BMW R NINE T SCRAMBLER (2016 - on) Review

I'd think in terms of a one-up bike, rather than a two-up touring machine, but I love the crisp, back to basics motorcycling the R nineT provides. I find the acceleration, handling and braking are more than ample for a satisfying two hours at a time ride on Britishroads, before an aching bum and the need for tea & pee come calling. (Trust me, if I'd wanted an R1, I'd have bought one).After a short break, I'm more than ready, even eager, for more!

Crisp, responsive and great mapping; no flat spots that I've found and definitely no niggles with slow speed lurching, or jerky throttle response.

I am buying: risers, a small screen, engine bars, a rear rack, a rear hugger (deffo) and a Cramp Buster because I've found it difficult to keep the throttle open after an hour or so on the bike.

The off road karoos look amazing but work on tarmac just ok.

I would like to have given 5 out 5 because I love the Scrambler's handling however the standard steering damper was too tight and is not adjustable. It might just be my style of riding, as I tend to turn in late which needs a loose front end therefore I swapped it for an after-market adjustable unit, which sorted it immediately. Other than that, the handling is very predictable and the brakes are strong and full of feel, even two-up; and the suspension is fine for road (haven't tried it off road) use. Ignore anyone who suggests not buying the BMW standard option off-road tyres; once you get over the slight noise they make they are easily up to even spirited riding and (yes, I know it's superficial) are well worth the look they give the bike. From the outset the lack of a screen wasn't an issue, somehow the air flow around the headlight doesn't seem to get too disturbed so long rides rides were fine but I have added a very small headlight cowl, which does just enough to make the air flow even easier to live with.

The power delivery is very addictive and surprisingly punchy even up to licence-killing speeds and beyond (apparently). Fueling is spot on with no snatching at low speeds and it pulls hard wherever in the rev range that you call for it. I do a lot of two-up riding and have never been short of grunt to overtake etc. I had a GS1200 some years ago and so I can say the Scrambler engine feels like the GS without all the weight of the GS holding it back it down; quite lively and free feeling for a big twin. While the exhaust tone is great for a modern standard bike I did break the piggy bank for a Unit Garage pipe with flap removal mod, which transforms the sound into an amazingly deep and rich tone, which is far from offensive.

The usual BMW standards apply so I don't expect any reliability issues but what really impresses is the quality of finish, which stands up to even close inspection. No issues so far although it's only my first year but it all looks and feels solid.

Too soon to comment on average running costs but no shocks so far.

With a mindset of "it's all about the bike" (which is what you should have) you'll not be disappointed by the lack of anything on this bike; including a rev counter. Enjoy the stripped back vibe and don't worry about what it doesn't have while you enjoy the visceral experience that comes from such an engaging and "simple" bike. If I want toys I'll take my tourer out but on the Scrambler the pleasure comes from the less-is-more feel; but make no mistake, there is nothing cheap about this bike, it is just that the money BMW has put into it has gone into the important rather than the peripheral.

They brakes are superb. Even you have to pull the lever quite a bit to actually iniate breaking, the pistons bite furiously and bring the bike to a stop in no time. And just in case you pulled too enthusiasticly, ABS is present and reliably smoothes away your shortcomings. The comfort's rating is very ambivalent. Yes, the riding position is comfortable overall. Yes, you look very - and I mean very - cool on the bike. Yes, you could even stand up for a little while in case you want to master a fire road or gravel road. But neither the very narrow seat, nor the just-not-meant-to-be rear shock offers the comfort I expect from a bike like this. The buttocks hurt after a while, regardless of the riding style, and most of the less maintenanced roads will leave a memory in your back with every little bump, crack, or pothole being directly transferred through your spine. Even withouth any wind protection whatsoever, there is little to none disturbance by wind on the bike - and that's how a naked bike should be.

The engine is a masterpiece. It starts with a subtle jolt to the right when starting the engine. Tork is available in almost every rev-region and boy, it is fun to open that throttle and feal the acceleration combined with a dirty, cheecky braaa-sound from the Acrapovic exhaust. The motor is very versatile, allowing you to cruise along in 5th gear in town with 2000rpm or to tackle twisties in 2nd gear and let your surrounding hear the joy of riding that bike with the 6500rpm grunt. Fuel economy is directly linked to your riding style. I was able to run almost 220 miles on one tank while cruising, and had to fill up after 130 miles after a fun twisty hunt on the other hand. Interestingly, the engine requirs a little bit of motor oil due to the lean to the left when on the side stand. But coming from an ancienct 2 stroke motor, I actually expect a motor to consume some oil.

Splendid building quality from the paint job to the tiniest screw. Use of solid, high quality materials everywhere, even the plastic mirrors do not look as cheap as the japanese ones. The buttons look, feel and behave like the high quality product they are supposed to be. The handles are very comfortably placed and of good material quality that transforms the premium look into premium feel.

It is a BMW, you know. Hence, cost price and maintenance costs are higher than the competitor's. Even I never lost the gut feeling that my Scrambler might have been overpriced, it is still very - and I might even say unrivalled - value for money.

This bike is meant to be stripped-down. It is meant to be gadget-free as far as possible. And yet, a decent display with some more information to be displayed would have been nice. For instance, the ambient temperature and a fuel gauge would have been nice, these informations lack even with the additional rev-counter installed. The stock tyres, Metzeler Tourance Next, are a clever choice for starters, unfortunately, the ones fitted on my brad new Scrambler were over 5 years old, hence the damping was terrible. As soon as I changed to Conti Trail Attack 3 tyres, the riding comfort doubled. Do not, under any circumstances, order the knobbly Metzteler Karoo 3 tyres. Just don't.

Compared to my Triumph Scrambler this bike rides like a truck and it will take time to learn into curves even with road tyres. The brakes do have an anti-lock feature but I have had to stop quickly on occasion and if you really get on the brakes it will respond.

Way more power than the Triumph 900 and will pull from low RPM. There is a progressive surge as the RPMs build and you have plenty of power.

Get used to the clunky but beefy transmission. The turn signals self cancel (eventually).

Change the oil yourself but you need a proper oil filter wrench available online. Don't forget Canister "O" ring and sump crush washer. Don't forget to torque filter and sump bolt.

Didn't think I'd need heated grips but they are so nice to have on cold mornings. I also added lowered foot pegs and longer shift and brake foot levers. Avoid the knobbly tyres.

If the the bike had a decent back shock absorber I would probally give it 5 out of 5. The shock initially feels over hard but that soon disappears after about 1,500 miles of hard riding, but then it seems to become very under damped. Flipping between full peg scraping lean on 60mph - 80mph bends can cause a bit of a wallowing sensation which can upset your line into the next bend. Comfort is surprisingly good, I think it's due to good riding position which distributes the riders weight evenly between the bars and seat, 90 mins saddle time is easily achievable before any aches start to set in.

Oh my god, definetley not what I expected ! This isn't no lazy floppy twin cylinder engine. It's a rev happy snarling exhaust popping beast and it encourages you to use those revs, love the engine.

Let down by a poor finish on the underside of the exhaust (lot of weld spatter), the rest of the machine is pretty much top notch.

Well it hasn't got much in terms of standard equipment, but everything it has is everything you need.