Pure — without any extraneous and unnecessary elements, free of any contamination, free from sin.
I felt this in my bones when I first laid eyes on the BMW R nineT Pure. It is a bike that is unapologetically raw, a deviation from the tech-filled world we live in. First looks can be deceiving, though. Is the R nineT Pure truly a blast from a simpler past, or just some clever marketing to dress up a budget model?
One tank of gas on my favorite back country roads should be enough to reveal the truth behind this simple yet compelling machine.
Curb appeal
With the familiar round headlight, tubular frame and naked engine, the R nineT Pure harkens back to an older era of motorcycling, a time before fairings and winglets.
What helped this particular model of R nineT Pure escape the ordinary was the up-spec 719 aluminum tank and billet accessory option. It resembled a Howard Hughes aircraft of the golden era of aviation, a simple yet aerodynamic form in brushed metal that was ready to take flight.
Sitting in the cockpit of the R nineT, I appreciated a largely unobstructed and uncluttered view, which was a taste of the ride to come. There was no huge windscreen, busy TFT dash or other distractions. The dash itself is one of the most austere analog dials I’ve seen on a modern bike. No data overload here — just the speedo, engine indicator lights, fuel light and that is basically it. One small miss in my book is the lack of a tachometer, but despite all the fuss today over flashy TFT dashes, it felt refreshing to be freed of endless menus and screens. Switching ride modes, engaging the cruise control, or flipping on the heated grips were all straightforward operations accomplished with a press of a button on the handlebar clusters (assuming you have the optional Select Package on the motorcycle — more on that later).
With a riding position that’s more “sitting on top” than “sitting in,” the R nineT nearly disappears from view, leaving you with the sensation of flying. The riding position itself was very neutral and comfortable, a natural bend in the knees and elbows that alludes to (dare I say it?) all-day comfort. At the very least I had not a single complaint on my back country afternoon ride.
Start your engine
When a motorcycle is as stripped down as the R nineT Pure, much relies on the character of the motor. Turning over the ignition of the air-cooled 1,170 cc Boxer creates a side-to-side swagger that would make anyone smile, especially the uninitiated like myself. Never having ridden the Boxer motor before, I do feel I have experienced it in its rawest and truest sense on board the R nineT Pure. While a newer, water-cooled version of the Boxer engine exists in models such as the R 1250 RT, the R nineT Pure utilizes the traditional air/oil-cooled configuration.
While I loved the cadence and physical nature of the Boxer, I did feel a little let down by the volume and sound of the R nineT stock exhaust. I hope an aftermarket pipe could help open it up a bit, because the visceral sensation I felt from the opposed twin was not being done justice on the audio side of things.
As for motor performance, the R nineT produces power and torque to easily satisfy the needs of most street riders. In truth, after looking at the spec sheet, I was a bit surprised by how docile the big motor felt. I tried each riding mode, but quickly set it to the most powerful “Dyna” mode and left it there. I expected a more savage ride, but instead enjoyed sophisticated and refined power delivery on aggressive acceleration and a powerband that was very compliant in a variety of applications.
Now might be a good time to mention the variety of add-ons that are available for the R nineT Pure, and how they can have an impact on performance and price. For instance, the “Dyna” ride mode described above is part of the add-on “Select Package," which also includes DTC (dynamic traction control), adaptive headlight, MSR (dynamic engine brake control), heated grips, and cruise control for $1,000. This particular R nineT Pure that I rode also included the Option 719 Aluminum Matte package ($1,550), Option 719 Billet Pack Classic ($1,200), and Option 719 Classic Spoke Wheel set ($950). Perhaps my experience of the R nineT Pure is not as unadulterated as I originally thought.
A smooth flyer
The R nineT's suspension and brakes look like nothing special on the parts list, but the sum of the machine handles corners nicely. At a spirited pace through long sweepers and a handful of tight hairpins, the R nineT Pure performed without any protest. For a fairly heavy bike with a giant hulking mass of motor, the sharp turn-in on corners took me a bit by surprise at first, and then I came to rely on the nimbleness for the rest of the ride.
A bit unsure of the brakes, I conducted several emergency stopping maneuvers in a quiet parking lot and again was impressed by the response. By no means do they clamp down with the same bitey sharpness of a sport bike, but they gave me confidence that the R nineT was prepared for evading whatever the road might have in store for us (mainly deer at this hour and season).
What I liked, what I didn’t like
There’s a lot to like about the R nineT Pure. From a riding standpoint, the bike is very true to its original design intent. It delivers a riding experience that is reduced to the essentials in the best way possible. Or, if you want to dress it up a little with accessories or upgrades, BMW has neatly laid out the catalog so a customer can make a bespoke configuration straight from the factory. It is nice to see an OEM handing back some of that control to the end-user; to strip down or add-on as they see fit.
There is the other side of that coin, though. Customizing the R nineT Pure comes with the risk of pricing it way beyond what is reasonable. While the base model starts at $10,995, the version I was riding was closer to $16,340. If I consider this bike in that lens, I have to admit there are many more motorcycles on the market offering so much more at that price point.
So which is it exactly — a motorcycle that embraces simplicity, or a clever marketing scheme? The answer is both. The R nineT Pure delivers on that promise of a minimalist bike that forgoes the superfluous and focuses intently on the visceral experience of the ride. But it does so at a price point that doesn’t sit well with me. They say “less is more,” and I’m on board with that. The question the potential R nineT buyer has to ask is “How much are you willing to pay for less?” Is it worth the price to be Pure?
2022 BMW R nineT Pure | |
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Price (MSRP) | $10,995 base model |
Engine | 1,170 cc, air/oil-cooled opposed twin with two camshafts and four radially arranged valves per cylinder |
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, shaft |
Claimed horsepower | 109 @ 7,250 rpm |
Claimed torque | 85.5 foot-pounds @ 6,000 rpm |
Frame |
Three-section frame consisting of one front and two rear sections, load-bearing engine-gearbox unit |
Front suspension |
Telescopic forks with 43 mm fixed-tube diameter, 4.7 inches of travel |
Rear suspension |
BMW paralever, central spring strut, adjustable for preload and rebound damping, 4.7 inches of travel |
Front brake | Twin four-piston calipers, 12.6-inch discs with BMW ABS Pro |
Rear brake | Single two-piston caliper, 10.4-inch disc, with ABS |
Rake, trail | 26.6 degrees, 4.1 inches |
Wheelbase | 58.8 inches |
Seat height | 31.7 inches |
Fuel capacity | 4.5 gallons |
Tires | 120/70ZR17 front, 180/55ZR17 rear |
Claimed weight | 483 pounds |
Available | Now |
Warranty | Three years or 36,000 miles |
More info | bmwmotorcycles.com |