The latest model in BMW’s Heritage range carries the weight of history like no other. The pressure is on for the $34,752 R 12 S. Does it deserve to carry the prestige of the brand’s adored R90S? Snaggy finds out…
OK kids. Let’s look at a bit of history. Stuff that BMW holds proudly. Very proudly.
You see, The BMW R90S was produced from 1973 to 1976. Needing to chuck off the ‘pipe and slippers’ reputation that was starting to beset the brand, BMW wanted a boxer-engined hero sporty for the masses. But it had to surprise the market, make a splash. And no one plans spontaneity as well as the Bavarians.
Designer Big Hans Muth got the hefty gig to come up with the R90S. Distinctive two-tone paintwork, a bikini fairing and a new tail, the R90S was handsome and worthy. And a legend was born.
Fast forward to the heady-paced madness of the automotive world of 2025. How to cash in on that reputation and not stink it up by releasing a cynical badge-engineered design exercise? Pressure? You flippin’ betcha.
Calling on the R90S for its design cues and asking a bike to live up to the reputation of that moniker, the R 12 S hit the streets.
Now, retro-modern motorcycles can come off all contrived and lumpy. Instead of reviving the wonders of a bygone age while delivering performance that matches the new era, we can easily end up with a thing with a head only a mother could love that handles like a wheelbarrow with a buckled wheel. And that can kill a valuable designation stone cold showroom-dead, in a nanosecond.
Gone are the days of bikes being built with the rapier-like swish of the talented stylist’s pen being the utmost consideration. You can lament the days of wine-soaked romantic artistry in the design room all you like, because time has been good to the whole notion. While there have been magnificent successes along the way, truth is that hedonistic approach led to some horrendously underperforming motorcycles that looked magnificent in the past. Pretty, but pretty bad.
One is reminded of things like the horrid R 1200 C of 1997 to 2004. Rumour has it that there is a whole bunch of containers of them sitting on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, having quietly ‘accidentally’ fallen off container ships under the helpful cover of darkness.
There’s an old gag that goes like this: ‘How do you say BMW R 1200 C in German?’ The answer? ‘The R 1200 C is silent’.
There have been recent mistakes as well. The R nineT racer of 2017-2019 for example. While it was delightful to look at, you needed human proportions that don’t exist to ride it for more than 50 kilometres before angrily pushing it into the weeds and hailing an Uber. A bit uncomfortable? That’s one phrase. Murderously ergonomically challenged another. It was a design exercise, it didn’t sell, and BMW wasn’t about to make the same mistake again. No, no, no. This one had to be comfortably rideable.
Indeed, retros can be a little too wide here, the wrong texture there, a touch gaudy, needing to house some electro-gadget that cannot be made svelte nor eye-pleasing no matter how hard an engineer might try.
It can all come off as trying a little hard. Proportions must meet the needs of the inclusion of aesthetically challenging equipment and appointments. All issues that beset the designer of the motorcycle that must talk about the past in language that people understand now. It’s a delicate dance.
The things have to look like Nicole Kidman and behave like Kate Middleton in suspenders. A tough mix to build, but one that simply cannot be left out of the equation. You are a demanding lot, aren’t you?!
So, enough of that. How does the R 12 S fare with all that weight on its broad shoulders?
Well, first up, this one calls on its heritage with the right to so do. To my eye it is drop-dead gorgeous. The paintwork, the brushed aluminium accenting, the length and curve of the ducktail, the classy Option 719 bits, the brawn of its hulking muscularity. Bang-on for mine. I’m effusive here. It’s the prettiest BMW of the moment with daylight second for mine. That big test is passed with flying orange colours.
While the siren song of the R90S will be ringing in your ears, the legacy of the older bike is not only served, it is indeed improved. The R 12 S is its own man, but it has lived a bit. That’s called style, right there – and you can’t fake that shit.
Most of the changes from the R 12 nineT, which serves as the bike’s basis, are fairly minor, but add up to a great deal in the metal. The bike carries the same 1170cc air/oil-cooled boxer twin producing 80kW at 7250 rpm and 115Nm of torque at 6000 rpm. Oh, and the bike weighs 220kg (wet) and has a 16-litre fuel tank.
There’s a ton of electronic gear here, the list as long as your arm, but highlights are the three riding modes, ABS Pro, traction control, hill start control, and quickshifter. Toss in heated grips, cruise control… Look, you’ll go to sleep if I list the lot, best you check the brochure.
While that stat list is extensive, the real calling card is the way it puts all this computo-wonder to the road and how sexy you feel parking it up outside a fancy restaurant or retro-cool cafe. On both counts it hits like a Rabbitohs front rower. You’ll be noticed.
In the ‘look at me’ stakes, the Shadow and Shadow II Billet packs and the silver spoked wheels are exclusive to the R 12 S and the airbox badge with the red S lets you know you on a special bit of kit.
First up, the thing is comfortable. Again, the R 12 nineT Racer ergos were never going to see the light of day again, and this one is just right in the seating position offered. There’s a nice natural lean to the bars, but enough forward cant to allow you to get up and over the front wheel when having a dip. The seat-to-peg ratio allows for long stints without too much leg pain. It’s all been thought-through, the 795mm seat height belying the room at the helm. This is a completed motorcycle, and one that I reckon may well be a new classic.
Sporting prowess is decent, neutral easy steering and sure-footedness is assured, but it pays the penalty delivered of those comfortable dynamics to some extent. Steering is not overly quick, turn-in more biased toward stability rather than precision. Indeed, it’s certainly not what I’d call razor sharp. Predictable and confident, rather than flighty and steep.
The engine is a peach, making great torque off the bottom, which adds to the ease of ride. The gearbox is like all boxers – precise but no hot knife through butter. Clunk.
Brakes are magnificent, the front consisting of dual 310mm floating discs with 4-piston Monobloc radial calipers while the rear gets a single 265mm disc with a 2-piston floating caliper.
There’s upside-down 45mm forks, spring pre-load rebound and compression adjustable and the back gets the known and loved Paralever with the shock spring pre-load and rebound damping adjustable.
The single seat thing is a tricky sleight of hand move because it comes with pillion footpegs and a removable rear cover. ‘Yes, of course the bike will be good for our marriage darling!’
Damned canny that.
So… I loved it. It’s pricey over the R 12 nineT, adding well in excess of eight-large to the stock bike’s $26,512 so there’s a bit of pain there, but this one is right up the front in the Snaggy Book of Excellent Motorcycles. The R90S is served brilliantly and that’s important.
Yes indeedy, No one plans spontaneity as well as the Bavarians.
Photography by Ben Galli.
Snag’s career in motoring journalism spans 30 years with stints at major bike mags Australian Road Rider, Motorcycle Trader and AMCN along with contributions to just about every other outlet worth a hill of beans. He was editor of Unique Cars magazine and hosts his legendary podcast ‘Snag Says’ when he gets off his date.
