BMW 1200 R 12 G/S 2026 — Specifications

You long for the R 1200 G/S? Do you want to recapture the style of the very first Gelände Strasse? No problem, BMW has thought of you with the R 12 G/S. This new interpretation of the most famous trail on the market takes over from the Urban G/S (2017 – 2023) and offers an “offroad” version of the NineT.

There’s no sense of displacement or visual shock. The R 12 G/S boasts a profile very similar to the Urban G/S. The capped round headlight, the front fender touching the nose, the seemingly vintage silhouette... but very quickly, the differences strike the eye. With a higher-quality inverted fork, spoked wheels replacing the stick models, a more vintage fuel tank, rounder valve covers, a less custom rear frame, and a slightly more substantial fairing, this neo-retro GS “mark II” shows a deeper interpretation of the concept.

Is the engine the same? Not really. BMW remains faithful to the 1170 cm3 air/oil Boxer. The engine is from the last generation before switching to liquid cooling. An engine more suited to the exercise of “days gone by,” without sacrificing performance. 109 horsepower circulate in the connecting rods at 7,000 rpm, accompanied by a torque of 11.7 mkg. Values very close to the previous model, capable of providing a frank and throaty surge but without voracity.

The chassis needs to be of a different caliber. The base of the frame is common with the other R 12 models, except for the revised steering column for off-road use. Unlike the NineT GS, the suspensions are completely adjustable, their travel is much more generous with 210 mm at the front and 200 mm at the rear, the front rim really wants to taste excursions (21 inches instead of 19) and the tires have some sculptures. Caution, I said taste, not devour. When it comes to braking, the equipment doesn’t go for showiness but for efficiency, with 310 mm discs gripped by 2-piston Brembo calipers. Not spectacular; just calibrated for use and the profile of the machine. The rear will also have its say with its 265 disc and its twin-quill caliper.

Settle in and gauge. BMW has taken care of the rider’s ergonomics, with a handlebar-seat-footrest triangle offering a fair compromise for a seated or standing riding position, an adjustable selector tip, a steel fuel tank tapering downwards, and an adjustable handlebar.

What’s pleasing is the preservation of an analog speedometer. Attention, it doesn’t mean that technology is put aside. Sometimes we wish... The R 12 G/S concocts riding with traction control (deactivatable), engine torque management, ABS cornering, and three Riding Modes. - "Road" gives a direct throttle response, mid-level traction control, and electronics optimized for maximum stability. - No mystery for "Rain," it softens all systems. - "Enduro" unlocks freedoms: ABS is more permissive at the rear, wheelie, traction, and torque controls are partially asleep, while the throttle is as smooth as possible.

There’s also an optional 4th player, “Enduro Pro.” It allows itself to cut ABS at the rear, reduce traction control to a minimum, and lets the throttle express itself on the road.

I’m not teaching you anything new by specifying that some tempting elements are optional. Except that here, even the passenger is optional; the R 12 G/S is originally a single-seater. To carry someone, you need to get the appropriate pack; the one that is in the catalog, next to the 3.5-inch TFT screen, the adaptive curve headlight, the Keyless, the Bluetooth, the shifter, the heated grips, and all that. There’s even a “Cold Country” option, with the installation of a 14 Ah battery to start better when the climate is harsh.

To fully justify its Gelände side, the G/S offers the “Enduro Pro” pack. Thus, it receives an 18-inch rear rim, enduro footrests, a 20 mm handlebar riser, a more accessible brake pedal, and sees its seat height rise from 860 to 875 mm. Ground clearance goes from 240 to 255 mm.

After the “custom” R 12 and the “roadster” R 12, here is the 3rd member of the family. Which claims to be part of the lineage of Bavarian trails. It’s no secret that the GS dynasty dominates the BMW range as long as the motorcycle market exists. We won’t bore you with it to force it into the skulls of citizens, as national media do to manufacture an anxious climate – it’s a fact, that’s all.

That BMW maintains generation after generation, with at its origin a certain R 80 G/S. The connection with the original model is so important that a reinterpretation was born in 2017 via the R NineT Urban G/S. About 10 years later, the machine is brought up to date to perpetuate the memory; while the 1300 GS/GSA continues to roam roads and peaks. A modern memory that charges its image but allows you to appreciate an engine taste that the 1300s have left behind.

M.B. - Photo manufacturer