tft display bmw 1200 gs made in china

BMW is adding a new colour TFT display as an option in place of the usual instrument cluster on R 1200 GS and Adventure models from the autumn. The 6.5-inch unit has a high-definition display and can show a number of different menu functions according to the rider’s preference.

The BMW Motorrad Connected App can be used to plot a route, and this can then be relayed to the rider via arrow navigation on the TFT display. However, this doesn’t provide as much detailed route information that you would find on a stand-alone sat-nav unit, so if you want to plan a longer journey with waypoints, or look for points of interest along a route, you’ll need to stick with a sat nav. But if you’re just trying to make it to a business meeting this new system should get you there without a fuss. The app can also record your routes and show information and statistics from these.

BMW Motorrad hasn’t yet announced what the cost of the new Connectivity option will be ahead of its introduction later this year. We’ll keep you updated on this.

Motorcycle.com had a chance to ride the new 800 Adventura Terrain on a closed, paved course ahead of its official launch in the U.S. and came away with good feelings. There’s loads of sophisticated technology, including standard ABS and Bosch cornering ABS to regulate the J.Juan dual front 320mm discs w/ opposed 4-piston radial calipers and single 260mm disc w/floating 2-piston caliper out back.

Cruise control is also standard, as well as traction control and two electronic ride modes (Rain and Sport), which are switched via a 7-inch color TFT display. Both models also provide USB and 12V DC outlets and feature LED lighting and fog lights. The medium-height windscreens above the pinched beaks look to be the same size on both machines and a gnarled plastic hand knob suggests adjustability.

The BMW R 1250 GS has been an iconic European bike for four decades and keeps inspiring with new features. It has maximum visibility thanks to a new LED adaptive headlight. With the help of supplementary features like seat heating and the seven riding modes, you can confidently handle any driving circumstance.

The boxer engine enables you to experience remarkable performance and increased smoothness at low rotational speeds. Greater control in any riding circumstance is made possible by the variable BMW ShiftCam variable camshaft control, which enables more potent torque development over the whole engine speed range.

There are many choices within the BMW Adventure lineup, a standard GS is more tuned towards on-pavement riding with the ability for light offroad, and the Adventure is aimed at more serious off-road challenges. For the 2022 model year, BMW offers a wide range of configurations including the 40th Anniversary Editions.

Cast aluminium single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever; WAD strut (travel-related damping), spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable at handwheel

Tarmacked roads, wet roads or unpaved gravel roads: The seven riding modes of the R 1250 GS ensure optimum grip and superior handling at all times. When the vehicle is stationary, you can pre-select up to four riding modes individually in the menu, which you can then select quickly and conveniently during the journey using the riding mode button. The new dynamic engine brake control provides more stability and easy control of the bike in the Pro riding modes; it prevents the rear wheel from slipping or jerking. And in the new standard ECO Mode, you get the maximum range from every tank of fuel.

The new F850GS is finally here. It’s one of the biggest news this year, a highly anticipated adventure bike, with a totally new engine, a completely new design and a tough mission: to become the upper-middleweight adventure leader. Still, it’s a tough job, because it fights Honda’s Africa Twin, which already established itself as a leader in this segment. Also, there’s the updated Tiger 800 XC and the up-coming KTM 790 Adventure.

But, let’s get back to the F850 GS. Because there are some things that I love about this bike. And there are some other things that I just don’t like. Just to be clear, this is just a preview, and we’ll come with an in-depth test ride as soon as the bike is available on the market.

The completely redesigned engine. It’s not just about the displacement. BMW claims that this inline-two comes with 95 horsepower, no vibrations and a V-Twin sound and feeling, due to the crankshaft and firing interval.

The R1200GS electronics. It’s unbelievable how you manage to control the bigger R1200GS in enduro mode: the traction control has a perfect set-up, the suspension is softer, the throttle acts differently. If passing a section with mud, or a river, you just have to pull the gas and stand on the bike. It does the job for you. You can even kill the ABS on the back wheel and set-up the front-wheel ABS for enduro. Now, all these electronics are available for the F850GS. And here’s the best part. If you’re not into electronic sistems and you just need a rough and simple bike, you can buy the basic version.

