BMW’s KTM 790 Duke Rival Has An India Launch Date

BMW Motorrad is all set to bring forth its latest series of middleweight motorcycles to India as the F 900 R and F 900 XR will be launched on May 21. The two middleweight motorcycles made their global debut at EICMA last year and will be BMW’s first BS6 bikes in India. Prices for the F 900 R are likely to begin from Rs 11 lakh onwards while the adventure-ish sports-tourer F 900 XR is likely to retail at Rs 12 lakh. All prices, ex-showroom India.

In order to meet Euro5 and BS6 emission norms, the old 853cc motor that was found on the F 750 GS and F 850 GS in India has now been bored out to displace 895cc. On the new 900s, this engine doles out 105PS and 92Nm. Compared to bikes like the Triumph Street Triple RS and the Kawasaki Z900, the power figure is quite low. Where the Bavarian steed trumps its European cousin is in torque as it manages to make almost 13Nm more than the Triumph. The on-paper performance is on par with the likes of the KTM 790 Duke and the Ducati Monster 821, both of which are yet to receive their BS6 updates.

The BMW naked motorcycle design philosophy hasn’t deviated by much in the past couple of years with the likes of the S 1000 R, the old F 800 R and even the G 310 R pretty much looking like family members. The F 900 R maintains that beefy look with sharp cuts on the tank shroud and an oval LED headlight. Its upright riding stance should make it quite a comfy city slicker and a decent tourer as well.

But if touring is where your heart is set at, then the F 900 XR makes a better case. It is the production version of the Concept 9Cento shown in 2018, replete with upright ergonomics, long(-ish)-travel suspension and road-biased wheel setup. It gets a couple of trims, including an electronically adjustable monoshock on the Pro model that allows you to alter preload and rebound settings via the touch of a button.