BMW R NINE T PURE (2017 - on) Review

Overall rating

If you can live without the rev-counter, BMW’s R nineT Pure offers lots of fun in a quirky, genuinely-retro package. While BMW say the bike is built for modifiers, many owners will be happy just as it is.

• Latest news: BMW R nine T range updated for 2021

It’s a credible machine at a sensible price and has all of the nice touches you’d expect with a BMW. Stripped-back, raw and quite aggressive. It’s a blast to ride, and sounds fabulous, but this attitude won’t appeal to everyone.

Ride quality & brakes

The bike shares its chassis with the R nineT Racer, Scrambler and Urban G/S, which has a frame with a slightly kicked-out headstock to accommodate the Scrambler’s 19in front wheel and a simplified rear subframe design.

The riding experience is typical R nineT – a nimble, accurate chassis combined with a friendly motor and more than enough performance to make this is a credible motorcycle.

The handling is pretty playful, too. The chassis is virtually identical to the Racer’s, but the taller, wider bars impart more leverage, making the bike feel more nimble.

The downgraded suspension does its job well and even though the forks are a little soft there’s plenty of feel. On standard settings the rear can feel a little bit uncontrolled, but the rebound-adjustable shock should have the range to dial this out.

The chassis doesn’t tax your brain, but gives you confidence to push hard enough to have fun and the lack of quirks and foibles mean that it will be a great bike for new riders, too.

To be honest, it offers everything the more expensive R nineT does when it comes to dynamics and is a more convincing retro bike too – for many the superbike-style suspension and brakes of the more-expensive R nineT jar against its design brief.

The Metzeler Z8 Roadtecs that this bike came with were beyond reproach, even in our terrible test conditions. But the Pure is happiest when it comes to relaxed cruising in the sun.

With its straight-backed riding position, visibility is good and gives the chance to just sit back and enjoy the view. It is also an excellent urban bike with great natural balance.

Through the slippery town streets of a wet Spanish resort, the bike felt just as sure-footed as it did in the Andalusian mountains.

Engine

The R nineT’s 1170cc, 108bhp Boxer twin is as lively as it is torquey and has a playful kick at the top-end that encourages you to ride faster than the retro looks suggest.

Before you know it, you’re chasing that imaginary red line. We say imaginary because of course the Pure doesn’t have the rev-counter, or the gear indicator you get on the Racer or the top R nineT.

And to be honest, you do miss it – even though the motor is flexible enough that it doesn’t matter too much which gear you’re in.

From the moment the boxer fires into life though you can’t help but love the Pure’s attitude. It’s loud, raw and where rivals like the Honda CB1100EX cosset you on your ride, the Pure grabs you by the scruff of the neck and drags you along whether or not you are in the mood for a fight.

Reliability & build quality

Although it may lack the toys of some of its stable mates, the Pure is beautifully engineered, styled and put together. Unsurprisingly, owners of the standard R nineT offer nothing but four and five stars for reliability, however offer warnings about expensive BMW parts, should something go wrong.

Value vs rivals

Compared to the big-money £12,220 R nineT, it has a 43mm non-adjustable right way-up fork rather than the S1000RR-derived Sachs inverted items of the more expensive bike.

It also has axial-mount Brembo brakes rather than radial calipers, and a steel, rather than aluminium, fuel tank. There’s also a single clock, with no rev counter.

As well as being easy to modify, the fact that the bike has very cheap PCP deals means the Pure is a bargain entry into R nineT ownership. Its only real problem is its Racer brother. If you can stand the riding position, the Racer is sexier, better equipped and just £800 more.

Equipment

As standard the Pure comes with very little in terms of equipment, missing a rev counter, rider aids and upside down forks. The idea of this being that it's the perfect 'blank canvas' for riders to create their ultimate custom R nineTs.

Usually running cast ally wheels, our test bike came with spoked wheels (£330), traction control (£330) and LED indicators (£100). The spoked wheel option suits the bike, even though it means you have to run tubed tyres.