Dynamic ESA. Another love or hate thing. Some of you might consider it an useless feature that would break in the middle of nowhere. Well, if planning to cross Mongolia and you don’t trust the electronic suspension you can go for the basic F850. But I love the Dynamic ESA – at least the way it works on the BIG GS. It’s a tricky thing to set-up a classic supension to match different motorcycle loading, different terrain and to be both confortable and dynamic. This is where the Dynamic Suspension kicks in. Just by pushing a button you can have either an off-road performer or an asphalt carver bike.

The cruise control and other BMW comfort options. The cruise control is a must-have for a touring bike. And I also love that BMW offers all kind of comfort features: different seats, heated grips, higher windscreens, that TFT connectivity smart-dash – some of them are not really necessary, they are more a nice to have thing that makes your life better.

The standard seat height was reduced by 20 mm compared to its predecessor. there’s even a low seat that comes as an option so you have a 815 mm minimal seat height for the F850GS and 770 mm for the F750 GS.

The weight. This bike has almost 230 kilograms, the same as Honda’s Africa Twin. Everybody knows that lighter is better. Everyone knows that it’s not easy to control such a heavy bike in off-road and the things are getting worse if you drop it. Still, the engineers are focusing on adding more electronics and tft-dash displays instead of building lighter machines.

Those golden rims. I know that BMW is fighting the Africa Twin but I just don’t get why they chosen this color for the wheels. BMW has a very rich legacy when it comes to dual-sport bikes. The first GS appeared back in the 80s, it had that BMW motorsport colors, but I never seen a GS to feature golden wheels. However, it’s just an option.

So, where is this bike made? In Berlin, Germany. But the engine is made by Loncin in China. Of course, designed and supervised by BMW, but still made in China. I wouldn’t say that I hate it, because it would be a prejudgement. It’s a global thing this day – Triumph makes his iconic Bonneville in Thailand. BMW claims that this is a high-quality product, and it must be, because it has a 11,000 euro starting price and it can go up to 15,000 euros in full-spec. For me, it’s not a love it or hate it thing. I just don’t care where it’s made as long as it works well. These days, everything is made everywhere and I’m starting to get used to it.

That’s it for now. We’re eager to test this bike and we’ll come up with a review as soon as possible. Meanwhile, watch our EICMA first view video, where we managed to interview the F850GS product manager.

BMW R1250GS and R1250GSA, including Rallye, TFT Display anti theft brace, TFT screen anti theft brace, TFT display screen protection, TFT display screen locking frame, fits all BMW R1250 GS LC and Adventure LC models. High grade 304 stainless steel construction. Designed and produced in the UK by craftsmen. Very robust, durable extremely high quality engineered product.

Regretfully the TFT display, which is standard equipment on all models of the BMW R1250GS and Adventure range, is only held in place by three circlips and a wiring plug, believe it or not! These units can be so easily removed by hand with minimal force and stolen in mere seconds, with a per unit replacement cost of around £1,200, often plus the additional cost of up to around £3000 to have the wiring loom replaced if this is also damaged beyond further use during the theft of the unit!

The idea of this product is to simply deter opportunist thieves from snatching your TFT display, and it works by physically preventing the display from being removed outwards from the dash. Even if the three circlips are removed the screen cannot physically be removed. The brace utilizes four strong mounting points and can be used in conjunction with the `preparation for satnav` bracket, and is also designed to be used in conjunction with the Cymarc adjustable screen strengthening brackets kit. The brace is easy to fit and is near impossible to remove without tools - which is the whole idea! It comes with a comprehensive installation leaflet and full fitting kit, and there is also now various installation videos on YouTube.

This is an extremely good value for money, and equally high quality product, powder coated satin black as standard so it looks very much at home on the bike and blends in like it is original equipment, and it could save you thousands of pounds in repairs and replacement display! There is a choice between the standard brace, or the brace with the optional built-in sun visor.

Surprising, very surprising. Those were my first thoughts after riding the new BMW F 750 GS. I’ll admit I arrived at BMW’s press launch for the new 2019 BMW F 750 GS & F 850 GS with the preconceived notion that the smaller of the two adventure machines would not leave me impressed. Having now ridden the bike, I can see that my original thoughts were off. The new F 750 GS is a pretty capable performer.

