There is no competition to Ninet.

I have or have had a couple of the other bikes in the 'modern retro' space, so I'll throw in my two cents. Before the 9T, I had two Ducati Sport 1000s and a Triumph Thruxton R.

Out of the box, I think the Triumph needs the least tinkering aesthetically or mechanically to suit most riders, but it seemed strangely soulless like a Japanese bike --maybe because it also has the most electronics (ABS, traction control, rider modes) and is the only liquid cooled one of the bunch.

The Duc needs at least a few mandatory mods to bring it up to snuff. Once set up though, it's easily the rawest and most visceral of the three to ride despite the lowest power numbers on paper. The sound of the dry clutch and exhaust note are second to none and make you feel fast even if you aren't 😅. The Duc isn't necessarily unreliable, but it has the shortest service intervals and most owners won't be able to do their own Desmo services, which are not cheap.

I just got the 9T so am still forming my opinion on it, but I've always loved boxers and have had two others including an old R1200S which is my daily rider and favorite overall bike to date. By design, the 9T seems to be more intended for individualization than the Triumph or Ducati. I bought mine used with upgraded suspension already installed, so I can't say what the stock bike is like compared to the Triumph, which comes equipped with pretty good suspension even stock. As much of a boxer fan as I am, I would have to say the 9T's engine is the least exciting and has the most mundane exhaust note of the bunch despite being the most powerful. From my experience with the R12S though, I know a full exhaust and fuel controller can perk things up quite a bit. But ease of maintenance and dependability are where the boxer really shines. Where else can you do a valve adjustment in 20-minutes? Where else can you find a proven engine design with countless examples with hundreds of thousands of miles on them?

One real world factor that I haven't seen mentioned is resale value. From my three examples, the Thruxton seems to be worst, the R9T is not far behind (picked mine up for a relative song given what it cost originally with all the upgrades), but the Sport Classics are actually appreciating or at least holding their value.

All this to say there's something to love about all of them, and it's much better to sample a couple of used examples of each than to buy any single one new (I got all three of these bikes with less than 10k combined miles on them for about the cost of what the 9T originally would have cost with all the add-ons).

TimC said:

I'm always amazed how many R9T owners also own (or have owned) Ducatis and Triumphs - and Thruxton Rs in particular. In the VFR scene I came from, many folks had owned multiple VFRs, plus some other makes, but definitely more Big 4 bikes (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha) than European brands.

Part of it might be geography, as there are more European members here than in the VFR crowd, and the VFR is maybe more common to North America (though there are plenty in Europe and elsewhere, too). But I'm guessing the real reason is R9T owners (and maybe BMW owners in general) prefer bikes with more character, and many European bikes have more of that than their Big 4 counterparts. "Character" was certainly high on my wish list while bike shopping over the last year, and I passed up a few bikes I liked, but which lacked it. I might want a more mundane bike someday, but my R9T really fit the bill this time around.

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Funny you mention the VFR, another of my favorite overall bikes. I had a 4th gen 1994 model that I wish I still had. I bought it instead of the Ducati SS that I really wanted at the time. Even back then I knew the VFR was the objectively better, more responsible choice, but the Duc was the one I fantasized about. Couldn't really afford either at the time, but knowing what I know now, I really, really couldn't have afforded the Ducati back then. The VFR was flawless, and there was nothing to do other than ride it. After finally getting a couple of Euro bikes with "character", I've come to realize that term is really just a way of euphemizing design quirks and shortcomings that need to be worked around or addressed. None of the Hondas I've had really needed much improvement, so they never occupied my thoughts when I had them the way some of these Euro bikes do. But when you finally get things sorted out on a flawed bike, you develop a personal connection that makes that bike yours and yours alone.