Test drive of the BMW R nineT motorcycle

Test drive of the BMW R nineT motorcycle

Be honest: do you like anniversaries? Of course, a birthday is a great holiday, and round numbers look great on a cake, but only up to the number 30, that’s the maximum. However, when the time comes to celebrate, for example, the 90th anniversary, the hero of the day can only be glad that he is still alive.

Of course, companies are not exactly people. But they also bend under the weight of the years they have lived. Look at all these “anniversary” versions of vehicles: what is this if not a demonstration of one’s own creative crisis by selling “old as new”. Like, “we understand that this is the same SUV with a new nameplate, but why don’t you, dear consumers, give us a gift: it’s an anniversary after all!”

Just this year, BMW’s motorcycle division, BMW Motorrad, turned 90 years old.

And at first glance, they did like everyone else: they took the long-known R 1200 R roadster, dressed it up, called it R nineT (“ninety” - “ninety” in English. - “Gazeta.Ru”) and supplied it with an immodest price tag. Voila!

In fact, everything turned out to be much more complicated, although at first glance it is not so obvious. As the hero of “Pulp Fiction” Vincent Vega would say, it’s all about the “little differences”, which in this particular case change absolutely everything.

Firstly, from the R 1200 R there is only an engine and transmission, which, on the one hand, is somewhat surprising: why not equip the “anniversary bike” with a normal “hydroxy”, like the new “goose” R 1200 GS? However, it is enough to start the engine and slightly move the throttle to understand: with the appearance, mixed with such an interesting class of motorcycles as cafe racers, and the almost century-old history of the brand, only such an engine can harmonize: with a vibration pattern that is somewhat untidy in modern times, jet a moment that rocks the engine when adding and releasing gas and with a real restive voice, which is enhanced by a tuned exhaust system.

Secondly, the R nineT is built on a frame related to the HP4 sportsbike, and the gold fork is borrowed from another combat machine - the S1000RR. For those who like customization, there is a convenient adjustment of the rear monoshock absorber: twist it to your heart’s content.

Finally, the R nineT is simply beautiful. When you look at it in profile, images of cafe racers from the 50s and 60s appear in your head. Moreover, with one key and some details, this image can be brought to the absolute level by replacing the passenger seat with an aerodynamic cap.

The shape of the gas tank is reminiscent of classic models from several eras, closest to the R1200C - the same cruiser from the late 90s that James Bond rode, flew and somersaulted in Tomorrow Never Dies. Well, the deliberately simplified dashboard is also from the 90s. There’s not even a fuel indicator on it, just at a certain moment the lamp lights up and the countdown of the kilometers traveled “on credit” begins - everything is like on motorcycles from the past with the “Reserve” tap, except that you don’t need to turn anything.

And one more important detail. The R nineT doesn't have fancy aids like traction control or an electronically controlled chassis. The only thing left here is the ABS, which is mandatory for all BMWs, but the pilot will have to figure out the rest on his own.

The engine pulls brutally: from the very bottom to the very top there is even traction, which you even have to get used to.

And having become bolder, you can even allow yourself some... unloading of the front wheel. But the main thing, of course, is not this. The main thing is how the motorcycle responds to manipulations with the right handle: both acceleration and deceleration. This boxer is the least likely to resemble a command-executing mechanism. “Higher” associations are more appropriate here—the interaction of the rider with another living creature.

On the one hand, the BMW R nineT is extremely demanding in terms of landing and driver input. It is better not to lean on the steering wheel, but to shift downwards - with throttle changes, otherwise skidding cannot be avoided, especially during dynamic driving. ABS, of course, is on alert, but it is in no hurry to fight for the pilot’s life. On the other hand, all this exactingness pays off in full after the first tens of kilometers. It’s hard to remember another motorcycle that would make you fall in love as quickly and as irrevocably. Already on the second morning I was cutting through streams moving at any speed, without the slightest fear for my own life and without thinking about the fact that a wide “boxer” was lying at my feet.

