All Tests – BMW R nineT Scrambler test: new with neo-retro – MNC on the handlebars of the ” new ” BMW

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BMW R nineT Scrambler test: new with neo-retro

All Tests - BMW R nineT Scrambler test: new with neo-retro - MNC on the handlebars of the '' new '' BMW

Encouraged by the phenomenal success of its R nineT and enticed by the equally impressive one of the Ducati Scrambler, BMW will offer its own Scrambler in September. Site has already been able to test this new bike … ” New ”, really ? Test.

MNC on the handlebars of the ‘new’ BMW

From the first kilometers covered on the handlebars of "his" Scrambler, Site realizes that this BMW can truly be considered as a "new" motorcycle, despite the many elements that it stings from the R nineT "period" (see our Technical Update on next page)…

The driving position, to begin with, is a little less typical of the roadster. The handlebars positioned a little higher and closer to the rider naturally straighten their torso while the footrests placed a little lower – and set back, really ?! – unfold the knees.

The higher saddle of 35 mm (820 mm therefore) helps to relax the legs … but tenses the buttocks in less than a hundred kilometers. To mop away from home, the purchase of the comfort saddle is therefore recommended: the quilting, the tan color and the topstitching are great, the padding much less !

Placed relatively low, the 220 kg of the beast can be easily maneuvered with the engine off. Only small riders who are struggling to touch the ground on both sides simultaneously should get off the motorcycle to back it up and park it. We note in passing that the turning radius is a bit large.

To deploy the side stand (no central), you have to go get it with the end of the heel behind the footrest, which is not very natural. To fold it up, the pilot must throw his foot far in front: again, the small legs are less comfortable…

Once the engine has started, novices should be wary of the overturning torque, which is very sensitive to each gas stroke. Lively, the flat-twin quickly takes turns and tips the bike to the right, which may be surprising at the very beginning. Other parallel twin scramblers are more docile.

Like the R nineT, the BMW Scrambler has adjustable levers that adapt to both small and large hands. The clutch control is not difficult to operate and allows the motorcycle to be launched quietly, on a trickle of gas.

Always so flexible, the Boxer trots peacefully in the city center at 40 km / h in fourth gear. To cross the picturesque – and deserts – German and Austrian villages, MNC even stalls at a regulatory 50 km / h … without leaving the last gear. !

Once you get past the townships, the Scrambler stretches out without tripping or coughing. The sound that emanates from its Akra pots – and the air intake horn covered with its pretty aluminum plate – is recognizable among a thousand: velvety, almost pneumatic.

As powerful and almost as torquey as the Euro 3 version installed in roadsters, the “2016” Flat-Twin (respectful of the Euro 4 standard) seems to us a little less vigorous around mid-range. The Germans deny it: according to them, the difference is not noticeable in driving.

Is it the Scrambler’s upper wheelbase which limits the load shedding of the front wheel or is it the new emission standard which slightly suffocates the engine? Impossible to decide, especially as BMW did not allow us to climb on the R nineT which was used by our guides, for legitimate insurance reasons..

A hint less expressive than on the roadster therefore, the air / oil mill nevertheless retains a charming character: docile at the bottom of the tachometer – optional! -, it pulls hard from mid-revs and has a surprising extension for this type of engine architecture (our Vmax of 207 km / h with the GPS was reached in no time).

In addition, the six-speed gearbox is a perfect match for the Flat. By putting a little rhythm on the road, we can do without the left lever: a short closing of the throttle allows to up the gears without disengaging while a furtive opening and a weak pressure on the selector is enough to lower them. The panard !

A truly different R nineT

On the small mountain roads that make up the majority of our magnificent alpine course, the Scrambler can be used as well to work on intermediate gears as to roll up in (in!) Sixth gear – in the absence of a gear indicator, the selector coward indicates that we are on the last report…

At low speeds or in "cool" use, the Scrambler’s 19-inch front wheel doesn’t stand out too much. Certainly, bikers accustomed to roadsters (17 "therefore) will find that the large wheel of the new BMW tends to accentuate the angle of the motorcycle, but this" inclination "is quickly assimilated and naturally countered..

