2021 BMW R NineT Pure - Talk me out of it

[DaSwami_imp]

Folks,

If the CB1100 does not sell, I will likely trade it in on a 2021 BMW R Ninet Pure model. I went to the dealer to sit on the sweet new Scrambler in the Kalamata Olive color, but the seat is just atrocious and I didn't like the large front wheel and knobby tires. I did sit on the Pure model and it just spoke to me. Going on a test ride Tuesday. Very interested in how it rides and "feels" compared to the CB1100. I do worry about the Beemer's intrinsic quality though, compared with our CB1100's....the CB is just so flawless, I probably take it for granted!

Anybody with real experience with the R NineT range?

Thanks...

 

[Stichill]

Would this talk you out of it?

 

[misterprofessionality]

I rode one of these at Barber in 2019 during a demo day. I can tell you I was honestly only impressed with the top end power. Between 0 and 6000 rpms it's basically the same feeling as the CB but then it has a fairly large push to give you after that, whereas our bike doesn't. It also feels a bit more nimble but a lot more cramped. However, at low rpms, say under 2000, it doesn't feel nearly as buttery smooth as the cb.

Then there's the cost of maintenance..it comes with a BMW brand premium price unles youre doing everything yourself, and it doesn't come with that Honda style reliability.

Cool factor? Yea ok. Its just a different kind of cool.

Power? It certainly wins but only if you're wringing it out all the time.

Handling? Felt to me like it tips in more sluggishly than our bike and felt less stable the line, but is certainly lighter. You'll forget you have 1200ccs under you.

Cost of ownership? Not great, depending how much of a BMW enthusiast you are.

Comfort? Less so than ours, despite superior suspension.

Comparisons aside, all in all the r9t is an awesome ride but if you ask me there are better bikes for the price.

 

[DaSwami_imp]

Would this talk you out of it?

Ha, I own two 2018 Moto Guzzi V7III...one Milano and one Carbon Shine. Love them! The Carbon Shine is also listed for sale.

I own ten bikes, I can say for me, ten is too many!

I rode one of these at Barber in 2019 during a demo day. I can tell you I was honestly only impressed with the top end power. Between 0 and 6000 rpms it's basically the same feeling as the CB but then it has a fairly large push to give you after that, whereas our bike doesn't. It also feels a bit more nimble but a lot more cramped. However, at low rpms, say under 2000, it doesn't feel nearly as buttery smooth as the cb.

Then there's the cost of maintenance..it comes with a BMW brand premium price unles youre doing everything yourself, and it doesn't come with that Honda style reliability.

Cool factor? Yea ok. Its just a different kind of cool.

Power? It certainly wins but only if you're wringing it out all the time.

Handling? Felt to me like it tips in more sluggishly than our bike and felt less stable the line, but is certainly lighter. You'll forget you have 1200ccs under you.

Cost of ownership? Not great, depending how much of a BMW enthusiast you are.

Comfort? Less so than ours, despite superior suspension.

Comparisons aside, all in all the r9t is an awesome ride but if you ask me there are better bikes for the price.

Price has always been the stumbling block....considering I paid $7400 OTD for the CB....but the willingness of the dealer to take multiple bikes in trade (and for very fair prices too!) alleviates that.

Thanks for sharing your impressions!

 

[peterbaron]

Love ^^this^^ Guzzi !

 

[NovaCB1100_imp]

I like the Pure as well, it's definitely the one in the R9T model range I like the most. A friend of mine has the R9T racer model and boy is it a stunner in the BMW livery. I've ridden it a couple of times, and its fun. However, I do like my CB a lot more. I get the impression he does as well; he's taken the CB out a few times and he really likes it.

To me, the R9T felt somewhat clunky and buzzy compared to the CB, and the side to side motion of the boxer takes a little getting used to, especially coming from the buttery smooth Inline-4 in the CB. As others have mentioned the maintenance costs between the two will be noticeable, and at least around here the CB is way more exclusive than the R9T. At any given B&B event, there are at least 3-4 R9T's and unless I ride my CB, there's never usually another one there.