The F 750 GS is a new machine and shares little of the previous model’s makeup. There are many changes over the model it replaces and several of those changes are very significant.

So let’s get the skunk out on the table and chase it around a bit. The new F 750 GS and F 850 GS engine is being built by Chinese manufacturer Loncin to BMW’s specifications. It has been available in F 750 GS and F 850 GS models in Europe for quite some time, but is only now being released in North America.

When asked why there was a delay in releasing the new bike, a BMW representative said that it was the result of production backlog and some quality control concerns. Okay, let’s break down BMW’s “code” speak. To me, it means there were some production and quality issues that needed to be addressed.

It is fairly well known that BMW recalled a little over 1,500 F 750 & F 850 GSs sold in Europe due to an engine oil supply issue. That recall issued solved, there have not been any others to date. You could certainly understand that such an issue can give anyone pause to worry about the quality of the engine.

Okay, now that we have the engine’s place of manufacture out of the way, here’s the scoop on its performance. Despite its name, the new F 750 GS does not have a 750cc powerplant. The new F 750 GS carries the same 853cc parallel twin engine found in the F 850 GS. A different set of intake and exhaust cams, as well as a different ECU, are the differences. BMW claims the engine puts out 77 HP at 7,500 RPM with 61 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 RPM. That’s a 2 HP increase and 4 lb-ft of torque increase over the model it replaces. This is not a huge increase, but the character of the engine has been drastically changed.

With a bore of 84mm and a stroke of 77mm, the new bike’s engine now uses a 270 degree firing interval with a 90 degree crank pin offset. BMW added twin counter balancers, resulting in significantly reduced engine vibration and smooth throttle response. It also has a completely different and more aggressive engine sound if that is important to you.

The previous tubular steel frame found on the F 700 GS has been replaced with a bridge-type steel shell monocoque setup with the engine as a stressed member. BMW claims that the new frame increases torsional rigidity over its predecessor and allows the engine to sit higher in the chassis. It definitely looks “beefier” than the previous setup. Ground clearance is up slightly to 7.5 inches from 7.4 inches.

Wheels are cast aluminum with a 19 inch front and a 17 inch rear. My bike was shod with tubeless Bridgestone Battlax Adventure tires, but the tires mounted can vary from bike to bike. BMW says that there is presently no single tire choice for the F 750 GS. Depending upon when the bike was manufactured and tire availability, the brand of tires may be different on the same BMW model.

BMW has been one of the manufacturers that seem to understand this. To their credit, they offer multiple ways to make their machines more accessible to a wider range of riders. Offering different height seats and low suspension options, a rider can customize their bike for a better and more comfortable fit.

This chart shows the ways to adjust seat heights for both the F 750 GS and the F 850 GS. You can adjust the seat height of the F 750 GS from 32.7 inches to 30.3 inches with the low suspension option. That’s quite low for an adventure bike. However, if you choose the low suspension option you will lose some suspension travel. Front travel will drop from 5.9 inches to 5.2 inches. Rear suspension travel will also be reduced from 7 inches to 6.2 inches. BMW says their narrow seat also reduces overall seat height feel. Using a F 750 GS with the standard suspension, my 30 inch inseam allowed me to be completely flat footed while stopped.

The regular unleaded fuel is now carried higher in a tank where the typical fuel tank resides. BMW says that moving the tank gave the bike a better front to rear load distribution. Load is now carried 49% in the front and 51% in the rear.

The new tank holds just 4 gallons. However, BMW claims that the new machine provides 57 miles per gallon resulting in a “full to empty” range of 228 miles. In practice, range might be somewhat shorter since 100% of available fuel often is not usable. However, I would say that BMW’s MPG estimate is fairly accurate. After quite a bit of very spirited riding, I saw 52 MPG on the bike’s display. More normal paces may ultimately yield BMW’s claimed 57 MPG.

The growth of electronic aids is booming and BMW has certainly incorporated technology into this bike. The F 750 GS comes standard with an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and automatic stability control (ASC). Both can be switched off at the rider’s discretion.

If you are not satisfied with the two standard ride modes, BMW offers two additional ride modes for the F 750 GS; Dynamic and Enduro. Dynamic gives optimum engine performance while Enduro softens response for off road surfaces. The chart below identifies when each mode is appropriate and how it performs.

