@@Tony-yl1yotrue. But it def wasnt in a disparaging way. Just said hey I think this is weird or doest function exactly as an adventure bike rider would want it. I took one on a demo ride. To me it’s feels small and nimble. Quickshifter flawless as he mentioned. Engine is fine. I prefer the tiger 900 engine or even the vstrom 1050 de. Fuel tank size is kinda criminal. Seem to just be better option no matter what u want. Want the same or more off readability, better fuel range, at a cheaper price? Ktm 890/890r, norden 901/expedition, Honda Africa twin base. Want cheaper and the same or more off road ability? Aprilia Touareg 660, T7. Want a premium bike with the same or more off road ability with a more fun engine? Tiger 900 rally pro Ducati desert X. Want a cheap reliable bike that is less off road focused and probably as fun on road? Suzuki vstrom 1050 de, vstrom 800 de, Honda transalp. This bike is great and feels good in almost every aspect but other bikes can be had that are better, cheaper, or more fun
I own a 2021 F850GS and his complaints are justified. I have also shopped it against an Africa Twin and Tiger 900 and the BMW was still a better bike for the prices of what I purchased mine. The ATwin is a bigger and faster bike but it's incredibly tall and when I bought mine there was no factory cruise control and the seat was worse than BMW. The T700 was never in my mind since it is not an adventure tourer but just an adventure bike so basically a 700cc dirt bike.
@@blakethornsbrough1528 I just struggle to see who the bmw is for. It looks good off road but to really take advantage of the suspension you have to be a very skilled rider, especially to wrangle a nearly 500 pound bike. I feel like the people that buy them think they're going to be riding it like a 250 pound dual sport. It looks cool, I'll give it that. But if it was me I'd get the T7, save 9 grand, and not feel bad about dumping it.
@@brumfiba I think the intent is for people who want capability closer to the T7, but also want more creature comforts a la quickshifter, cruise control, etc and decent highway manners, even though yes there are other options that do that pretty solidly as well.. Also for people who are already more familiar with or currently under the BMW wing and want to stay there but have good offroad capability.
@@Tarukai788 that's fair. I just think that if you have 18 grand to spend you can probably find a 1200 or 1250gs or just save a bit and get a 1300 and get the whole bmw experience. It's not like it weighs that much more and for 99% of riders, they'll probably cover the same terrain/use case. I just think anyone who thinks they're going to wrestle a 500 pound bike around anything more than a dirt road is lying to themselves, so you might as well get the big boy and get it over with.
Wouldn't the most direct competitor be the 2024 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro or the road oriented GT Pro. Surprised those were not mentioned as they match favorably in features and cost.
Sold these as well as KTM/DUCATI for 6+ yrs.... Always asked customers to test ride KTM 790/890 as well as 1200GS....... People interested in touring always picked the 1200....late model used to keep price similar. As 1200GS easier to handle. Off road riders world end up in the KTM . only people picking this bike were people that just had to have BMW or experienced the KTM electronic gremlins..... Or end of year buyers taking advantage of crazy 850gs factory discounts to move them off floor.
I bought RT for long road trips, Super Tenere for forest roads (semi regret) and bought KLR300 for technical off road/BDR. My dream bike was KTM 690R Adventure. But being short i have passed every time. I almost bought last years KTM890S because it was lower than all previous years. I regret not buying it and ended up with KLR300
I'm off-road focused and ended up with AT DCT. Best decision eva. Wouldn't touch perrier bikes with 10m stick, ESPECIALLY 790. electronics issues are just tip of iceberg of that dumpster fire. With AT my only worry is where I'll go next trip:) and dct is game changer and improves safety
@@beamdoctor5637 yeah I ended up with an RT after several GS's...I wasn't even doing forest roads and finally made peace with that. I am always smarter AFTER I try something. Hey you can obv always consolidate... 2 for 1. ....RT and Tenere for a low suspension GS/GS adventure...I loved long trips on the GSA...I am 5' 7" on a good day . Then eventually trade in the KLR.... Or not....
Who knows. With chinese production and more and more aggressive planned obsolescence and cost cutting.... Corporations are getting way too bold with this crap in recent years. Probably designed to last 50-100k km and about 4 years. Still, can't be worse than perrier group shite
All BMW bikes can be resumed to this: good motorcycles, very expensive to buy, very expensive to maintain, very reliable if you keep with the maintenance and don't go bankrupt. Personally for off-road I would go with any Japanese, Yamaha, Suzuki or Honda, they're reliable and closer to my budget.
@@Angry-Lynx to each their own, but that's how I ride my adventure bikes! I'm only on the pavement long enough to find the next trail. If I wanted a bike that prioritized pavement I would look at sport touring bikes.
I'd say under 5% of all moto riders buyers are as skilled as him at riding bikes offroad. Not many people will even come close to using the f900 to it's capabilities.
