BMW 1200 R Nine-T Urban G/S Dakar Series #1 2019 — Specifications

Forty years. That's the number that started it all. Forty years of Dakar, and BMW France decided not to let the occasion pass without releasing something bold, targeted, and deliberately rare. Forty units of this R Nine-T Urban G/S Dakar Series #1, not one more, all reserved for the French market. The number 83 engraved on each identification plate is no coincidence: it's the year Hubert Auriol, nicknamed "l'Africain," claimed victory for the second consecutive time on a BMW, following a first win in 1981 on an R 80 G/S. A track record that younger generations, raised on KTM victories, can barely fathom, so thoroughly does the Austrian orange seem to have always ruled the dunes.

The tribute doesn't stop at a numbered and signed plate, produced by B.R.M Chronographes and bolted to the tank. The livery faithfully reproduces the graphics of the victorious 1983 R 100 GS, from the tank to the seat, without the period sponsor logos — replaced by the machine's name. It's clean, coherent, and immediately readable to anyone who knows the history. The gold front rim contrasts with the deep black rear rim, both shod in Continental TKC80, that blocky dual-sport tire that permits genuine off-road excursions without turning every highway run into a yoga session. It's far from full-on trail equipment, but clearly a step above a standard Urban G/S.

Mechanically, no surprises or revolutions. BMW made the deliberate choice to retain the air-and-oil-cooled 1170cc boxer, the one predating the update to 1254cc with variable valve timing and expanded electronics. This engine produces 110 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 115.7 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm, with a wet weight of 221 kg. It's an engine with a distinct character — its signature vibrations and forthright torque delivery delight purists while frustrating devotees of seamless modernity. Shaft drive, a 6-speed gearbox, a tubular steel trellis frame, and the chassis inherited from the NineT Scrambler complete a coherent package, conceived more for spirited riding than 5,000 km raids.

Hubert Auriol deserved better than a simple commemorative sticker. The man won the Dakar on a motorcycle in 1981 and 1983, then by car in 1992 on a Mitsubishi Pajero, becoming the only rider to win in both categories. He went on to direct the event from 1995 to 2004. In 1987, he even participated in a round-the-world speed record by propeller aircraft — 23,852 kilometers completed in under 89 hours alongside Fourticq, Pescarolo, and Powell. BMW was right to build around this figure rather than a generic "anniversary edition."

The single, shortened seat makes it perfectly clear this is not a two-up touring machine. A luggage rack will partially compensate for the absence of an integrated top case, but nobody sets off to cross Africa with a 17-liter tank and an 850mm seat height, accessible as that figure may be. At €18,500, this Dakar Series #1 is aimed primarily at the discerning collector and the nostalgic rider who wants to ride something signed, numbered, and limited — without quite stepping through the door of a museum. A made-to-order motorcycle, unveiled at Wheels & Waves 2019, that fully embraces its status as an object of desire rather than a raid tool.