BMW has just replaced the beloved R nineT motorcycle with the new R12 nineT. The new model arrives 10 years after the R nineT was introduced and follows the same philosophy as that model but has been thoroughly updated.
Like its predecessor, the new BMW R12 nineT adopts a modular concept that gives owners plenty of customization options. It immediately stands out from the outgoing model thanks to the redesigned front mudguard and the presence of an LED headlight with a black surround. BMW’s designers have also integrated a new LED taillight into the seat.
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“The purist design language is dominated by the clear tank/seat/rear line, in the style of the traditional /5 or the legendary R 90 S of the 70s,” says BMW Motorrad head of design Edgar Heinrich. “At first glance, the tank itself is a classic BMW boxer tank, with a typical bend in the lower edge and classic knee contact. The new R 12 NineT also features side covers in the area of the frame triangle in the authentic Roadster look – another reminiscence of BMW motorcycles of the 1970s.”
While full technical specifications of the new motorcycle won’t be announced until the second half of 2023, BMW has confirmed it is driven by an air/oil-cooled 1.2-liter 2-cylinder boxer engine. We also know that it is constructed around a one-piece tubular space frame with a bolted-on rear frame and has an exhaust with a double silencer and conical end pieces. It has also been outfitted with radially mounted 4-piston monobloc calipers with steel braided brake lines.
A comprehensive range of accessories from BMW Motorrad will also be offered.
“The R nineT and its customizing concept established the new Heritage experience for BMW Motorrad’s 90th birthday and has become an indispensable cornerstone of our model range,” head of BMW Motorrad Dr. Markus Schramm added. “The new R 12 nineT consistently continues the successful heritage story surrounding the legendary BMW boxer engines with an even more classic, reduced design language, even greater degrees of freedom when it comes to customizing and, last but not least, new and innovative technology.”
