Photo: BMW Motorrad
Back in 2014, German bike maker BMW Motorrad decided it was time to take the custom motorcycle game somewhat more seriously. To do that, it released into the wild the R nineT, a sort of bare skeleton upon which shops to build.
In stock form, the motorcycle may not be that impressive, but one has to have the proper mindset to realize its potential. The slightly retro-styled machine usually plays in the standard two-wheeler segment (BMW classifies the nineT range as Heritage), but enough imagination could make it into pretty much anything, including an… enduro.
We all know and some of us love enduros. Designed for action off the beaten path, they're not bikes for the faint of heart, and require special skill to properly handle. BMW itself has a rather comprehensive range of such machines to offer right off the assembly lines, included in a category called Adventure - the R 1250 GS being the most suitable example.
So, the BMW R nineTX we have here, as it’s now called, was not officially born an enduro, but was kind of turned into one by a Motorrad partner called Becker Tiemann.
Going down the enduro path was probably not that difficult, given how this model was meant to allow customization, but it’s difficult to say if the bike behaves like such a hardcore machine. All we get to do is give you the rundown of the most important modifications and let you be the judge of things.
The project was born out of Becker Tiemann’s need to have something to show off during the custom bike trade fair in Bad Salzuflen at the beginning of December 2022. The bike is now described as being taller and softer than stock and, naturally, with plenty of suspension travel to be suited for the segment.
That was achieved through a number of changes, including the fitting of longer suspension struts supplied by a specialist named Wilbers. Separately, the fork legs were taken off an F 850 GS, while the wheels are the stock ones, only now they are wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion STR tires.
Modifying the bike’s stance also meant changing the position of the rider for better comfort and control. The footrests were lowered, and a new seat, with blue stitching for visual effect, was installed, higher up than usual. Further back, another BMW partner, Wunderlich, helped with the rear conversion – the same crew also supplies many of the bike’s protective gear.
With its engine exposed to the elements, a significant gap between the rear wheel and the seat, and a front fender mounted just as high, the BMW R nineTX looks ready for anything. It does wear a color scheme in metallic blue (that was allegedly inspired by a helmet its designers once crossed paths with) that could look bad if scratched, but that's what enduros are for.
It is unclear what happened to the nineTX after it was shown about a month ago, but if you happen to live in Germany, there’s a good chance you will end up seeing it at some show there.
We all know and some of us love enduros. Designed for action off the beaten path, they're not bikes for the faint of heart, and require special skill to properly handle. BMW itself has a rather comprehensive range of such machines to offer right off the assembly lines, included in a category called Adventure - the R 1250 GS being the most suitable example.
So, the BMW R nineTX we have here, as it’s now called, was not officially born an enduro, but was kind of turned into one by a Motorrad partner called Becker Tiemann.
Going down the enduro path was probably not that difficult, given how this model was meant to allow customization, but it’s difficult to say if the bike behaves like such a hardcore machine. All we get to do is give you the rundown of the most important modifications and let you be the judge of things.
The project was born out of Becker Tiemann’s need to have something to show off during the custom bike trade fair in Bad Salzuflen at the beginning of December 2022. The bike is now described as being taller and softer than stock and, naturally, with plenty of suspension travel to be suited for the segment.
That was achieved through a number of changes, including the fitting of longer suspension struts supplied by a specialist named Wilbers. Separately, the fork legs were taken off an F 850 GS, while the wheels are the stock ones, only now they are wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion STR tires.
Modifying the bike’s stance also meant changing the position of the rider for better comfort and control. The footrests were lowered, and a new seat, with blue stitching for visual effect, was installed, higher up than usual. Further back, another BMW partner, Wunderlich, helped with the rear conversion – the same crew also supplies many of the bike’s protective gear.
With its engine exposed to the elements, a significant gap between the rear wheel and the seat, and a front fender mounted just as high, the BMW R nineTX looks ready for anything. It does wear a color scheme in metallic blue (that was allegedly inspired by a helmet its designers once crossed paths with) that could look bad if scratched, but that's what enduros are for.
It is unclear what happened to the nineTX after it was shown about a month ago, but if you happen to live in Germany, there’s a good chance you will end up seeing it at some show there.
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