Is a 900cc, 500lb bike really a midsize? Or maybe a 1250, 600+ is an oversize, a 900, 500 a fullsize, and then maybe a 5-600, 400 being a midsize, with a 3-400, 350 being a small?
You say high end suspension, but can it hang with an 890 Adventure? I’ll never understand anything that hints at touring and doesn’t get over 200miles from a tank.
BMW seems determined to both price itself out of the market as well as antagonize owners by making it nearly impossible for them to maintain and repair their bikes by making service literature available only to dealers. My current BMW will be my last, sadly.
@@LTVoyager I have been looking at Vaqueros - they are super capable baggers and can be found for way under $10K in excellent condition with hardly any miles! 👍
@@anthonysilvestri4946 I’m just not a V-twin guy. When I sold my 87 Voyager XII, I really wanted to buy another Kawasaki, but I want 4 cylinders or more. The Vulcan Voyager 1700 seemed like a step back in time even though it was 20 years newer than my Voyager XII. That is why I went with the BMW K1200LT. It was, and still is, a fantastic two-up long distance touring machine. Mine has 107,000 miles now and still going strong, but it showing its age with cracking plastic bits and little annoyances like that after 17 years of use. However, I really don’t like any of the current crop of touring bikes. If I had to buy one tomorrow, it would be a Wing, even though the wife and I weren’t that impressed with the 2018 we test rode when they first came out with the current gen Wing. Probably the closest for us was the Grand America, but maintenance is a nightmare similar to my LT and when BMW stopped making service manuals available to owners, that was the final straw for me. My nearest roundel dealer is 140 miles away, yes, that isn’t a typo, and doing my own maintenance and repairs is all that keeps BMW ownership viable for me with my LT. If I have to depend on a dealer for repairs and have to ride or trailer my bike 3 hours each way for that, it just makes no sense to own BMW.
Had a Super Tenere and sold it after 7yrs bc it was tall and top heavy. This bike has cruise control and a quick shifter, and is 100lbs lighter than the Super T, but at $18k--no tks BMW. Perhaps a cruiser with cruise cont with a lower seat height. Current ride, 2022 Burgman 200--80mph/70mpg+ and I won't use it as a trade. It's fun and has huge underseat storage.
I don’t see the point of that bike. It’s 45 lbs lighter than my R1250GS but gets worse mileage and has a smaller tank. Worst part is it really isn’t much cheaper either.
i feel like you're looking at the bikes, for the leaderboard ratings, through rose colored glasses. i would take maintenance into account when deciding what's the best daily rider, and i don't think you are. not just in terms of reliability and availability of parts when something breaks, but also in terms of just regular maintenance. some bikes will take months to get replacement parts if something does break, and some bikes need more care and preventative maintenance than others. i think suzuki, kawasaki, yamaha, and honda would get full 10/10 marks in that category. and everything else would get less. and that opinion is coming from personal experience with multiple manufacturers.
An upper crust bike that can’t sit at 75 without vibes and blurred mirrors and which needs to stop for fuel at just over 100 miles for $18k?? I honestly don’t know how the Germans get away with it. If it was American, British or Italian it would be absolutely slated for these things.
It would be nice to see how the updated ‘24 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro slots into the mix. It’s been a while since Zack has been atop a Tiger… Hint, hint! 😃
As a guy with a 17 GSA, I agree with you, but I might be biased. 😁 These bikes don't get a fair shake, but they are good daily riders, good overlanders, and maintenance data shows them to be the most reliable machinery BMW has sold in the US over the last 30 years or so.
Hi Zack, I was wondering, why are these 'lightweight' bikes heavier then a 'heavier' bike like the R1200GS DOHC from 2010 (seen from dryweight) Greetings from The Netherlands.
Regarding the big GS...The 2009 R1200GS has exactly the same power (105), more torque (>80 ft-lb), approx. the same weight (~504 wet), more fuel (5.3 gal), and amazing passenger accommodations. It seems to be a much better touring bike too and is (very likely) more reliable and easier to work on with the air cooled boxer while still being able to do off road very well. Why would the F900 be a better choice when it seems to be only just keeping up with another BMW they made 15 years ago and is now 1/3 of the price?
Because this bike is much more capable off-road than that R1200GS. If your priority is touring and two-up riding, the R1200GS is the better option. This bike has a different target market.
I bought this bike a couple months ago, I was kind of in the same camp as Zack and not super loving it. I also got the off road tires (it was what the dealer had). I don't do a ton of trail riding, so I swapped them out for some 80/20 road tires after about 6 weeks and it's like a completely different bike. Much better on the highway, corners a lot nicer, etc etc. It's still tall, and heavy, but with good tires on it it's a lot more fun.
This guy is full of contradiction and bad analogies. Comparing 700 and 660 and saying the BMW 900 being stronger or jeep with 30 inch tires on a regular road and saying what are you doing. I own a GS with karoo tires and jeep with 30 Inch and these tires affords me the capability to take them light off road or sudden down pours that create flood and muddy terrains.
