BMW R nineT Pure 2021 — Specifications

Entering the NineT family through the back door is precisely what the 2021 BMW R nineT Pure offers. Entering through the back door in appearance only, because behind the displayed sobriety lies a motorcycle that has digested a substantial update while retaining what defines it: the clean lines, the base, the blank canvas for the budding customizer.

The 2021 model year brought its share of visible and less visible changes. Two riding modes, Rain and Road, are now standard equipment, with a third dynamic mode available as an option. ABS is upgraded to Pro version, capable of modulating braking pressure according to the lean angle, a function not obvious at this price level. Rear suspension gains progressivity, with preload adjustment accessible without contortion. A USB socket and a few aesthetic refinements complete the picture. BMW had already integrated traction control ASC as standard in 2020, so the Pure 2021 arrives with respectable electronic equipment for its segment.

What really motivated this revision was Euro5 compliance. The 1170 cc flat-twin boxer received new cylinder heads that improve mid-range filling. On paper, peak power slightly decreases compared to the previous generation, but the French BMW R nineT Pure plays in a category of its own: it is marketed restricted to 95 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 115.7 Nm of torque at 6000 rpm to meet A2 license criteria. The good news is that after two years of practice and subject to validation of the supplementary training allowing the gateway from the A2 license to the A license, the rider of the BMW R nineT Pure A2 will be able to de-restrict his motorcycle which will then total a power of 70 kW, or 95 hp in the unrestricted version — we are talking here about the model accessible to new licenses, not the full-power version at 109 hp available outside of France. This decision opens the range to a younger audience, which is far from insignificant for BMW.

Compared to the standard NineT, the comparison is instructive and a little cruel. The Pure abandons the inverted fork, radial calipers, aluminum tank, and double exhaust outlet. These are real concessions, not cosmetic ones. Yet, the three-section steel trellis frame remains identical, the 43 mm telescopic fork provides 125 mm of travel, Paralever manages the rear with its 120 mm of stroke, and the 120/70-17 front and 180/55-17 rear tires are sized for serious use. The three-disc braking system, two 320 mm discs gripped by four-piston calipers at the front and one 265 mm with a two-piston caliper at the rear, leaves nothing to be desired. All for 219 kg fully fueled, with a 17-liter tank and a 805 mm seat height. At 13,500 euros, the question of positioning arises compared to a Triumph Bonneville T120 or a Ducati Scrambler Icon, which offer marked characters at comparable prices.

It is precisely there that the 2021 BMW R nineT Pure reveals its true nature. It does not seek to seduce those who want everything, immediately. It addresses the rider who dreams of a solid base to transform, for whom the motorcycle is a project as much as a means of transportation. The shaft drive avoids the maintenance hassles of a chain, the torque available from low revs makes the motorcycle usable in everyday use, and the 805 mm seat height remains accessible without being restrictive. What the Pure loses in prestige compared to its big sister, it gains in versatility and invitation to personalization. The rest is up to the workshop.