BMW R nineT Urban GS 2022 — Specifications

Imagine Hubert Auriol emerging from the Dakar bivouac, astride something resembling his white R 80 G/S, but concealing a 1170 cm3 boxer engine with 109 horsepower beneath its fork gaiters. That's roughly the sensation the BMW R nineT Urban GS provides at first glance. BMW played a remarkably effective card: taking the technical base of a NineT Scrambler, dressing it in the visual codes of the 1980s GS models, and calling it a tribute. Cynical? Perhaps. Successful? Undeniably.

The 2021 update refined the engine without touching its soul. New cylinder heads and recalibrated injection slightly reshaped the power curve: the peak of 109 horsepower now arrives at 7,250 rpm versus 7,750 previously, and that's good news. The 115.7 Nm of torque manifests with more frankness in the mid-range, where you spend 80% of your time on a national road. This air-cooled boxer retains its characteristic grainy sound, its assumed vibrations, its hunting dog temperament rather than that of a greyhound. BMW has also expanded the electronics over the years, with Rain and Road modes standard, active cornering ABS Pro, and an optional Dirt mode that substitutes DTC for the simple ASC anti-slip control while adding the MSR engine brake control. For a base price of €14,990, this is a serious level of equipment. The "40 Years GS" version adds a layer of equipment and this blue-white-red livery that directly evokes the Sabine era.

Beneath the retro bodywork, the Urban GS sits on a three-section steel tubular frame and transmits power by cardan shaft, faithful to the tradition of R BMWs. The 43 mm telehydraulic fork offers 125 mm of travel, the Paralever rear shock concedes 140 mm. This is more generous than the classic NineT, and the 19-inch front wheel in 120/70 reinforces the trail impression. The dual 320 mm front disc brakes with 4-piston calipers and a 265 mm rear disc do the job without discussion. Nevertheless, don't tell yourself stories about the real off-road capabilities of this machine: 223 kg fully fueled and a 850 mm seat height make it a burly road bike, not that of a trail machine. Spoked wheels with block tires remain an option, which says everything about the real intentions of most buyers.

A test of the BMW R nineT Urban GS confirms what the technical specifications suggest: it's not an adventure GS, it's a NineT disguised as a touring bike. The target audience is not the vast space traveler who sleeps under a tent, but the forty-five-year-old enthusiast who grew up with Paris-Dakar posters and wants to ride something that tells a story. In this area, the Urban GS wins hands down. The round and minimalist instrumentation, the duckbill, the square turn signals, all contribute to the desired effect. Faced with a Triumph Scrambler 1200 or a Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, BMW offers an object more loaded with personal history, but also heavier and more urban in its real compromises.

The weight of a BMW R nineT Urban GS and its 850 mm seat height are better suited to medium and tall builds, and its engine character requires a minimum of experience to be appreciated without apprehension. This is not a beginner's motorcycle. It's a nostalgic connoisseur's motorcycle, someone who knows why the cardan shaft and air cooling have a precise cultural significance in Bavarian history. For those, the BMW R nineT Urban GS is a coherent answer. For others, the Adventure range starts a few thousand euros further on.