Wow what a smart comment, so edgy. Because engine configuration have anything to do with bikes value 😂 And my 2018AT engine is best engine I experienced, smooth as silk happy in every rpm range ;
Thanks for skillfully telling a complete story. Your reviews are trustworthy and informative! Being relatively new to “motorized” two wheel adventure, your reviews and The Shop Manual, have saved me time and money! Thank You!! 🧐🏍✅👏🏻
It’s really interesting, hopping from this bike to the Desert X, how much lighter and more balanced the Ducati feels, especially in picking them up off the side stands, despite the almost identical weight and height specifications. It may be illusory, but the R1250GSA feels lighter than the 900GS in that regard. I bought the Desert X, and routinely get well beyond 200 miles per tank.
Thanks. Yes, I know (have owned it). My point is that it is interesting how big a difference that makes (900GS and 850GSA vs 1250GSA) and that the Desert X has a completely different feel, possibly also due to the engine configuration (L-twin). It’s not a bash on any of the bikes, just an observation.
Thanks again Zack…buuuuut I cant see or have rode any bike in this segment to distract me from my 22KTM890 until KTM releases the new 990adventure later this year. For me the KTM total experience checks the most boxes. I can say after riding the new 900gs, its soooo much better than its predecessor but no match for my 890, with me at the helm.
I fail to see how this bike would be in any way better as a daily rider than a Kawi Z900SE (which is almost half the price, so you could buy an extra KLR650 on top, for the price of the GS), unless your commute happens to be through the slums of Mumbai during the rainy season or something, in which case you'll never make it on a BMW M1000R LOL That was a truly baffling ranking.. made no sense to me
A 270° firing order? I thought these engines were 360° so, the pistons go up and down together. (Wait, The new ones appear to be 270, but the old f800 series were 360)
I think that's the difference between ranking it as a "Daily Rider" and Zach's own preferences for his personal needs. The fact that he can put himself outside of his needs and tell you if it would be a good commuter is why he is such a great reporter and writer and rider.
The often overlooked cousin to the F900GS, the F900XR solves many of the issues Zack found with using this bike as a daily rider. Also, lower seat height, less expensive, lighter weight...of course if you want the offroad capability, it's not going to be there...but as a solid BMW commuter, it's tough to beat.
It almost feels as if BMW is confusing customers on purpose with their naming schemes. You need to be very careful with a statement like "if you want more fuel range, get the 900 GS Adventure"! The 900 Adventure is NOT the Adventure version of the new 900GS. It is the Adventure version of the old 850GS (same old frame and suspension), only with the new engine in it. If you want the "new" Adventure, you have to wait a year or two.. and then it will presumably be called 950GS Adventure or something similar like that
Not paying $18,000 for an overweight, overpowered trail bike when a KLX 300 would fill my needs much better for a 3rd of the price. For touring I'd rather have a 1200RT.
Overpowered? 😂 Said noone ever. Still, if 300 toy fills your purpose good for you, don't come and criticise adv bikes, they are best thing ever but yeah they not for pussy who can't ride or deadlift 50kg 😂
You people clearly don't understand and appreciate whole point of adv bikes it's the ultimate freedom machine. Having goldwing and exc300 isn't solution or substitute for good all around bike which can do it all. If I'm going out I'm never like: I'll go only on road. Or only off-road. Where do you have such possibility? It's always mix. And you don't have to choose with adv, you do all
What's more interesting than the BMW F series bikes are the people who buy these bikes (with cash), keep them in a garage for a couple of years (alongside their other bikes), and sell them for an absurdly cheap price as they "thin out the herd."
I bought this bike when it first showed up at the dealership and am very happy with it. It's for a specific type of riding and not for everyone. It's got a similar vibe to a Tenere 700. If you like day rides down dirt roads in the country, then zipping home on the highway at the end of the day, this is the bike for you. I would get something else for long cross-country expressway rides. It does eat through gas, so that's something to keep in mind. The shocks and wheels are durable. I hit a pot hole going about 45 mph that would have damaged a lesser bike. It's a little on the tall side but there is a lower seat option available. If the cost is prohibitive, maybe go with the Tenere if you can find it.
Realistically, it would be a great bike at $14k or $15k but then BMW would charge extra for everything, esp. cruise control, the quick shifter and all the other extras.
I think it’s okay for Zac to not recommend a bike. That’s the reason for a review. A 18k bike from BMW not taking a podium seat is a huge indicator there are better options.
A friend of mine bought it as a lighter option for more off roading than the 1200gs. He kept it 3 days and 400km he brought it back and lost 3000€ but he said it was so bad he couldn’t have kept it.
I'd be interested in the why. Seems like it would be much more capable off-road than the big GS. I do love how easy the R1250GS (and new R1300GS) are to pick up because they don't fall flat.
Airbags Save! Learn more: rvz.la/3R8SW4x
Read more about the F 900 GS on Common Tread: rvz.la/3X1Tn4w
When will we have a list of the top bikes of the years? I’d love to see the rankings of the #1, 2 and 3 bikes of each year.