We have to admit that by turning to their own past and rethinking it in the present, the Bavarians created a miracle. Namely, a motorcycle about which you just want to say that “they don’t make them like that anymore.”

Of course, the boxer R nineT is not as agile on shifts as modern street fighters, it is certainly not as impeccable in high-speed turns as sportsbikes, and it has no business on karting tracks. But this motorcycle turned out to be alive. And the most important thing is that there is more simple motorcycle “stupidity” in it than common sense marketing.

Yes, there is also a price tag, and it can hardly be called attractive: at least 800 thousand rubles, and this does not take into account the optional release, engine protection and completely unnecessary carbon decor. Even at BMW dealers, for the same money you can find equipment much more packed with modern technologies for the same, or even less money.

But if you think that you can save money by offering it on the secondary market, I hasten to disappoint you. It is unlikely that any owner of such equipment will want to part with it. At least until BMW Motorrad celebrates its next anniversary.

Moto-classics: Honda CB1100 EX or BMW R nine T Pure?

In the late 80s, in my father’s garage there hung my poster depicting the unrealizable dream of a Soviet schoolchild - the legendary Honda CB750 motorcycle. Just think, 68 horsepower and 201 km/h! Nowadays this won’t surprise anyone, but the retro theme is in fashion. Who will take me back in time faster - the Honda CB1100 EX or the BMW R nine T Pure?

Almost half a century ago, in 1969, that 750 cc Honda blew up the market and became the true ancestor of modern sportbikes. After all, BMW's engines at that time developed much less: for example, the BMW R75/5 model with a 50-horsepower two-cylinder boxer was capable of accelerating only to 175 km/h. Feel, as they say, the difference.

Now the Bavarian concern's retro series of BMW R nine T can be considered a bridge to the technology of that time - where, like in a good supermarket, the buyer chooses between the options of cafe racers, scramblers and other modern interpretations of cars of the 70s. I took the BMW R nine T Pure for testing - the most honest and real of the entire retro line. A minimum of electronics, extremely “iron” - in other words, a collection of quotes from fifty years ago. True, not on spoked wheels, which its slightly more expensive relatives have. And in general, the R nine T Pure is not so much a replica as a collective image built around a huge boxer engine.

But the Honda CB1100 EX is a different matter. Look how much more elegant, refined, and sophisticated it is than the BMW. The CB1100 EX model debuted in 2010, received an update in 2014 and is also available in the RS version in our market. But we have the “correct” car on test, which most accurately quotes that legendary CB750.

A true classic of instrument making, the electronic odometer only slightly stands out from the general style

A true classic without any “neo” prefixes. The level of detail and the number of direct references to hippie times is simply amazing! The gas tank is teardrop-shaped without a single external weld, the “checkered” seat, and the low “cigar” mufflers. Chrome-plated rims of 18-inch spoked wheels and a rear tire with a bicycle width of only 140 mm, chrome-plated mirror housings and steel (!) side covers under the seat. Instruments - two classic glasses of a speedometer and a tachometer. And only the ABS comb reminds you what year it is.

Why do I write so much about design? Yes, because in motorcycles of this class this is 95% of sales success! Those who need characteristics graze in another field.

• CB1100 EX inline-four is timeless: performance has remained almost unchanged for a quarter of a century • Nissin brake calipers are not the best the CB1100 EX has, but given the vintage tire size, they have plenty of potential

By the way, about the characteristics. With almost similar volumes and two “extra” cylinders, the Honda develops 90 hp, while the BMW engine produces 110 hp. The difference is not fundamental, but power measurements on a dynamometer at AES-Moto revealed an interesting detail. The fact is that the Honda CB1100 EX has a speed limiter set at 180 km/h - according to our measurements, it kicks in at 183 km/h. In principle, this is justified for a direct landing and a complete lack of wind protection. But the problem is that the electronics choke the engine - and at maximum speed the power is limited to 70 horsepower. However, as soon as the speed sensor was turned off, the engine produced 99.3 hp. - by 9.3 hp more official data! In theory, the extra-long sixth gear will allow you to develop as much as 285.2 km/h with such an engine - exclusively on the stand, without taking into account air resistance.

