This is the all-new BMW R 12 cruiser
11 years ago, BMW Motorrad introduced the R nineT model, combining classic motorcycle design and modern technology with high craftsmanship and diverse customization options. Shortly afterwards, the R nineT was enriched with attractive derivatives, like the R nineT Pure, R nineT Scrambler, R nineT Urban GS, giving rise to a whole model family for the BMW Motorrad Heritage world.
Then, in 2023, the Munich-based manufacturer introduced the R 12 and the R 12 nineT. The bikes are now in the Philippines, and MotoPinas.com had first dibs on the R 12 – BMW’s reimagining of the cruiser motorcycle.
100 years of boxer engine
For the past 100 years, the two-cylinder boxer engine and the use of a propeller shaft drive have been synonymous with BMW motorcycles. The air and oil-cooled 1,170cc boxer engine already familiar from numerous BMW Motorrad models, delivers 96 PS of power at 6,500 rpm in the R 12.
R 12
The new BMW R 12 comes under the motto “The Spirit of Easy” – perfectly embodying a classic cruiser for cool and relaxed riding. When I first heard the news from that BMW Motorrad Philippines will lend us its latest addition to their stable, the R12, I got excited because I’ve been wanting to own an R nineT for the longest time. Sadly, I went on to have another bike model.
When I first saw the R 12 in person my heart skipped a beat and when our friends from BMW Motorrad showed me the new features of the bike, man! I can’t wait to ride it!
As I went on and rode the bike from RSA BMW in Greenhills to my place in Bulacan, the first thing I noticed is that the R 12 has very minimal “boxer vibration” – you know, that unique vibration from an idling boxer twin engine – thanks to its newly developed tubular bridge steel spaceframe. According to BMW, this is a new frame design and differs from the previous R nineT series, which had a front and rear main frame. As a result, the new frame eliminates the need for previous fastenings, reducing weight and giving the new R 12 models a cleaner and more classic appearance.
At first glance, you might think that the R 12 is heavy and long. Well, you won’t feel that while riding the bike. The bike is very much maneuverable, I even rode it out in the chaotic EDSA rush hour traffic and had no issues maneuvering the R 12 around cars and other vehicles.
That same weekend, I took the R 12 to the New Clark Global City together with my riding buddies who were all on liter bikes. Naturally, their bikes are faster and more powerful, but the cruiser R 12 DID NOT have a hard time keeping up with their pace.
Technology meets classic
The all-new BMW R 12 is the Germans' answer to the American cruiser, but unlike the cruiser from the States, the ones that roll out from Berlin's production line are equipped with the finest German engineering.
The all-new R 12 is equipped with keyless ignition, lean-sensitive rider aids, TFT display, new and lighter chassis, quick shifter, cruise control, heated grips, “Toaster Tank” – which is inspired by 70s BMWs, 19-inch front wheel and16-inch rear wheel, analog round instruments for speed and rpm, a USB-C port on the left side, and a 12V socket.
The new BMW R 12 starts at PHP 1,215,000 SRP, while the Option 719 starts at PHP 1,315,000.