Tank size is fine, your average GS owner never lives more than 5 miles from a Starbucks anyway.
Sincerely, KTM rider
If only Corvette Guy knew how famous he really was....
Corvette guy has seen the videos before! He commented saying that he appreciates it
@@LizzyB123 Think of all the awesome bikes he could buy if he sold some of those Corvettes? 😆
F800 motor is a Rotec motor. Is the 900 something different?
@@seymoreduless8920 prolly same 🤮
Lol was just about to make this comment
Zakc is the kind of guy who would know how the three sea shells work.
The giggle at the end of the intro is the best splash ever. Change my mind
Zack is a better rider with no hands than I am with both hands. Impressive as always.
I didn't think I'd ever seen Zack struggle to not say how much he disliked a bike. Those diplomatic skills working overtime
Agreed - so I guess I will say it for him! LOL
Yeah it was very evident within 10 minutes
Yea... i mean if your going to honestly review a bike, then honestly review the bike...
@@Tony-yl1yotrue. But it def wasnt in a disparaging way. Just said hey I think this is weird or doest function exactly as an adventure bike rider would want it. I took one on a demo ride. To me it’s feels small and nimble. Quickshifter flawless as he mentioned. Engine is fine. I prefer the tiger 900 engine or even the vstrom 1050 de. Fuel tank size is kinda criminal. Seem to just be better option no matter what u want. Want the same or more off readability, better fuel range, at a cheaper price? Ktm 890/890r, norden 901/expedition, Honda Africa twin base. Want cheaper and the same or more off road ability? Aprilia Touareg 660, T7. Want a premium bike with the same or more off road ability with a more fun engine? Tiger 900 rally pro Ducati desert X. Want a cheap reliable bike that is less off road focused and probably as fun on road? Suzuki vstrom 1050 de, vstrom 800 de, Honda transalp. This bike is great and feels good in almost every aspect but other bikes can be had that are better, cheaper, or more fun
I didn’t think so?? Seemed normal, said what he liked and didn’t like…
Seems like the overall tone is "save some money and get a T7 or Africa Twin"
The price is way too high for what you get.
I own a 2021 F850GS and his complaints are justified. I have also shopped it against an Africa Twin and Tiger 900 and the BMW was still a better bike for the prices of what I purchased mine. The ATwin is a bigger and faster bike but it's incredibly tall and when I bought mine there was no factory cruise control and the seat was worse than BMW. The T700 was never in my mind since it is not an adventure tourer but just an adventure bike so basically a 700cc dirt bike.
@@blakethornsbrough1528 I just struggle to see who the bmw is for. It looks good off road but to really take advantage of the suspension you have to be a very skilled rider, especially to wrangle a nearly 500 pound bike. I feel like the people that buy them think they're going to be riding it like a 250 pound dual sport. It looks cool, I'll give it that. But if it was me I'd get the T7, save 9 grand, and not feel bad about dumping it.
@@brumfiba I think the intent is for people who want capability closer to the T7, but also want more creature comforts a la quickshifter, cruise control, etc and decent highway manners, even though yes there are other options that do that pretty solidly as well.. Also for people who are already more familiar with or currently under the BMW wing and want to stay there but have good offroad capability.
@@Tarukai788 that's fair. I just think that if you have 18 grand to spend you can probably find a 1200 or 1250gs or just save a bit and get a 1300 and get the whole bmw experience. It's not like it weighs that much more and for 99% of riders, they'll probably cover the same terrain/use case. I just think anyone who thinks they're going to wrestle a 500 pound bike around anything more than a dirt road is lying to themselves, so you might as well get the big boy and get it over with.
Wouldn't the most direct competitor be the 2024 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro or the road oriented GT Pro. Surprised those were not mentioned as they match favorably in features and cost.
def. its really the only one that matches that close in faetures and price
3.8 Gallons? 🤨
Should have called it the F900 Sportster
The F900GSA has 6 gal tank but still they should have given the GS a bigger tank.
It’s capable of 44mpg or 170mile range
@@a9503128 sugar coat all you want.
even 5 gallons is iffy
LOL, it still holds more than the Sportster.
@@viperq
Seems a bit overpriced and overweight. I'd rather spring for a Tuareg 660 that's 5k less and almost 80 pounds lighter.
Sold these as well as KTM/DUCATI for 6+ yrs.... Always asked customers to test ride KTM 790/890 as well as 1200GS....... People interested in touring always picked the 1200....late model used to keep price similar. As 1200GS easier to handle. Off road riders world end up in the KTM . only people picking this bike were people that just had to have BMW or experienced the KTM electronic gremlins..... Or end of year buyers taking advantage of crazy 850gs factory discounts to move them off floor.
I bought RT for long road trips, Super Tenere for forest roads (semi regret) and bought KLR300 for technical off road/BDR. My dream bike was KTM 690R Adventure. But being short i have passed every time. I almost bought last years KTM890S because it was lower than all previous years. I regret not buying it and ended up with KLR300
I'm off-road focused and ended up with AT DCT. Best decision eva.
