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- The quintessence of simple and pure motorbike pleasures ?
- Flat-twin, 1170 cm3, 110 hp at 7,750 rpm, 116 Nm at 6,000 rpm, 219 kilos, from € 13,000
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Engine and transmission
- In the city
- On motorways and main roads
- On departmental
- Part-cycle
- Brakes
- Comfort and duo
- Consumption / autonomy
- Conclusion
The quintessence of simple and pure motorbike pleasures ?
Flat-twin, 1170 cm3, 110 hp at 7,750 rpm, 116 Nm at 6,000 rpm, 219 kilos, from € 13,000
If BMW draws all over the place, between sports cars of 200 horses like S1000RR and urban scooters like C400X, the Munich manufacturer does not neglect its heritage, particularly within its "Heritage" range, among which we have already made the R nineT, R nineT Racer and R nineT Urban G / S test. There remained the Scrambler and the Pure to pass to the dissection of the heading "tests" of the Den. It is now done with the latter.
Notwithstanding a diversification of good quality, BMW offers, with this motorcycle, those who "love BMWs as we did in the old days". Namely: a good big flat-twin and not much around. Take an R 90/6, for example and you are not necessarily very far, even if the latter was more road, anyway.
There is however in the R nineT Pure, as the name suggests, a form of minimalist perfectly assumed, but just as seductive. What if, with this machine, we returned to the simple and essential pleasures of motorcycling? In short, in other words, is she the Knacki Herta of two-wheelers? On reading this last sentence, we already note some fainting spells in the offices of BMW Motorrad !
Discovery
A flat. Not much around. Mission accomplished. The R nine T Pure is both a celebration of the brand’s history and an ode to minimalism. It is simple. Picked up. Stocky. Stripped. Beautiful. Although: original, it still comes with horrible stick rims. For the spoked wheels of our test model, it is necessary to add 415 euros. As long as you take out the credit card, you will check the "heated grips" option (€ 220) and then, because you are never too careful, the traction control (€ 335). Hipsters who only drive 200 kilometers per year during Wheels & Waves will be told that they can possibly keep this money and invest in a new tattoo..
That’s not all: don’t you think our test R nineT Pure presents really well? Yes ! But it is because it has the option "719": in the coded language of the Munich manufacturer, it is a nice pack of parts cut in the mass: cylinder head covers, brake master cylinders, without forgetting all the parts. adjustable footrest plates. Schönot ! (I think that means "beautiful", in the language of Jonas Folger). And how much does that cost ? A straw, or the price of a nice little second-hand motorcycle: € 2,700. But you have a choice of silver or gold finish. And then you can still spend more with an aluminum tank, with or without visible welds, for example.
Finally, it should be noted that after some time in the catalog in this "catalano gray", a unique proposal and a little dull in the eyes of some, the 2019 vintage of the R nineT Pure can be adorned with two two-tone liveries: a black and gold , as well as a black and white. In both cases, it will be necessary to add 455 euros.
In the saddle
It’s almost a 1200, but it still wants to be accessible to the greatest number: the saddle is of a contained height, at 805 mm, but it is quite thin and the tank is not too strong, so everything is fine. good. In addition, optional 795 and 775 mm saddles are also available.
Then, we are not madly entertained by the dashboard: no color TFT panel here, we said that we looked in the Knacki Herta. And so, BMW is right to trust a big round speedometer with a needle which goes up inside, like in time, what. A small digital window still shows some information, including the gear engaged, the time and two or three other things, but no indication of the engine speed, as Harley-Davidson can do, for example. Okay, we’ll roll by ear. In the meantime, press the starter and go. The flat-twin comes to life with a low rumble and, with a small burst of gas, the bike swings from left to right. That’s it, the reversal couple, coco !
Engine and transmission
It’s an old acquaintance: while the last generations of R 1200 GS and R 1200 RT have a new semi-liquid cooled engine, which takes more revs and develops 125 horsepower, here we have the old cooled 1170 cm3 block. by air and oil. It is less efficient (but 116 Nm and 110 hp, it starts to cause anyway to drive at 80 km / h) and to be honest, it is more temperamental, more sensory, more generous and, in my humble opinion, nicer..
