(Above) OrangeCat BMW's Jayson Uribe takes Steve Fisher's
R 90 S AMA Superbike racer for a spin, the bike that inspired
the R 12 nineT. (Below) The infernal phone holder ruins the
view of the pretty analog clocks, but you get the idea.
touring, adventure or sport
motorcycle, it was deliberately
designed around simplicity,
character, customization and a
nod to a simpler time.
It became the foundation for
an enormous family of varia-
tions, from the Pure and Scram-
bler to the Racer and Urban G/S.
More importantly, it became
BMW's modern interpretation
of the classic boxer roadster—a
motorcycle where the engine,
fuel tank, frame and exposed
The orange is a deliberate nod
to one of BMW Motorrad's most
important motorcycles—the
1970s R 90 S and its famous Day-
tona Orange paint. BMW's own
description identifies the color
as a reference to the Daytona
Orange finish of the 1975 R 90 S.
That makes this particular
R 12 nineT more than simply a
nicely equipped Heritage BMW. It
is a modern interpretation of an
important piece of BMW history,
while retaining enough contem-
porary performance to make it
enjoyable on a properly twisty
road. And that's where the R 12
nineT really starts to make sense.
From R nineT
to R 12 nineT
The original 1170cc R nineT
arrived in 2014 and quickly es-
tablished itself in something of
a new category for BMW. Rather
than being another conventional
(Right) Oceanside's crashing waves
make for one heck of a backdrop.
We gave the Beemer a good wash
afterward to remove the salt.
P104
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 BMW R 12 NINET OPTION 719
