Road test of BMW1200 R 12 NineT 2024
The BMW R 12 nineT, a stylish motorcycle that's moving upmarket (and up in price!)
The R NineT is the hipster guarantee of the BMW range. It's the only bike to carry the 1170 cm3 engine that powered the R 1200 range until 2014. For almost ten years, we've seen it evolve in the R NineT. Now, however, BMW is giving us a so-called "custom" version with the entry-level R 12, and an R 12 nineT that's nothing more than an even more expensive nineT. They're often ridden by a thirty-something in a jet helmet and loafers, but is that any reason to sell a 1200 cm3 roadster for over €20,000?
Sure, it's really cute with its new red frame, a little lighter and now one-piece. Well, it's still a little evolution that makes it more symmetrical. First, ciao to the side intake duct present since the 1st version of 2013, everything is now under the seat. Bye-bye to the angular side of the cylinder head covers, now it's all round and cuter. We don't really care, because it's a matter of taste and color. But we do have to say that it's got a new look, like the double muffler with conical tips. You can see yourself
like in a mirror! What's more, on our test version, the brushed aluminum tank is back, as on the first models. Hot! What's really got us down, though, is the price, which is frankly outrageous. The version between your tester's paws is priced at €20,490, with the only drawback of having "Option 719". At this point, the reader wonders whether he'll continue to be told the story of a bike at least 4 bricks more expensive than its nearest competitor. But let's try to understand the world in which BMW sells its motorcycles in 2024.
The story of a cool model that became unaffordable
In 2007, BMW put one hell of an engine into its HP2 Sport. It will be declined in different models until 2013 when BMW abandons the 1170 cm3 air-oil cooled boxer. Progress. So be it. In the wake of this, the block is retained in a model that doesn't race for horsepower, the R nineT. A sort of R 1200 R, without the Telelever, but with inverted forks and a distinctly more urban style. A trendy roadster, as they say. The hypsterized base will win the hearts of more than one biker. At last, a BMW with a neo-retro look that you'll love watching parked on the terrace. 110 hp for 222 kg, a frame derived from the HP2, all for €15,000 (already €1,800 more than an R 1200 R, with less techno). Expensive, but not surprising from BMW. In fact, cases of them were sold, and new versions appeared in the following years. Our national motorcycling adventurer Laurent Cochet will even go to Iceland with a NineT Urban G/S in La Poste livery in 2020.
Fast forward to 2024 and the "new" NineT, which has become the premium version of the R12 range. It features a small engine upgrade that complies with the Euro 5+ standard. The list of improvements is long on paper, but the Germans haven't changed the tried-and-true recipe much.
Dual needle speedometers, but LCD display
On a beautiful motorcycle, nothing beats a double needle speedometer, and that's exactly what BMW offers on the new nineT. It's a pleasure! For the die-hard hipster, you can swap them for a tiny 3-inch TFT screen (like the one on the CE-02), lost between the handlebars and the headlight and displaying almost no information. Back to the good old needle-type meters, an LCD screen is located at the bottom of the display, which can be used to change riding modes and make a few adjustments. It's well done, but the LCD doesn't look so modern. At least there's USB-C and 12V as standard, new for this batch!
On the handlebars, you won't feel out of place. The ergonomics remain unchanged, and the front of the bike is dominated, which makes for a pleasant ride. On our test version, however, the calibration of the throttle could be improved. Strange, I didn't remember this when I took it in hand a few weeks ago. The fully-adjustable "option 719" controls finish by caressing my retina, but instantly blow my budget. Classic BMW!
A closer look reveals a lock on the upper fork crown, but not centered. Since the bike starts without a key, what's it doing there? It's just a handlebar lock. Why isn't it electric like on other models of the brand?
Sitting on a seat as thick as a Breton galette, it's hard to say that this bike is designed for medium-distance rides. Side edges and softness are "perfectible" to put it politely, especially when you're doing several dozen kilometers. At first glance, the handlebar/seat/footrest triangle announced as revised by the Teutons doesn't clash with the old proportions.
Engine - shifter - gearbox - universal joint, a quartet in keeping with the original
Even if the trio of boxer engine, gearbox and universal joint may seem a little abrupt in its operation compared to an in-line engine with chain drive, it's also why you buy the R 12 nineT. It has to be said, though, that standards have made it unpleasant at low revs. You have to push the throttle to keep the big mill from choking. In town, it's particularly unpleasant, as you can feel the imprecise grip on the throttle, and in all 3 modes. It's even worse in rain mode... On the other hand, when you open the throttle wide, the 109 horsepower kick in. From 6,000 rpm onwards, the engine revs right up to the top. Don't be fooled into thinking you're a sports car either: the Boxer doesn't like to stay at 8,000 rpm for long.