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MY MOTORCYCLE

Several years ago, such a concept as neo-retro appeared in the motorcycle industry - many companies introduced classic motorcycles into their lines - reincarnations of those models that were popular 30-40 years ago. The BMW Motorrad concern decided to keep up with its competitors and created its own vision of this movement - the BMW R nineT 1200. In this bike, German designers managed to perfectly weave modern technologies with a classic design, resulting in a very nice and compact motorcycle.

Let's take a quick look at what they created:

The BMW R nineT is powered by a four-stroke, two-cylinder, oil-air-cooled boxer engine. Instruments - speedometer and tachometer - made in retro style, emphasize the ascetic and swift appearance of the motorcycle.

It’s surprising that the developers managed to achieve a sense of compactness even despite the use in the design of a rather large and long-familiar air-cooled boxer engine, which was replaced last year on other German models with a more modern water-cooled power unit. Compared to him, the old man is not so powerful and agile, but his reserves of valiant prowess have not dried up at all - the herd of 110 horse heads under the saddle has not thinned out at all and is more than enough for fun rides. The designers even deliberately put the retiring boxer air engine on display as the central element of the design - after all, the metal of the cooling fins looks much cooler than the plastic that covers the engines of the latest models. Structurally, the engine is also in the center - the front and rear subframes are attached to it.

Fans of modern technology will most likely be pleased to sit in the saddle of the BMW R nineT 1200 and study its dashboard - after all, there is nothing on it that is so necessary for young people and superfluous for riders soaked in dust. There is no choice of engine operating modes, traction control or electronic suspension, which the latest German motorcycles can boast of. You don’t even need to look for a thermometer - everything is extremely strict and angrily - on a small monochrome screen between the classic speedometer and tachometer you can only display data on the time of day, mileage traveled, as well as peak and average fuel consumption. This is true German brevity!

Of course, the developers of the BMW R nineT 1200 did not get carried away with asceticism - you won’t have to start it by kicking the kickstarter, much less from the pusher. The motorcycle engine wakes up at the speed of a soldier in the barracks at the command “Rise!”, but it rocks from sleep like a recruit - it’s better to warm it up longer, because in the first couple of minutes, depending on the ambient temperature, the engine vibrates quite strongly. But after reaching operating speeds, only the sound will remind you of the engine. By the way, it’s worth talking about it separately - BMW motorcycles have probably never been distinguished by such a beautiful baritone - and all because the Germans entrusted the creation of the exhaust system to the real master of this matter - Igor Akropovich. And he coped with this task perfectly, giving the R nineT 1200 its signature noble and beautiful “voice.”

Paired with the BMW R nineT engine is a six-speed gearbox, with which you can select a gear at any speed that will correspond to fuel economy or, on the contrary, to a very dynamic driving style. For an experienced rider, such capabilities will completely replace electronic switching of engine operating modes. And beginners can only use the first three steps - they are more than enough to move around the city. The engine is quite tolerant of such manipulations - on the graph it has an absolutely flat torque curve.

The curb weight of the fueled BMW R nineT is 222 kilograms, but due to the fact that it is concentrated in the engine area, the motorcycle does not feel heavy at all and handles excellently. It is not difficult to deploy it on a narrow spot or to make a turn when the engine cylinder is a few centimeters from the road surface. Excellent maneuverability is also due to the fact that the designers did not install the proprietary Telelever front suspension on this model, using instead a conventional telescopic fork, and the use of a small 18-liter gas tank also affected its compactness.

