BIG Shoutout to BMW Motorcycles of Seattle for allowing me to take a closer look at this bike.
It is currently for sale here: www.bmwmcseattle.com/New-Inve...
In the commuter category,
- And in the riding comfort, The R Nine T’s riding position is similar to other naked bikes. Upright and comfortable. However the seat is surprisingly firm. There is no windshield to block any air, which is the price you pay to have a retro naked bike. The R Nine T gets a 7 out of 10 in riding comfort.
- In the fuel range/ features, The R Nine T has a 4.5 Gallon tank and gets about 45 to 50 miles per gallon which is similar to most other naked bikes of this weight class. In comparison. However you do not have a segmented fuel gauge and there is no estimation of miles to an empty tank. You are on your own to get to a gas station once the fuel light comes on. This earns the R Nine T a 05 out of 10 in the fuel range/ features.
- As far as the commute-specific tech goes, The R Nine T doesn’t offer much other than traction control and ABS, but anything more than that and you no longer have a retro bike. Heated seat and grips are optional but this particular bike was not equipped with them. You do get a USB port under the seat, but I don’t really know what it’s for since there is no TFT screen to show you navigation or entertainment data. Maybe it simply charges your phone as you ride. This earns the R Nine T a 06 out of 10 in the commute-specific tech and features.
- In the Storage category, R Nine T has no storage at all. In fact the seat is not even removable with the key. It earns a 1 out of 10 in the storage category.
- A good commuter bike should be cost-effective, reliable, and have a strong dealership network. The R Nine T I reviewed costs close to $12,000 dollars, and has no major issues found through my search in the forums or the recall sheet. BMW motorcycles has slightly under 200 dealers across the US which creates a sufficient dealer support network. The R Nine T gets a 07 out of 10 in affordability, reliability and dealer support.
For an overall score of 26.0 out of 50 for the commuter category.
Now onto the Performance/Dope Factor Category.
- In the race riding position category, The R Nine T has a fully upright riding position. Without any type of windscreen in front of you, you will be battling the wind on the track. The seat is pretty firm and good for track riding. It gets a 4 out of 10 in the race riding position.
- For the horsepower- slash-torque figures, I simply add up the horsepower and torque numbers and divide the sum by 2 which gets me the Horsepower/Torque average. If the average is 0 to 25, it gets a 1, 26-50 gets a 2, and so on and so forth. The torque on this bike is 85 pounds-feet and has around 100 horsepower to the rear wheel for an average value of 92.5 earning the R Nine T a 4 out of 10.
- As for the weight, my score considers a 375 lb or lighter bike a 10 out of 10, and every increment of 25 lbs deducts a score. The R Nine T weighs close to 480 lbs which is a 5 out of 10.
- Regarding the race-track oriented rider aid’s feature, each feature is worth 2 points, and as long as logically we can link the feature to racing/performance, the bike earns it. On the R Nine T, you have ABS, and Traction Control, and Brembo brakes. It earns a 6 out of 10.
- As for the design choices and marketplace, it’s pretty difficult to put this in numbers, so how I score this category is that the bike earns 1 point if offered in only 1 color/trim, and 2 points if there are colors, trims, or package variations. if the bike is equipped with preferable design choices like LED lights instead of ugly yellow halogen bulbs, or a sleek TFT screen over outdated dash clusters, it earns 1 point, if it has a single sided swingarm over the more economic regular swingarms, it earns another point, if it has no noticeable fit and finish and panel gap issues, it gets another point, if the brand is associated with higher end models and has higher opulence like the majority of Italian/European brands it gets another point, and if it’s special or limited edition, it gets another 4 points. The R Nine T not only looks retro but operates like an old bike too and is a good reflection of what a BMW bike would have felt like in the 70s and 80s. it has a tremendous number of versions, trims, and colors to pick from and is an extremely moddable bike. Fit and finish quality is absolutely spectacular and the brand image of BMW is that of a respectable higher end brand. The R nine T earns a 05 out of 10 for the overall design and marketplace.
#retro #nakedbike #motorcycle #bmw #motorrad #kawasaki #z900rs