Wouldn't touch perrier bikes with 10m stick, ESPECIALLY 790. electronics issues are just tip of iceberg of that dumpster fire.
With AT my only worry is where I'll go next trip:) and dct is game changer and improves safety
@@beamdoctor5637 yeah I ended up with an RT after several GS's...I wasn't even doing forest roads and finally made peace with that. I am always smarter AFTER I try something. Hey you can obv always consolidate... 2 for 1. ....RT and Tenere for a low suspension GS/GS adventure...I loved long trips on the GSA...I am 5' 7" on a good day . Then eventually trade in the KLR.... Or not....
@@rxyz123 totally agree and i am same height
I wanted KTM 890 Adv, but have you seen the amount of complaints on camshafts? I’ve got this one instead and do not regret it.
Yay, corvette guy!
Damn that GPS mount ruins your visibility - and looks kinda stupid too! 😞 Still rather have an Africa Twin AS
on the upside.....
The cams probably won't delaminate. 😏
Who knows. With chinese production and more and more aggressive planned obsolescence and cost cutting....
Corporations are getting way too bold with this crap in recent years.
Probably designed to last 50-100k km and about 4 years.
Still, can't be worse than perrier group shite
Honestly for that price, the fuel storage is a joke.
The price isn't for fuel storage. It's for the badge on the tank.
I owned a BMW f800.
Spare me your wisdom.
All BMW bikes can be resumed to this: good motorcycles, very expensive to buy, very expensive to maintain, very reliable if you keep with the maintenance and don't go bankrupt.
Personally for off-road I would go with any Japanese, Yamaha, Suzuki or Honda, they're reliable and closer to my budget.
The "I'm goofing off on a bike" giggle never gets old.
22:10 for $18k you're getting a Chinese built engine? No thanks.
The ARiemann1 off road test of this bike is the best one on UA-cam with comparisons with the T7 and everything…
Nah mate. I like him, but hes not testing adventure bikes as adventure bike. Having fun in woods isn't reliable way to review adv bike sorry not sorry
@@Angry-LynxYou don't know the guy too well, huh
@@Angry-Lynx to each their own, but that's how I ride my adventure bikes! I'm only on the pavement long enough to find the next trail. If I wanted a bike that prioritized pavement I would look at sport touring bikes.
I'd say under 5% of all moto riders buyers are as skilled as him at riding bikes offroad. Not many people will even come close to using the f900 to it's capabilities.
A nice detailed review of a chinese Loncin. :D
It is time to start calling them what they are... I'm talk to you KTM too.
Hey Zac, think you could start mentioning how the wind noise compares on different bikes that have a windshield?
Is a 900cc, 500lb bike really a midsize?
Or maybe a 1250, 600+ is an oversize, a 900, 500 a fullsize, and then maybe a 5-600, 400 being a midsize, with a 3-400, 350 being a small?
Welcome to 2024 where 500s are beginner bikes and 1000s are midsized.
You say high end suspension, but can it hang with an 890 Adventure? I’ll never understand anything that hints at touring and doesn’t get over 200miles from a tank.
I love my regular fixes of two-wheeled journeys through Long Beach! 🇬🇧
Zack is well qualified to represent the LBC
He and Ari are gonna run to the party and dance till the rhythm it
Gets
Harder
Don’t get that elephant stuck on a muddy road. You’ll have to walk to find a farmer with a tractor to pull you out.😆
BMW seems determined to both price itself out of the market as well as antagonize owners by making it nearly impossible for them to maintain and repair their bikes by making service literature available only to dealers. My current BMW will be my last, sadly.
Stick with Honda or Yamaha brother 👍
@@anthonysilvestri4946 I prefer Kawasaki for the most part.
@@LTVoyager I have been looking at Vaqueros - they are super capable baggers and can be found for way under $10K in excellent condition with hardly any miles! 👍
@@anthonysilvestri4946 I’m just not a V-twin guy. When I sold my 87 Voyager XII, I really wanted to buy another Kawasaki, but I want 4 cylinders or more. The Vulcan Voyager 1700 seemed like a step back in time even though it was 20 years newer than my Voyager XII. That is why I went with the BMW K1200LT. It was, and still is, a fantastic two-up long distance touring machine. Mine has 107,000 miles now and still going strong, but it showing its age with cracking plastic bits and little annoyances like that after 17 years of use. However, I really don’t like any of the current crop of touring bikes. If I had to buy one tomorrow, it would be a Wing, even though the wife and I weren’t that impressed with the 2018 we test rode when they first came out with the current gen Wing. Probably the closest for us was the Grand America, but maintenance is a nightmare similar to my LT and when BMW stopped making service manuals available to owners, that was the final straw for me. My nearest roundel dealer is 140 miles away, yes, that isn’t a typo, and doing my own maintenance and repairs is all that keeps BMW ownership viable for me with my LT. If I have to depend on a dealer for repairs and have to ride or trailer my bike 3 hours each way for that, it just makes no sense to own BMW.
