BMW’s retro sports naked bike is getting a new generation this year. And to mark the occasion, his name gets another number, one in the digits this time. The BMW R 12 NineT will take over from the R NineT range. Details are a little thin at the moment, but BMW has provided plenty of photos of one version of the motorcycle and some basics. As you might have guessed from the “12” in the name, the engine displaces 1.2 liters (give or take two cubic centimeters). However, it is not different from the current model. And the new model is still a flat twin that is air and oil-cooled. The current bike makes 109 horsepower and 86 pound-feet of torque, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the R 12 stays in that ballpark. Even the basic layout looks the same. It is a tubular space frame with a bolt-on rear subframe. The front wheel is on an upside-down fork with dual disc brakes with four-piston calipers. A single-sided swing arm is rearward, and power goes through a driveshaft instead of a chain. Like today’s bikes, both wheels are spoked and measure 17 inches in diameter. The styling is also clearly related but definitely updated. The tank and cowl have sharp creases, the latter also looking slightly taller than some current R NineTs. It helps modernize the design of the bike. Like the current NineT, the R 12 NineT will likely be offered in a variety of form factors, including Scrambler-style versions and possibly a basic “pure” version. These versions will likely have a different seat and front headlight cowl design, possibly cast wheels instead of the spoked examples, and perhaps even some suspension changes (the current Pure has standard front forks instead of the inverted type). Full specifications for the R 12 NineT are coming this fall. It will probably be available soon. Prices will likely be comparable to today’s models. For reference, the regular R NineT starts at $16,640. Other variants are available at lower prices, with the cheapest Pure version priced at $11,690.
Related Video:
