Gs Bmw R12

The BMW R 12 G/S retro enduro invites you to go on a spontaneous adventure: stay off the beaten path and live out your own style. We ride the 2026 BMW R 12 G/S retro-styled rally-inspired adventure bike. Is it legit or just more adventure cosplay?

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. BMW's new 2025 R12 G/S is quite is the looker, rugged, retro, and special - but who will really take this bike off-road?

The new BMW R12 G/S takes inspiration from the brand's legendary R80 G/S, often considered the first adventure bike. Although BMW didn't announce the R 12 G/S at the same time as the R 12 and R12 NineT back in November of 2023, BMW tells us the G/S had been planned alongside those models from square one. Back when the R NineT was first released in 2013, BMW claimed to be surprised by just how successful the heritage model became.

The new BMW R12 G/S takes the retro ADV in a much more offroad. Today's R1300 GS is a vast, hugely powerful, tech-laden adventure tourer, and while it's once again at the top of its class, the development means there's an opening for a simpler model that's closer in spirit to the original. That's where the R12 G/S comes in.

Based on the same platform as the R12 cruiser and R12 nineT roadster, the R12 G/S gets the 80kW, 1170cc, air/oil cooled. BMW's latest spin on an old legend, the 2026 BMW R 12 G/S, is a love letter to the iconic R 80 G/S-the bike that practically birthed adventure touring. Gone is the "Urban" pretense of the R nineT variant, and in its place is a machine that means business, with a 21-inch front wheel, longer suspension travel, and off.

BMW R 12 G/S: the neo-retro off-roader The BMW R12 G/S stands out with its neo-retro design that appeals to classic motorcycle lovers while incorporating modern elements. Inspired by its predecessors, it reinterprets the iconic style of the original GS models with a more contemporary approach.