With that super generic setup why not just get a Honda. Besides wanting to show the badge in Starbucks parking lot.
I have driven (and ridden) Hondas my entire life and have much higher regard for that "H" than most any other bike that doesn't start with a "D" 🤣🤣🤣
Nah....just to much of a workout on anything but dirt roads...when it comes to off road....AND that price...I mean,totally gag me with a spoon!
Had a Super Tenere and sold it after 7yrs bc it was tall and top heavy. This bike has cruise control and a quick shifter, and is 100lbs lighter than the Super T, but at $18k--no tks BMW. Perhaps a cruiser with cruise cont with a lower seat height. Current ride, 2022 Burgman 200--80mph/70mpg+ and I won't use it as a trade. It's fun and has huge underseat storage.
Just get the goldwing theres nothing better ;
Pease give us a review of the new BMW F800 GS 🙏
I don’t see the point of that bike. It’s 45 lbs lighter than my R1250GS but gets worse mileage and has a smaller tank. Worst part is it really isn’t much cheaper either.
I wanted to point out what a polite driver you are.
i feel like you're looking at the bikes, for the leaderboard ratings, through rose colored glasses. i would take maintenance into account when deciding what's the best daily rider, and i don't think you are. not just in terms of reliability and availability of parts when something breaks, but also in terms of just regular maintenance. some bikes will take months to get replacement parts if something does break, and some bikes need more care and preventative maintenance than others.
i think suzuki, kawasaki, yamaha, and honda would get full 10/10 marks in that category. and everything else would get less. and that opinion is coming from personal experience with multiple manufacturers.
An upper crust bike that can’t sit at 75 without vibes and blurred mirrors and which needs to stop for fuel at just over 100 miles for $18k?? I honestly don’t know how the Germans get away with it. If it was American, British or Italian it would be absolutely slated for these things.
If you don't need the offroad - F900R or XR are better "daily rides"
Not quite as nice at the Africa Twin, expensive AF, dressed up in that livery and cannot go the distance.
Africa "teen"?? 😂
Zak even grew some gray hairs in the beard to make it more legit ADV bike review!
ARI n ZAC are not kids any more or young men they are officially middle aged experts. I have enjoyed the past 14 years listening to them.
It would be nice to see how the updated ‘24 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro slots into the mix. It’s been a while since Zack has been atop a Tiger… Hint, hint! 😃
To me, the bike to compare to the F900 GS would be the Tiger 900. It would be nice to see an objective SxS of the two.
How can a 900cc twin with the engine made in China cost that much? Showstopper off the bat.
Those tank patches don't come cheap, m8 😂
Proving once again the 2017 F800GS was the best in the line. If it had cruise control then it would be the perfect bike.
Rear fuel tank was not the best solution weight distribution wise.
@motolover5697 True. It makes it harder to break traction but you get used to it. It's only noticeable after a fill-up.
As a guy with a 17 GSA, I agree with you, but I might be biased. 😁 These bikes don't get a fair shake, but they are good daily riders, good overlanders, and maintenance data shows them to be the most reliable machinery BMW has sold in the US over the last 30 years or so.
Totally agree. Swooping my 800 gsa for a 900 next week...will probably keep it for a commuter
Hi Zack, I was wondering, why are these 'lightweight' bikes heavier then a 'heavier' bike like the R1200GS DOHC from 2010 (seen from dryweight) Greetings from The Netherlands.
Regarding the big GS...The 2009 R1200GS has exactly the same power (105), more torque (>80 ft-lb), approx. the same weight (~504 wet), more fuel (5.3 gal), and amazing passenger accommodations. It seems to be a much better touring bike too and is (very likely) more reliable and easier to work on with the air cooled boxer while still being able to do off road very well. Why would the F900 be a better choice when it seems to be only just keeping up with another BMW they made 15 years ago and is now 1/3 of the price?
Because this bike is much more capable off-road than that R1200GS. If your priority is touring and two-up riding, the R1200GS is the better option. This bike has a different target market.
Quick walkaround of the XL250?
At this point you have to wonder if it's a running gag.
I bought this bike a couple months ago, I was kind of in the same camp as Zack and not super loving it. I also got the off road tires (it was what the dealer had). I don't do a ton of trail riding, so I swapped them out for some 80/20 road tires after about 6 weeks and it's like a completely different bike. Much better on the highway, corners a lot nicer, etc etc. It's still tall, and heavy, but with good tires on it it's a lot more fun.
This guy is full of contradiction and bad analogies. Comparing 700 and 660 and saying the BMW 900 being stronger or jeep with 30 inch tires on a regular road and saying what are you doing.
I own a GS with karoo tires and jeep with 30 Inch and these tires affords me the capability to take them light off road or sudden down pours that create flood and muddy terrains.