BMW’s philosophy is that they are a premium brand and their machines should represent premium levels of performance, technology, quality, and riding comfort. People may differ on whether that philosophy is appropriate for adventure bikes, but it’s clear that BMW has taken this philosophy very seriously. The F 750 GS has its fair share of standard equipment.

There is also a dizzying array of optional equipment and software upgrades. In fact, BMW says that there are 60 percent more options for the F 750 GS than there were for the F 700 GS and according to the chart below. I believe them.

There is an abundance of options and option packages on the new F 750 GS. Dark blue boxes represent the Select Package while the light blue boxes reflect all of the Select options as well as the Premium package.

BMW pre-planned route of about 100 miles to give us a feel for how the bike performed. At the morning rider’s briefing, they told us that there would be pavement and dirt. They also said that there was to be a single 1.5 mile sandy wash section climbing into the mountains.

When we walked outside to pick up our assigned bikes, I noticed a few things missing that would have been nice to have. Things like an adjustable windshield, some sturdy handguards, and larger footpegs would better fit the mission of this bike, but thier absecence were not a gigantic issue.

Once fired up, the bike needed a bit of time to warm up and run its smoothest. My bike was fitted with the premium package with all the accessories, including keyless start, heated grips, and connectivity to a TFT color display. Information was displayed logically, and the display was easily readable in the bright sunlight.

After riding a couple of miles on pavement, we turned onto a dirt road and headed up into the mountains. True to BMW’s promise, we started climbing. At the beginning, the road was hard packed and fast. We picked up the pace a bit, and the F 750 GS held its lines nicely and went where I pointed it. Carrying a fair amount of speed I purposefully looked for some semi buried rocks to test the suspension. The impacts were soaked up without bottoming. Although the forks were a bit on the soft side, they performed well. It would have been nice to have some adjustment, but the forks did their job and there was no drama.

This resulted in a fine line between bogging the engine in first or hitting the meat of the power band and spinning the rear. I don’t fault the Enduro mode or the ASC. I truly feel that the installed smooth tires were not made for this type of terrain. If BMW were trying to prove a point that the bike could go on pretty much any type road with smooth tires, they have succeeded.

In the end, the bike was well up to the challenge of running dirt and two track roads. We did not cover any Enduro type riding and frankly, this bike would not be my choice to do so. But for maintained roads or two track, the F 750 GS performs.

After exiting the dirt, we were back on pavement. It didn’t take long for the riding to get highly spirited. Speeds may have exceeded those that would be considered safe by some. Frankly, I couldn’t believe how well the F 750 GS handled with its non-adjustable front fork. It held its line immaculately. The old saying that it “felt like it was on rails” was very appropriate.

Pricing of the F 750 GS is highly variable. There are two option packages and multiple optional accessories. With a base price of $10,395, the final price can swell to over $13,845 if you choose the Premium package and no other options. Add a different seat, a bash plate, center stand, and more appropriate off road tires and you can be pushing $15,000. No matter how you cut it, that’s a lot of money for a middleweight ADV bike.

If you think you’d like to purchase a base model bike, you may be in for a wait. BMW says the vast majority of buyers buy their bikes with option packages, so you will likely have to order a base model machine and wait for it to be delivered.

All in all, I like the new F 750 GS. Is this bike perfect? No, but it’s a bike that is very good on pavement and quite competent on dirt. It can take you pretty much anywhere you want to go and do it smoothly. For all but the small percentage of adventure riders that ride Enduro type terrain on their adventure bikes, the F 750 GS is an excellent ride.

The first BMW Motorrad (motorcycle in german) hit the streets in 1923 and featured a flat-twin boxer engine, a configuration still used in their bikes today.

BMW motorcycles are worth the money because of their high-tech features, comfortable riding ergonomics, sleek designs, solid build quality and sporty handling. Riding a BMW motorcycle is a unique thrill thanks to their high-performance engines and superior on-street and off-road suspension.

BMWs are expensive to buy relative to an equivalent Japanese bike because their brand identity is deeply rooted in exclusivity and luxury, this means their bikes are built to a high standard, have the most up-to-date tech and use high-quality parts and materials.

