First Ride: BMW’s R12 is a polished cruiser with retro-inspired touches
The R12 continues a long line of BMW cruiser bikes, but what is it like to ride? Jack Evans finds out.
What is it?
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BMW has a well-established presence in the motorcycle cruiser segment. One of its most recent forays into this area of the market has been the R18, with its big, burly presence and huge boxer engine making it a standout choice against others in the market. But if you’re after something a little more compact and ever-so-slightly sportier, where do you turn? The answer could be this – the R12.
It’s based on a similar setup to the popular R12 nineT model, which should make this new cruiser a little more dynamic to ride than fully-fledged cruisers. But what is it like to ride? We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
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The R12 leans unashamedly on some retro styling – as do so many of its rivals – but while other cruisers might go hard on chromed components, this bike is a little more contemporary with a largely blacked-out finish applied to many of its features. With its feet-forward ride position, it is designed for comfort while its wide bars aim to boost confidence at lower speeds.
At the core of the R12 is a new tubular steel spaceframe, which is different from the setup found on the older R nineT series which used a separate front and rear main frame instead. The end result? Fewer attachments, a cleaner look overall and less weight.
