Few motorcycle manufacturers make retro bikes quite like Royal Enfield. While memes online may criticize the brand for never getting the memo of modernization, the truth is, RE has figured out how to stay true to its heritage. It offers some of the most affordable and authentic retro motorcycles, after all.
As good as RE retro bikes are, who wouldn’t want something with more than twice the horsepower, a BMW badge, and everything that comes with the badge, especially a premium feel? If you’re one of those, you’re in luck because there’s one BMW retro roadster that has depreciated like an S-Class in the last decade, and you can have it for the price of a Royal Enfield 650 motorcycle today.
Royal Enfield 650 Twins Are Great For The Price
Royal Enfield has come quite a long way in the last decade or so, going from producing decades-old thumpers to producing some of the best retro motorcycles in the market, especially with its 650 lineup. This lineup includes the awesome originals—the INT 650 and Continental GT 650—alongside a bunch of other 650s, including the Bear 650, Shotgun 650, and the Classic 650.
Each of the RE 650 twins offers something unique, whether it’s café racer looks or scrambler fun, but they are powered by a peachy parallel-twin engine. This engine alone has earned a lot of fanfare for its smooth, linear power delivery, lovely exhaust note, and old-school character. These bikes also handle competently well for the segment and look oh-so-good, especially with the right mods on.
Perhaps the best part about Royal Enfield’s 650 twins is their pricing. They start at just $6,149 for the INT 650 and $6,349 for the Continental GT 650. Other models in the 650 family come with a slightly bigger price tag, but these bikes are still very accessible for the masses, in a way few retro bikes can be.
But Lack The Premium Feel
While this may be good for those wanting a retro bike, if you’re looking for a premium feel, you’ll be left wanting more with these bikes. Royal Enfield isn’t known for producing premium motorcycles, and the 650 family is no exception. Fortunately, you can get a properly retro and premium motorcycle for more or less the same price as one of the RE 650 models. We’re talking about the BMW R nineT.
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The BMW R nineT Offers A Premium Feel For The Price Of An Enfield
The BMW R nineT was launched back in 2014 and stayed on dealership floors until its eventual discontinuation in 2023. Celebrating 90 years of BMW, the R nineT offers a genuine retro roadster experience that’s inspired by BMW’s heritage, complete with good looks and high-quality finish. In many ways, the R nineT captures the essence of earlier BMWs, which is what makes it a more faithful retro than many of its modern counterparts.
The BMW R nineT isn’t just about looks, either. It’s powered by an old-school oil-head boxer engine displacing 1,170cc. This boxer offers an old-school character with plenty of modern performance, as it’s rated at 110 horsepower and 74.3 pound-feet of torque. Apart from that, it features upside-down forks and a tubular frame with a low center of gravity, which is said to give it agile and planted road manners, at least according to the owners.
An Overlooked Bargain Today
The BMW R nineT is a premium motorcycle; nonetheless, this means it doesn’t hold its value quite as well as its rivals, whose value is held up by market demand. In fact, in the last decade, its value seems to have fallen off a cliff. What began as a premium motorcycle costing around $15,000 can now be had for much lower and at the price of one of the Royal Enfield 650 models.
For instance, Kelley Blue Book suggests that a 2014 R nineT can be had for $7,000, and this is its typical listing price. Look a bit deeper, and you might find a bargain that costs much less. That’s ridiculously cheap for what this motorcycle offers, especially when you consider that its current successor, the BMW R 12 nineT, starts above $16k. And remember, retro bikes don’t age like sports bikes, so newer bikes aren’t dramatically better, either. Since we’re only discussing the BMW R nineT here, the prices for its other derivatives, like the R nineT Scrambler and or Urban G/S may vary.
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Depreciate Has Hit The Premium Retro Roadster Hard
Let’s talk numbers. The BMW R nineT started selling at $14,995 back in 2014. Over the years, it saw gradual price hikes that eventually took it up to $15,945 by the time it was discontinued in 2023. But if you compare its sticker price to the typical listing price in the used market, you’ll see that earlier 2014 to 2017 models have lost around 42 to 53 percent of their value, depending on the model year. Newer 2019 to 2023 models have also lost 30 to 41 percent value, which is in line with the depreciation curve of a typical premium motorcycle.
It Has Lost Over 50 Percent Value
As of writing this story, the BMW R nineT has depreciated by up to 53 percent, depending on the model year. The most depreciation is seen in the first model year, the 2014 BMW R nineT, which has lost $7,949 and now goes for around $7,046. The 2016 model year is the second-worst hit by depreciation, losing 50 percent of its value and going for $7,595 today. Similarly, the 2015 model year is among the worst hits, losing 45 percent of its value and retaining only $8,201 today.
Finding The Best Value For The BMW R nineT
So, which BMW R nineT model should you pick if you want to keep its price comparable to a Royal Enfield 650 motorcycle? Financially speaking, the 2014 to 2017 model year range is the sweet spot where you’ll find the best value. These first-generation buyers have already paid the cool tax and eaten up most of the depreciation, which makes these early model years a ridiculous bargain in the used market.
Since the R nineT is a retro bike, you aren’t missing out on any major tech or features with older models, either. But if you do go for the newer models, you are burning more money than necessary. Since they are still in the middle of their depreciation curve, the newer models will lose more value over the next few years until that curve flattens. So, unless you find a good deal or can’t compromise on age, you’re better off with one of the earlier BMW R nineT models than a newer one.
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The BMW R nineT Is Largely Reliable And Easy To Maintain
Financially speaking aside, there’s another way to find the best R nineT models from a hardware perspective. The story remains the same here for most motorcyclists. But before that, let’s see how the R nine T has evolved over the years. From 20214 to 2021, the R nineT used the original camhead powertrain, which was later updated for Euro5 with slightly less power and a different cylinder cover design. Many owners criticize the Euro5 models for lacking the grunt of the earlier models.
On the other hand, many owners prefer the post-2017 models as BMW updated the R nineT with some modern essentials. These include nicer dials, independently switchable ABS and traction control, adjustable front suspension, and revised steering geometry with more rake and trail. The last bit is important as it can make this relatively heavy motorcycle slightly heavier and slower to steer in corners.
So, which model year should you pick? If you’re looking for a cheap BMW R nineT and don’t really care for adjustable suspension or nicer dials, you’re better off saving thousands with one of the earlier models (2014 to 2016). This is also where you’ll find the best bargains. You can always upgrade the suspension later on, anyway. And as many owners report, you will still get the grunty character of the earlier models.
Things Can Get Expensive, Though
Let’s address the elephant in the room, though. If you’re buying one of the earlier models, while cheap, it is still old and will require some maintenance. Fortunately, the R nineT is known for its reliability and ease of maintenance, which should neutralize the biggest objection to buying a used premium motorcycle.
The bike uses a Boxer twin engine that often needs little more than regular service. At the same time, the bike runs a shaft drive, so you don’t have to worry about regular chain maintenance, either. Although the engine will burn some oil, which is normal for boxers. The bike also lacks many electronics and tech features, so there’s little to go wrong here. As long as you pick a well-maintained model and service it regularly, it can last longer than a brand-new Royal Enfield 650.
Source: KBB, BMW Motorrad