Across their line-up of models BMW bikes are praised for their high levels of comfort; individual configurations allow you to get the perfect seat height and riding position by adjusting the height of the handlebars, bike and seat to your body size.

It’s important to note that while some engine components are manufactured in Austria, China, and Taiwan, the brunt of production and assembly still happens in Berlin, at the BMW Motorrad plant – this ensures build quality is of a high standard.

The most popular BMW bike concept is its R1200GS Adventure bike, accounting for almost 30% of its sales, one of the big selling points of this bike is its unrivaled comfort for long-distance riding.

High-status, luxury, modern tech, industry-leading suspension and handling and powerful engine designs make BMWs different from other motorcycles. BMW Motorrad bikes are also different in that they specialize in adventure bikes and dual-sport bikes while still developing lines of heritage cafes, sport, and roadster bikes.

One of the most significant contributing factors to the charm of BMW bikes, a quality that also makes them different from other motorcycles, is the small-scale production.

In addition to the mechanical knowledge required to work on BMW motorcycles, BMW is also known to use high-grade materials for engine and frame fabrication.

BMW motorcycles may be expensive compared to other brands, like the Big 4 Japanese Motorcycle manufacturers. Still, Japanese bikes are generally mass-produced and accused of having ‘no soul’ while there is an exclusivity present in BMW’s motorcycle production.

For the first fifty years of production, the BMW Motorrad motorcycle division essentially focused on one design – the opposed air-cooled twin, aka, ‘airheads’. Although no longer in production, the airhead engines are monolithic and their reliability was unrivalled amongst other brands, this set the foundation for BMWs reputation and inspired the many engine designs used today.

BMW motorcycles are generally very durable and can be seen lasting about 200,000 miles; however, this does vary depending on the model, how well the bike is maintained, and the style of riding it is subject to. If you average 4000 miles per year, a well-kept BMW motorcycle can last 50 years.

BMW motorcycles are made with high-quality parts and materials and are built to a high standard. They are considered a luxury class of motorcycles partly due to the overall upscale look and feel of the bikes and the status attached to the BMW brand.

BMW only manufactures a limited number of Motorcycles, primarily from their home plant in Berlin, Germany. By keeping production volume it allows them to keep quality control in check.

BMW Motorrad motorcycles are reliable, providing they are stored and maintained correctly, ridden responsibly, and regularly serviced as per the owner’s manual. Complaints about BMW reliability often have more to do with the high maintenance cost.

That’s right, even though a copywriting feeding frenzy attacked BMW’s reliability after a 2015 study revealed they had the lowest rate of customer satisfaction among motorcycle owners, the study’s results had more to do with the cost of ownership than with the bikes reliability.

Because the cost of repairs, maintenance and replacement parts is so high, these bikes have been labeled unreliable with some BMW riders hesitant to spend the extra money keeping up with service maintenance.

As one owner stated, “BMW motorcycles are a dichotomy. If you get a good one it will last forever. If you get a bad one it will cost you multiple thousands of dollars on a regular basis. A good one can be a lifelong companion. There aren’t many bad ones, but there are enough to make it a regular internet topic.”

BMW Motorrad Motorcycles tend to depreciate quickly compared to other bikes due to the buyer demographic – BMW’s are generally purchased by wealthy riders who finance the newest model every few years. A high turnover, fast-paced new-vehicle market drives down the price of used BMW Motorrad models.

The cost of ownership on a BMW is relatively expensive when compared to other brands. Maintenance through BMW dealers and mechanics can cost as much as $700 a visit, as both parts and labor costs are higher than that of other bikes. Failing to keep up with routine services will affect bike reliability.

Since BMW has such a variety of motorbikes to offer, it isn’t as simple as nailing down the price paid for a service trip to the BMW Motorrad dealership.

It’s no doubt that motorcycle maintenance on a new Beamer through BMW mechanics can be pricey; we’ve heard figures of $700 per visit from some owners.

Many BMW Motorcycles are intended for dual-sport use on and off the road. This adds additional costs in protective of gear, to the tune of about $500.

Buying a used BMW motorcycle is advantageous because BMW motorcycles depreciate so quickly due to a high turnover of new bikes among BMW Motorrad enthusiasts. Since owners of BMW motorcycles that are just a few years old often trade their bikes in for the latest BMW models, you can often find a used BMW motorcycle relatively cheap.

