In a bit to expand their R12 retro lineup under their heritage division, BMW has unveiled the BMW R12 GS, a neo-retro offroad motorcycle which pays homage to the legendary BMW R80 GS from the 1980s which was renowned for its all-round capabilities both as a thoroughbred offroader and a very potent cruiser, when needed, making it a one of its kind when launched.
The BMW R12 GS aims to replicate the same exceptional capabilities of the iconic BMW R80 GS. The G/S Stands for (“Gelände / Straße” meaning off-road / street) – summing up well the dual prowess of the R12 GS.
The BMW R12 GS beautifully resembles the BMW R80 GS, which it aims to imitate – with the classic enduro design, packed with modern equipment to match its peers in terms of technical prowess, such as the round LED headlight with the now iconic illuminated ‘X’ signature symbol inside the headlight.
The BMW R12 GS gets the now-familiar air and oil-cooled 1,170cc boxer engine, which is capable of producing 108 hp at 7,000 rpm and a peak torque of 115 Nm at 6,500 rpm. To allow the rider to have better control over the engine performance, the BMW R18 GS comes with three standard riding modes, “Rain”, “Road” and “Enduro”, as well as an additional riding mode “Enduro Pro” as part of the Enduro Package Pro. Furthermore, the BMW R12 GS also comes equipped with the “Dynamic Traction Control” and “Engine Drag Control” as standard, further improving the overall performance and stability of the motorcycle. Apart from the usual standard equipment, BMW offers some optional upgrades at the customer’s discretion.
The BMW R12 GS sits on a one-piece tubular bridge steel spaceframe sharing the same platform as its R12 siblings from the lineup, the motorcycle is suspended by the Entirely adjustable upside-down telescopic fork at the front and at the rear with Paralever swingarm combined with a fully adjustable rear shock absorber paired with a lengthy travel of 210mm for distinguished off-road capability.
The braking duties are taken care of by a 310 mm twin-disc brake with 2-piston floating callipers and a single-disc brake with a 2-piston floating calliper of 265 mm diameter at the rear.
The instrument cluster also follows the retro design approach as the round-shaped, fully digital gauge cluster sits in the centre, offering the necessary trip and other information for the rider.
BMW offers the R12 GS with a standard pick of shade a night black paint with matching decals and seat colours to compliment the shade of choice or other optional shades such as the Sandrover matt paint, Racing red matt paint and Mineral grey mettalic.
