2025 BMW R12S First Experience Evaluate: The Excellent Cafe Racer

You’ve got watched cafe racers fade as manufacturers lower fashions that didn’t promote. Now BMW brings again the thought with the R12S, a fashionable bike that nods to a basic from the Seventies. You see a retro look, however you additionally anticipate actual efficiency and luxury that match at present.

You experience this bike to see if BMW realized from previous makes an attempt. You need fashion, a robust engine really feel, stable dealing with, and options that make each day driving simple. You additionally need to know if this strategy can work in a smaller market.

Key Takeaways

• You get a retro look with fashionable energy and management.
• You experience a balanced bike that feels fast and usable.
• You see a restaurant racer constructed for real-world driving.

BMW R12S Overview

Retro Styling Roots

You see clear hyperlinks to BMW’s previous within the form and end of this bike. The look attracts from the Seventies R90S, with a small entrance fairing, an identical seat cowl, and a daring orange-style paint scheme with high quality striping.

Particulars just like the brushed metallic tank panel and basic spoke wheels push the retro really feel additional. BMW additionally suits billet elements, equivalent to mirrors and controls, as normal, which elevate the visible high quality with out altering the core format.

Launch Timing and Legacy

You’re a restaurant racer launched in 2025, at a time when many related fashions have left the market resulting from weak gross sales. BMW brings this one out after bikes just like the Thruxton and its personal earlier racer fashions ended manufacturing.

The driving place stays true to the unique R90S with flat handlebars, not low clip-ons. That selection hyperlinks again to historical past whereas making the bike simpler to dwell with for contemporary riders.

Engine and Efficiency 

You get the identical air- and oil-cooled boxer twin used throughout the R12 vary. It feels totally different from most bikes on the street and carries a transparent BMW character. The format additionally hyperlinks carefully to the older R90S that impressed this mannequin.

Energy and Torque Supply

The engine produces 109 horsepower on the high finish. Torque peaks at 115 Nm round 6,500 rpm, with most of that pull obtainable from 2,000–3,000 rpm.
This offers you sturdy drive within the mid-range, particularly when exiting corners in greater gears.

Exhaust Be aware and Using Sensation

You hear a deep and full sound even with the usual exhaust fitted. The engine feels keen and responsive whenever you open the throttle. That blend of sound, shove, and stability makes the experience partaking with out feeling aggressive.

Chassis and Dealing with

Suspension and Brakes Setup

You get a absolutely adjustable setup with an upside-down entrance fork and a rear monoshock. BMW suits 17-inch spoked wheels at each ends with Metzeler tires that supply stable grip.

Braking comes from Brembo radial monoblock calipers on 310 mm entrance discs. You are feeling assured braking exhausting into corners, even whenever you carry velocity.

Consolation and Chassis Stability

The bike feels nicely balanced and never overly aggressive. You keep snug, and the chassis stays calm and secure.

At 220 kg curb weight, it isn’t mild, however the low-mounted boxer engine helps. That low heart of gravity helps you to make tight turns with out placing a foot down.

Habits on Actual Roads

You’ll be able to flick the bike facet to facet whenever you need to push on. The suspension stays composed and doesn’t get unsettled if you happen to enter a nook a bit scorching.

You are feeling joyful driving the identical stretch of street time and again. The bike encourages spirited driving whereas nonetheless working for on a regular basis use.

Fashionable Options and Know-how

Adjustable Experience Settings

You get three selectable experience applications. You’ll be able to change how the throttle responds to swimsuit calm driving or a extra vigorous tempo. This helps you match the bike to totally different roads and moods with out effort.

Rider Safety Methods

You experience with lean-aware traction management. It adjusts grip assist whereas the bike is cornering. This technique works within the background and doesn’t interrupt the experience really feel.

On a regular basis Consolation Add‑Ons

You’ve got cruise management for regular speeds on longer roads. A fast shifter can also be fitted, although it may well really feel a bit tough at instances. These options add ease with out taking away from the bike’s basic fashion.

Styling and Construct High quality

Paintwork and Floor End

You see a daring paint scheme that takes clear inspiration from BMW’s previous. The colour has a vivid orange tone with a robust visible pop, matched with high quality purple pinstriping and small silver accents.

The gas tank provides distinction with brushed aluminum panels, which give the bike a premium, hand-finished look. The paint high quality appears to be like deep and even, with clear edges round each panel.

Choice 719 {Hardware} and Trim

You get a full set of Choice 719 elements fitted as normal. These items add element and weight to the visible design with out trying overdone.

