Ridden: 2026 BMW F900 GS Adventure Made Me Rethink My Entire Life

Detours can be a beautiful thing, if you’re not in a hurry to reach a certain destination. I’ll especially resort to this “approach” when I’m on an island vacation. Some roads will just have a dead end, but others can occasionally lead to some amazing spots.

But I’m just not talking about detours literally, but also metaphorically. Taking the “Long Way Road” can easily be a journey of self-discovery. Going off the trodden path will take you out of your comfort zone, and potentially into a state of deep introspection. At least that’s what has happened to me over the past three months since I’ve ridden BMW’s F900 GS Adventure.

You could say it was a pretty long detour, and I’m not even certain I want to go back to my original direction. Even though I’ve come to realize sport bikes and super bikes make no sense on public roads, I’ll still check the classifieds from time to time looking at several models. In recent years, I’ve been yearning for longer road trips with my buddy Mike, who bought a BMW R1150GS for his first bike a few years ago.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” right? Anyway, do you remember what motorcycles Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman rode in their “Long Way Round”, 20,000-mile trip across the planet? I was a kid when the show aired over 20 years ago, and watched every episode of it with my dad. While he loves adventures and traveling as much as I do, he’d never get on a motorcycle, with or without me.

And you see, I’ve already taken a detour within my detour, as that’s just how big of an impact the F900 GS Adventure had on me. There was so much to take in, that I had to order Ewan’s and Charlie’s book before I’d even start to write my own thoughts on the middle-weight adventure bike. With any luck, we’ll have a video on the topic coming out soon. And my review of Ruroc's AT4.0 Track Cobra helmet will be up next, too.

Design Evaluation

Twenty years ago, I would have probably shrugged at the sight of any motorcycle that didn’t look like it just came from the racetrack. But then again, a young version of me couldn’t think of a better meal than french fries and pork steak. My taste in food has changed a lot since, and I’m as eager to explore that part of life as I am about driving new cars and riding new bikes.

Now, I’m often overly-nostalgic and will tell you that cars and bikes just looked better 20 years ago. Also, I find the idea of buying an R1150GS and going on a transcontinental trip with my friend extremely appealing, and not just because Ewan and Charlie used this model. They’re quite affordable at under $5,000, but I just can’t deal with how outdated they look like in 2026.

Meanwhile, the F900 GS Adventure feels like an award winning stallion. And I can tell you this won’t be the last time I’ll compare it to a horse during this story. I might be tempted to choose the Sage Green Metallic finish instead of this black paint job if I’d buy one new. The test bike I had for two days didn’t have the side cases or top case mounted, which almost made it feel incomplete.

But I wasn’t going to need them in the first place, as there was a camera car on my trail for most of the time. I’m six feet tall but this is easily the biggest motorcycle I’ve ever ridden. Despite its size, it didn’t feel intimidating to look at, but rather inviting to hop on. Looks are more subjective than riding feel anyway.

Riding Take

Picture this: I arrived at the Automobile Bavaria Moto Center in Bucharest Wednesday at lunch, not even knowing what bike I’d choose for my two-day test. That’s right, the dealer had a fleet of over a dozen models available, and I was given a quick tour of the showroom to take my pick. I knew for sure I didn’t want to jump on the S1000RR from the get-go, as I wanted to ease in to my BMW experience after having only ridden one of the company’s G310R bikes previously.

The big touring bikes didn’t seem like a good fit for my planned itinerary involving the nearest mountain roads. I’ve never really felt at home on naked bikes either, and I was obviously not properly dressed for the Heritage line. That’s not to say my Alpinestars Motegi V2 suit is the perfect match for a GS, but I’d still rather focus on ATGATT (All the gear, all the time) than fashion choices. In a way, I was determined a GS would have to be my first test.

And just as I wouldn’t be foolish enough to sign up for a full before even attempting a half-marahon first, the big R1300 GS models were out of the equation. I could’ve gone for the new F 450 GS for the novelty factor, but the F900 GSA was so much more inviting. After riding a much lighter, less powerful and older sports touring motorcycle for several years, I admit I was slightly concerned about the imminent test ride.

All my anxiety vanished within the first five minutes of being on the bike, as it was almost as if I towered across the traffic ahead on my trusty steed. I always felt somewhat exposed to danger on my old SV650S as it was tiny by comparison, and the power difference was no reason for concern either. I was so captivated by the bike (you could read that as stuck in my old riding habits) that I didn’t even fiddle with the modern controls for most of my two-hour trip up north to the mountains.

I had somehow left the dealership in Dynamic mode without realizing, and the bike still felt comfortable to me. Switching to “Road” halfway into the trip I was amazed that there was even room for improvement in that chapter. I knew what I was getting myself into beforehand, but couldn’t believe how good the ride quality of the BMW was. The 895 cc engine has a maximum output of 105 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 68 ft-lb (93 NM) of torque at 6,750 rpm.

