BMW’s Retro R Nine T Racer S.

Fueler’s biker Jeremy Webb rode the R Nine T Racer S and was in raptures. On a trip along England’s south coast, he beamed on the BMW.

When it comes to heritage, few motorcycle companies have more than BMW. However, BMW has taken their heritage and brought it up to date, with all the tech you could want on this type of bike.

I got to sample some of this when riding the R Nine T Racer S, a retro motorcycle which is thoroughly modern. It looks like a 1970s Racer but handles like a decent current track bike.

The retro theme is popular with all manufacturers, and buyers have plenty of machines to choose from. Triumph has their Thruxton R, Kawasaki the Z900RS Cafe, and Ducati the Scrambler Cafe.

The R Nine T is a single-seater with no room for panniers and a proper racing riding position. Leaned forward with head tucked down behind the race fairing or lifted slightly for more vision. Fine for an hour or so but not great for extended hours in the saddle. You will not buy a Racer S for extended trips into Europe. You purchase this for pure pleasure, and as BMW says, make life a ride. I WANTED TO RIDE THIS EVERY DAY; it was that much fun.

I could ride it sensibly and plod along, acknowledging pedestrians staring at the bike, or I could ride it as intended. Hard and fast. Blasting along, tucked down with a massive smile on my face. I did this most of the time. The dynamically designed half-fairing improves the riding experience, especially at speeds over 100 Km/H.

I didn’t have a problem with the riding position on my journeys. They were all under ninety minutes, so no numb bum or aching back.

The R Nine T Racer S is a bike you can enjoy track days on and then ride home. The 1170 cc Air/oil-cooled, four-stroke twin-cylinder boxer engine delivers 81 kW (110 bhp) output. The bike is light, nimble and fast. Handling is sharp and improves the faster you ride when aerodynamics kick in, and it adopts its true racing pedigree.

The R Nine T Racer connects the appearance of racing days gone by with state-of-the-art technology.

The BMW Motorrad ABS is standard, and the optional ASC (Automatic Stability Control) prevents the rear wheel from spinning and ensures a more efficient power transmission: for more active riding safety in extreme situations. It is even available during the journey upon request.

The bike will do about 10 Km/ Litre, so the range is approximately 240 Kms equating to about ninety minutes of riding. As I mentioned, this would be about the length of time where the riding position would become uncomfortable and call for a stop to stretch.

BMW see this as a base bike for owners to put their identity on, with hundreds of custom parts available and many firms making after parts for it.

I love the bike’s look as it has twin round clock-like displays, stretched tank and a comfortable single seat.

I like the wire wheels and BMW striped colour scheme, which is clean. It has a 2-in-1 exhaust in the typical café racer design style, showing that the technology does not have to hide away.

The handlebars are positioned low on the upper fork bridge. The moderate offset protects the wrists. On the other hand, the footrests have made their way backwards and upwards to support the sporty seating position. In addition, the optional custom rider’s seat lowers the seat height from 805 mm to 795 mm.

The R Nine T Racer S is fun, and I would love to own one as a second bike for weekends and journeys that have no purpose but pleasure. It is not a commuter bike or workhorse. Bikers will relate to this.

$18,000 In the S variant.

Thanks to the Vines BMW Bikes, Guildford staff for providing the bike.

Find out more about the R Nine T Racer here:

http://www.vinesguildfordmotorrad.co.uk/bikes/heritage/r-ninet-racer/?section=Explore

https://www.bmw-motorrad.ca/en