It starts with the sound, duller, deeper, more serious. More fun, again. In use, we remain amazed at the generosity of this engine and the driving pleasure it delivers. To the point that we tend to use it only in mid-revs, in the fat of its generous torque curve, before discovering that it can be lively near the red zone and deliver good acceleration. Frankly, it’s a treat.
In the city
Without being extraordinary, the turning radius allows for some maneuvering between the lines of cars playing Tetris. The flexibility and extension of the flat-twin allow you to dawdle on a net of gas. On the other hand, for the practical aspects and the transport of an anti-theft device, it will be necessary to be ingenious.
On motorways and main roads
It takes 220 meters easy, this thing (experiment carried out by professional pilots in secure environments and closed to all traffic: do not try to reproduce this, it is prohibited and very dangerous). In short: it lengthens, the Knacki. And it sends, too: even on the last report, the times at mid-speed are of a kind that we like here, the one that deposits. The kind that forces you to look at the meter, because a moment of inattention and presto, here you are escorted by a Megane RS in the color that suits her the least, navy blue (while in "Sirius yellow", she has much more character ").
On the other hand, as we have said, the R nineT is a fairly compact base: the driving position allows you to tilt a little forward to withstand the pressure of the wind, but the long courses will end up no longer being a time of pleasure.
On departmental
There, on the other hand, the pleasures are multiple: naturally balanced thanks to the lateral arrangement of its two cylinders, the R nineT Pure lets itself be carried away without great efforts and conceals its 220 kilos with the same talent as Bridget Jones its curves before a meeting. you with Hugh Grant. So, whether in ride mode or at a slightly more playful pace, the R nineT Pure remains a treat. We said playful rhythm and not big attack, because it is not the spirit and the suspensions end up messing up a bit, but nothing serious.
Part-cycle
Compared to the "short" R nineT, more luxurious, the Pure skips the large inverted fork and the large radial brakes. And you know what ? It’s very good like that. First because it costs less, but also because it ultimately makes it more homogeneous. For the rest, we are satisfied very well with the conventional telescopic fork (travel 125 mm, diameter 43 mm), while the rear shock absorber (travel 120 mm) is, for its part, adjustable in preload and rebound..
Brakes
Ditto here: we forget the large radial calipers of the R nineT to settle for a more classic system. Oh, we still find 4-piston calipers pinching 320mm discs at the front, that’s not Mobylette braking, that. And at the rear, it’s a two-piston floating caliper that does the job. And you know what ? It all works very well.
Comfort and duo
Well, we’re not going to bother with convolutions: it’s passable. Hard seat for the pilot, space counted for the passenger who will have to do without handles, protection for no one. There it is. So what ? Did we talk about Knacki Herta’s concept of the motorcycle? Well, that’s it: you want the wind, live the road, savor the moment? This is where it happens.
Consumption / autonomy
The tank is 17 liters and the reserve is about 3.5 liters. With an average consumption recorded between 6 and 7 liters / 100 during this test, that’s more than 250 kilometers of guaranteed autonomy. More than enough, because afterwards, the break is essential !
Conclusion
It’s hard not to fall in love with it. This bike is as simple in philosophy as it is generous in the sensations it delivers. Its balanced chassis and engine full of torque form a kind of sacred union. The R nineT Pure puts the minimum of filters and roughness between you and the road: with it, every drive in the country is an epic to be remembered !
Afterwards, in a good BMW, we understand the politics of any option. If we can happily do without machined parts, spoked wheels and heated grips seem essential. Even the new colors for 2019. And in any case, the real price is starting to no longer be very democratic. Knacki Herta tastes like caviar. Who wants to bite into it ?
Strong points
- Simple and nice look
- Invigorating motor
- Handling
- Driving pleasure
- Design "stripped" assumed
Weak points
- Frankly generous price with options
- Indispensable options
- Firm comfort
The technical sheet of the BMW R nineT Pure
Test conditions
- Itinerary: A week of testing with daily life in Paris and a few walks
- Motorcycle mileage: 4500 km
- Problem encountered: none
Competition: Ducati Scrambler 1100, Honda CB 1100 EX, Triumph Bonneville T120
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