EICMA 2019 gave us a bountiful harvest of new models for 2020. With nearly a year passing since the trade show closed its doors, aftermarket companies have developed accessories and components ranging from luggage racks and skid plates to suspension upgrades and crash bars.
Recently, it feels like we’re in the season for new exhausts with Yoshimura introducing a Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 slip-on and a lovely titanium can dropping for the Honda Africa Twin 1100 in August alone. Now, Slovenian aftermarket manufacturer Akrapovič just revealed its new exhaust lineup for BMW’s 2020 F 900 R and F 900 XR.
Due to ever-more stringent emissions standards and noise restrictions, stock exhaust systems frequently possess massive catalytic converters and a weak exhaust note. Akrapovič not only remedied the F 900 exhaust’s excessive weight and inadequate sound but also retained EC/ECE approval in the process.
The result is an easy-to-install slip-on that doesn’t require a remap of Beemer’s 895cc parallel twin. With a stainless-steel link pipe, titanium can, and carbon fiber end cap, the brand only utilized premium materials on the aftermarket component. Akrapovič also designed the plug-and-play system to fit BMW’s side cases and center stands, so bolting on the exhaust should be a breeze.
For both F 900 XR and F 900 R, the titanium pipe reduces weight by 3.5 pounds, which Akrapovič claims is a weight-saving of 21.6% over the stock unit. On the other hand, performance only marginally increases by .8 horsepower and .4 lb-ft of torque. However, the company reports that the F 900’s throttle response improves with the slip-on exhaust.
Of course, many riders buy aftermarket exhausts for the sound alone and we couldn’t describe exhaust note better than the brand itself:
“Its full and vivid sound is a deep, sporty rumble, making the twin-cylinder powerplant pulse with a harmonious rhythm, all within the confines of a Euro 5 engine.”
If that glowing assessment isn’t enough proof for you, the company’s website showcases sound clips on the exhaust’s product page. Akrapovič hasn’t released pricing for the titanium slip-on yet, but if the premium materials are any hint, it won’t be cheap. While we won’t be able to enjoy EICMA in 2020, we can still be thankful that our gifts from EICMA 2019 just keep giving.
Getting Exhausted:
Sources: Motorcycle.com, Akrapovič