Bmw R12 First Bike

The R 12 is the cruiser from BMW Motorrad with an iconic boxer engine for all those who prefer to ride in laid. BMW dresses up its R nineT platform in various ways, from scrambler to cafe racer. With the R 12, it branches into the cruiser segment.

BMW R12 engine BMW R17 in BMW-Museum in Munich On 14 February 1935, BMW presented the R12 together with the R17 on the German Automobile Exhibition in Berlin for the first time, being a direct successor to the BMW R11. [8] This and the R17 were the first in the world being produced with hydraulically damped telescopic forks. [9] By 1942, the total number of BMW R12 motorcycles manufactured was.

The new off-road-ready BMW R 12 G/S features 1980s-era styling and an air/oil-cooled boxer. We tested it on BMW's home turf in Germany. The BMW R12 and R17, both introduced in 1935, used unique pressed steel frames and may have been the first production motorcycles with hydraulically-damped telescopic forks.

Steel pressing equipment BMW used for automobile manufacturing led the company to this chassis design solution through about 1942. It also offered interesting "art deco" styling possibilities. Practical, these bikes.

In this full road review, I take the 2025 BMW R12 G/S out for a proper on-road test to see if it's more than just a pretty face. With its classic styling, ai. BMW calls back to its genre-defining heritage with an iteration of the R 12 NineT that delivers off-road performance worthy of the Gelände/Straße moniker.

The BMW R12 was an evolution of the iconic R7 concept and it was the first motorcycle in the world with hydraulically damped telescoping forks. BMW produced roughly 36,008 over a production run between 1935 and 1942. Also notable as the first BMW motorcycle to have a four-speed gearbox, the R12 was a huge success with approximately 36.000 produced up to 1938, and was used by the Wehrmacht in the war's early years before the introduction of the purpose.

We ride the 2026 BMW R 12 G/S retro-styled rally-inspired adventure bike. Is it legit or just more adventure cosplay?