Having to carry around circa 762 lbs (346 kg) with me in the saddle was by no means a problem for the F900 GSA, and most of the time it felt like any gear was right for the task at hand. I do have one minor, rather silly complaint here. It’s either because of the nature of the bike, the need to adhere to emissions regulations, or the focus on long-term reliability that makes the engine anything but exciting.

I probably can’t ask for anything else from a two-cylinder, inline setup, and using an aftermarket exhaust doesn’t seem to completely solve the “problem” either. Yes, the engine and exhaust note are my main concerns, although I realize it’s the last thing I should worry about if I was about to go on longer trip. After all, “loud pipes” are only fun for a few hours, but not for days in a row.

And once I arrived at the bottom of the mountain, I realized my concerns were exaggerated anyway. As our media team kept changing positions on the hairpins, I went on multiple “laps” going up and down with more and more confidence on each approach. It’s how I discovered how willing the 895 cc unit is to propel the bike forward, and how capable the brakes were in slowing it down before each corner (dual floating 305 mm front brake discs, single 265 mm rear brake disc).

There’s no doubt that in the “duel” between man and machine, I was the one who hit his personal limits first, while the F900 GSA seemed eager to keep going on and on. It’s almost mind-baffling to me that I felt much more at home riding fast around the corners on an adventure bike than I do on a sports bike. It’s that kind of confidence that the GS inspires in its rider. I just wish I could summon the courage and gain the experience needed to use the bike’s off-road mode next.

Everyday Living

With that said, you can probably already tell that everyday living is a breeze with the F900 GSA. I’m a complete rookie riding in the rain, as I’ve never really had to do so before. I’m sure switching to “Rain” did more than just trick my brain into thinking I was perfectly safe riding around Doftana’s Valley within the lawful limits.

I’ve never had the luxury of electronic aids on any of the older bikes I’ve ridden before, and I’m certain they’re a gift from heaven for anyone who isn’t a pro-rider looking to extract 100% of the unit’s potential. By the time we concluded shooting at this location, it was already getting dark outside and the F900 GSA had one more surprise in stock.

The LED headlight is standard on the F900 GSA, as you’d expect from a premium model. And I was stunned to see that it was better at lighting up the road ahead than my old 2013 station wagon is. I had been in the saddle for at roughly eight hours that day, and yet still managed to meet up with Mike for some late night fast food and a bit of catching up.

In a city that’s filled with pot holes, tram lines everywhere and all sort of tarmac irregularities, the F900 GSA just glides over every single problem as if it was a simple walk in the park. Speaking of walking, that’s when things can get a bit rough if you’re not tall or strong enough. I’m not talking about low speed maneuvers. “Dragos, can you push the bike forward 5 inches? Dragos can you move it to the left slightly?”

Positioning it for the camera over the course of a day for hundreds of different shots can be physically challenging, but I somehow still enjoyed every minute of it. It’s a heavy bike, but you won’t notice that for at least 95% of the time anyway. Let’s talk about the fuel consumption for a moment here. BMW’s middleweight adventure bike is quite a bit larger than the one of the regular F900 GS, as it can take up to six gallons of gas.

That could be enough for almost 300 miles of riding in one go, and it’s probably a good idea to get a brake at that point anyway. With a mix of urban, highway and mountain riding (25% spirited, 75% relaxed), I got an average of circa 38 mpg (6.2-liters/100km) which seems decent enough to me.

The real trouble starts when you realize how much a brand new F900 GSA costs. It’s obviously not nearly as “scary” as the R 1300 GS Adventure, which starts at $23,795 MSRP (before taxes) in the US. The base F900 GSA can easily go up to $18,810 MSRP (before taxes) with a few nice features on, while the base model is roughly $3,500 cheaper.

It’s easy to understand why the Chinese bikes that are trying to get into this class are doing so well in the market, as some people prioritize cost over features, reliability and “pedigree” without caring about long-term issues.

Conclusion

I’ve been stuck in Adventure mode for three months now, thinking about my next long motorcycle riding journey. I keep switching back and forth between multiple used models on the market, including BMW’s K1300S, but somehow I keep coming back to the F900 GSA.

I’m sure its bigger brother is an even more capable workhorse, just like a Lamborghini Aventador would be faster than a Huracan. Still, the F900 GSA is the sensible option as it can probably fulfill the riding needs of 90% of the bikers out there without ever throwing a fit.

I’d say it’s well worth the financial effort, especially if you’re keen on keeping it in your garage for the rest of your life. I realize it’s just childish for me to complain about the “soundtrack”, especially since you could still own an S1000RR or similarly capable machine for that kind of “program”.

The sudden rush of joy and excitement that hit me riding the F900 GSA made me wonder if I had gotten too old for sportier bikes. I guess admiring BMW’s middleweight is just a sign that I’ve become more mature, as going farther has officially become more important to me than just going faster.

Rating 4.5/5

Pros

• Extremely comfortable in any given situation
• Has a commanding presence: people in cars will give you all the space you need
• It’s extremely user friendly even with basic riding experience

Cons

• Can be a bit pricey especially once you start adding accessories
• Isn’t easy to push around even if you’re tall and strong
• Engine and exhaust notes are anything but exciting