If I had to get rid of the CB but still wanted something with retro flare, I'd probably get the Kawasaki Z900RS. The Triumph Street Twin is a close second. There's nothing wrong with the Pure, its a great bike. But, the CB does everything really well and its the kind of bike you miss when its gone. I can even appreciate it compared to my Superduke which is a ballistic missile - the CB just has an infallible charm to it.

 

[misterprofessionality]

Trades or no, if that same dealer has, say, an MT10 or a triumph speed twin for around that same price (or more likely less $&#36, they're much more worthwhile purchases. The speed twin particularly. Good grief that thing is good.

 

[tommymck]

Folks,

If the CB1100 does not sell, I will likely trade it in on a 2021 BMW R Ninet Pure model. I went to the dealer to sit on the sweet new Scrambler in the Kalamata Olive color, but the seat is just atrocious and I didn't like the large front wheel and knobby tires. I did sit on the Pure model and it just spoke to me. Going on a test ride Tuesday. Very interested in how it rides and "feels" compared to the CB1100. I do worry about the Beemer's intrinsic quality though, compared with our CB1100's....the CB is just so flawless, I probably take it for granted!

Anybody with real experience with the R NineT range?

Thanks...

I won't talk you out of it. I have both ('17 ex and '18 Ninet Urban GS). Me personally, if I had to keep just one, it'd be the CB, but not for any particular technical reason. They are both great, but the CB is a better "all-around" machine to me....or at least it just feels that way.

Lots of people talk about the cost of ownership with BMW, but I've had several (and still have two) and over the long haul, they really haven't been that bad for me. One of the more annoying "features" for most BMW bikes (including the R NineT) is the battery replacement experience. I swear that the battery must be the first thing that appears on the assembly line at BMW, and the rest of the bike gets built around that. I spent the entire day today removing seats, covers, tanks, etc replacing the batteries on my Urban GS and my R1200C. That's neither here nor there though...just top of mind.

In any case, if you are set on getting rid of the CB, the Pure is a great bike and the best value in the RnineT series in my opinion.

 

[Billie_imp]

Don't buy it, its horrible looking

 

[DaSwami_imp]

Trades or no, if that same dealer has, say, an MT10 or a triumph speed twin for around that same price (or more likely less $&#36, they're much more worthwhile purchases. The speed twin particularly. Good grief that thing is good.

Thank you, but I don't "do" watercooled bikes, never have and never will.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Stichill, here we go again! To me, the ‘21 V7 hits the bulls-eye in style. That bike really tugs at my heartstrings! I previously owned two V7’s and sold the last one to make room for my CB1100, but now that my CB is gone, that new Guzzi is calling my name. It’s possible the F800GT will have to make way for it (sound familiar?).

Back to the OP, I recently bought a ‘12 R1200R, which has the same engine as the RNineT series. I love the bike and find it to be about as smooth as my CB was, but more powerful, and the gearbox is (surprisingly) just as slick. It weighs almost 100 lbs less than the CB, which is noticeable to me. I expect maintenance to be straightforward — certainly valve adjustments will be easier and less expensive, and I won’t miss the CB’s chain and sprockets — but parts are generally more expensive as you know. At least there’s a wide selection of tires for it! I won’t talk you out of the R9T.

If you Google “R NineT vs. CB1100,” you’ll find lots of comparos.

 

[Stichill]

Stichill, here we go again! To me, the ‘21 V7 hits the bulls-eye in style. That bike really tugs at my heartstrings! I previously owned two V7’s and sold the last one to make room for my CB1100, but now that my CB is gone, that new Guzzi is calling my name. It’s possible the F800GT will have to make way for it (sound familiar?).

Back to the OP, I recently bought a ‘12 R1200R, which has the same engine as the RNineT series. I love the bike and find it to be about as smooth as my CB was, but more powerful, and the gearbox is (surprisingly) just as slick. It weighs almost 100 lbs less than the CB, which is noticeable to me. I expect maintenance to be straightforward — certainly valve adjustments will be easier and less expensive, and I won’t miss the CB’s chain and sprockets — but parts are generally more expensive as you know. At least there’s a wide selection of tires for it! I won’t talk you out of the R9T.

