Some riders like modern classics, and some like riding off-road. Then there are riders who like riding modern classics off-road. Now factor in people who are happy to spend north of  $18,000 (US) on a new motorcycle. See that tiny sliver in the middle of our Venn diagram? That’s where the BMW R 12 G/S lives.

It feels reductive to lead with the BMW R 12 G/S’s price, but it’s hard to ignore—mostly because it points to something larger. That’s because while the R 12 G/S looks like a retro enduro dream, it is, in reality, very modern… to a fault.

Visually, the R 12 G/S is a tour de force. BMW’s designers made full use of the updated R 12 platform to create a machine that flawlessly recalls the Bavarian marque’s heritage with all the panache of a contemporary custom motorcycle.

My test unit came in the ‘Option 719 Aragonite’ finish—a metallic sand paint job with red and dark grey accents, and a smorgasbord of BMW’s uber-fancy machined Option 719 bits. (It’s a colour scheme that has, tragically, been dropped for 2026). Paired with a splash of red on the R 12’s exposed trellis frame, the geometric bodywork is pixel-perfect. 

The R 12 G/S also comes in a stealthy all-black variant—an underrated choice—and a traditional white, blue, and red livery that will appeal to fans of vintage BMW Paris-Dakar style. Either way, it’s a machine that commands attention.

The details play well, too. A slim LED taillight sits at the back, tucked neatly under the tapered rear fender. Up front, a small, rectangular digital dash hides behind a vintage-inspired headlight nacelle, which, in turn, enshrouds an LED headlight. (The digital dash is an optional upgrade over the round standard-issue unit.)

The vibe is a glorious mashup of old and new. But under the hood, the new ekes out the old—for better or worse.

The early R nineT was deliberately luddite. It used BMW’s proven air-and-oil-cooled boxer motor and had ABS braking only because the lawyers said it had to. Over time, BMW added traction control, engine braking control, switchable rider modes, a keyless ignition, cruise control, and smartphone integration.

Some of these are now standard on the R 12 G/S, some are optional extras, and none are particularly bad features (this is 2026, after all). But BMW is notorious for grouping its extras into ‘packages’ to push the asking price into the stratosphere—and it’s a particularly bad look on the R 12 G/S. BMW quotes its base price at $26,820 in Australia, and $17,095 in the USA, but those prices rise exponentially as dealers inevitably lump ‘must-have’ features onto their stock. 

My test unit came with almost every bell and whistle imaginable, resulting in a demo machine that I couldn’t possibly afford and a cockpit with more buttons and dials than you can shake a stick at. Despite this, the local importer had left the optional “PRO” riding mode package off the list—resulting in an expensive boxer that’s effectively fighting with one hand behind its back.

There’s still decent power on hand (specifically, 109 hp at 7,000 rpm and 115 Nm at 6,500 rpm), the venerable boxer motor still jiggles when you blip the throttle, and the redesigned muffler is surprisingly throaty (and attractive) for a stock unit on a Euro5-compliant motorcycle. But the milder riding modes that come as standard create an eerie disconnect between the ride-by-wire throttle and the rear driveshaft. The whole package feels just a little bit too sanitised—and the fact that you need to pay more to unlock the boxer’s full potential leaves a bad taste.

Conversely, the BMW R 12 G/S’s running gear is a delight. It comes with an off-road-focused 21”/17” wheelset, utilising BMW’s cross-spoked tubeless wheels. (If that’s not burly enough, the “Enduro” package includes an 18” rear wheel, along with handlebar risers and other goodies.)

Braking is courtesy of Brembo, with twin 310 mm discs at the front. The suspension package includes 45 mm upside-down forks and a mono-shock, with full adjustability at both ends and oodles of travel (210 mm at the front and 200 mm at the back). The seat is perched high at 840 mm, and there’s 240 mm of ground clearance. 

This setup proves why BMW dropped “Urban” from the R 12 G/S’s moniker. I didn’t take it too far off the asphalt, but it’ll make light work of gravel roads, and I’d easily pick it over the 269-kilo BMW R 1300 GS Adventure for gnarlier excursions. On the road, my 1.86-metre frame gels with its tall stance and stretched suspension.

Ultimately, the R 12 G/S does what it says on the tin. It looks and feels like a neo-retro adventure bike should, effortlessly recalling the iconic R80G/S while offering a measure of bona fide off-road performance and a healthy spec sheet. Yet, it lacks something that its predecessors had in spades: character. And at this price point, that’s a deal-breaker.