2025 BMW F 900 GS Enduro

Those of you that have ridden BMW’s F 850 GS will know, as I do, that it is a nice enough adventure tourer. It’s not too heavy, not too tall, easy to get along with, and doesn’t place too many demands on its rider. In short, the 850 is a solid all-rounder. But—and I don’t mean to aggravate the 850 owners out there—let’s be frank, it’s not the most exciting adventure machine on the planet, and if you start pushing the 850 hard off-road, you’ll find the limits of the suspension, ergonomics, and ground clearance pretty easily.

BMW has seen fit to rectify all these issues with the release of its F 900 GS, and this bike is an entirely different beast—and I do mean beast. I’ve spent quite a bit of time on BMW’s F 850 GS over the years, especially in recent history on various trips with Compass Expeditions, which continues to use the 850 extensively on its tours. That being the case, I’m fairly well-placed to give a direct comparison between the two bikes.

The 900 is a big, big departure from the bike it replaces. Obviously, it looks far more modern, and with its sharper, more contemporary design comes a far slimmer bike with far superior ergonomics, especially when you’re standing on the pegs.

I have a limited word budget, so let’s get to the numbers quickly. Horsepower has increased from 95 hp (71 kW) on the 850 to 105 hp (77 kW) for the 900. Torque is also up and now sits at 93 Nm. Weight is down, with the 900 tipping the scales at a claimed 219 kg, fuelled and ready to ride—around 14 kg lighter than the 850. Seat height is up by 10 mm to 860 mm, but with the 900’s skinnier waist, the real-world experience of getting your feet on the deck will feel much the same. These figures are very, very similar to KTM’s 890 Adventure R, arguably the most off-road capable adventure bike on the market.

Simply put, the 900 is smaller, lighter, more powerful, and far more capable off-road without losing much when it comes to punching out tarmac miles.

Where the 850 feels a bit soft and lounge-like, the 900 feels stiffer—more enduro-bike-like. It’s not uncomfortable as such; it just feels more sure-footed, ready for action, and perhaps more aggressive. Off-road, the 850 feels like a road bike playing at being an adventure machine; the 900 is completely at home on the dirt.

In my line of work, where I’m often jumping from one bike to another, it can take a while to get your head around a new bike, but that wasn’t the case with the F 900 GS. From the moment I climbed aboard, I felt comfortable. I wasn’t even 10 metres into the first dirt section before I was hanging the back end out and having a whale of a time it’s handling is very neutral, it’s engine predictable – the whole experience of punting the F 900 is very confidence inspiring.

Aside from the lively 895cc parallel twin engine, which has more than enough grunt for work and play, the suspension package deserves much of the credit for the 900’s abilities. The F 900 GS Enduro you see here sports 45 mm fully adjustable Showa forks and a fully adjustable Sachs shock at the rear, delivering 230 mm of travel up front and 215 mm at the rear. The suspension is superb, and if you’re finding the limits of the 900’s standard kit, you’re either really fast or really—ah—generously proportioned.

I really do rate the ol’ 850 as an easy-going adventure tourer for the most part, but there was a glaring problem for those who like to hit the road and stop infrequently: its piddly 15-litre fuel capacity. And just in case 15 litres of fuel on an adventure bike wasn’t a big enough Achilles’ heel, BMW decided to reduce the fuel capacity further on the 900, giving the new machine a 14.5-litre tank. Sure, you have the option of purchasing the F 900 GS Adventure, which can carry 23 litres of juice, but then I wonder who the 900 GS is for because it’s got an enduro-bike-sized tank with an adventure bike compromised-by-weight off-road performance. If you’re the type that doesn’t mind stopping regularly or doesn’t venture into remote parts, this won’t be an issue; for the rest, the F 900 GS Adventure might be a better option.

With its improvements over the 850, I’d say the 900 is closer to KTM’s 890 Adventure R in abilities than it is to the 850, while still retaining enough of the 850’s user-friendly nature that it shouldn’t deter 850 owners from stepping up. If you’re comparing the F 900 GS Enduro to the KTM 890, the equation becomes significantly harder. The KTM is the better off-road machine—it just is. The harder you push it, the better it gets, and the KTM also has a 23-litre tank, which for me is a must on a big-bore adventure machine. Of course, that extra fuel comes at a cost, and the KTM weighs in at around 246 kg fully fuelled—27 kilograms heavier than the GS Enduro. That said, if you opt for the 900 GS Adventure with its 23-litre tank, it weighs in at a claimed 246 kilograms—so, same-same.

But there’s one whopping great tick in the BMW’s box: its reputation for reliability over the KTM. Whether there’s an actual difference is debatable. The internet is awash with horror stories of KTM cam issues, but I owned a 990 Adventure R a few years back, and it didn’t miss a beat in the 80,000 kilometres I owned it. I took that everywhere and thrashed it at every opportunity.

The F 900 GS Enduro really does push BMW into the fray in the battle for the best off-road-performing adventure machine. I still think the KTM is better in the dirt, but there sure isn’t much in it. Yes, if your priorities lie with being able to tour in comfort, an R 1300 GS is going to suit your needs better, but if you value off-road abilities, then the middleweight 900 is a much better option.

If you’ve got an 850 and you’ve even slightly hesitated about upgrading to the 900, I say go for it. It’s a better adventure bike in every possible way except fuel capacity. And for those in the market for an adventure machine that can get down and dirty, I’d say go and test ride the F 900 GS. It’ll have you feeling mighty and capable when you hit the dirt, and when you’re feeling confident, you ride better and have more fun. And that’s why we do this motorcycle thing, isn’t it? To have fun.