BMW F 900 R, F 900 XR to be launched on May 21

• The F 900 twins were unveiled at the 2019 EICMA motor show 

• They are powered by a new 895cc, parallel-twin engine

• Online bookings are expected to commence shortly after launch

BMW Motorrad India is all set to launch the new F 900 R and F 900 XR on May 21, 2020. The two F 900 series motorcycles were unveiled at the 2019 EICMA in Milan, and as we'd expected back then, they'll make their India debut in the middle of 2020. Bookings are likely to begin shortly after the launch, but deliveries could be delayed due to the coronavirus crisis. We expect to hear more about these timelines after the launch. 

The  F 900 R is the company's new street naked motorcycle whereas the F 900 XR is an adventure sports tourer. Both motorcycles share the same chassis and engine, however, they differ in terms of styling, riding position, suspension travel and other bits. 

Powering the bikes is a new 895cc, inline-twin engine that is based on the 2018 BMW F 850 GS' motor, albeit with a slightly larger bore (by 2mm) and higher compression ratio. It produces 105hp at 8,750rpm and 92Nm of torque at 6,500rpm, with as much as 87Nm available from 4,500rpm onwards. The engine is paired to a 6-speed transmission.

In International markets, the bikes are available in two trims. The base variants are equipped with two riding modes (Road and Rain), traction control, 6.5- inch TFT screen with Bluetooth, and LED headlights as standard. Throw more money on the table and the top variants get you Dynamic ESA at the rear (semi-active suspension), cornering ABS, keyless ignition and a lot more. If that's not enough, BMW is expected to offer a wide variety of accessories, which also includes adaptive cornering lights – a segment first.

We got a chance to ride the F 900 R and F900 XR a few months ago and you can read all about them here.

Prices are expected to begin around Rs 9.7-10 lakh for the F 900 R, which goes up against some serious competition like the KTM 790 Duke, Kawasaki Z900, Ducati Monster 821 and the soon-to-be-launched Triumph Street Triple R. The BMW F 900 XR, meanwhile, is likely to slot between Rs 11-12 lakh, which will take it into the territory of bigger and more powerful machines like the Kawasaki Versys 1000. 

(All prices, ex-showroom)