If you Google “R NineT vs. CB1100,” you’ll find lots of comparos.

Ha ha! Sometimes I look at pictures of my old F800GT and think, "What a great-looking bike!" or "Wow, I looked like a boss riding that thing!" But then I remember all the myriad things I didn't like about it and my nostalgia is immediately terminated! To be fair, it was a reliable motorcycle. I never had any complaints in that regard. It just has so many small and not-to-small executional issues that for me it was overall an unhappy relationship.

 

[the Ferret]

I rented an R1200R is Europe for 9 days. I thought it was a really nice motorcycle, good power, great brakes, good handling, good shifting, and thought I could live with one if I ever decided to get a BMW, but there were 2 things that really bothered me.. First for me was the way it seems all European bikes are geared, which is really tall. I like to run in the 2500 to 3500 rpm range and the BMW liked to run in the 4,000 and up range. No way to change it on a shaft drive bike. Seemed strange to be taking corners I would be taking in 3rd on my Japanese bikes, taking them in 1st on the Beemer, and not being able to get into 6th until I was flying on the Autobahn.

The other was the turn signal switches being on opposite sides..left hand for left signal, and right hand for right signal. That may have changed by now on the Beemers, but it was definitely weird for me.

I've ridden 3 Moto Guzzi's, a Breva 750, a V7 111 and a Griso. They are just too quirky for me.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

This a reason why Harleys are so popular in North America. Riders just wish to beat with them. It is an understandable experience.




P.S. In fairness to HD riders out there, don't read to closely into my statement. Be kind. (yeah, even to HD riders).

 

[rboe]

I thought the R9T was BMW's response to the Griso. Only a bit different. There is a lot to like and if speaks to you then you should do it. Especially if it fits you.

 

[bigsheep_imp]

I don't mind the looks of the Guzzi, have never ridden one, but the specs look like a GS500, the newer ones, just shy of an SV650. It's an 850, Honda was getting the same numbers out of a 750 in '69 and they ran forever.

Hopefully someone who's had the experience will tell me how wrong I am. I do have a friend with an older V7 that has had many problems with it. I don't ride with him often and have had to push him several blocks to a friends house til he could get the bike in the morning. (so it didn't end up in someone's van) and I've had to wait with him for a tow. (Also not fun). I guess if you're not keeping the Honda, I'm voting for the BMW.

 

[Houtman_imp]

If you want to stay fit than I would advise you to buy a bike you have to push a lot otherwise stay with your CB 1100.

 

[Gone in 60]

I won't try to talk you out of it. I loved my BMWs, even with the quirks others here have mentioned.
But when they start to go downhill, they'll take your wallet with them.
And if you don't get friendly enough with your local dealer for the routine servicing, you will with warranty and recall visits.

 

[rboe]

Guzzi's can (like any other bike) give you some problems. Once sorted they can run through your children and grandchildren. But it does help if you can wrench yourself. They do have a lot going for them, but can also drive you nuts.

I've never owned a BMW (wanted to at one time, but now, they seem to have jumped the shark and gotten too clever by half) so I can't speak to them.

But we all have bikes that speak to us and when they do I think we should listen.

 

[Indypikes_imp]

Good luck with your decision. You could do a lot worse than a R Nine T. I've certainly read many good things about the bike. It sounds like you have a good dealer and trade in opportunities as well.

As for the new 850 V7 Guzzi also mentioned by others....I believe that they will be a huge hit. The current V7 small block has done well and many just love them. The styling on the new model is simply gorgeous and the motor has already proven itself in the V85TT. The question with Guzzi is always the same as to the questionable dealer network and potential warranty issues, quirks. Both of my Guzzis have been trouble free so I'm biased. Once you've had a well sorted Guzzi it's hard not to have one around. And man, this one is a looker!