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P108 RIDE REVIEW I 2026 BMW R 12 NINET OPTION 719 siderably more urgency than its appearance suggests. The six-speed transmission and shaft drive also make the R 12 remarkably easy to live with. There is no chain maintenance and no need to constantly stir the gearbox simply to keep the engine in its powerband. And with Gear Shift Assist Pro fitted, there is even less reason to reach for the clutch, although shifting up from first to third in the mid-level revs can be a bit clunky. It's best to shift up in the lower third of the rev range with a little less stress on the gearbox and shifts are noticeably smoother. One of the clever aspects of the R 12 nineT is how well its electronic systems disappear into the background. There are the three usual riding modes in Rain, Road and Dynamic, and after an explorato- ry ride through Rain and Road, per cylinder and, of course, a throttle-by-wire. Those numbers don't necessar- ily sound spectacular in an era of 200-horsepower superbikes, but to worry about that misses the point entirely. The R 12 nineT's engine is about delivery rather than dyno sheets. It delivers a substantial wave of torque from low revs, and the boxer pulls hard without making the rider constantly chase the top of the tachometer. I rarely bothered trying to rev the boxer out at all—keep the revs low, click through the gears and let the torque take care of the rest. That makes it particularly well suited to the chassis' character. You can leave it in a higher gear and surf the torque as you thread the corners together or use the upper half of the rev range and discover that the old- school-looking boxer has con- Heated grips and cruise con- trol make longer rides consider- ably easier, Hill Start Control takes some of the drama out of stopping on steep grades, while Gear Shift Assist Pro allows for clutchless upshifts and down- shifts. Headlight Pro adds adap- tive lighting, and ConnectedRide Control brings smartphone inte- gration to the otherwise deliber- ately traditional cockpit. It might look a bit sparse, but there's a lot of motorcycle in there. For the Love of a Boxer The engine remains one of the strongest reasons to buy an R 12 nineT. BMW's 1170cc air/oil-cooled boxer twin produces 109 horse- power at 7000 rpm and 85 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm, fed through DOHC cylinder heads with four radially arranged valves Low-speed manners around town are impeccable. Few bikes look as good at going for a slow cruise as the R 12.