2021 BMW R nineT
If you thought, as I did, that BMW might neglect the R nineT platform due to the arrival of the new R 18, then that assumption was dispelled overnight when Munich unveiled an updated roadster line-up for 2021 that is now Euro5 compliant along with some subtle styling changes and updated standard equipment.
When BMW Motorrad presented the R nineT in 2013 it combined classic motorcycle design and modern technology with a wide range of customisation options.
A short time later, the R nineT found attractive derivatives in the BMW Motorrad Heritage world of experience: the R nineT Urban G/S as an enduro with the genes of the legendary R 80 G/S of 1980, the R nineT Scrambler as a homage to this distinctive motorcycle genre for those who love a purist style, and the R nineT Pure as a roadster reduced to the bare essentials.
For the upcoming 2021 season, BMW Motorrad has honed the R nineT family with some technical modifications, as well as significantly extending the range of standard and optional equipment. The new range will arrive in Australia during the first quarter of 2021.
Highlights of the new BMW R nineT models
- Iconic air/oil-cooled boxer engine with new cylinder heads for further increased torque in the mid-range as well as compliance with the EU-5 pollutant class.
- 80 kW (109 hp) 7 250 rpm (previously 81 kW (110 hp) at 7 750 rpm) and 116 Nm at 6 000 rpm.
- Cylinder head, cylinder head cover and throttle valve parts all in a new design.
- ABS Pro with DBC (Dynamic Brake Control) for even greater safety when braking in banking position.
- New suspension strut with travel-dependent damping (WAD) for even more balanced and comfortable handling as standard
- Hand wheel for adjusting the spring preload on the shock absorber as standard.
- Riding modes “Rain” and “Road” as standard.
- Classically designed circular instrument with new dial.
- White LED indicators as standard.
- LED headlights incl. daytime running light/parking light as standard.
- USB charging socket as standard.
- Enhanced overall design with a wider range of exclusive paint finishes.
- New ex works options and new optional accessories.
The boxer engine that powers the R nineT range has undergone both technical and visual fine-tuning and now meets Euro-5 requirements. Peak power output is now 80 kW (109 hp) at 7250 rpm (previously 81 kW (110 hp) at 7750 rpm), while the maximum torque is still 116 Nm at 6000 rpm.
• Lightwhite finish with tape.
• Comfort Package.
• Turning light.
• Rear silencer design option.
• Cross-spoke wheels II. • Off-road tyres.
• Original BMW Motorrad Accessories installed:
Luggage carrier, single seat for luggage carrier, black cylinder head covers, aluminium engine protection bar, engine guard.
Newly designed cylinder heads provide a smoother transition from the outer to the inner cooling fins, and newly designed throttle valve parts and cylinder head covers now give the bike even greater aesthetic appeal.
Inside the cylinder heads there is a new turbulence system which swirls the mixture to ensure even better and cleaner combustion and increased torque. Thanks to an even more full-bodied power and torque curve – especially in the range between 4000 and 6000 rpm – BMW claim that pulling power is now tangibly better than those of the predecessor, despite the marginal loss of peak power.
• Special “40 Years GS” paint finish.
• Black/yellow design inspired by the historic R 100 GS. • “40 Years GS” Edition seat in black and yellow.
• Hand protectors in yellow.
• Comfort Package.
• Turning light.
• Cross-spoke wheels II.
• Off-road tyres.
• Scrambler silencer.
• Chrome-plated manifold.
• Option 719 milled cylinder head covers Shadow.
• Option 719 seat holder Shadow.
Even in the standard version, the new R nineT models now feature ABS Pro in combination with DBC (Dynamic Brake Control) for increased safety when braking – at banking angles as well as in difficult situations. Standard features also include a new shock absorber with travel-dependent damping (WAD), providing enhanced suspension comfort and convenient adjustment of the spring preload via a hand wheel. “Rain” and “Road” riding modes are now included as standard, too.
The standard trim in the R nineT models includes circular instrumentation with a newly designed dial featuring the BMW logo as well as indicator lights that are “invisible” when not illuminated. Likewise as standard, the new R nineT models now have an LED headlamp and white indicator lights. The extended range of standard equipment in the new R nineT models is supplemented with a USB charging socket.
Riding Modes Pro with the additional modes “Dyna” for the R nineT and R nineT Pure and “Dirt” for the R nineT Scrambler and R nineT Urban G/S are now available as new individual options, as are DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) and engine drag torque control (MSR). Another new option is the Comfort Package, comprising Riding Modes Pro, cruise control and heated handlebar grips. The turning light and the rear silencer design option are likewise new to the range of individual optional extras.
Meanwhile the traditional “Option 719” offers further customisation options of the R nineT. This range of parts now includes such items as various wheels, milled parts packages and – from the Original BMW Motorrad Accessories range – a rear conversion with short rear end and number plate holder behind the rear wheel, as well as a rear end in tracker style (Tracker rear end).
The enhancements for the R nineT model family are rounded off with new standard and optional paint finishes. The “Edition 40 Years GS” of the R nineT Urban G/S is especially significant here. Available as a limited edition only, this unique model comes in a colour scheme reminiscent of the legendary R 100 GS to mark the 40th anniversary of the BMW Motorrad GS family.
• Kalamata metallic matt finish with tape.
• Comfort Package.
• Turning light.
• Cross-spoke wheels II. • Off-road tyres.
• Lightwhite finish with tape.
• Comfort Package.
• Turning light.
• Rear silencer design option.
• Cross-spoke wheels II. • Off-road tyres.
• Original BMW Motorrad Accessories installed:
Luggage carrier, single seat for luggage carrier, black cylinder head covers, aluminium engine protection bar, engine guard.
• Special “40 Years GS” paint finish.
• Black/yellow design inspired by the historic R 100 GS. • “40 Years GS” Edition seat in black and yellow.
• Hand protectors in yellow.
• Comfort Package.
• Turning light.
• Cross-spoke wheels II.
• Off-road tyres.
• Scrambler silencer.
• Chrome-plated manifold.
• Option 719 milled cylinder head covers Shadow.
• Option 719 seat holder Shadow.
