Test: BMW R nineT Urban G / S // Legend "Paris - Dakar 1981"

Today of course BMW R 1250 GS it has nothing to do with the model R 80 G/S with the exception of a few key entry points, such as the boxer twin and rear-wheel drive via the PTO. The successfully unveiled R nineT line of retro classics to celebrate BMW Motorrad's 90th anniversary, the Urban G / S pays homage to the 1981s enduro motorcycle that won the Paris-Dakar rally for the first time. back in XNUMX with Hubert Auriolom Behind the wheel.

Round lantern with several small windshields, wide flat handlebars, large rounded fuel tank 17 liters and the level of the enduro seat and slightly higher ground clearance already shows their origins and kinship that you can't miss. In fact, it's a bike that's almost exactly the same as the BMW R nineT Scrambler, but the details and overall image are what make this Dakar replica exciting. This is aided in large part by attractive, rough-profile off-road tires that handle the gravel well and hold surprisingly well on the road. This is a compromise that I am always ready to support on this bike.

So the driving performance is not compressed, but, on the contrary, is excellent. The suspension is good enough to ride safely and dynamically, with reliable and generally very good brakes for this class of bikes. Two people will ride well too, but I have to point out that the GS does not have the same passenger comfort as the R 1250. I enjoyed the leisurely ride listening to the deep bass rumble of the twin-cylinder engine or when I throttle through corners and that is the basic idea behind it. motorcycle. Seduce yourself without planning and just enjoy the moment.

Riding this motorcycle on tracks and rubble is a special feeling. I could easily take a 5.862 km journey from Ljubljana to Dakar in Senegal, as well as part of the route in southern Morocco and Mauritania, when you can choose to ride on the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean, such a bike will be easily beat. Ah, I better stop dreaming because maybe I'm still making up my mind and going on a journey. If I return to us in Slovenia, I can also write that it is very useful during rush hour. It is neither too big nor too tall, so it can be used to bypass standing sheet metal in columns.

Otherwise, the 850 millimeter seat is not overly tall, and therefore the R nineT G / S is written in the leather of all those who like to stand firm with both feet. An air / oil cooled boxer with two camshafts in the head and a volume of 1170 cc has enough power and torque (110 'horses' and 116 Nm of torque) to be alive whenever you need to move forward. But it's not an athlete, it's not a race car, it's a motorcycle to enjoy the original style of motorsport, when all you needed was a helmet, a leather jacket and "jeans". Of course, BMW has made sure you can dress in style and equip the bike with enough equipment so you can ride around the world, but the question is whether you really need it.

The beauty that transports you to the golden years of the Paris-Dakar Rally will be yours. 13.700 euro, but in terms of fuel consumption it is surprisingly modest, since the test consumes 5,5 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers... Although on a regular trip with one tank you can drive 300 kilometers, for a real Paris-Dakar rally this is still not enough, for one refueling then 30 liters of gasoline were also poured. But there were other times.

• Basic data

  Sales: BMW Motorrad Slovenia

  Base model price: 13.700 €

• Technical information

  engine: Air / oil cooled horizontal twin-cylinder (boxer) 4-stroke engine, 2 camshafts, 4 radially mounted valves per cylinder, central anti-vibration shaft, 1.170 cc

  Power: 81 kW (110 km) at 7.750 rpm

  Torque: 116 Nm at 6.000 rpm

  Energy transfer: 6-speed constant grip transmission, propeller shaft

  Frame: 3-piece, consisting of one front and two rear parts

  brakes: front two discs with a diameter of 320 mm, 4-piston brake calipers, rear single disc with a diameter of 265 mm, 2-piston brake calipers, standard ABS

  Suspension: 43mm telescopic fork at the front, single aluminum swingarm at the rear, BMW Motorrad Paralever; central single damper, adjustable tilt and reverse damping; movement front 125 mm, rear 140 mm

  Tires: 120/70 R 19, 170/60 R 17

  Growth: 850 mm

  Fuel tank: 17

  Wheelbase: 1.527 mm

  Weight: 220 kg

We praise and reproach

appearance

driving performance

very useful for everyday driving

adroitness

engine

price

rare meters

a small seat is not best for long trips for two

final grade

BMW could hardly have shown more commitment than this modern replica of the legendary R80 G / Sa. It is a motorcycle to enjoy, but if you are one of those Dakar Rally fans when it was still held in Africa, you cannot miss it.