After 60 km / h, on the other hand, the effort required on the handlebars to change course seems and remains significant. At the heart of a series of rapid curves, the shoulders and pectorals heat up more than at the controls of the "short" R nineT with the lighter front axle.

More physical than the roadster therefore, the Scrambler is very stable in the bends where the angles can also be generous. Provided however that the coating is of good quality because on damaged roads, the new BMW takes motion…

If the suspensions erase the majority of the asphalt defects in town and on the road, the Scrambler-specific telescopic fork reaches its limits on big shocks while the rear shock absorber is a little too flexible on big stresses..

Following strong revivals out of curves or during rapid passages in bumpy bends, the R nineT Scrambler therefore heckles a little too much. Future owners will be able to try to brake the hydraulics a little (rear shock absorber rebound only) to improve steering. MNC did without.

The reactions of the bike when its rider takes – or lets go – the brakes on the angle are appreciably limited. To tighten or widen your trajectory on purpose, on the other hand, you have to force the handlebars a little or swing your bust outside or inside … depending on whether you want to overtake a cyclist or cross a bus. !

A little less agile and rigorous than the "retro-active" roadster, the BMW Scrambler is also less biting in terms of braking … However, this could appeal to bikers who only go out on weekends for leisurely rides on the jet. wind or the opposite, those who use their motorcycle every day and face rain, wind or snow ?!

The "classic" front calipers do not attack the two 320mm discs as strongly as their "radial" counterparts. You have to pull on the lever to benefit from all their power, which is sufficient – with heavy emphasis – to fail the grip of the excellent Metzeler Tourance Next…

In this exceptional situation, Bosch ABS (standard, "naturlich") kicks in quickly and allows you to stay on your wheels without excessively extending the braking distance. At the rear, the double piston caliper allows flat and perfectly balanced decelerations: the passenger potential will appreciate.

It should be noted in passing that the optional traction control fitted to our test model was triggered only once: at the exit of a roundabout with a very shiny surface … The flat-twin is torquey: the driver must therefore be wary of wet-fat, all the more so if he did not check the "ASC" box at the time of purchase.

By keeping the original saddle, as we have seen, the buyer ensures the look but is exposed to a sore butt over long distances. The vibrations felt in the hands from 80 km / h and the tickles that gain the feet at around 130 km / h (despite the removable rubber) may also shorten journeys on the expressway.

On a daily basis, the BMW is also open to criticism: the lack of space under the saddle, for example, forced the organizers of this press launch to give the testers fanny packs in which the yellow vest was compulsory in Austria – as in France. ! -, the first aid kit and the warning triangle.

We also regret that the small meter does not display the average consumption of the motorcycle, not even the level of fuel in the tank: you must therefore keep your trips up to date to estimate the remaining autonomy … Yes, as in old times !

Not provided by the manufacturer (see the almost complete technical sheet on the last page), the ground clearance is far from extraordinary: we will think twice before climbing on a large sidewalk or venturing on a large path . Now, the Scramblers are not what they used to be.

Last little detail – and good point! – spotted by MNC during his final inspection: the tire valves are integrated into one of the five spokes of the front and rear rims. Like cubits, they therefore greatly simplify pressure control. "Sehr Gut" !

In the end, Site believes that fans of motorcycles with an old look but modern mechanics will find what they are looking for in this new BMW. In priority those who considered the behavior of the R nineT "quite short" a little too sporty for their taste.

Offered 1850 euros cheaper than the roadster, the Scrambler has a personality of its own which should be successful … among motorcyclists as at their dealers, since BMW offers a number of accessories, some of which seem almost mandatory to go after the "Konzept" Scrambler….

Color level finally, BMW does not bother and offers its new 2016 in a unique gray that we can appreciate for its sobriety, or criticize for its too sad side … Here again, the preparers and their customers rub the hands: personalizing your motorcycle is part of the neo-retro "trip" !

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