BMW R 12 G/S Review | Motorcycle Test

3 months ago 82

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BMW R 12 G/S Enduro

Gee slash ess. I just can’t bring myself to keep calling it that. I know, I know.. That’s the proper name. But I can’t refer to a bike using the word slash. That feels like a disservice. As such, I’ve been referring to it as the R 12 Scrambler. Because, well, that’s what it is.

It’s also very, very good.

The R 12 Scrambler is easily the best, most sorted incarnation of the R 12 platform that I’ve had a chance to punt around. In fact, I’ll go a step further. This might just be my favourite off-road Bee Em Double Vee I’ve ever ridden.

I’m aware that this will likely upset a whole swathe of GS owners. But so be it. I’ll keep calling it as I see it.

We’ll get into the nitty-gritty in a sec, but it boils down to one simple thing. This bike is fun. While I have described BMWs using many adjectives over the years, I’m not sure how often I have used the word’ fun.’ Capable, impressive, incredible, exceptional – absolutely. But fun? That’s a new one for me.

And while the R 12 G/S is not perfect, the fun factor overcomes the niggles.

So what are we looking at on the R 12 G/S?

The clue is in the name. The R 12 bit tells you that the heart of the machine is the same air-cooled engine that lives in various other Beemers such as the R 12 S, the R 12 NineT and R 12 HL all of which I’ve tested in the last year and a bit.

Each of these bikes is noticeably different in their own way, but they all share the same driveline – although I’m told each one gets it’s own unique tune. This is especially noticeable in this case. Each of the past R 12s I’ve ridden have had some minor fuelling and gearshift anomalies in some way or other. And with them a slight feeling of disconnection with the bike.

Not so in this case.

The Scrambler gets what is easily the best tune and with it the best throttle connection of them all. It’s really, really close to perfect. And for everyday riding is barely short of superb. The only time I felt my connection to the bike to be not quite right was probably not the fuelling at all. I suspect the dirty big crank and tail shaft combine for an ever-so-slight delay in rolling off throttle on occasion.

Most noticeable when the photographer asks you to loft that front a little higher for the pic. Or to get that rear end stepped out a little more… And while I’m always happy to oblige, when you’re at the point of ‘ok that’s high/wide enough’ and it gives you a bees willy more, you notice! Makes for speccy shots though…

The engine is lovely. Super torquey and with a cruisey, effortless feel that is totally in keeping with the overall style and vibe of the bike. The 1170 cc parallel twin pumps out a lazy 109 hp and 115 Nm, with the bulk of that torque accessible from way down in the rev range, though surprisingly the peak torque arrives at 6,500 rpm.

The gearbox too is nice and smooth, BMW’s shift assist working nicely here, slotting new cogs in happily under pretty much any throttle load. I don’t recall getting any false neutrals or seriously clunky shifts. So, forward propulsion is well sorted.

The first gear ratio is probably taller than some might expect, but I found it more than ok in all conditions. This is not a hard enduro bike… keep it flowing to find its best. The R 12 G/S is designed to use both on and off-road, and I found it to be about right in straddling both worlds – without being annoying on forest access tracks.

This bike is not about being the fastest. Or jumping the furthest. It’s about getting out there and enjoying the ride, and doing it in style.

It’s also a proper looker. Really nice on the retinas.

Design-wise, they’ve absolutely nailed it. 10/10 on the design front. The G/S got all the retro vibes while still looking sharp. I had more folks ask me what it was than most bikes. Several BMW owners with older GS knew exactly what it was and wanted to know more. ‘Sell the old one and buy this’ was generally my recommendation.

I’m starting to really dig the scrambler category. Not quite an adventure bike, they aren’t really made with touring in mind or carrying pillions or loads of luggage. They’re stripped back. Relatively single-minded. And I’m all for it.

Throwing a set of saddlebags on (as opposed to big side cases) and riding with a backpack would be doable, but luggage mounting options are definitely limited. There is literally one belt loop on either side of the rear of the seat. It’s doable. Day trips, certainly. Weekend trips, yes. Big, multi-day rides with big kays? A ‘proper’ adventure bike would be a more sensible option.

That is, of course, if you want to be sensible… Sensible can be overrated though.

The suspension and handling is a real surprise.

With ‘only’ 210 mm of front travel on the upside-down tele forks and 200 mm on the rear I wasn’t expecting things to be nearly as composed as they are. The chassis and suspenders do a remarkable job at even fairly enthusiastic speeds. Really nice bump control at both ends.

The rear has an easy preload adjuster on the right-hand side, and while I generally need to dial up some rear preload to get things to where I want them, this time I left things as they were.

That front end does feel light though. There is a steering damper nestled in there, but I’d probably consider dialling the damping up via an aftermarket option (I don’t think that the stock one can be adjusted). While I didn’t experience the bike being flighty in the front end, geometry-wise, it felt like it could get a bit rowdy if I belted into some rocks or unexpected hits/ruts.

Actually, the rear end also feels light now that I think about it. Flicking TC off shows just how easy it is to provoke the rear slideways if you want to really cut loose. The day of the photoshoot, the conditions were mostly on really hardpack clay-sand with a sprinkling of sand on top. It was really, really slippery in spots in terms of ripping skids…

One of the keys to this bike being fun is the relatively low 860 mm seat height that feels even lower in reality.

Super easy to throw the leg over what is quite a narrow seat, which makes for easy feet down when required. And with the expected low-speed manners that are inherent with a boxer engine’s weight distribution, the only time you realise you’re on a 240-odd kilo machine is when you come to a standstill and have to start manhandling it around.

