Spotted: Next-Gen BMW R nineT Scrambler And Urban G/S Out Testing

There’s no denying that the BMW R 1250 GS is a fantastic and capable bike. It has adoring fans worldwide, for good reason. However, in 2021, it’s also bigger and heavier than some off-road enthusiasts would prefer. It’s also fairly expensive, and repairs when you drop it are unsurprisingly also not cheap.  

Now, no one would argue that it’s not a high-quality machine. However, those factors combined can put quite a damper on encouraging a whole lot of exploration on your very expensive GS. The HP2 Enduro was a lighter and leaner off-road capable machine, but it, too, cost a pretty penny. What time is it, BMW fans? It's time for the R nineT Scrambler to live up to its name with a redesign, if these spy photos are anything to go by. 

Expected to be unveiled in the next two years or so (it’s the end of July, 2021 as I type this), this first glimpse at a revamped R nineT Scrambler shows 21-inch wire-spoked wheels, rolling on chunky Metzeler Karoo 3 tires. The upside-down front fork, swingarm, and main frame have all been redesigned. The tank is shifted forward, pulling the rider positioning deeper into the motorcycle instead of on the motorcycle.  

Gallery: BMW R nineT Scrambler G/S Spy Photos

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Center of gravity and weight distribution will likely be more favorable for optimal control as a rider maneuvers off-road. One prototype shown here demonstrates some exhaust manifold and collector changes that our pal Secret Squirrel says are likely to do with Euro 5b noise emission requirements, which come into effect in 2024.  

Since there are two variants here, these are likely successors to the current R nineT Scrambler and R nineT Urban G/S. Squirrel thinks the “Urban” part of that name may go away in the future, since this prototype doesn’t seem geared toward urban use at all. It’s early days yet, so we’ll just have to see how it all plays out. 

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