Speaking of suspension and handling, it is worth noting that this German motorcycle was created for good roads and riding even on small holes and cracks in the asphalt can become very sensitive for the driver - the bike immediately reports all irregularities to the rider’s tailbone. In this regard, the R nineT is much inferior to the GS series, which seems to have been specially created for use in Russia. Nevertheless, this classic motorcycle will undoubtedly find its buyer in our country - after all, it not only rides great, but also looks great.

BMW R nineT 1200, technical specifications:

Engine

Transmission

Dimensions and weight

Chassis and brakes

Performance characteristics

Production

Hi all! I am glad to share with you my impressions of the first 300 km on the new BMW R NineT motorcycle. At the moment, the roads are still dirty, snow falls from time to time and the asphalt is still around zero temperature. So, it has not yet been possible to get all the expected joys from owning new equipment, and even more so while it is still in the running-in process. But if you're still interested, please come inside.

I'll start with the perception of the motorcycle. Tactile sensations of controls, landing and other moments associated with understanding and awareness of the motorcycle itself.

The very visual perception and contemplation of the BMW R NineT, for me personally, still causes joy and delight. It is clear that this is a very subjective assessment, but I still note that most people who are not connected in any way with the motorcycle theme in life perceive this model very positively. The public's interest in the appearance of the motorcycle is definitely more interesting than all my previous motorcycles combined. Although, by and large, there is nothing special about it. This is not gold on a warm summer night, glowing like a Christmas tree with screaming music. Many explain their interest and positive perception by the fact that in their understanding of the word “motorcycle”, many people have an image in their minds very similar to the BMW R NineT. I repeat, this conversation is precisely about what most people who have nothing to do with motorcycle technology at all and do not have an understanding of the varieties and variety of classes of motorcycles (like my parents, for example). What’s even strange is that it turns out that young girls are not only drawn to sportbikes, but this motorcycle also attracts their attention. But in this exercise, of course, it is still difficult to surpass sports. But I repeat, I never expected such a reaction from the fair half of humanity, especially at a very young age.

As for the finishing materials and the overall impression of the quality of workmanship. Everything is fine here, I couldn’t find any fault with the stock clutch and brake levers, on which many manufacturers save a lot during production. Not on grips or even steering wheel weights. The buttons are made of good quality plastic, pressing is intuitive and clear. You don’t need to look at the tidy to see if you turned on the turn signal or didn’t press the button. In general, everything here is very modest and simple in terms of controls. There is a minimal number of them. The starter button is also the electrical circuit lock button. There is nothing else on the right remote control. Optionally, you can supply the original heated handles and then another button will appear which will activate the heating operating mode accordingly. Heating has two modes. Everything else is on the left console. High beam flash/turn on. A turn signal that is made in a classic style, and not like on previous BMW R series models, where the left turn signal is located on the left remote control, the right turn signal on the right. In general, the classic indication of turns makes me personally happy. There is a separate button for turning on the emergency lights and, at the end, an “INFO” button that switches the readings on the on-board computer. By the way, they are also very modest and there are no displays of tire pressure sensors, electric suspensions, etc. If we evaluate the controls, then everything is EXCELLENT! There are few buttons, in the right places and everything is done with high quality.

Now what can I say about the landing? She, like the appearance of the spendthrift, is classic. Very comfortable and convenient. But the back is not straight, there is a forward tilt and it’s even noticeable, unlike, for example, the new R1200R. Let's just say, a classic landing with a certain forward tilt. But you don’t have to hang by your hands while resting on the steering wheel. The legs are bent at the “correct” angle, nothing goes numb or interferes with long enough movement. I didn’t even have to adjust the brake foot, everything is convenient and, most importantly, the rear brake is not just for show. More on this later. As for the gearbox, everything is sane here too, quite clearly but clumsily in the opposite direction. Shifts are quite hard and the gearbox has not yet been broken in. But from the very beginning of use, I have never missed a beat and neutral is caught intuitively. The gearbox is not Honda's, but it is probably the closest manufacturer to the standard shifting (read gearbox from Honda). The saddle itself is quite hard, but again very wide and surprisingly comfortable. There is a place where you can turn around and change your position a little, which is again important for long-distance driving. The biggest difference from previous models (ala the ancestors of the BMW R NineT) R1200R is the convenient width in the tank area. On older R1200R models, you had to spread your legs as if sitting on a horse in the saddle. After long journeys I had to learn to walk again. Well, such a wide separation of the knees clearly did not add sportiness to the motorcycle. Here everything is the other way around, like on a sports bike. The tank is not high relative to the saddle, and during sharp braking, the most expensive and delicate organs do not have to change shape and strain the nerve cells with a painful shock.

