BMW F 900 XR vs Ducati Multistrada V2 S vs Triumph Tiger 900 GT – road-biased adventure tourers compared

BMW Motorrad has relaunched the premium road-biased adventure tourer, the F 900 XR, with some minute changes and feature revisions. The launch couldn’t have happened at a better time, as the Ducati Multistrada V2 also replaced the Multistrada 950 S at the same time, with few styling revisions and new crankshafts over its predecessor. Here, we compare these two motorcycles, in addition to the Triumph Tiger 900 GT included in the equation, to find out which one is the best-suited motorcycle for your preferences for your complete soft adventure tourer. 

Price

BMW Motorrad has hit the ball out of the park with the brilliant pricing of the F 900 XR. At Rs 12.30 lakh, the new BMW F 900 XR is significantly affordable than the Triumph Tiger 900 GT and the Ducati Multistrada V2 S, with the Ducati being the priciest of the lot by a huge margin.

(All prices mentioned above are ex-showroom, pan India)

Engine and Chassis

Except for the Triumph Tiger 900 GT, which gets an inline-three engine, the other two motorcycles here get twin-cylinder layouts for their engines – inline-twin for the BMW F 900 XR and L-Twin for the Ducati Multistrada V2 S. Among all the three engines, the mill powering the Multistrada V2 S is the most powerful and torquey, while the Tiger 900 GT is the lowest in the order.

All the three motorcycles here get fully-adjustable upside-down hydraulic telescopic forks at the front and fully-adjustable mono-shock at the rear, with the Multistrada V2 S having the fattest front forks. The Multistrada V2 S also has the biggest front wheel and tyre, while the F 900 XR gets the biggest rear tyre. All the three motorcycles here get dual 320 mm discs at the front, and while the Tiger 900 GT gets a 255 mm rear disc, the other two motorcycles get a 265 mm rear disc.

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Dimension

When it comes to sheer size, the Ducati Multistrada trumps the other two by being the longest, widest and tallest motorcycle among the three motorcycles here. It is also the motorcycle with the longest wheelbase, heaviest kerb weight, tallest seat height and largest fuel tank. At the other end of the spectrum sits the BMW F 900 XR, which has the smallest figures in all the parameters mentioned, apart from the kerb weight, which makes it marginally heavier than the Tiger 900 GT.

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Design and Features

The three semi-faired motorcycles here are engineered as premium road-biased adventure tourers, with all of them having distinctive designs of their own, though it is the F 900 XR which feels the sportiest of the lot.

In terms of equipment, all these three motorcycles get all-LED headlamps with daytime running LEDs, LED turn indicators, LED tail lamp, adjustable front brake and clutch levers, full-TFT instrument console with  Bluetooth connectivity and telematics, riding modes, power modes, 12V charging socket, traction control, cornering ABS, assist and slipper clutch and quick-shifter. While the F 900 XR is the only motorcycle here to miss out on split seats and handlebar crash guards, the Multistrada V2 S is the only one here to not get heated grips and cruise control. The exclusive features are an adjustable windscreen in the F 900 XR and hill hold control and backlit switchgear in the Multistrada V2 S.

Verdict

While the three motorcycles here are battling out in the same space of road-biased adventure tourers, all of them are distinctive on their own.

The BMW F 900 XR takes the edge by being the most affordable motorcycle of the three options here, and while some of its features are available in optional packages, it still feels the most affordable even after including all of them. It also has the sportiest design language, but it is the smallest motorcycle here in terms of size.

The Ducati Multistrada V2 S feels like the most complete motorcycle here. It looks the biggest, has a healthy features list, and gets the most powerful engine and the most premium mechanical hardware. However, all these advancements do come at a hefty premium, which looks hard to digest, especially when the price difference between it and the other two motorcycles is quite wide.

The Triumph Tiger 900 GT feels like a more well-balanced package with the most justifiable price for what it offers. While it might have the lowest power and torque figures, it is the only motorcycle here to get an inline-three layout for its engine. It also feels like the most comfortable motorcycle, with its dimensions positioning it in the middle of the other two motorcycles. It also feels like the best-equipped motorcycle among the three.

Choose any one of the three, depending on the preferences mentioned above, and you will not go wrong with either of them.

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