First look: The 2024 BMW F900GS, F900GS Journey and F800GS

Right here’s some information that everybody noticed coming—BMW Motorrad has lastly bumped up the capability of their well-liked middleweight journey bike. The 2024 BMW F900GS predictably borrows the bored-out 895 cc parallel-twin from its cousins, the F900R and F900XR. However what we didn’t anticipate, is how radically completely different the F900GS seems to be from the outgoing F850GS.

The 2024 BMW F900GS stands alongside one other two new fashions—the BMW F900GS Journey, and the down-tuned F800GS (to not be confused with the F800GS that was discontinued in 2018). All three bikes share a number of upgrades, however it’s the F900GS that’s most noteworthy.

Journey bikes with rally-derived seems to be are trending proper now and BMW Motorrad has taken word. Becoming a member of established bikes just like the Aprilia Tuareg and the immensely well-liked Yamaha T7, the brand new BMW F900GS stands tall and thin, with a forward-biased windscreen and an enduro-style seat. With no blocky twin headlights and solely the tiniest of headlight beaks, it barely even seems to be like a BMW GS.

BMW’s intention is evident: they’re pitching the F900GS at riders preferring dust to asphalt—or, on the very least, need to seem like they like dust to asphalt. The connection between the three fashions within the middleweight GS vary hasn’t modified although; the F900GS is the core mannequin, the F900GS Journey provides additional long-distance functionality, and the F800GS is a down-tuned model.

All three bikes have extra of a kick now. The brand new 900 engine is 10 hp up on energy from the outgoing 850, bringing its output to 105 hp at 8,500 hp, and it options up to date mapping. The torque bump is extra modest; an entire 1 Nm, bringing the 900’s torque to 93 Nm at 6,750 rpm. The F900GS Journey makes the identical numbers, whereas the F800GS clocks in at 87 hp (which, curiously, is 2 hp greater than the 2018 F800GS made).

Every bike comes commonplace with LED lighting, a TFT show with a Bluetooth connectivity suite, a keyless ignition, ABS, traction management, and a plethora of using modes. All of them put on redesigned physique panels and are available in new colours. However whereas the F900GS Journey [below right] and F800GS nonetheless loosely resemble their predecessors (the F850GS Journey and F750GS), the F900GS [below left] is a unique kettle of fish.

The brand new BMW F900GS not solely seems to be so much slimmer than earlier than, however it’s bodily lighter too. BMW has swapped the 850’s metal gasoline cell out for a 14.5 l [3.8 gallon] plastic reservoir, wrapped the bike in trimmed-down physique panels, and given it a brand new subframe. It additionally wears an Akrapovič muffler as commonplace, which is notably lighter than your backyard selection OEM can.

That’s introduced the load down by 14 kilos, with the F900GS now tipping the scales at 219 kg [483 lbs] moist. One other improve is the Showa entrance suspension, which is now absolutely adjustable. The quantity of suspension journey hasn’t modified a lot although; 230 mm on the entrance, 215 mm on the again, and a seat peak of 870 mm (890 mm in the event you get one with the rad-looking ‘rally’ seat).

BMW has tweaked its ergonomics too, decreasing the foot pegs and shifting the bars to optimize the F900GS for off-road use. Enduro-style foot pegs, an upgraded brake lever, and an aluminum facet stand are all commonplace on the F900GS, whereas all three bikes get a brand new folding gearshift lever.

There’s a hardcore improve package deal for the F900GS too, which incorporates every part from a heavy-duty chain to extra off-road-specific rider modes, and even a set of titanium nitride-coated forks. BMW’s glorious dynamic digital suspension adjustment system can also be accessible, ex-works, for the F900GS and F900GS Journey.

Transferring to the F900GS Journey, you get an adjustable touring windscreen, a comfier seat, and a 23 liter [6.1 gallon] gasoline tank. The Journey additionally seems to share the core mannequin’s Akrapovič exhaust, 21F/17R wheels, and suspension. It’s additionally pictured with crash bars and baggage racks, which BMW has historically included on GS Journey fashions.

The F800GS [above] sits decrease, with 19F/17R solid wheels, much less suspension journey, and an 815 mm seat peak. As standard with these down-tuned fashions, BMW is pitching it at newcomers, smaller riders, or anybody who doesn’t fairly want the go-anywhere capacity of its larger siblings.

Every bike is available in a variety of distinctive liveries, together with BMW’s conventional white, blue, and crimson ‘GS Trophy’ scheme, and the unapologetic ‘São Paulo Yellow’ (which might be my decide, fingers down).

There’s no denying that the brand new F900GS seems to be rattling good (even when it does seem to have borrowed its headlight from the a lot smaller G310GS). What stays to be seen although, is whether or not it could possibly tempt riders away from the competitors. The Yamaha T7’s low-tech vibe and good geometry have gained it legions of followers, and though the F900GS now makes extra energy than the much-lauded Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Professional and solely loses out on torque to the KTM 890 Journey R, it nonetheless doesn’t have the identical rally-bro enchantment because the latter.

How nicely it fares will rely solely on how nicely it rides.

Supply: BMW Motorrad