By NastyNils· ·
Motorcycle comparison · Adventure
BMW F 900 GS (K81) vs CFMOTO Ibex 950 (MY2026)
BMW F 900 GS vs CFMOTO Ibex 950: long days, loaded bags, one choice to make.
A few seconds after the swap, the BMW F 900 GS's throttle feels like one you've lived with for years, its power easy to use every day. On the CFMOTO Ibex 950, that grip doesn't ease you in; it hauls hard out of the midrange. Then it keeps revving freely up top.
So which one do you buy?
The F 900 GS has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Narrow edge: F 900 GS
On a winding road, the F 900 GS comes out a touch ahead. It's down to a sportier chassis and more feel through the bars. You wouldn't bet much on a gap like that.
Real off-road capability
A touch ahead: F 900 GS
In the dirt, the F 900 GS edges ahead. Not enough to decide it alone.
Keeping running costs low
Slight edge: F 900 GS
The F 900 GS is a touch easier on the wallet to run. Condition still matters more than the model.
Daily commuting & city riding
By a nose: F 900 GS
On the way to work, the F 900 GS asks a little less of you. Close enough that the test ride should settle it.
The Ibex 950 has the edge if…
Comfortable long-distance riding
Edges it: Ibex 950
Hour after hour, the Ibex 950 feels a little kinder to you. Put it down to more range per tank and better wind protection. It's a close-run thing, though.
What makes each one tick
F 900 GS
On broken mountain pavement the F 900 GS tracks clean, and its wide bar doesn't make you wrestle for a line. There's no snatch when the throttle opens at corner exit. The bars and pegs buzz through the rev range. The exhaust note runs deep.
Nils rode the F 900 GS in Portugal in 2024, and in the Canary Islands in 2025 (NastyNils Testride).
Ibex 950
On a long highway run, the Ibex's KYB suspension keeps the ride comfortable. Behind the brake lever there's a Brembo radial setup that brings the bike to a stop. The KTM-derived twin pulls strong.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Ibex 950 makes more peak power: 110 hp (82 kW) vs 105 hp (77 kW).
- The Ibex 950 makes more peak torque: 77 lb-ft (105 Nm) vs 69 lb-ft (93 Nm).
- The Ibex 950 has the larger engine: 946 cc vs 895 cc.
Which one for the way you ride
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
- Expensive when configured with packages
Ibex 950
What owners say
Strengths
- Comprehensive standard equipment
- Exceptional value for money
- Powerful, responsive parallel-twin engine
What they share
- Engine
- Parallel twin
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Peak power at
- 8,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front travel
- 9.1 in (230 mm)
Where the spec sheets split
| F 900 GS | Ibex 950 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 34.3 in (870 mm) | 34.4 in (875 mm) |
| F 900 GS | Ibex 950 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 895 cc | 946 cc |
| Power | 105 hp (77 kW) | 110 hp (82 kW) |
| Torque | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) | 77 lb-ft (105 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 6,750 rpm | 6,250 rpm |
| Top speed | 124 mph (200 km/h) | 129 mph (208 km/h) |
| F 900 GS | Ibex 950 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear travel | 8.5 in (215 mm) | 9.1 in (230 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| F 900 GS | Ibex 950 | |
|---|---|---|
| Steering Damper | Not offered | Standard |
| Cruise Control | Option | Standard |
| Quickshifter | Option | Standard |
| Navigation | Not offered | Standard |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) | Option | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
