BMW R 12 G/S First Ride: Boxer Engines Finally Make Sense

Turns out the BMW R 12 G/S has a feature perfectly suited to my particular style of adventure riding: it doesn't fall very far when you drop it. 😂 That big boxer engine sticks out far enough that when the bike goes over, it doesn't end up completely flat on the ground. Which means picking it back up is surprisingly easy. As someone with considerable experience in this department, I appreciate BMW's forward thinking. But there's obviously a lot more to the BMW R 12 G/S than its convenient resting position. I've been spending some proper time with the bike on Vancouver Island, riding pavement, gravel and backroads to figure out what this retro-inspired boxer is actually like to live with. In this first impressions video I get into the boxer engine, power delivery, handling, shaft drive, simplicity, off-road capability and some of the things that genuinely surprised me about the bike. This isn't a spec-sheet review. I wanted to know what the BMW R 12 G/S actually feels like to ride and whether taking a simpler, more old-school approach to a modern adventure motorcycle actually makes it more fun. Huge thanks to @bmwmotorradca for giving me the opportunity to spend some proper time with the BMW R 12 G/S. And now the important question: Does a motorcycle being easier to pick up actually count as a feature, or am I just trying to justify how often I drop motorcycles? 😂 BMW R 12 G/S KEY SPECS 🏍️ Engine: 1,170 cc air/oil-cooled two-cylinder boxer 💪 Power: 109 hp at 7,000 rpm ⚡ Torque: 115 Nm at 6,500 rpm ⚙️ Transmission: 6-speed 🔩 Final drive: Shaft / Cardan drive ⛽ Fuel capacity: 15.5 L ⚖️ Road-ready weight: 229 kg 📏 Seat height: 860 mm / 33.8 in 🪨 Ground clearance: 240 mm 🛞 Wheels: 21 inch/18 inch on Enduro Pro version 🎛️ Riding modes: Rain, Road and Enduro, Enduro Pro 🛑 BMW Motorrad Integral ABS Pro PARTNERS + GEAR BMW Motorrad Canada @bmwmotorradca Outback Motortek Protection, crash bars, skid plate, racks and more Exposure Lights Radial 6 auxiliary lights Discount code: EXP@RRM10 Mosko Moto Motoz Tractionator RallZ tires Doubletake Mirrors Barkbusters EngDuro DoubleTRAK V2 Kimpex / CKX / Leatt Insta360 Peak Design Flying Eyes Optics AFFILIATE LINKS + DISCOUNTS Flying Eyes Optics https://flyingeyesoptics.com/pages/ra... Exposure Lights https://tres.so/0C8vv1q Code: EXP@RRM10 Antigravity A1 https://www.antigravity.tech/drone/an... Code: AGR9CU6 Insta360 https://www.insta360.com/sal/x5?utm_s... Peak Design Moto https://www.peak-design.pxf.io/RRM10 Cardo https://cardosystems.rfrl.co/1m5xe CKX https://ckxgear.com/pages/motorcycle-... EngDuro https://engduro.com/RRM The links above are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (some even come with a discount!). It helps support Ragged Roads Moto and lets me keep making motorcycle videos and making questionable financial decisions involving motorcycles. 😂 FOLLOW RAGGED ROADS MOTO Instagram: @raggedroadsmoto YouTube: @RaggedRoadsMoto More ADV riding, moto camping, bike builds and questionable decisions from Vancouver Island. Huge thanks to Devon Schmoll Visuals for putting the edit together. -- John #BMWMotorradCA #BMWGS #R12GS