BMW R nineT motorcycle

The sexy new BMW R nineT has an innovative convertible seat, so if you think your bum looks big in this, you can just lob the entire back seat off. It will be on show at the Brisbane Moto Expo from March 21-23 before it hits the showroom floors in April at $20,950.

The BMW R nineT started life as the Concept Ninety which was unveiled in 2013 to celebrate the blue propellor brand’s 90 years of manufacturing motorcycles. For the first time BMW handed the concept design to master customisers Roland Sands Designs in California and the results were stunning and a fitting 90th birthday present to BMW Motorrad.

However, real-world market forces have forced some minor changes on to the production R nineT. Missing are the iconic R 90 S bikini fairing, the trademark sunburst paint, low clip-on bars and drag-style mag wheels. But BMW has retained the round headlight, scalloped tank, short fenders, double one-sided megaphone exhausts, single-sided paralever swingarm and gold anodised upside-down forks from the S 1000 RR instead of BMW’s ubiquitous telelever.BMW also chose to run retro wire wheels, with the ability to convert between a 5.5 and a 6-inch rear wheel. The overall result is a flattering mix of retro and modern styling in a sexy roadster.

Since it’s a naked bike and there is nowhere to conceal a radiator, it is the first 1200cc Boxer since the new GS to not get the partially water-cooled engine. One of the quirkier features of the bike is the removable pillion frame. You can ride it as a dual-seater, quickly fit a cowl over the rear seat or totally remove the rear part of the seat to run as a solo-seater. However, the final option is not street legal in Australia as there is nowhere to house the rear number plate and reflectors, so be careful.

It will arrive with a host of BMW accessories such as heated grips, comfort seat, alarm and luggage. But as a bit of a blank canvas and in honour of its custom concept, there are also carbon bits and pieces, LED indicators and Akropovic “silencers” to further personalise this rad roadster.