In used-market situations like the high-turnover among beamer bike owners, used vehicles hold their value more than new—such is the case with BMW motorcycles.

On the one hand, you can buy a new BMW motorcycle for $25,000. In a few years, when 75% of the market is flooding the floor with two-year-old trade-ins to get the latest model, the bike isn’t worth half that in trade-in value.

That said, in the luxury bike market outlined here, if you buy a two-year-old BMW motorcycle for half the new price, the bike doesn’t have much room to depreciate.

Buying a like-new BMW motorcycle for significantly less than the market price is a good play, especially if you’re considering trading your BMW in down the line.

The typical cost of a BMW Motorrad Motorcycle varies depending on the type of bike but ranges between $5,295 for the G310R and $78,000 for the race-track-ready BMW HP4 RACE. Used BMW Motorrad Motorcycles cost between $3,300 and $59,000 for the same two bikes, respectively.

As you can tell from the price ranges above, BMW offers a range of moto styles and Motorrad aspects for various modes of riding, from off-road to city ripping to the race track; they even provide models for multiple combinations of the three.

That said, a base model G310GS Adventure Bike gives you the signature BMW Mottorad dual-sport capabilities for the low price of just over five grand. You have to rock-crawl before you can run, and learning on that world-renowned BMW suspension is well worth the G310GS price point.

Move up to BMW’s TE model and you’ll be paying from £10,685, but you’ll be getting cornering ABS and a host of other electronic extras, as well as cruise control and heated grips. Pannier rails are included in that, but expect to pay £654 extra for a pair of hard panniers and £328 for a top-box. The £11,195 Yamaha Tracer GT comes with colour-matched hard panniers. Of course, there are various options open to you when buying any BMW, but the online configurator will show you how much the options that matter to you will cost.

While the Tracer is the obvious competitor to the BMW – it’s also got no off-road pretences – the Triumph Tiger, costing from £9,500, might also be on your list (it too has a very long option list to bolster that price). Or perhaps the Suzuki V-Strom 1050, which starts at £9,999.

While the Yamaha has higher peak power than the BMW, it makes it 1,500rpm later in the revs. And it’s down on torque; it’s the heavier and bigger Suzuki that really stands out in this group.

Despite being more torquey than the MT-09, the BMW doesn’t feel it – at least at first. Where the Yamaha has a fairly immediate rush, the F900XR is very easy going; it’s not sluggish, but it makes its power very smoothly through the revs.

If you want the immediacy and relative aggressive nature of the Yamaha, you might not like the way the BMW fuels. And on the F900R – the roadster that BMW is targeting at the MT-09 – despite it being exactly the same engine, it might bother more people. But on this adventure tourer, it feels just right.

The motor – which like many small-capacity engines in BMWs since 2005 is made for the company by Loncin in China – is more than happy to pull the bike around tight, twisty mountain roads in third gear (at least with no luggage or pillion); it’s surprisingly easy to ride it lazily, and it certainly smooths out the throttle.

The gearbox is fine – it’s far from the slickest ’box available, but at this price point it’s certainly not the worst. Compared to my own BMW S1000XR it’s more notchy, which also means that if you’re using the optional quick-shifter and you’re not high in the revs, it can feel pretty clunky compared to more expensive transmissions. £10k is a lot of money of course, but keep in mind that, back when the ‘bargain’ Suzuki Bandit 1200 was launched in 1996, it cost the equivalent of £10,211 in today’s money.

There’s no denying that the F900XR doesn’t have the intoxicating roar and bark of its big brother (in-line four) S1000XR – nor can it compete with the triples fitted to the Yamaha or the Triumph – but it’s far from asthmatic, having a decent rumble from the Euro5-compliant exhaust system. Don’t think though that you’ll be able to pop an open end-can on to give it a bit more character – besides most modern exhausts doing all the work in the collector box slung underneath, the BMW’s collector and end-can are one piece.

Owners of the same model as Gal’s on Fuelly.com are averaging 55.2mpg – which is a maximum range of 218 miles – but going by the EC-standard claimed fuel consumption figures given by both manufacturers, which are conducted under the same conditions (Yamaha quotes an average of 51mpg, which would give a range of 202mpg), the bikes have a similar potential. Time will tell as owners of the BMW present some real-world figures…

We were riding fully-equipped TE versions of the BMW F900XR, which meant our bikes had the Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment (Dynamic ESA) – a £375 option (or part of a pack), even on the TE.

