2024 Favourite motorcycles – BMW R12 NineT

The BMW R NineT is on the list of my favourite 2023/2024 motorcycles as it is the only model that represents the brand’s heritage. I have covered the NineT before and since it still holds  my attention means that there perhaps there is some thing about it that you should consider? 

Sure, the new ones look great but it will take a few more years or  decades before I could properly accept BMW as a dedicated and genuine motorcycle performance brand. They did take decades to refine the trade mark flat twin to reach mainstream recognition and that only started with the Adventure GS series bikes in the early 2000’s. They are basically absent from the racetracks for most of their existence and boasting performance via marketing does not impress many.  (Sure you could argue they had success in the Paris Dakar rally but then Citroens and Porsche has success too that was decades ago!)

The R series BMW motorcycles have been the only model they refined for decades and they look good and a bit unusual. There are quite a few variants in terms of looks or skins for the R series but I prefer the un-modded version. BMW motorcycles are and have always been very expensive but like most manufacturers clearly not worth the price in terms of performance, brand or included tech or bespoke parts. Buying one is like buying the historical value of the badge after all even BMW street cred for cars peaked the 2000’s and have been on the decline since.  Surely you wouldn’t buy based on that?