2021 · Scrambler · Buyer's Guide
All Looks, Real Boxer
The Scrambler runs the air/oil-cooled 1170 cc boxer, 109 hp at 7,250 rpm and 86 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm, hung in a chassis that leaves the cylinders and the shaft drive completely visible. That is the whole idea. BMW built a bike you read at a single glance: 19-inch front wheel, high-mounted stance, nothing cosmetic hiding the hardware. Underneath the styling sits a proper electronics package, with cornering ABS, traction control and ride modes fitted as standard, so the period look never costs you modern safety. In its class this is the heavyweight, in mass and in presence.
It behaves like a big roadster wearing scrambler clothes. 485 lb wet on a 60.2 in wheelbase buys real composure once the road opens up, and shaft drive plus air/oil cooling keeps the ownership fuss low as the miles stack. The design ages well because it was never chasing a trend. Now the honest part: 4.9 in of front travel and 5.5 in at the rear is street suspension and nothing more. Read the styling as a promise of dirt capability and you will be let down. Buy this for the look, the sound and the torque.
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 | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70 R19 |
| Rear tire | 170/60 R17 |
| Wheelbase | 60.2 in (1530 mm) |
| Front travel | 4.9 in (125 mm) |
| Rear travel | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 485 lb (220 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gal (17 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
Hit the starter and the boxer shoulders the whole bike sideways on its mounts, which sets the tone for everything after. The seat is 32.3 in up, tall enough that shorter riders will plan their stops, and the bars leave you upright and open across the chest with a cylinder head sitting in each corner of your vision. Walking pace is where you feel all 485 lb; roll past a few mph and most of it disappears. Vibration is present without being intrusive, a low mechanical pulse through the pegs and the seat that thins out as the revs climb. What stays with you is the noise. The exhaust note is deep and unhurried, the intake joins in above a third throttle, and after an hour of two-lane road you notice you have been riding on sound as much as on speed.
The picture below comes from years of listening rather than testing: paddock talk at events, conversations with owners at bike nights, riders stopping to chat at gas stops, and the steady stream of mail and messages that lands in my inbox. On the R nineT Scrambler the chatter is unusually consistent. Riders talk about the engine and the look with real warmth, then bring up the same short list of shortcomings almost every time.
The 1170cc air/oil-cooled boxer is what owners bring up first and most often, and they describe it in terms of character rather than numbers: strong low-end and mid-range pull that makes the bike feel alive at everyday speeds. Close behind comes the styling. Riders keep pointing at the finish and the detail work, and many talk about how far they can take the customization. The shaft drive earns its own steady mention, mostly from owners glad to be done with chain upkeep.
The front fork draws the most consistent criticism: no adjustment on offer, and riders who want to tune comfort or precision to their weight or their roads say so plainly. Just as often, owners bring up the instrument, which shows speed and little else. No tach, no gear indicator, so you ride by ear. Weight is the third recurring note. Some owners mention that it feels like a lot of motorcycle at walking pace and when the surface turns loose.
No widely-reported issues on record.
Where this BMW R nineT Scrambler 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 Scrambler is actually built for.
For unhurried runs through small towns and historic routes this fits beautifully, with torque you can surf in top gear and looks that earn attention everywhere. Just plan luggage yourself, since none comes with it.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
If the bike is part of who you are, the boxer sound and the purist styling deliver that in full. It is not a low-slung cruiser though, so expect an upright, tall riding position rather than a lounge.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
86 lb-ft makes Hill Country sweepers easy, and it holds a line at speed. Accept that 485 lb and street-travel suspension keep it a smooth-pavement companion, not a sharp weapon.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2016–2020
Boxer Soul, Scrambler Skin
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this BMW R nineT Scrambler. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
