BMW R nineT ScramblerSince the launch of the 2015 Ducati Scrambler, a rebirth of popularity was instilled into the scrambler name. For baby boomers, the scrambler likely brings back the image of up-swept exhaust and the desert, along with names like Steve McQueen and Triumph.For Generation X and the Millenniums, a much hipper image surfaces, one that’s rooted in nostalgia. Most OEMs understand this, and waste no time – a missed trend equals missed sales. BMW is one of those OEMs that understands, and has unveiled its new R nineT Scrambler – a bike that mates the styling of the 1970s with modern technology of its air/oil-cooled 1170cc boxer engine and safety enhancements such as ABS.
The 2016 BMW R nineT Scrambler does have some roots in the original scrambler era, also; the BMW R 68 was released in 1951, and raced by BMW Motorrad legend George “Schorsch” Meir. BMW says “while the standard version of the R 68 had a conventional exhaust installed in a lower position, the raised exhaust version was already available back then as a BMW Motorrad accessory. To this day, some owners of this highly valuable post-war BMW Motorrad classic still like to retrofit the special Scrambler-style exhaust.”Based on the R nineT Roadster designed with the help of Roland Sands, the R nineT Scrambler’s boxer produces 110 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 86 ft/lbs of torque at 6,000 rpm. The engine breathes through typical scrambler-styled pipes, the up-swept left-side mounted exhaust completing the retro styling of the R9T Scrambler.The BMW Scrambler’s steep tubular frame uses the engine a load-bearing element, and the bike features a traditional telescopic front fork with 4.92 inches of travel up front. Out back, the BMW Scrambler uses a Paralever setup with a single-sided swingarm that offers 5.5 inches of suspension travel.The R nineT Scrambler rolls on alloy cast wheels with tire sizes of 120/70-19 at the front and 170/60-17 at the rear. Stopping the 2016 BMW R nineT Scrambler are dual 320mm discs up front squeezed by four-piston calipers, and a 265mm rear disc squeezed by a two-piston caliper. ABS is standard.The 4.5-gallon sheet-style fuel tank and the various aluminum trim enhances the classic look, along with the only paint finish offered on the BMW R nineT Scrambler – Monolith Metallic Matte.BMW released the price in September 2016–$13,000, roughly $2,000 less than the R nineT.Following are highlights and a photo gallery of the 2016 BMW R nineT Scrambler:
2016 BMW R nineT Scrambler Highlights:
Purist design
Classic color concept
Stitched seat in patinised leather look
Workmanship with great attention to detail
Air/oil-cooled 2-cylinder boxer engine with a capacity of 1170 cc. Output 81 kW (110 hp) at 7 750 rpm, maximum torque of 86 ft/lbs at 6 000 rpm
Designed to be customized
Modular frame concept with removable passenger frame offering a range of variations
Classic wheel suspension by means of telescopic fork at front and Paralever at rear
Large 19-inch front wheel as is typical of a Scrambler
Upright seating position in classic Scrambler style
Raised exhaust fitted close to the body with twin silencer
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Motos and Friends, the weekly podcast brought to you by Ultimate Motorcycling. My name is Arthur Coldwells.
Motos and Friends is brought to you by Yamaha. You can check out the amazing YZF-R7 at your local Yamaha dealer, or of course at YamahaMotorsports.com. The YZF-R7 is an amazing supersport machine that is comfortable too!
In this week’s first segment, Editor Don Williams takes the smallest BMW ADV bike on an urban adventure in Los Angeles. The BMW G 310 GS is a full size motorcycle with a modest engine, so of course we wonder if it is a little too underpowered and might struggle. Don put it through its paces and gives us his take.
In the second segment, Neale Bayly and Kiran Ridley have returned from the Ukraine to Paris where Kiran is based.
Kiran is an award winning photojournalist, and as an accomplished documentarian, he has covered stories as diverse as drug smuggling around the Mexican border, to the devastation of the Australian Bush Fires, to the tragedy of the Mediterranean migration crisis. Neale and Kiran reminisce about their motorcycle adventure in the Ukraine, and their observations and experiences with the incredibly resilient people of Ukraine, who have been put through such brutal hardship.