The front fork is a conventional, unadjustable upside-down fork, but the rear can be upgraded to boast semi-active damping control in two modes – Road and Dynamic – as well as spring preload adjustment to one of three settings at the touch of a button. That’s a lot easier than using a C-spanner or even a remote adjuster knob, but it’s also especially valuable on the BMW as it has an excellent load capacity. While the Tracer 900 is homologated to carry only 169kg, the F900XR can safely lug up to 219kg, which matters on a bike that’s likely to carry a rider and pillion (probably around 160kg alone), as well as their luggage.

On the motorway, just like my S1000XR, the ‘Dynamic’ damping setting felt a little harsh, but tapping the button on the left switchgear twice was all it took to smooth things up with ‘Road’ mode. It never feels too soft either – a lot like the previous model S1000XR – and when things get a bit more spirited in the turns, swapping to ‘Dynamic’ makes the BMW feel more controlled and engaging.

The BMW Motorrad Connected app allows you to share pic with various data overlaid, including lean angle, acceleration and deceleration G-forces, distance, speed (if you want) and more…

The tight turning circle and small form would make for a superb city bike, so it’s impressive just how versatile the little BMW can be. That compactness makes it feel light too; despite being slightly heavier than the Tracer and the Tiger, being able to get both feet flat on the floor so easily (I’m 5’10” with a 32” inside leg) makes this bike feel very manageable, even when turning around for the umpteenth photo on an off-camber wet road.

The sport dash (only available with ‘Riding Modes Pro’) gives you feedback on your braking pressure, displaying the maximum reached until you turn the engine off. You can also see the deceleration G-forces on the BMW Motorrad Connected app.

The mirrors give a good, wide angle of view though they do blur the image through vibration (which isn’t obtrusive through the bars, seat or pegs). There’s some space under the rear seat – which will be handy for a disc lock – and the TFT screen is clear and easy to read and navigate.

The BMW Motorrad Connected app allows the dash to show speed limits and turn by turn navigation, though there’s still the option of preparation for a sat-nav; it comes with a mount for the Garmin-made BMW Navigator, though by removing this you may well be able to use it for a TomTom mount.

That app also records your whole journey (if you want), with accurate mapping displaying all of the trip for replay at up to four-time speed. At any point, you can view your acceleration and deceleration G-forces, where you activated ABS, lean angle, altitude and speed (you can disable that). You can also check out the Bike’s fuel level, service status, mileage etc. It’s by far the best bike connection app yet released by any manufacturer. And unlike some KTM Roman Vilimek, BMW’s leader of the apps development, tell me it will always remain free to download on iOS and Android.

The cornering headlight is potentially a good option – while we weren’t given the chance to test it in the dark, a demonstration showed that it’s very effective at spreading light in a turn. Legislation sets a maximum light output for any lamp, so there’s only so much any headlight can do (before you add extra spots), but BMW has cleverly designed the high and low beam to use a warmer colour temperature – closer to sunlight – which is easier on the eyes when trying to see at night. Conversely, the Daytime Running Light (DRL) is a cooler, bluer light that’s easier to be seen with.

“I tried several, including the R1250GS, the Ténéré 700 and the KTM790 and, having recently changed my mind about the fabulous, but ultimately rather silly Triumph Rocket, was on the verge of signing for a Yamaha Tracer 900GT, which I rode a couple of times and really liked.

“Then I saw the BMW at EICMA and it was a bit of a no-brainer: it’s more up-to-date than the Yamaha and offers equipment – admittedly as an option – that the Tracer doesn’t; semi-adaptive suspension, lean-angle ABS, wonderful iPad-style screen, five-year warranty, keyless ignition, full connectivity, tyre pressure monitoring... Best of all, my fully specced XR was only €100 more than the Tracer GT.

BikeSocial takes and in-depth look at the new for 2020 BMW F900XR – which goes head to head with the Yamaha Tracer 900 – and the BMW F900R, a challenger to the Yamaha MT-09. A full and honest review of the two bikes, and which you should choose...