2026 BMW R 12 G/S Review – First Ride

A scrambler worthy of the GS moniker

The BMW R 80 G/S is often credited with kicking off one of the most popular motorcycle segments today: adventure motorcycling. That’s an achievement worth reminding the motorcycling public about every once in a while. In recent years, we first saw a nod back to the original ‘80s Gelände/Straße (Off-road/Street) machine with BMW’s heritage-inspired R NineT in the “Urban GS” trim for model year 2018. While a stylish throwback, the Urban GS was little more than that, a styling exercise replete with a red seat. Fast forward to model year 2026 and BMW has brought the G/S namesake back to the NineT family, and this time around, it’s actually offering up some performance to make it worthy of those two letters alongside its stylish duds.

2026 BMW R 12 G/S

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. It should come as no surprise that BMW decided to capitalize on its success and offered up a slew of different iterations based on the popular platform with the Pure, Scrambler, Racer, and Urban GS. These were essentially trims and bolt-on bits to the original model offered at a lower MSRP. With the R 12 platform, BMW seems to have taken a more deliberate approach in creating machines focused toward specific end goals rather than just styling exercises.

That’s not to say that there isn’t plenty of carry-over from the models with the R 12 moniker, but certain chassis choices make all the difference when developing a heritage motorcycle to perform off-road. The tubular steel back-bone spaceframe is shared amongst the R 12 models, as is the bolt-on tubular steel subframe, where the G/S differs is in its steering head which is slightly higher and further forward to accommodate the unique fuel tank, long-travel suspension, and larger front wheel. This also adds nearly three inches of wheelbase compared to the R 12 NineT. Marzocchi provides fully-adjustable suspension for both ends with the 45mm fork delivering 8.3 inches of travel while the linkage-less shock delivers 7.9 inches. Standard trim is delivered with a 21/17-inch cross spoke wheel combo, though a more off-road oriented 21/18 fitment can be had with the Enduro Package ($880) which includes the 21/18-inch wheel combo, off-road tires, Enduro footpegs, skid plate, handguards, handlebar risers, and a longer side stand.

The chassis balances performance between the gelände and straße. Off-road, the suspension soaks up bumps with ease, damping performance is pointedly at the comfort side of things versus tuning to soak up massive hits at speed — again, there is full adjustability should you want to eke out the maximum performance of your R 12 G/S. The entire chassis delivers stability on and off-road, as expected given the 62.2-inch wheelbase and rigid frame. We didn’t have a chance to tackle any terribly twisty sections of pavement at speed, but from the bit we did, the G/S instilled confidence.

Adding to the overall experience is the 1,170 air/oil-cooled Boxer. Cranking out a claimed 109 hp at 7,000 rpm and 84.8 lb-ft. at 6,500 rpm, the G/S’s mill provides the low-end torque that we’ve come to love from the Bavarians. Off-road, you can ride the bike in an almost Jeep-like fashion, riding the wave of torque to smoothly navigate obstacles with little clutch work — which is good because the moment you start slipping the clutch too much, it heats up and you have to slip it even more surprisingly quickly. There is also a Shift Assist Pro option which allows for clutchless up and down shifting, though it’s a bit more clunky in its application on the G/S versus the 1300 Boxers. Advantages of the engine characteristics are also had on road, making the Boxer a versatile powerplant.

The off-road performance BMW has managed to fold into the R 12 G/S is respectable. While the new G/S isn’t making any grandiose claims to climb to the top of the ADV heap, it approaches its off-road capabilities with a stoic maturity that riders who aren’t looking to be ready to race will appreciate — and it looks stunning in both the Light White ($345) and Style Option 719 (starting at $2,025) color options.

Scrambler motorcycles like the R 12 G/S allow you to have your cake and eat it too. You get a classically styled motorcycle that delivers performance off-road and on whether you’re crawling over boulders, blasting down a trail, or hustling through a commute. It’s hard not to get behind something like that. There’s really only one other natural competitor to the BMW, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE — a motorcycle that has garnered high praise both here on the digital pages of MO and in the industry as a whole for its versatile performance and typical Triumph attention to detail and quality. On the specsheet, the two machines are fairly comparable until it comes to price. While the BMW’s MSRP starts at $16,995 our units as tested in Bavaria rang up for more than $22,000 putting it approximately $6,000 north of the Hinckley machine’s price tag. As we always say, there’s only one way to find out how these machines stack up. With the R 12 G/S landing in dealerships in Q3, it’s shaping up to be a busy summer.

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