BMW R nineT Bike Overview
BMW came up with a real winner when it launched its retro-styled RnineT roadster in 2014. It put down a solid foundation in terms of engine and chassis, then called in top US bike designer Roland Sands, who gave the bike a unique modern-retro feel.
The engine is the tried-and-true oil and air-cooled Boxer twin, borrowed from the original R1200 GS, rather than the latest water-cooled variant. It’s a great unit for this application, with good low-down torque, decent peak power and impressive fuel consumption.
That solid lump is bolted into a bit of a hybrid chassis setup, which keeps BMW’s trademark rear Paralever swingarm and shaft drive, but drops the Telelever front end used on other Boxers, in favour of an upside-down front fork. There are plenty of electronic rider aids too: BMW’s ABS and traction control systems are very effective nowadays.
The RnineT’s numbers are good: it makes around 110bhp and weighs 220-ish kilos ready to ride. But it’s about much more than the spec sheet. This is a good-looking, high quality bike, and the riding experience is much stronger than you’d expect from the spec sheet. It’s comfy, handles well, and is as at home doing urban duties around town as it is on a twisty back road.
It’s not ideal for two-up touring as standard – though with some official BMW accessories like soft luggage, hot grips and a comfort seat, you could improve things no end. As ever, get as many BMW add-ons as you can – there are some lovely exhausts and a factory quickshifter.
And BMW has also gone to town with the styling options, offering a massive range of machined alloy parts, carbon add-ons, shiny chrome, posh fuel tank finishes and tasteful anodised engine covers. The idea is for you to customise your very own RnineT – sweet.
Check out the BMW R nineT now…
BMW R nineT Bike Spec
- Seat height785mm
- Weight222kg
- EngineAir/oil-cooled flat twin ('Boxer') 4-stroke engine, two camshafts and four radially aligned valves per cylinder, central counterbalancer shaft
- Capacity1170cc
- Top speed140mph
- Average fuel consumption44mpg
- Price£11,900
BMW R nineT Bike Insurance
Owner Reviews
Pros
There no one thing. It handles great. It's a super comfortable bike. And it's not a common bike so people really take notice.
Cons
The tail tidy is a bit poor. Just plastic overload and jutts out quite a bit. But there are loads of after market variants available.
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Great seating position and the factory standard double seat is firm but well cushioned which is great for long rides.
As you'd expect with BMW, the ride is great. There's been no faults so far. Absolutely great bike.
I have ABS. On the couple of times I've taken evasive action, the brakes did superb.
Having a boxer twin engine means the centre of gravity is lower to the ground. So despite the bike being relatively heavy, it moves with easy at slow speeds and maintains its stability.
The engine is 1200cc. But it's not as fine tuned as you would get from a racer 1200. This bike is built for cruising, exactly why I bought it. But my mates 650 Hornet smashes me from a set of lights.
I'm not conservative on the throttle so a full tank gets me roughly 150 miles.