There is no competition to Ninet.

gristle said:

Objectively, the NineT is a good bike. A great bike? Hmmm.
It’s not terribly fast. It isn’t the cleanest design. The suspension is marginal. Fuel range just okay. Instrumentation is archaic. Ergonomics are a bit odd. On and on. And it’s expensive.

But I love mine.

Perhaps it isn’t about “competition” but which bike sings to a particular rider. And isn’t it a fantastic that there are so many choice.

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mattmiller1973 said:

The Griso is a hot-looking bike and has plenty of character — I owned one, past tense. But not nearly as spirited as the nineT, not as quick or as agile. I do wish my new 9T would engage first gear with a nice solid clunk, but otherwise I’m hard-pressed to imagine a better bike being made currently.

That said, I’m not sure it bests the Ducati Monster S4RS, which I also have — still — and is arguably a lot more fun with a similar, slightly racier vibe. I’ve never had a problem with chains.

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mattmiller1973 said:

I used to feel the same way, for aesthetic reasons, and my brother has a sweet S2R 800 (I also have a 1999 M900), but I’ve grown to love the look of those big, ugly radiators and the bike feels so much more powerful than even the Monster 1200. I can’t think of any drawbacks other than you don’t like the looks. The motor is a true monster.

But don’t get me wrong, I am crazy for the R nineT. I like that it’s more industrial, maybe a bit more masculine. I like that it’s easier to ride, less finicky, and I’ve become addicted to the boxer sound — that took a while for me, hence I sold my first 9T and came back later. Also the new paint schemes helped for me, but YMMV, and the fit & finish is top.

I’ll repeat that I don’t think anyone else builds a bike as good in this category today. The new Monsters have zero character, the Triumphs are far off for many reasons, the Guzzi V7 is perhaps headed in the right direction but cheap. The BMW is class.

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TimC said:

I love the enthusiasm, @Lelc2 !! And after seven months of ownership and about 4,000 miles on my 2020 Pure, I'd mostly agree with you. I checked out many new and used motorcycles before buying my R9T, and test rode several. I almost went with one or two other bikes, but loved the character of the R9T, and the looks of my Pure in particular. That being said, it's not perfect but I'm starting to love it. I rode through some rain today on my way home and got soaked. I'm hoping not to catch a cold, but even after being miserable for the last 30 minutes coming home, I can't wait to get out on my Beemer again!

As for competition, folks above have already offered alternatives, and I'd have to agree with them. Several manufacturers make models which are at least similar to the R9T, if not direct competitors. Triumph and Ducati are probably the closest. But there are pros and cons to each bike in this segment. Looking at the whole package, however, I'd rather have my BMW than any of the competing bikes in its class.

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