BMW F 900 R (2020+) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the BMW F 900 R, BMW’s 2020+ standard/naked bike sport, sold alongside the F 900 XR.
The BMW F 900 R is powered by an 895cc parallel-twin with a 270-degree crank — the same engine that powers its adventure tourer sibling.
It makes the same 77 kW (103 hp) of power at 8500 rpm and is tuned for mid-range torque. Maintenance is much the same, though the F 900 R has fewer external pivot points to lube than the XR (e.g., you’re less likely to have this bike with a centre stand… though you still might).
As a naked bike, the F 900 R sits alongside other premium middleweight nakeds like Yamaha’s MT-09 and the Ducati Monster. But what’s interesting is that the F 900 R is available from a competitively low price, despite BMW’s premium brand. Middleweights are where it’s at!
The F 900 R’s engine is liquid-cooled and has a chain drive, like the long-standing F 800 R that it replaced. (But no belt-drive options like on the F 800 ST and so on.)
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BMW F 900 R Service Intervals
Basically, the service intervals for the BMW F 900 R are as follows:
- Every 6000 mi / 10000 km or annually: Change the oil/filter and check everything.
- Every year: Do the BMW standard annual service (a long checklist of items). Do this irrespective of distance.
- Every 12000 mi / 20000 km: Check the valve clearances, and replace spark plugs and air filter
- Every 18000 mi / 30000 km: Change the oil in the forks
This is aside from keeping other fluids (brake fluid, coolant) up to date.
What you need to service the BMW F 900 R
Servicing a BMW F 900 R is within the ability of the home mechanic (maybe after it’s out of warranty anyway… but it’s your call!). It’s a naked bike and the work is not complex, especially for oil changes.
Aside from basic motorcycle maintenance tools, you need the following items to do a service on your BMW F 900R.
| Part | BMW F 900 R spec |
|---|---|
| Oil | BMW recommends SAE 5W-40, API SL / ASO MA2, without additives (e.g. molybdenum-based) as “they can attack coated components of the engine”. BMW recommends BMW Motorrad ADVANTEC Ultimate oil. Castrol Power RS 5W-40 is an alternative. |
| Oil filter | The oil filter for a F 900 R is a Mahle type and is equivalent to part number HF164. |
| Air filter | The K&N part for the air filter is BM-8518. There are also air filters from Sprint and DNA that are more affordable than OEM but they’re less available. |
| Coolant | Use BMW coolant, which is ethylene glycol-based and a long-life formula. Make sure to dilute it with distilled water you get from a local hardware store. |
| Spark plug | The manual calls for an NGK LMAR9J-9E spark plug, which is specific to BMW Motorrad and a bit hard to find online. |
| Chain maintenance | Keep your chain lubricated and clean! A product called Motul chain paste is quite popular, easy to carry, and mess-free. |
| Keyless fob battery | Always good to carry a spare… annoying when they run out. CR2032, cheap for a pack of four. |
| Brake fluid | Use only DOT 4 brake fluid like Castrol DOT 4. |
| Grease | Grease external pivot points with lithium soap-based grease. |
Maintenance schedule for the BMW F 900 R
Below is the full maintenance schedule for the BMW F 900 R. This was copied from the manual (you can see a pic of it below), and formatted slightly to fit the screen.
Notes:
- You have to do the “Standard service scope” every year. It’s one line-item in the schedule, but the full service scope is below.
- Valve clearance intervals are every 20000 km / 12000 miles and it should be a not-too-difficult job considering there’s just two cylinders.
- The below maintenance schedule is cut short to avoid repetition. Keep following it in the pattern shown.
| x1000 km | 0.5-1.2 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x1000 mi | 0.3-0.75 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | Notes |
| BMW Running-in check | X | |||||
| BMW Service Annual Service (see below) | Every 12 months | |||||
| Engine oil change, with filter (BMW Motorrad ADVANTEC Ultimate, HF164) | X | X | X | X | X | Every 12 months |
| Check valve clearances | X | X | ||||
| Replace all spark plugs (LMAR9J-9E) | X | X | ||||
| Replace air filter insert (BM-8518) | X | X | ||||
| Oil change in the telescopic forks | X | |||||
| Change brake fluid, entire system (Castrol DOT 4) | After 12 months, then then every 24 months |
Standard Annual service (“Standard service scope”) for the BMW F 900 R
Below is the “standard service scope” as mentioned in the manual, to be performed at run-in and then annually, regardless of distance.