Please get your hands on a Stelvio if you muster it.
$18k for a parallel twin. Let that sink in.
Much like a Africa Twin AS...
You're getting a bimmer around that let thát sink in.
What does engine configuration have to do with price? Nothing. Your a moron with strange opinions
Africa twin engine isn’t made in 🇨🇳
Wow what a smart comment, so edgy.
Because engine configuration have anything to do with bikes value 😂
And my 2018AT engine is best engine I experienced, smooth as silk happy in every rpm range ;
If you spend $18k for a Chinese BMW you should have your head examined.
Price, size, and weight are really creeping up. The Porsche Boxster of motorcycles.
Thanks for skillfully telling a complete story.
Your reviews are trustworthy and informative!
Being relatively new to “motorized” two wheel adventure, your reviews and The Shop Manual, have saved me time and money! Thank You!!
🧐🏍✅👏🏻
I Would Love to See, F 800 GS, AND M 1000 XR Reviews From You!! 😊😊😊😊😊
It’s really interesting, hopping from this bike to the Desert X, how much lighter and more balanced the Ducati feels, especially in picking them up off the side stands, despite the almost identical weight and height specifications. It may be illusory, but the R1250GSA feels lighter than the 900GS in that regard. I bought the Desert X, and routinely get well beyond 200 miles per tank.
R1250 has a Boxer twin that sits down low and lowers the Center of Gravity my friend 👍
Thanks. Yes, I know (have owned it). My point is that it is interesting how big a difference that makes (900GS and 850GSA vs 1250GSA) and that the Desert X has a completely different feel, possibly also due to the engine configuration (L-twin). It’s not a bash on any of the bikes, just an observation.
@@bsmukler Desert X prolly feels like a dirt bike compared to similar ADV bikes in the class LOL
@@anthonysilvestri4946 Yes, in a great 👍
Good weight distribution is the answer
Thanks again Zack…buuuuut I cant see or have rode any bike in this segment to distract me from my 22KTM890 until KTM releases the new 990adventure later this year. For me the KTM total experience checks the most boxes. I can say after riding the new 900gs, its soooo much better than its predecessor but no match for my 890, with me at the helm.
It’s obvious Zack LOOOOVES this bike lol 😂
🤮
Not
500 lb and 100 hp is also the specs of the 1st-gen R1200GS
I've been waiting months for this review! absolutely love this bike. thank you Zac.
Do you still like it after the review?
Badge engineering and overpriced, for folk with lots more £$€ than sense.
I fail to see how this bike would be in any way better as a daily rider than a Kawi Z900SE (which is almost half the price, so you could buy an extra KLR650 on top, for the price of the GS), unless your commute happens to be through the slums of Mumbai during the rainy season or something, in which case you'll never make it on a BMW M1000R LOL
That was a truly baffling ranking.. made no sense to me
its DR650 time, time to upset expensive bike manufacturers
Seems like an expensive machine just to ride to Starbucks 😂
I wonder how this would stack up against the Suzuki 800DE (no 2 of the 2023 DR board) as a daily rider and a 70/30 touring bike.
The 900 really surprised me, such a fun bike to ride, enjoyed it much more than the 1300gs
A 270° firing order? I thought these engines were 360° so, the pistons go up and down together.
(Wait, The new ones appear to be 270, but the old f800 series were 360)
Zack, so surprised with the ranking. You sounded bored and uninspired during the ride and yet this sits toward the top, just under the 1000R? 🤔
I think that's the difference between ranking it as a "Daily Rider" and Zach's own preferences for his personal needs. The fact that he can put himself outside of his needs and tell you if it would be a good commuter is why he is such a great reporter and writer and rider.
The headlight seems to be leveraged from the G310 GS.
The passenger pegs are also probably set wider for the saddlebags that all GSs eventually have.
BMW finally takes a stab at building a Tenere.
I thought the 220 mile range on my multi 950s was bad. Guess I'll stop complaining.
Waiting for your review of the cf moto ibex 450
This guy???no idea,but can read spec sheets!
If u rider who never offroaded- notice where he had the most phun ;]
The often overlooked cousin to the F900GS, the F900XR solves many of the issues Zack found with using this bike as a daily rider. Also, lower seat height, less expensive, lighter weight...of course if you want the offroad capability, it's not going to be there...but as a solid BMW commuter, it's tough to beat.
I totally agree. The F900GS may be my next adventure bike, but a F900XR would make a better "daily rider" if pavement is your priority. Mine isn't. ;)
It almost feels as if BMW is confusing customers on purpose with their naming schemes.
You need to be very careful with a statement like "if you want more fuel range, get the 900 GS Adventure"!
The 900 Adventure is NOT the Adventure version of the new 900GS. It is the Adventure version of the old 850GS (same old frame and suspension), only with the new engine in it.
If you want the "new" Adventure, you have to wait a year or two.. and then it will presumably be called 950GS Adventure or something similar like that
Not paying $18,000 for an overweight, overpowered trail bike when a KLX 300 would fill my needs much better for a 3rd of the price. For touring I'd rather have a 1200RT.