How about the electronics?

The bike I tested was the Enduro spec and, as such, gets some extra goodies, including the ‘digital display’ dash. While I really like the dash layout overall, it had a notable omission: no fuel gauge. The only time it was interested in telling me something about fuel was when I hit reserve. And even then, it would only count UP kilometres. Which is about as useful as a rubber hammer.

And with a fuel tank capacity of only 15.5 L, this led to some regular thoughts about how much fuel was in the bike. There is a trip meter on the dash. I’d suggest you make use of it…

The standard TC (on) setup within the Enduro Pro mode is actually pretty damn good when punting along at normal speeds. It gives you just enough slip to steer with the rear a little, while keeping things well under control. But unfortunately, you only get the option of on or off.

I’d really like to be able to adjust the TC back off a little – like you can on the GS… Somewhere in between TC on and off would have been perfect.

I also found that the Enduro Pro ABS setup, which turns only rear ABS off, was fine most of the time. Just not when things were really slippery or in sand. Unfortunately, you can’t turn off the front ABS, so you just need to keep a bit up your sleeve. I was caught off guard once, just after one of these skid pics, and overshot a corner by a metre or so into some grass… Would I like it changed to allow me to turn it off? Yes. Would it stop me from buying it? No.

Other niggles? Not really. While there are those few little edges that could still be improved upon, the R 12 G/S is a bloody compelling bike that would be welcome in my shed.

Prices start from 26-ish grand for the base model and a little over 30 big ones ride away, for the Enduro spec as you see here. There’s a very nice-looking option 719 in a sandstone ‘Aragonite’ and red colour combo that looks super cool in the metal, too.

Competitor-wise, I think you’re looking at things like Triumph’s Scrambler 1200 XE (which punches out nearly the same peak torque but does so noticeably earlier in the rev range), and the Guzzi V85 TT (which has a much larger fuel tank). The Beemer has both of those bikes covered comfortably when it comes to peak power though.

In the end, it comes back down to the feel of the bike. It’s an engaging ride – and very fun. Which is why I’m saying this is my new favourite off-road BMW. Nice work Motorrad.

BMW R 12 G/S hits:

The most engaging BMW I’ve ever ridden.
Effortlessly cool styling, executed superbly.
The best incarnation of the R 12 drivetrain yet.
Surprisingly capable and composed suspension.

BMW R 12 G/S misses:

No fuel gauge??
Traction Control is not adjustable.
Front ABS cannot be deactivated.
Not really made with luggage in mind (opt for a saddlebag instead).

BMW R 12 G/S Specifications
Capacity	1,170 cc
Bore/Stroke	101 x 73 mm
Output	80 kW / 109 hp
at Engine Speed	7,000 rpm
Torque	115 Nm
at Engine Speed	6,500 rpm
Type	Air/oil-cooled, 2-cylinder, four-stroke boxer engine with four valves per cylinder, cam followers, and two overhead camshafts per cylinder
Compression	12:1
Fuel	Premium unleaded, 95 RON
Valves per Cylinder	4
Ø Intake/Outlet	39/33 mm
Ø Throttle Valve	50 mm
Engine Control	BMS-O
Emission Control	Closed-loop three-way catalytic converter, exhaust standard EU-5+
Electrical System
Generator	660 W
Battery	12 V / 12 Ah, maintenance-free
Headlight	LED
Rear Light	LED
Turn Indicators	LED
Starter	1,200 W
Power Transmission
Clutch	Dry clutch, hydraulically operated
Transmission	Claw-shift 6-speed gearbox
Primary Ratio	1.737
Transmission Ratios	I: 2.375, II: 1.696, III: 1.296, IV: 1.065, V: 0.939, VI: 0.848
Secondary Drive	Universal shaft
Secondary Ratio	2.91
Chassis (R 12 G/S)
Frame Construction Type	Tubular space frame in steel, engine self-supporting
Front Wheel Suspension	USD telescopic forks, Ø 45 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound, and compression damping
Rear Wheel Suspension	Aluminium Paralever swinging arm, directly linked WAD spring strut, adjustable spring base, rebound, and compression damping
Spring Travel (Front/Rear)	210 / 200 mm
Wheel Castor	120.8 / 121.3 mm (Enduro Package Pro)
Wheelbase	1,580 / 1,585 mm (Enduro Package Pro)
Steering Head Angle	63.1° / 63.2° (Enduro Package Pro)
Brakes (Front)	Twin disc brake, Ø 310 mm, two axially bolted 2-piston floating callipers
Brakes (Rear)	Single disc brake, Ø 265 mm, 2-piston floating caliper
ABS	Standard equipment, BMW Motorrad ABS Pro (lean angle optimised)
Wheels	Aluminium cross-spoke wheels
Front Wheel	2.15 x 21″
Rear Wheel	4.00 x 17″ / 4.00 x 18″ (Enduro Package Pro)
Tires (Front)	90/90-21
Tires (Rear)	150/70 R 17 / 150/70 R 18 (Enduro Package Pro)
Dimensions and Weights
Total Length	2,200 mm
Overall Width (incl. levers)	830 mm
Seat Height	860 / 875 mm (Enduro Package Pro)
DIN Unladen Weight (road ready)	229 kg
Permitted Total Weight	430 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity	15.5 L
Performance Figures
Fuel Consumption (WMTC)	5.1 L/100 km
CO2 Emissions	119 g/km
Acceleration (0-100 km/h)	4.1 s
Top Speed	>200 km/h