The 2024 F 900 GS is a completely revised platform for BMW. Literally everything about the bike has changed from the previous 850 and 800 GSes. Despite familiar looks, for instance, the chassis is completely new. The running has been likewise upgraded, and the engine revised (using basically the same powertrain that can be found in the F 900XR). Even the rider ergonomics for off-road riding have been tweaked, and did I mention that, like its big brother, the R 1300 GS, BMW managed to shave a whopping 14 kilograms (30.9 lbs) off the overall package?
That substantial weight loss is largely thanks to 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lbs) saved by switching to a plastic fuel tank from the previously steel version. There’s also another 2.4 kilograms (5.3 lbs) loss at the rear end, and a further 1.7 kilos (3.7 lbs) lost by switching to an Akropovič silencer, which is now standard-issue on all F 900 GS trims.
Rolling on off-road-oriented 21-inch front and 17-inch rear cross-spoke tubeless wheels, the new baby GS now feels even more at home in the dirt, the bridge-type steel-frame construction — with the engine a load-bearing contributor — offering superior rigidity and more responsiveness to rider input more any of its predecessors. Not only that, the GS’s slimmer and lighter rear end allows for almost a playfulness in the rough stuff, greatly enhancing the F 900’s off-road capability.
Enhancing that off-road worthiness are some distinct knee pockets crafted into the gas tank that allow the rider to alter weight distribution with a forceful squeeze of inner thigh. That said, there could be a smoother transition from tank to seat so that said knee felt like it was pushing against a continuous flush surface. Details to be sure, but BMW appears to be serious about maximizing the F 900 GS’ deep-woods ability.
Even the base F 900 GS offers impressive suspension travel, with 230 millimetres up front and 215 mm in the rear via a fully adjustable Showa fork and a rear strut. Although I didn’t get a chance to take the stock suspension through its paces off-road, on-road it was completely competent and didn’t dive overly while braking into corners. With the Enduro Pro package, however, the GS gets upgraded Sport suspension which offers stiffer compression and more responsive rebound damping from the gold-plated Showa 45-mm fully-adjustable fork, and a fully-adjustable — high- and low-speed compression, as well as rebound damping — ZF Sachs rear strut and shock.
For comparison, the Enduro Pro’s ZF Sachs spring allows for a 25% wider adjustment range than the stock shock, which I found comes in mighty handy while switching from on- to off-road. I found the suspension to be slightly stiff — for my light(ish) 145 pounds (with gear!) — but luckily, it’s easy to adjust (I ended up softening the fork compression’s damping, as well as both the slow-speed compression and rebound damping on the rear shock).
So fettled, the Sport Enduro suspension becomes impressively compliant, that extra range of adjustability appreciated because most stock suspensions systems can’t be made compliant for a rider like me. Of course, the Sport suspension will prove as equally valuable for larger riders, and, regardless of your suspension options, you can purchase BMW’s top-of-the-line Electronic Suspension Adjustment for both the GS and the GSA models, the latter being the upcoming “Adventure” model, which we were, unfortunately, unable to ride at the launch.
The F 900’s parallel twin is, as you’d expect, based on the previous F 850, first introduced in 2018. With displacement increased to 895 cc (from 853 cc previously) via a two-millimetre bigger piston, the bore and stroke now stand at an even more oversquare 86 mm by 77 mm. It also sports a novel 270-/450-degree firing interval — for smoother torque production and a more V-twin-like exhaust note — and produces 105 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 68.6 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 rpm. The rear sprocket also now boasts three more teeth (47 teeth versus the previous 44) with the gear reduction multiplying the sensation of more low-down grunt, particularly handy for the steep hills we encountered off-road.
In fact, all that low-end grunt saved my bacon when I accidentally upshifted into neutral instead of second while approaching a hill. I quickly popped it into second gear, knowing it would be a gamble as I had lost all my momentum. Thankfully, that shorter overall gearing and extra 42 cc of torque proved their worth as, without hesitation, the F 900 powered up the hill, disguising (hopefully) my gear-shifting faux pas.
Despite all that off-road ability, the F 900 GS still offers an ideal platform for touring. As we wound our way through the steeply-walled canyons of southern Spain, I attempted to find the limits for the capability of this bike, but was only met with competency. When I would purposefully try to slide the rear end, I was impressed that it didn’t take much rider input to bring it back in line.
The versatility of this new model is much enhanced due to adjustments in the F 900’s ergonomic package. For one thing, the handlebars are now positioned 15 millimetres higher (24 mm on the Enduro Pro package) while the foot pegs have been moved 20 mm lower. Paired with the 870-mm seat height and low-profile tank, this allows for a more aggressive off-road position. Being on the shorter end of the spectrum, I ended up opting for BMW’s optional low seat, which brought the seating height down to a much more manageable 835 mm. There’s also an option for an 890-mm seat height if you’re the taller of folk.
Meanwhile, both the gearshift and the rear brake levers are adjustable as well, the rear brake even having an additional flip-up pedal to quickly adjust the brake from a higher to lower position. While I applaud BMW’s attempt at trying to accommodate both on- and off-road riders with this adjustability, I found its actual execution a bit of a nuisance, and I often hit the flipped-up portion of the pedal; I had a hard time getting a feel for where the lower platform of the pedal was while riding.
The F 900 GS is available in three different colour schemes: Blackstorm Metallic; São Paulo yellow with a red rear frame; or the GS Trophy version, clothed in Lightwhite and Racing Blue metallic with red accents. Additionally, the GS Trophy comes with aluminum bracket handguards, an aluminum engine guard, a black seat with red accents, and gold wheels.
The base price for the new F 900 GS is a very competitive $14,595. If you have your heart set on the Trophy model, that’ll set you back an additional $615. The Enduro Pro Package (with the upgraded Sport suspension I recommended, black handlebars, and those aforementioned handlebar risers) is an additional $1,955, plus BMW wants another $180 for its high-tech DLC-coated M Endurance Chain. Keyless ride is an additional $315, and the Dynamic package – which will set the bike up with Gear Shift Assist Pro and Ride Mode Pro (Enduro Pro) – will set you back another $655. Load all the goodies onto a GS Trophy and the total package price comes to $18,315. And, as with all BMW motorcycles, the F 900 GS also comes with a three-year warranty.
Where previously I would have been hesitant to claim that the F 850 GS was as competent off-road as its more dirt-oriented competitors in this segment, BMW has gifted the upgraded F 900 GS with serious off-road capability. In fact, I can confidently say this is now a top contender for performance-based midsize adventure machines, and, in my mind, the most off-road-ready GS that BMW has ever created.
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