I’ve marked things that dealers do with a “D”.
| BMW F 900 R standard service items |
|---|
| Check coolant level (BMW Coolant to top up) |
| Check/adjust clutch play |
| Check front brake pads and brake discs for wear |
| Check rear brake pads and brake disc for wear |
| Check brake-fluid level, front and rear (Castrol DOT 4) |
| Visually inspect the brake lines, brake hoses and connections |
| Check tyre pressures and tread depth |
| Check and lubricate chain drive (Motul chain paste) |
| Check side stand’s ease of movement (lithium soap-based grease) |
| Check ease of movement of the centre stand (lithium soap-based grease) |
| Check steering-head bearing |
| Check the lights and signalling equipment |
| Function test, engine start suppression |
| Final inspection and check for road safety |
| Check battery charge state |
| [D] Perform vehicle test with BMW Motorrad diagnostic system |
| [D] Set service-due date and service countdown distance |
| [D] Confirm BMW service in on-board literature |
Tyre sizes and pressures for the BMW F 900 R
Below are the tyre size specs and recommended tyre pressures for the BMW F 900 R.
| Wheel | Tyre size | Tyre pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70 ZR 17 | 2.5 bar (36 psi) |
| Rear | 180/55 ZR 17 | 2.9 bar (42 psi) |
About the BMW F 900 R
The BMW F 900 R is a standard/naked type motorcycle from BMW. It sits in between several other standards/naked bikes from the brand. It’s not a lazy country bike, like the air/oil-cooled R nineT range, nor is it a fire-breathing sport bike like the BMW S 1000 R. It’s closer to the latter, but a more sedate version.
The BMW F 900 R in most markets comes with a ton of options, including specs all the way up to cruise control and dynamic suspension.
But the engine of the F 900 R is where you’re likely paying attention. It’s a lively, low-maintenance engine that is in that perfect sweet spot of power for a middleweight naked that you can really use on the streets — somewhere between 90 and 120 hp.
The 895 cc parallel-twin makes 77 kW (103 hp) per the manual and doesn’t rev to the moon to get there — peak torque comes on at 6500 rpm, with most of that being available much lower.
And the motor has just enough rumbly character to remind you that you’re on a motorcycle — the 270-degree crankshaft gives it that slight lump/rasp that is quite different to the older parallel twins, which tried to mimic the sound and feel of the boxer twin.
In some ways, the BMW F 900 R took over from the Husqvarna Nuda 900 that BMW made around a decade prior. The Nuda 900 was a livelier, higher-spec, and sportier BMW F 800 R. BMW has taken it one step further with the F 900 R, with a much more character-ful engine.
In stock form, the BMW F 900 R is quite muted, and doesn’t have the same aggressive character as the S 1000 R with its often factory-fitted Akrapovič cans.
The BMW F 900 R’s engine a long-stroke twin that makes torque from down low. It’s powerful, but not overwhelming, the kind of engine that’ll easily take you to 150 km/h and eventually up to over 200 km/h — but this isn’t a bike you’d take to the drag strip or even keep at freeway speeds for TOO long (without a windshield of some kind). At least you can get cruise control on it (in most markets).
Even though the BMW F 900 R is lighter than the F 900 XR and shares the same engine, it’s marginally slower as doesn’t have the aerodynamic benefits. That’s the disadvantage of a naked bike — when doing highway speeds or a quarter-mile, anyway.
The F 900 platform is somewhat unique in the middleweight naked category. The only other parallel twins (at time of launch) were in the MT-07 and Tuono 660, and both of those are smaller motorcycles. There’s the Yamaha triple, and the F900 is not quite as rev-happy as that.
There’s also the Ducati Monster 821 or the new-for-2021 Ducati Monster with the 937cc engine, but that’s a V-twin — again, another kettle of fish.
What’s really tantalising about the F 900 R is that it’s not expensive. You don’t pay an exorbitant fee just for the marque. So, the F 900 R is actually cheaper in base trim in many markets than its direct competitors.
Things get more complicated when you add in optional Dynamic ESA to the F 900 R and electronic suspension to the alternatives, too — but still, the BMW pricing is very competitive.
Reference Screenshots from the Manual for the BMW F 900 R
The above came from the manual for the 2021 BMW F 900 R. You can see a screenshot below.
You can download the manual for the bike directly from BMW Motorrad here.
