BMW R 12 nineT specifications, dimensions and price
BMW · Heritage
The BMW R 12 nineT is BMW's 1,170cc boxer roadster, rated at 109 hp and 85 lb-ft with a 31.3 in unladen seat. It weighs 485 lb road-ready fully fueled, has a 4.2 gal tank and a top speed of 134 mph, and BMW prices it at $17,245 plus $995 destination.
BMW R 12 nineT
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2026 |
| Class | Heritage |
| Displacement | 1170cc |
| Bore x stroke | 101x73 mm |
| Compression ratio | 12.0:1 |
| Fuel system | Electronic intake pipe injection / digital engine management system: BMS-O with throttle-by-wire |
| Transmission | Constant-mesh 6-gear gearbox with separate transmission housing |
| Final drive | Cardan shaft drive |
| Front suspension | Upside-down fork, diameter 45 mm, spring pre-load adjustable, rebound and compression adjustable |
| Front suspension travel | 4.7 in |
| Rear suspension travel | 4.7 in |
| Front brake | Twin disc brake, floating brake discs, diameter 310 mm, 4-piston Monobloc radial brake caliper |
| Rear brake | Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, 2-piston floating caliper |
| Front tire | 120/70 ZR17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55 ZR17 |
| Seat height | 31.3 in (unladen) |
| Wet weight (road ready, fully fueled) | 485 lb |
| Wheelbase | 59.5 in |
| Trail | 4.35 in (castor) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.2 gal |
| Rated output | 109 hp |
| Rated output (at rpm) | 7,000 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 85 lb-ft |
| Maximum torque (at rpm) | 6,500 rpm |
| Maximum speed | 134 mph |
| Steering head angle | 62.3° |
| ABS | BMW Motorrad Integral ABS Pro (partial integral) |
| Traction control | BMW Motorrad DTC |
| Clutch | Single-disc dry clutch, hydraulically operated |
| Frame | Tubular space frame |
| Wheels | Aluminum cast wheels |
| Permitted total weight | 948 lb |
| Payload | 465 lb |
| Starting MSRP | $17,245 |
| Destination charge | $995 |
What a fleet tester says
BMW lists a 45 mm upside-down fork with adjustable preload, rebound and compression damping and 4.7 in of travel, a cast aluminum single-sided swing arm with a Paralever brace, twin 310 mm floating front discs with four-piston Monobloc radial calipers and a 265 mm rear disc. Tires are 120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17, the wheelbase is 59.5 in and the trail 4.35 in. Peak torque is 85 lb-ft at 6,500 rpm.
Price and position in BMW's heritage line
At $17,245 the nineT costs $150 more than the BMW R 12 G/S at $17,095 and weighs 19 lb less (485 lb against 504 lb). Its 31.3 in seat is 2.6 in lower than the G/S's 33.9 in. Both use the same 1,170cc boxer at 109 hp and 85 lb-ft.
The nineT compared with the G/S on the same engine
Both R 12 bikes use the 1,170cc air/oil-cooled boxer, rated at 109 hp and 85 lb-ft at 6,500 rpm. The nineT has a 59.5 in wheelbase against the G/S's 62.2 in, a 4.7 in fork against the G/S's 8.2 in, a 120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17 tire pair instead of the G/S's 90/90-21 and 150/70 R17, and a 31.3 in seat against 33.9 in.
The nineT weighs 485 lb against 504 lb and has a top speed of 134 mph against the G/S's 130 mph.
One is a roadster and the other an adventure bike with the same engine, and its $17,245 price is $150 above the G/S.
Character of the air-cooled boxer
The 310 mm floating front discs with Monobloc radial calipers and the adjustable 45 mm upside-down fork are the modern hardware under the retro styling, and the 4.2 gal tank gives a modest range. The Triumph Speed Twin 1200 is the direct comparison, and riding both is the way to decide.
R 12 nineT against the R 12 G/S and Speed Twin 1200
BMW's own BMW R 12 G/S shares the engine, and Triumph's Speed Twin 1200 is the direct roadster rival.
BMW R 12 nineT — specification referenceRevZilla’s 2024 first ride describes the nineT as low and easy to manage at a walking pace, while separating it from the lower-output R 12 cruiser. That is a rider’s impression of the tested bike, not a substitute for checking the seat and control reach yourself.
Motorcycle News ran the R 12 nineT against Triumph's Speed Twin 1200.
The reviewer says the R 12 nineT has the air/oil-cooled boxer engine rather than the latest liquid-cooled unit, for those who hanker after café-racer styling complete with an old-school side-to-side shudder, and adds that the weighty throws of the pistons make cornering feel unlike anything else the tester has experienced, and that comparing the two bikes back to back shows what makes the R 12 different.
The tester reports being greeted with wide eyes, big grins and repeated affirmations that it would be a good bike from nearly everyone on hearing they would be running the R 12 nineT that year.
At $17,245 the nineT costs $150 more than the R 12 G/S at $17,095 and weighs 19 lb less (485 lb against 504 lb). Its 31.3 in seat is 2.6 in lower than the G/S's 33.9 in. Both use the same 1,170cc boxer at 109 hp and 85 lb-ft. So the nineT is the road bike and the G/S the adventure bike.
Triumph's Speed Twin 1200 is the natural comparison, and the fleet test above shows how different the two feel.
The fleet tester's remarks explain who buys this bike. The air/oil-cooled boxer gives a side-to-side shudder at idle and a cornering feel from the heavy piston throws that a liquid-cooled engine does not. The tester says nearly everyone reacted with wide eyes and approval.
The 310 mm floating front discs with Monobloc radial calipers and the adjustable 45 mm upside-down fork are the modern hardware under the retro styling, and the 4.2 gal tank gives a modest range. The Triumph Speed Twin 1200 is the direct comparison, and riding both is the way to decide.
BMW rates the 1,170cc air/oil-cooled boxer at 109 hp and 85 lb-ft at 6,500 rpm, with a top speed of 134 mph.
Motorcycle News ran the two back to back and says the R 12 nineT's air/oil-cooled boxer gives an old-school shudder and cornering that feels unlike other bikes.
Other models in this reference: BMW R 1300 GS, BMW R 1300 R.