In 1924, long before the words dirtbike and motocross joined the English lexicon, an intrepid group of off-road pioneers organized what they billed as a ‘hare-scramble’ over the rolling hills of Surrey in England. One of the first official off-road motorcycle races would herald the new sport of scrambling and, with it, a new type of motorcycle. Across the UK and much of Europe, a motorcycle, modified or built for off-roading, became known as a scrambler.

Since its release eight years ago, the BMW R nineT has amassed an army of fans. Designed to be readily customizable, the model has spawned a vast array of OEM and aftermarket parts and numerous guises. Alongside the standard model, an off-road-oriented GS version rubs shoulders with a stripped-down Pure trim, and for the last couple of weeks, we’ve been riding around on the 2022 Scrambler model. The R nineT Racer, adorned with a café racer styled half-fairing, proved less popular, and production ended in 2019.

The Bavarian Street Brawler's Lil' Bro

BMW’s R nineT first hit our streets in 2014. A customizable, retro-style roadster and homage to the venerated R90 S of the 1970s. Following in the wake of Triumph’s success tapping its rich heritage with the Bonneville lineup, the R nineT was BMW’s reply; launched the same year that Ducati released its own salute to the past.

We tested the Bavarian street brawler back in 2020 and enjoyed the relaxed, easygoing ride on offer. The R nineT’s air- and oil-cooled boxer engine produced endless torque, making up for what it lacked in outright horsepower. Coupled with neutral ergonomics and its high, wide handlebar, we lauded the back-to-basics roadster as an excellent urban runaround and effortless steed for carving the backroads and byways. As the customizable retro scene grew, BMW added the R nineT Scrambler in 2017, but along the way, the younger sibling has lost some of the family magic.

RELATED: Ducati Introduces Two New 2022 Scramblers: Urban Motard And 1100 Tribute ProAnyone familiar with HotCars knows that we are generally fans of BMW Motorrad’s numerous offerings and, although the Scrambler benefits from the standard model’s many commendable attributes, its uniquely unwieldy geometry compromises many of them. The standard R nineT is an undeniably fun road bike, the GS (we assume) is the trail-runner, and the Pure is for owners who want to spend more of their budget on personalizing their machine. Which begs the question, what is the Scrambler’s purpose?

Powerplant And Performance

We’ll come back to that. Focusing on those commendable attributes, let us start with the R nineT’s oil/air cooled, DOHC, 1,170cc, opposed-twin engine. The R-series’ torquey boxer is quirky to behold but has its advantages and is particularly well suited to the R nineT’s relaxed nature. Little has changed since 2014. New cylinder heads with relocated inlet valves improve combustion, helping the airhead meet Euro5 regulations. Claimed peak power lost a horse along the way (now 109), peak torque has increased to 85 foot-pounds, arriving at an early 6,000 RPM.

New For Twenty-Two

New in 2022, the single, bullet-style, analog speedometer received a makeover, and a USB charging port is now standard, as is all-around LED lighting. A new rear shock with travel-dependent damping and a handwheel, continuous spring, and preload adjustment. An upgraded electronics suite now provides Road and Rain rider modes as standard, in addition to ABS Pro (cornering ABS) and Dynamic Brake Control (DBC, adjustable engine-braking). The Ride Modes Pro option adds a Dirt mode, which optimizes throttle response, traction control, and ABS for off-road riding.

Chassis And Suspension

The R nineT utilizes the three-section steel chassis used on the standard model. The engine is a load-bearing member of the mainframe with a bolt-on subframe and removable pillion frame. It's worth noting BMW included a separate wiring harness for the tail section, adding to its customizable credentials. A cast aluminum single-sided swingarm houses the Paralever shaft drive; no chain to clean and lube.

RELATED: Check Out The New CFMoto 250 CL-X Neo-Retro RoadsterThe Scrambler version gets a 43mm fork with a tad more travel at 4.9 inches, and the adjustable monoshock provides 5.5 inches at the rear. Twin, four-piston Brembo calipers on 320mm front discs and a two-piston caliper on a 264mm rear disc mirror the equipment on the standard model. The brakes are pleasingly progressive, with plenty of bite when needed. Enhancing its dual-sport side, a 19-inch front wheel joins the 17-inch rear, and semi-off-road Metzler Karoo 3 tires are an OEM option.

My test model comes shod in Bridgestone’s all-season Battlax Adventure road tires, and I didn’t stray from the asphalt to assess the Scrambler’s off-road potential. It isn’t a bike I’d choose to tackle anything more demanding than hard-packed trails, even with the Karoo 3s fitted. Thanks to its horizontally mounted cylinders, the R nineT carries its weight low. Nevertheless, the Scrambler is still a 487-pound machine with limited suspension travel, which can readily become overwhelmed by an errant pothole on the road.

Ride And Handling

Nevertheless, the Scrambler (I assume) gets more than two degrees of additional rake angle (increased from 26.8 degrees to 28.5) to improve off-road stability, which adds over an inch to the standard model's wheelbase. This excessive alteration to the R nineT’s geometry, when coupled with the softer sprung suspension and larger front wheel, results in surprisingly sluggish steering. On my initial test ride, I threw the Scrambler into the first proper corner I came across with more confidence than the bike deserved and, for one pant-soiling moment, thought the front wheel had washed out on some unseen hazard.

RELATED: 10 Things We Love About The Triumph Scrambler 1200Adopting a more leisurely pace brought out the best in the Scrambler, and once you allow for its cruiseresque handling, you can enjoy tootling about on it. Off-the-line power is reasonably strong, but the airhead will quickly run out of puff. However, the ocean of torque on offer is the Scrambler’s most redeeming quality. Meandering along country roads rarely requires a gear change, while the engine takes care of most of the braking. It is an effortless bike to ride. As long as your performance and handling expectations align with the Scrambler and not the standard R nineT, you should come away happy.

An R nineT Too Far?

In this light, calling the Scrambler out for lacking a purpose may seem harsh, but when you factor in the GS version, a model we might expect to compromise on-road handling for off-road capability, no matter how dubious that capability may be, why compromise a second model? In fairness to BMW, the Scrambler has been a popular choice, so they must be doing something right. Nevertheless, if the asphalt is where you plan to spend most of your time and you like to push the envelope once in a while, get the standard model and enjoy. However, if style and presence are more important than performance, the BMW R nineT Scrambler is still a credible machine. The finishing is excellent, and the carefree shaft-drive and relentlessly reliable boxer powerplant will keep you tootling along for years to come.

Color Schemes, Options, And Pricing

The base-model R nineT Scrambler starts at an MSRP of $13,495. Our test model came finished in the Option 719 Black Storm Metallic / Racing Red ($590) and equipped with the Select option package ($1,000), which includes Dynamic Traction Control, adaptive headlight, Dynamic Engine Brake Control, heated grips, cruise control, and Ride Modes Pro. In addition, a vast array of OEM options include four different Option 719 Billet, CNC-machined aluminum component packages, ranging from $1,000–$1,200. Wire-spoked wheels for tubed and tubeless tires ($500–$950), raw aluminum fuel tanks ($1,000 - $1,200), chrome exhaust ($150), the Metzeler Karoo 3 tires ($75), and a suspension and seat lowering kit that drops the seat height down an inch to 31.5 ($250). A raised seat option is also available, bringing the seat height to 33.5 inches.