Let's move on to the ride quality and how it feels. Here the difference appears more contrastingly and there are more moments on which you can sharpen your attention. I'll try in order as much as possible. It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to remember everything I wanted to write about, but I’ll try.

So. The first thing you realize is that it has little in common with the R series models. It seems like it should be almost the same thing. But in fact, this is “general” only in your head, because the performance characteristics are practically the same. Behind the wheel, the moto looks more like a street car, for example the same S1000R. I took the S1000R for a test drive and in reality the connection between the R NineT and the S1000R is greater than the R NineT and the previous generation air-powered R1200R. I think that the new R1200R 2015 model year will also be very different. I'll test it this year and tell you.

You can immediately feel the catch in the engine-gearbox connection. The engine has a quick response to the throttle. There are no electronic assistants here that will analyze one hundred and five hundred times how much you have unscrewed and whether it is exactly possible to transfer that much torque to the wheel, or still adjust and slightly “cut off” the amount of dope transmitted to the wheel. Hence the reaction to the opening is immediate. In combination with a good volume and therefore a normal acceleration moment, it is more intense here. One might say more angry, sporty. The checkpoint adds some spice to this picture. The gear ratios have been changed here. This is again noticeable during acceleration and gears, especially first, are much shorter than on the R1200R or GS. In fact, according to BMW, this was specifically made for “traffic light racing”. This is not my opinion, from the BMW website. There is another pleasant plus from changing the gear ratio. When driving in stop-and-go traffic, you don’t have to touch the clutch lever. There is no need for them to throttle at all; in first gear with the throttle completely closed, you can drive 4-6 km/h. In second gear 12-15 km/h. In traffic jams on Yauzskaya embankment this is a very convenient feature. Definitely a PLUS for urban use!

Let's move on smoothly to the switching itself. No major complaints here. But there is one “but”! On a cold engine, as soon as you leave the garage (you must also take into account that you drove in +3/+5 weather), it is sometimes difficult to engage 1st gear. Sometimes it wouldn’t even turn on at all until you let go and squeeze the clutch again. Then, after some time, he began to squeeze the clutch lever not with the usual two fingers, resting against the ring and little fingers with the clutch lever, but with all his fingers up to the grip. The problem is gone and until the engine warms up and reaches normal temperature, I squeeze the trigger until it grips. After 5-10 minutes of driving, I switch to the usual two-finger squeeze - the flight is normal. Perhaps this has something to do with the untested box. This problem was not observed on the previous R1200R with a mileage of 40 thousand. But I also took it with 20 thousand on the odometer.

Let's talk about the most significant change. Finally we returned to the classic inverted fork. By the way, it is from the S1000RR, but lacks any adjustments. If you really want, you can buy offal from RR and make a fork with adjustments, but for me it is configured perfectly for the originally calculated operating conditions. Returning to this type of suspension freed the R NineT from amorphous steering. I can't say that the 2009 R1200R strained me in corners, but it was difficult to call its behavior sporty. This is a completely different song. Low center of gravity, 222 kg in running order, amazingly refined suspension (not the softest by the way). As a result, these are completely different motorcycles.