I have Yamaha XT250 and R1200RT. It’s my perfect combination. 👍
@@crazyhikerdude I have a Yamaha Warrior 1700 and a Triumph Tiger 1050 - but I never take her off road LOL
Overpowered? 😂 Said noone ever. Still, if 300 toy fills your purpose good for you, don't come and criticise adv bikes, they are best thing ever but yeah they not for pussy who can't ride or deadlift 50kg 😂
You people clearly don't understand and appreciate whole point of adv bikes it's the ultimate freedom machine.
Having goldwing and exc300 isn't solution or substitute for good all around bike which can do it all.
If I'm going out I'm never like: I'll go only on road. Or only off-road. Where do you have such possibility? It's always mix. And you don't have to choose with adv, you do all
Just a thought: when it comes to seat height you tell us you’re six-two but maybe it would be more useful to tell us your inside leg measurement..? :)
Its 32 inches - he's mentioned it several times before
@@anthonysilvestri4946 Same as me and I’m 5’10” which was my point :)
Still would pick a transalph it's a lot cheaper
GS of course stands for Garis-Sakar. 150 mile is really low - why couldn't they have just had a slightly larger tank? The bike is big enough already.
Because they really just want you to buy a GS1300 🙂
The F900GSA has 6 gal tank but still they should have given the GS a bigger tank.
Garis-Sakar?
Gas tank size is a HARD no for me. It’s a cheap engineering shortcut for reducing weight, akin to taking laxatives to make weight for a competition.
Weight yes but mostly cutting the balls intentionally so you have important reason to upsell you more expensive bike 😂
Would love to see a full edit of the offroad portion of the video that was at the very end.
Not buying Chinese motorcycles
What's more interesting than the BMW F series bikes are the people who buy these bikes (with cash), keep them in a garage for a couple of years (alongside their other bikes), and sell them for an absurdly cheap price as they "thin out the herd."
I bought this bike when it first showed up at the dealership and am very happy with it. It's for a specific type of riding and not for everyone. It's got a similar vibe to a Tenere 700. If you like day rides down dirt roads in the country, then zipping home on the highway at the end of the day, this is the bike for you. I would get something else for long cross-country expressway rides. It does eat through gas, so that's something to keep in mind. The shocks and wheels are durable. I hit a pot hole going about 45 mph that would have damaged a lesser bike. It's a little on the tall side but there is a lower seat option available. If the cost is prohibitive, maybe go with the Tenere if you can find it.
$5K more than it’s worth in my opinion.
Sounds like a great $7k~$10k bike...
Realistically, it would be a great bike at $14k or $15k but then BMW would charge extra for everything, esp. cruise control, the quick shifter and all the other extras.
It’s an excellent off-road bike like the 890 adventure r which Zack also doesn’t love offroad. I don’t think it sucking onroad means it’s bad though
I'm, what feels like 20mins into your review, but pls go get DIRTY
It has the same headlight as 310 gs 🤦🏻♂️
Looks A LOT better than previous two generations.
He was rather negative and yet went above the scrambler, give me the scrambler!
How is a 900cc bike "mid sized"?!?!
we all got fat
Normally it goes by the bikes weight.
Cause it's smaller than the big size bike.
How is it not? Your question doesn't make a lot of sense. 650 to 900 is typically considered midsized
Damn, that final jump off the bike was soo sleek. Can't get used to this stuff from Zack.
Man, I dunno. It's a really cool bike but at 20k....I could get a whole assed Pan America
A Hardly Capable adventure bike? No thanks 🤮🤮🤮
@@anthonysilvestri4946 No 500lb bikes are good off-road.
@@JayBee-cr8jm Hardly Capable bikes aren't particularly good on the street either! But I hear they make great T-shirts? 😄
@@anthonysilvestri4946 That doesn't change physics. 500lb bikes suck off road and we all know it.
@@anthonysilvestri4946 oh shit you're right, the 490lbs of this Bimmer is such a far cry from the 500lbs of the Pan Am.
About the same weight as the 1300.
BMW - BROKE MY WALLET . . . .😅
I think it’s okay for Zac to not recommend a bike. That’s the reason for a review. A 18k bike from BMW not taking a podium seat is a huge indicator there are better options.
Have a versys 300, I get 300 miles on a tank
It is even if branded BMW, it remains the twin of the Chinese VOGE 900 that costs half as much
An $18k bike that looks like $8k.
A friend of mine bought it as a lighter option for more off roading than the 1200gs. He kept it 3 days and 400km he brought it back and lost 3000€ but he said it was so bad he couldn’t have kept it.
Yeah I don't think it's gonna be better off-road than GS. The only advantage I see is bike being not so wide as gss side tits.
I'd be interested in the why. Seems like it would be much more capable off-road than the big GS. I do love how easy the R1250GS (and new R1300GS) are to pick up because they don't fall flat.