BUYING A USED… BMW R nineT

How much fun can a retro-styled, air-cooled BMW boxer be? As it turns out – lots! John Urry fills his boots…

A few years ago the motorcycle world was going hipster crazy with all manner of fairly hideous ‘customised’ bikes appearing as manufacturers paid chaps with beards and tattoos to basically ruin a perfectly good machine in the name of fashion and PR. 

Frames were chopped, inappropriate wheels and tyres fitted, brown seats added, you name it, it happened, and was then followed up by a photoshoot in some backstreet workshop to make the bike look all moody and cool. However, a few good things did spring out of this fairly annoying subculture (although it’s not really a subculture when it is mainstream…) and the best is probably BMW’s R nineT.

Launched in 2014, the R nineT had all the hallmarks of being a fashion-led disappointment. BMW’s pre-unveiling waffle centred about how it could be easily customised as demonstrated by, yep, chaps with beards, and it was a café racer powered by the firm’s aging, air-cooled boxer motor. In truth, no one was really expecting the R nineT to be much more than a chilled-out retro that would sell in small numbers to a few fashion victims and then disappear from the model range. How wrong we were…

When you approach the R nineT, the first thing that strikes you is just how beautifully it is made. We are talking a real attention to detail here with lovely touches such as the old-school VIN plate on the headstock, twin clocks, inch-deep paint, spoke wheels and chunky bars. It certainly commands your attention and then your eye is drawn to its running gear.

Rather than sacrifice performance for style, BMW armed their retro with ‘proper’ chassis components, and you get radial Brembo brakes, inverted forks (which lack adjustment) and ABS with the option of traction control if you want. There is also a fairly non-retro shaft drive, but we will brush over this and instead focus on the star of the R nineT’s package – its air-cooled boxer engine.

Yes, the boxer motor (which is the twin-cam four valve-head version) is fairly old, but when you fire up this café racer it sounds raw and aggressive with a very fruity standard exhaust note (it is even better with the Akrapovic aftermarket silencer fitted). Sit astride the BMW and when you blip the throttle the whole bike shakes and judders as the torque reaction makes it lurch to the side. Far from some identikit retro, the R nineT feels alive in a very surprising and pleasing way. And when you get out on the open road it gets even better…

It is easy to forget just how good the air-cooled boxer engine actually is. Remember, this motor powered everything from the GS to the RT and when you stick it in a stripped-back retro with a wet weight of just 220kg it rocks. Get on the gas and the boxer thumps forward with lots of lovely character vibrations that really suit its styling. It’s a properly quick road engine with a huge stack of mid-range torque that makes you giggle as it feels really naughty to thrash. 

The throttle is quite aggressive, which is actually all part of the fun, and it is brimming with spirit and soul. Yes, the gearbox is clunky. However, it’s a retro so what do you expect? But the biggest surprise comes when you attack the bends.

Rather than its Telelever front end, BMW armed the R nineT with inverted forks and that means not only does it feel natural to all riders, it is also brilliant in corners. The low centre of gravity of the boxer engine helps the bike tip into a bend and once there it is rock-solid and great fun. You can happily take this retro on a trackday and not embarrass yourself (until the heads touch down), which isn’t something you can say about some of its rivals. The Brembo brakes also are more than up to the job, delivering lots of power and a good amount of feel at the lever. 

Fast, fun and characterful, what’s not to like about the BMW R nineT? There is the price tag…

With a new price of £12,745 in 2014, nowadays you still need to pay at least £5-6000 to have an R nineT in your garage, which is a lot of cash for an air-cooled boxer that will probably be saved for sunny rides only. 

Is it worth the investment? Actually, it is because as well as being brilliant to ride, the R nineT is also very easy to customise with its rear subframe coming off with minimal effort to give it a really funky, stripped-back look. If you like the idea of getting the spanners out, this is a bike that you can spend a bit of time and money making the look even cooler, which adds a whole new dimension to ownership. Just try to avoid the midlife crisis tattoos/beard/moustache/silly haircut… (wait – or embrace all these if it makes you happy!)

Price guide: £6000-£11,500

Cheapest private: £5991

1460 miles, 2014 model in perfect condition with low mileage

Our choice private: £7500

12,479 miles, just serviced in superb condition with a full service history

Cheapest dealer: £7750

4300 miles, 2016 bike in excellent condition with Akrapovic

Our choice dealer: £7995

8660 miles, lovely low mileage bike with high level Akrapovic

Ex-demo: £10,995

2367 miles, beautiful 2019 bike that is loaded with extras

Other things to know…

Pure

The R nineT Pure arrived in 2017 and is the base model in the range. You get conventional forks and non-radial brake calipers, but the engine and chassis are the same as the higher-spec version. Prices start at £9000.

Service history

The boxer engine’s exposed nature means it is very easy and therefore relatively cheap to service. It requires a small service every 6000 miles and valve clearances checked at the 12,000 service mark. The air-cooled boxer engine can burn a bit of oil, so a good service history is recommended.

Accessories

The R nineT is a bike that is designed to be customised and a stack of BMW accessories add to its value. The most sought after in terms of styling is the ‘bullet’ aluminium seat unit, which can go for over £200 used and is £480 new, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Billet levers and footrests, head covers, seats, reservoir covers, etc., etc. The more accessories, the higher the price tag.

Clutch

It shouldn’t be an issue as most R nineTs have covered minimal mileages. However, always be wary of any clutch slip as changing this in a boxer engine basically involves splitting the bike in half and is roughly £1000 in workshop bills as a result!

Exhaust

There are various official BMW options when it comes to exhausts and most owners stick to the factory-supplied Akrapovic rather than buy other brands. The HP Sports Silencer costs £1110, while the High Rise HP one looks amazing but costs £1290. A used full Akra system will set you back roughly £1000 from online auction sites, while other brands charge about £600 for a slip-on silencer to replace the twin-stacked OE units.

Rider assists

Although initially only ABS came as standard, you can add traction control (£250), heated grips (£255), and an alarm (£220). Later bikes come with traction control as standard, but all models can have it retro-fitted.

Finish

The finish is generally very high on the R nineT, but as it is a naked bike inspect it well for stone chips and any rust forming as a result of missing paint. In general, owners save their bikes for sunny runs, but a few are a little hardier.

Other versions

The R nineT family consists of the Scrambler, Pure, Racer, Urban G/S and the top-spec Roadster (which is just called the R nineT). The high-bar scrambler and G/S are great options if you want a more relaxed ride, but the Racer’s low clip-ons are excruciatingly uncomfortable, meaning it is best avoided.