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A New BMW F 850 GT or XR Middleweight Sport-Tourer Being Tested?

  • Is a new BMW F 850 GT or XR middleweight sport-tourer being tested?

  • The engine is clearly a parallel-Twin most likely the 853cc unit in the F 850 GS.

  • This model will fill BMW’s middleweight sport-tourer gap.

Is Motorrad testing a BMW F 850 GT or XR middleweight sport-tourer? BMW Motorrad understands that they need a bike to fill the void of a more accessible middleweight sport-tourer in terms of performance, weight and especially price.

From the pictures, we can deduce that the new bike is equipped with new 853cc parallel-Twin which powers the F 850 GS and F 850 GS Adventure. The prototype bike has a sharp styling like that of the S 1000 XR sport-tourer.

You can also see large side cases (panniers) and top boxes fitted to them. So, could this be the future F 850 GT or F 850 XR to replace the current F 800 GT?

Panniers and top boxes akin to those on the S 1000 XR

The spy shots also show a lowered seat height, complementary of the 17-inch road wheels and shorter, road-oriented suspension. The F 850 GS, on the other hand, wears a 21-inch wheel up front and longer suspension for off-road duties.

Another observation is the taller windscreen with a TFT screen below it. The new sport-tourer ought to feature traction control, cornering ABS, cruise control, quickshifter, Dynamic ESA and LED lighting should it follow the premium F 850 GS’s specs.

We’re guessing that BMW is gunning for the Yamaha MT-09 Tracer GT, but will the German manufacturer match the Japanese’s low price?

We shall see.

Wahid's lust for motorcycles was spurred on by his late-Dad's love for his Lambretta on which he courted, married his mother, and took baby Wahid riding on it. He has since worked in the motorcycle and automotive industry for many years, before taking up riding courses and testing many, many motorcycles since becoming a motojournalist. Wahid likes to see things differently. What can you say about a guy who sees a road safety message in AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

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