BMW categorizes the 2022 F 900 XR as an Adventure model. For some, that classification takes artistic liberties with the definition of adventure. For others, it’s an affront to segment conventions. Wherever you fall on the matter, the XR rides the rising ADV tide thanks to that tag. It’s a bold move by the Bavarians, especially when the F 900 XR shares nearly no parts with its F 850 GS stablemate.
The GS trudges through the trail on a 21-inch front wheel; the XR carves corners on 17-inch hoops. One favors an 853cc twin mated to a tubular steel space frame. The other surrounds its 895cc mill with a bridge-type, steel-shell unit. The two hardly bear a family resemblance, with long legs constituting the only familial trait. From the tires to the tank, from tip to tail, both bikes couldn’t be any more different.
