By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Adventure
BMW F 900 GS (K81) vs Aprilia Tuareg 660 (ZD4XB)
BMW F 900 GS vs Aprilia Tuareg 660: long days, loaded bags, one choice to make.
Into a cracked mountain hairpin, the BMW F 900 GS's wide bar settles you, and it's tracking clean over the broken patches. The Aprilia Tuareg 660 turns in the instant you ask and doesn't need a correction mid-arc. Deeper in, it's flicking through like a supermoto.
So which one do you buy?
The F 900 GS has the edge if…
Real off-road capability
Nose ahead: F 900 GS
For dirt roads and trails, the F 900 GS makes slightly more sense. The difference is modest at best.
The Tuareg 660 has the edge if…
Comfortable long-distance riding
Slight edge: Tuareg 660
The Tuareg 660 should leave you a bit fresher after a long day. It's down to more range per tank. Should, not will: the margin is small.
Which one's the smarter buy
Money won't decide it
Neither bike is the clear better buy at these used prices. The Tuareg 660 costs less, but that doesn't make it the smarter spend.
What makes each one tick
F 900 GS
From the first mile, the F 900 GS puts its bar and switches exactly where you reach, and the seat drops you into a stance you don't have to think about. Its throttle comes on crisply and the top end keeps spinning freely, yet nothing in the pull catches you out leaving a corner. There's buzz in the pegs.
Nils rode the F 900 GS in Portugal in 2024, and in the Canary Islands in 2025 (NastyNils Testride).
Tuareg 660
The Tuareg's twin doesn't punch low down, and it only finds real drive once you keep it wound up past the middle of the range. Even a hard squeeze of the brake lever at highway pace leaves the chassis square and level. Tight switchbacks that keep a heavier bike busy simply flow on the steel frame. The front end won't wander.
Nils rode the Tuareg 660 in Carinthia and Styria in 2023 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Tuareg 660 has the lower wet weight: 450 lb (204 kg) vs 483 lb (219 kg).
- The F 900 GS makes more peak power: 105 hp (77 kW) vs 80 hp (59 kW).
- The F 900 GS makes more peak torque: 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) vs 52 lb-ft (70 Nm).
Which one for the way you ride
These two run dead level on commuting, twisty roads, and running costs. Sit on both in the showroom and trust what your body says.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
F 900 GS
Strengths
- Planted on rough tarmac
- Easy to live with daily
- Controls fall right to hand
- Livelier than the Adventure version
- Genuine off-road capability
Trade-offs
- Stock suspension folds off-road
- Enduro Pro Package near-mandatory
- Buzzy across the rev range
- Tall seat height limits accessibility
- Expensive when configured with packages
Tuareg 660
Strengths
- Class-leading chassis balance
- Ergonomics built for tall riders
- Brakes you can trail cleanly
- Quickshifter that works in boots
- Fun at any pace
Trade-offs
- Thin below the mid-range
- Screen looks better than it works
- Key kit missing from stock
- Wind protection is modest for long-distance touring
- Dealer network thinner than Japanese rivals
Known problems to check before you buy
F 900 GS
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
Tuareg 660
- TFT dash software glitches in early units Early MY2022 owners reported sporadic TFT freezes or display anomalies; resolved via dealer ECU/dash firmware updates.
- Side-stand cut-off switch failures Some owners report intermittent no-start or stalling traced to a faulty side-stand safety switch; addressed by switch replacement or contact cleaning.
What they cost used
These prices compare a 2-year-old F 900 GS with a 2-year-old Tuareg 660.
- F 900 GS
- $12,000
- Tuareg 660
- $11,000
At two years old, the BMW F 900 GS sits around $12,000 while the Aprilia Tuareg 660 lands near $11,000. That puts the Tuareg 660 about $1,000 cheaper. These are recorded figures from the used market, not live prices.
What they share
- Engine
- Parallel twin
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 90/90-21
Where the spec sheets split
| F 900 GS | Tuareg 660 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 34.3 in (870 mm) | 33.9 in (860 mm) |
| Wet weight | 483 lb (219 kg) | 450 lb (204 kg) |
| F 900 GS | Tuareg 660 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 895 cc | 659 cc |
| Power | 105 hp (77 kW) | 80 hp (59 kW) |
| Peak power at | 8,500 rpm | 9,250 rpm |
| Torque | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) | 52 lb-ft (70 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 6,750 rpm | 6,500 rpm |
| F 900 GS | Tuareg 660 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 55 mpg (US) / 4.3 L/100 km | 59 mpg (US) / 4 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 3.8 US gal (14.5 L) | 4.8 US gal (18 L) |
| F 900 GS | Tuareg 660 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 305 mm | 300 mm |
| Rear tire | 150/70-17 | 150/70-18 |
| Wheelbase | 62.7 in (1593 mm) | 60.0 in (1525 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 9.8 in (250 mm) | 9.4 in (240 mm) |
| Front travel | 9.1 in (230 mm) | 9.4 in (240 mm) |
| Rear travel | 8.5 in (215 mm) | 9.4 in (240 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| F 900 GS | Tuareg 660 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cornering ABS | Standard | Not offered |
| Cruise Control | Option | Standard |
| Navigation | Not offered | Option |
| USB Charging Port | Standard | Option |
| Heated Grips | Standard | Option |
| Luggage System | Option | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