Choice 719 elements you may see embrace:

• Billet engine covers
• Machined foot pegs
• Steel levers
• Reservoir caps
• Bar-end mirrors
• Traditional spoke wheels

All of those elements work collectively to elevate the end and make the bike really feel particular straight from the manufacturing unit.

Traditional Design References

You discover clear visible hyperlinks to older BMW sport fashions. The small entrance fairing and the seat cowl give the bike a real café racer form with out excessive bodywork.

From the facet, the bike appears to be like balanced and purposeful. The combination of retro panels, fashionable parts, and cautious detailing makes the design really feel intentional from each angle.

Traits within the Cafe Racer Phase

Pullback of Icon Fashions

You’ve got seen the cafe racer subject shrink as main manufacturers lower high fashions after weak gross sales. Triumph ended the Thruxton with a ultimate version, and BMW dropped the R nineT Racer years earlier.

BMW now brings again the thought with the R12S in 2025, betting {that a} revised setup can work higher.

What Riders Need Now

You probably need fashion with out ache, and the market displays that shift. Aggressive clip-ons pushed riders away, particularly as the typical rider age rises.

You see stronger curiosity in bikes with flat bars that keep usable for commuting, errands, and lengthy days. The R12S follows this path, utilizing a relaxed bar place whereas conserving the cafe racer look.

Key choice shifts

• Consolation over race-like posture
• Day by day usability over observe bias
• Retro design with fashionable aids

How Rivals Stack Up

You’ll be able to evaluate selections inside the identical model traces. Patrons favored the Velocity Twin over the Thruxton, and the usual R nineT over the Racer, as a result of each supplied related engines with simpler ergonomics.

BMW positions the R12S nearer to these winners by sharing elements with the R12 roadster. You get the identical core bike with added styling, which can assist gross sales whereas conserving heritage cues from the R90S.

Ergonomics and On a regular basis Usability

Bar Top and Attain

You sit behind flat handlebars somewhat than low clip-ons. BMW carried this setup over from the usual R12 platform, and it really works nicely.

• Your wrists keep impartial.
• Your again doesn’t hunch ahead.
• You’ll be able to commute, run errands, or experience all day with out pressure.

This format additionally matches the unique R90S, so the place feels true to the bike’s roots.

Using Posture and Lengthy‑Experience Ease

Your physique kinds a relaxed triangle between the bars, seat, and pegs. The stance feels snug and balanced, not aggressive.

You’ll be able to keep within the saddle for a full day with out paying a consolation penalty. The bike feels simple to handle at low speeds, and tight turns don’t power you to place a foot down.

What you discover whereas driving:

Pricing and Worth

How the Worth Stacks Up

You pay a excessive asking worth for this bike. I received’t faux in any other case. BMW costs it above many retro choices that after stuffed this house, particularly now that key rivals just like the Thruxton are gone.

What You Get for the Cash

BMW consists of quite a lot of visible and {hardware} upgrades as normal. That helps clarify why the quantity on the tag climbs so quick.

• Choice 719 billet elements already fitted
• Spoke wheels from the 719 vary
• Distinctive paint and brushed alloy tank panels
• Fashionable electronics like driving modes, traction management, and cruise management

You don’t want so as to add these later. They arrive on the bike you see.

The place It Matches within the Market

You’re a distinct segment bike in a shrinking class. BMW goals this at riders who need café racer fashion with out excessive ergonomics.

This bike retains the particular picture however makes use of flat bars for consolation. That selection makes it simpler to dwell with than older café racers and will assist it attain extra consumers regardless of the excessive worth.

Conclusion and Closing Ideas

You experience a motorbike that blends previous fashion with fashionable ease, and that blend works in each day use. The flat bars provide you with a relaxed attain, so your wrists and again keep snug on lengthy rides.

You are feeling the boxer twin most within the mid-range. It pulls exhausting from low revs, sounds deep even with the inventory exhaust, and retains a transparent BMW character.

What stands out whenever you experience it:

• Sturdy torque from low RPM
• Steady dealing with with simple turn-in
• Good brakes that encourage confidence
• Helpful tech like experience modes and cruise management

The chassis feels acquainted if you realize the R12 vary, but it nonetheless feels keen whenever you push it. The load stays low, which helps in tight turns and sluggish speeds.

Visually, you get a motorbike that appears particular from each angle. The paint, half fairing, brushed tank, and billet elements elevate the design with out hurting consolation.

You’ll be able to commute, run errands, or experience all day with pals on the identical setup. One concern does stand out, and it might provide you with pause, however the remainder of the bundle feels nicely judged and thoroughly thought by means of.