I would like to note a nuance with the brakes. Here they are old school and independent. I’ll explain for those in the tank. In BMW, initially, when you press the front brake lever, one piston automatically presses the pads on the rear wheel. This ensures safer braking, as a result of which assistants again get involved in the process of controlling the motor. For me, they are not always welcome. I prefer to choose when to brake with the front brake and when with the rear. For advanced users of motorcycles with such integrated brakes, they won’t burn the rear tank. And there are those stubborn people who can’t live without it) But I’m not one of them, I can’t afford a rear cylinder once a month for ten. Oh, and the pads in the rear with an integrated brake system wear out twice as fast as in the front. But following the logic of BMW engineers, safety comes first. It's hard to disagree with this. It’s not a big loss to survive the cost of the pads at 3 thousand rubles. The brakes themselves are radial monoblock Brambo paired with reinforced hoses. To say that they are awesome is to say nothing. But then another point arises, again relating only to NineT. I repeat, there are no electronic assistants here, except ABS, none at all. And the rear wheel comes off the asphalt easily and without force; ABS is not involved in this matter in any way. The stock Metzseller tires are very good and do not allow the ABS to kick in until the rear wheel comes off. So you have to monitor this and gesture in moderation. I would also like to remind you about the lack of traction and antiwheelie. So even during the run-in, with two thousand on the tachometer, the engine rises quite easily from the gas. It all depends on the rider, if a completely inexperienced friend tries to unscrew it, at best he will use it (which is hard to believe with such tires), at worst he will tip over if he does not close the gas in time. There is no point in talking about the rear brake. It exists and it really works. But it won’t allow you to slow down in a skid. Either ABS works on both wheels, or it does NOT work on both.

About the issue of wind protection. It is not entirely appropriate here, but there is something to be said. There is no wind in the legs at all (by naked standards, of course). Not in the knees, not in the feet, and especially not in the “between the legs.” As for the torso, there are no problems up to 100 km/h. I didn’t even get cold in the same jacket at the same temperature, compared to last year’s Ducati. There is no need for wind protection, but at the same time the airflow for the pilot is somehow adequate and pleasant. Maybe it’s due to the landing, I don’t know. Hard to explain. But the upcoming long-distance journey certainly stresses me out. All the flies will be mine, I’m sure of that) But the other advantages greatly outweigh its disadvantages. Still, long distance travel is once a year, or at best twice. And I travel mainly around Moscow and the nearest Moscow region. And NineT also has such a traffic jam ability that even the previous motard from Ducati did not have. I'm being completely serious and honest here. Simply unrealistic steering, coupled with the super short wheelbase of the motorcycle, allows you to climb into any hole at any angle. The moderately narrow steering wheel (narrower than on the Hyperstrada) also adds confidence in traffic jams. All comments ala “opposite zhezh, one and a half meters wide” are wild and are not accepted, especially from those who have never driven opposed engines. This opinion is not based on anything; what’s especially offensive is that it is completely unfair. Your knees, even in sports, are no longer than the pots on the opposite stick out. So this does not affect traffic jam performance in any way. Look at people racing the R1200GS in traffic. The motorcycle mirrors clearly pass under the mirrors of gazelles and cruisers. On the R1200R, I clearly met the above-described car models with my mirrors and theirs. It was the same with Ducati.

I propose to end the discussion here for now. Just 3 hundred km cannot fully give a picture of all the pros and cons of NineT. Everyone praises their cow, this is a well-known fact. But I already love this motorcycle. From the very beginning. Starting from the appearance, which amazed me and still makes my heart beat unevenly, ending with a truly masculine brutal character. Sharp, greyhound, loud, brutal. Finally, apparently, I got what I was looking for. I’ve been working toward this for a long time, and I haven’t been able to fully understand all the delights of the BMW R NineT. I hope I still have more to come. I’m really looking forward to the start of the season, a normal start, and not these rare warm hours during the day.

Have a good day everyone and take care of yourself, especially at the beginning of the season! Good luck everyone!