2014 Performance BMW R nineT – First Look

As part of its 90th anniversary celebration at company headquarters in Munich, BMW Motorrad took the wraps off the R nineT, a new bike that looks a bit like a one-off custom but is actually a 2014 production machine scheduled to go on sale at U.S. dealers in March. One quick look at this naked roadster is all it takes to see that BMW’s designers and engineers have had some fun creating this boxer-powered machine, which pays homage to the R90S of the 1970s while aiming to attract a hipper, more contemporary crowd with its stripped appearance, rich textures, black wheels, and gobs of accessories designed to encourage personalization. Perhaps the most significant, and likely very popular, is a brushed-aluminum tail section that immediately transforms this new BMW from a naked roadster into a Germanic café (Kafe?) racer of sorts.
In keeping with the simple theme, BMW powers the 2014 R nineT with the air- and oil-cooled version of the company’s 1170cc boxer engine, not the liquid-cooled twin found in the new R1200GS. Moreover, the R nineT’s engine, with a claimed 110 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque, serves as a stressed member in a new tubular steel chassis, which is a modular design with front and rear sections, plus an end piece and a pillion frame, all bolted together. The exhaust, which runs down the left side of the R nineT, can be mounted in a lowered or raised position, depending on the length of the connector accessory pipe ordered. A titanium Akrapovic exhaust is also available as an accessory.