disappoint expectations.
It's truly an all-around motorcycle, fast, comfortable, equally at home touring two-up with luggage, as it is for sporty riding on winding roads. It's one of the best street-legal enduro bikes overall, almost a motorcycle in a class of its own given its technical characteristics.
It's an ideal bike for those who start on paved roads from point A to reach point B and then begin a long stretch of off-road. Precisely for this reason, we don't understand the absence of an 18-inch rear wheel. Today, with this chassis, one can even consider real competition use, like rally raids. It's much closer to this use than other competitors.
Perfect for long-distance touring and truly all-around. It knows how to be fun on the road and off-road. Its only drawback, the historical one, is the price...
For more information, please write to: salvatelliluca @ hotmail.com.