Knowledgeable readers will know that this is the year the nineT finally gets its "Pro Shift Assistant" (sic). Another bureaucrat's term for a shifter. It works very well at higher revs, but it's a real pain in the ass when it comes to torque. We might as well tell you that we're often in the clutch for a minimum of driving fluidity.
The mill hasn't changed all that much, and is available in a 95hp (unbridled) version that can be legally limited to 47.5hp for A2 licenses. The advantage: it makes the bike accessible to young licence holders. The disadvantage: once unbridled, it's 14 hp less than the original R 12 nineT full (109 hp). That said, given the machine's styling, you won't feel deprived, as in any case, the little beast offers 115 Nm at 6,500 rpm or 110 Nm at 6,000 rpm in the 95 hp version.
On the other hand, in the A2 clamped version we had the opportunity to test, the 47.5 clamp is not very pleasing. It cuts in very quickly from 5,000 rpm. Deprived of its sportiest part, you'll still be able to go for a nice ride without feeling underpowered, because the flat gives you some torque down low. After all, it's a 1200!
A healthy, but not very playful chassis
Precise and stable, fortunately the new nineT has kept its 17-inch front wheel. But even with that, it's not exactly playful or quick to get into corners, but it's still healthy in its behavior. The 120 mm of suspension travel (front and rear) is not too much when you've just tried the "cheap" R12 version, which has only 90 mm. What's more, the nineT has a fully adjustable fork. A must, given the price! But the rear shock is only preload adjustable.
But having ridden it with some of my colleagues, one of them said to me on the way down: "there's a problem with the steering here, isn't there? In other words, it engages at low speed, and there's been a change in geometry and wheelbase. You've got to make two bikes out of one frame, and BM is counting on the R12 with its low seat height and cruiser look (a failure according to your editor, but that's just him). These little roughnesses are forgotten with pace, and the R12 nineT remains a machine that's easy to steer.
In fact, it's when you compare it directly with neo-retro bikes based on more modern roadsters that you see a big difference. But that's not to say the new R 12 nineT is a pushover. Easy to ride and with no real missteps, you'd have to compare it to the original (the 2013 model, editor's note) to identify the real differences.
Comfort-wise, however, it's no model. Given that it's a roadster, it's normal to get caught in the quiche, but the boxer engine does a good job of protecting our legs. The problem on medium-distance rides is the design of the seat and its thickness over time. Combine this with the tester's 1.81 m height, and he'll need to stretch out his legs to avoid discomfort. The fault lies in the fact that the distance between the saddle and the footrest is a little short for his morphology. Nothing new under the sun, since the 2006 R 1200 R already had this characteristic, which was solved by different seat thicknesses at the time.
A neo-retro that dominates the competition?
According to BMW, the nineT family accounts for 23% of the world market. Well established in the motorcycle landscape despite the absence of a historical model, the nineT sells particularly well. However, 2024 will see the arrival of a new competitor: the Yamaha XSR 900 GP, more modern and with retro styling, it is also considerably less expensive (€13,499) and the engine has a different character, with its 120° 3-leg offering 119 hp. Triumph will be in a hurry this year to acquire a Thruxton RS Final Edition before the end of the model year (100 hp for €17,995 or €18,995
in Final Edition). For the price of our test nineT, we could even afford a Speed Triple RR! At least you'd get 180 hp (€20,490) and a look reminiscent of the locomotive in Transpercene. Too modern for you? Let's add a cylinder and move on to Kawasaki with the - no longer very new, but still very cool - Z900 RS (or its SE version), which offers a few subtle modifications for 2024 and can be purchased for 40% less than the BMW (€13,499 and €14,999 for the SE version).
For bi purists, the closest architecture can be found on the side of Italian Moto Guzzi with its V100 Mandello (€15,499 and €17,999 for the S version), but is this small bike really neo-retro?
Motoplanète's opinion
Beautiful, refined, more symmetrical, as pleasant to ride as ever, and complete with needle-operated counters, this R12 nineT is a fine evolution of a modern machine with an old-fashioned look. But with a price tag of at least €18,300 a pop, you're certainly paying for the white and blue coat of arms on the tank and the tons of marketing campaigns. That could raise the pre-owned price of the first 2013 models!
Text: Théo DUPERRET
Photos : BMW