Recently, BMW Motorrad Development Director, Christoph Lischkaspoke at length about the new F 900 GS in an interview with his colleagues at Motociclismo Italia. Lischka, in office since August 2019, succeeded Karl Viktor Schaller, who retired after five years in the same position within the German company.
The novelty F 900 GS It has become one of the benchmark models in the category, and we have talked about it in detail over the last few months. In any case, we recommend that you take a look at these articles if you want to learn more about the model:
BMW F 900 GS: Three years of development to achieve the desired goal
Christoph Lischka has held various development positions at the BMW Group over the past 25 years. Now, as Head of Brand Development, he gives us some interesting details about the project for the latest F 900 GS. Among them is the time it took the team to complete the development of the model: three years.
Likewise, when asked about the model’s direct competitors, Lischka comments: “I don’t think there is any direct competitor for this bike. But it obviously fits into the segment of off-road-inclined mid-size adventure bikes, like the Ducati DesertX and the KTM 890 Adventure. We could also include the Yamaha Ténéré and the Aprilia Tuareg, even though their engines have a smaller displacement.”
On the other hand, he acknowledges that the chassis of the 850 variant has not been changed: “Yes, we left the frame and the engine housing unchanged, although the displacement of the twin-cylinder engine went from 850 to 900 cc. Everything else, however, has been revised. The rear subframe is new, the swingarm has been lightened and the suspension has been replaced.”
Regarding the weight declared by the brand, it clarifies that: “We are in line with the weight of our competitors. And let’s not forget that the 219 kg we declared also includes petrol. In any case, the bike conveys a feeling of lightness, thanks to an excellent weight balance. I think this, together with excellent ergonomics, is very important.”
Another key aspect of this F 900 GS is the size of its rear wheel. Lischka argues that: “We believe that the 17” wheel is a great compromise for getting good handling from the bike both on and off the road. We already had the 21”-17” combination on the F 850 GS and our customers really liked it.”
Related to the above and in reference to the rims that the model is equipped with, he explains: “We think that tubeless tires are also better for off-roading, they are lighter and there is no risk of “pinching” the inner tube.” It also explains why a fuel tank with an apparently low capacity of 14.5 L was chosen:
“Fortunately, our engine doesn’t consume much fuel, so we believe that the range of the bike (329.5 km declared, ed.) is more than enough to satisfy the desire to travel. In addition, we also have the Adventure version in the range, which offers a larger tank (23 litres), so that customers can choose the bike that best suits their needs.”
Finally, and in reference to the suspensions and the lack of electronic regulation, not even as an option: “For the sporty side of this bike and to reduce weight we preferred to have high-end mechanical suspensions. In addition, this makes it really easy to act on the suspension registers.”
