2023 · Retro Classic · Buyer's Guide
One Hundred Years, One Boxer
BMW built 1,923 of these to mark its first century, and the 100 Years treatment goes past a badge and a decal. Chrome Classic paint over chrome, Option 719 milled parts, and detailing that tells you exactly what you're sitting on. Underneath it is the air/oil-cooled 1170 cc boxer making 109 hp at 7,250 rpm and 86 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm, with shaft final drive, an upside-down fork, and adjustable suspension front and rear. In a class where the shape carries most of the argument, this one sits at the ceiling for retro, purist, and elegant form without pretending the engineering isn't there.
The retro promise holds here because the modern hardware does its job quietly. ABS, traction control, and ride modes are standard, and so are cruise control and heated grips. Nothing in the cockpit asks you to study a manual first. It ages the way good hardware ages: chrome and milled aluminum pay back the owner who actually cleans them, and a 1,923-unit run gives this one a story that lasts. The honest part is mass. At 487 lb wet you feel every pound at walking pace, and the 31.7 in seat wants a reasonable inseam behind it.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 109 hp (80 kW) @ 7,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 86 lb-ft (116 Nm) @ 6,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1170 cc |
| Engine | Flat-twin (boxer) |
| Cooling | Air/oil-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70 ZR 17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55 ZR 17 |
| Wheelbase | 58.8 in (1493 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.7 in (805 mm) |
| Wet weight | 487 lb (221 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.8 gal (18 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Thumb the starter and the whole bike rolls a few degrees to the right before it settles. That shrug is pure boxer, and it never stops being fun. At idle the twin thrums through the bars and the pegs at a frequency you feel in your palms more than you hear it; wind it up and the beat hardens into a flat, off-tempo bark. The 31.7 in seat puts you upright with your knees clear of the cylinders, which sit out in the airflow and keep your shins warm on a cold start. Shaft drive keeps the driveline tidy, with none of the slack a chain hands you. Then there is the chrome, filling your peripheral vision every mile, catching light off the tank and the milled covers. You notice people noticing.
None of what follows comes off a spec sheet. It's what riders have told me directly over the years: talking in parking lots and paddocks, at club nights, and in the steady flow of messages and mail owners send me. On the 100 Years R nineT, that chatter settles quickly. The engine and the way the bike handles carry every conversation, and the two complaints that come back are money and ride quality.
The boxer leads every account. Owners describe torque low down and an easy, effortless push, plus a character they say modern liquid-cooled engines don't reproduce. Handling follows closely. Riders report neutral, confident manners with real stability and clearance through corners despite the weight, and they call it entertaining on a twisty road. Many also value the modern rider aids on a classic roadster, and how willingly the bike takes personal changes. Praise for the paint and milled details is genuine but comes from fewer voices.
Two gripes recur. Owners note the centenary premium on top of an already costly bike. And over broken pavement, riders say the suspension passes sharp hits straight through.
Minor oil consumption during break-in
Some owners report the engine using a small amount of oil during the first 10,000 miles, requiring periodic top-ups. This is generally considered normal for the boxer engine and diminishes as the motor fully beds in.
Stalling when coming to a stop
A small number of owners have experienced occasional stalling, particularly when decelerating to a stop or operating at low speeds. This may be related to idle control and is not widely reported.
Where this BMW R nineT 100 Years pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the R nineT 100 Years is actually built for.
Small towns, old roads, no hurry: that is exactly this bike's rhythm. Low-down torque, shaft drive, cruise control and heated grips make the long days easy, and it looks right parked anywhere.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It stays planted through fast open sweepers, so Hill Country loops suit it well. Just remember you are moving 487 lb, and tight low-speed switchbacks ask more of you than of the bike.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
You want sound, presence, and a machine people walk over to inspect. This delivers all three. It rides like a roadster though, upright and compact, not laid back like a cruiser.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2014
Pure Boxer Soul, No Compromises
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
