The retro shtick is tricky. Some manufacturers slap a vintage-looking fairing on a modern frame, toss on a two-tone paint job, and hope nostalgia does the rest. Most of the time? Meh. The result usually ends up looking like a cosplay costume stitched together in the dark.

But every now and then, someone gets it right. Triumph’s Bonneville line? Nailed it. And BMW’s had some hits with its R nineT range. But even that lineup—bar the premium Option 719 version—never really blew my nightie up. Just when I thought BMW had milked the boxer nostalgia well dry, they dropped the R 12 S: a proper homage sled that finally looks the real deal without sacrificing performance.

Under the skin, it’s familiar territory. The R 12 S is built on the R nineT platform and runs the same air/oil-cooled 1170cc boxer twin found in the R nineT, delivering a healthy 80kW (109hp) at 7000rpm and 115Nm of torque at 6500rpm. The numbers aren’t headline-grabbing, but they’re more than enough to hustle this heritage hero with a bit of spirit.

The frame is the same—hell, the suspension is the same, albeit a different colour. That’s not really an issue, as the R nineT in all its guises is a fine motorcycle.

Where it sets itself apart is in the looks department—and BMW has absolutely nailed the vibe. Drawing inspiration from the iconic R 90 S of the ’70s, the R 12 S rocks a handlebar-mounted bikini fairing, a brushed aluminium tank, red double pinstriping, and a single-seat rear hump that screams café racer. Throw in a splash of Option 719 billet bling, and the whole thing looks more boutique than back-catalogue.

The billet detailing is everywhere—ignition coil covers, oil filler, cylinder heads, bar-end mirrors, pegs, and levers. Even the wheels are Option 719 Classic II units with anodised aluminium rims. Add in black forks, a tinted windscreen, the sexiest spoked wheels ever fitted to a motorcycle, and that low-slung stance, and you’ve got a machine that could roll straight out of the ’70s—well, maybe if you squint hard!

And it doesn’t just look the part—it’s packing proper kit. Fully adjustable 45mm USD forks up front, Paralever single-sided swingarm with preload and rebound adjustability at the rear, dual 310mm radial calipers, and a 265mm rear disc. You also get BMW’s usual tech spread: ABS Pro, DTC, three riding modes (Rain, Road, Dynamic), cruise control, heated grips, Hill Start Control, LED lighting, Connected Ride Control, and the Gear Shift Assistant Pro quickshifter. Not bad for a “retro” bike.

That said, the quickshifter certainly isn’t the nicest unit I’ve used. On this particular R 12 S, it was harsh, clunky, and felt like the mechanism was an aftermarket Temu unit installed in someone’s shed. After a few days of industrial-style shifts, I gave up and went back to clutching it like the old days.

Don’t let this put you off buying an R 12 S. This seems to be a quirk of BMW quickshifters—the shift quality can vary between bikes, even between identical models. Some are like butter; others, more akin to the one on the R 12 S I tested. A test ride or a chat with your local Beemer tech is worth the trouble.

While I’m having a whinge, I’ll give a mention to the ride-by-wire throttle. It’s razor sharp, which sounds great until you’re bouncing over patchy backroads and your wrist inputs translate into jerky lunges, or you lean on it just a tad rolling into a corner.

The ride position is generally pretty comfortable, and despite its sporty stance, the reach to the bars is relaxed with very little pressure on the wrists. At 186cm tall, I found the seat-to-peg distance a bit tight after an hour or two. Not a dealbreaker, but you’ll feel it in the knees if you’re long in the leg.

Out of the box, the rear suspension was a bit soft for my weight, causing the tail to squat and leading to some understeer—especially powering out of corners. A couple of clicks on the preload adjuster fixed it up nicely though, and once dialled in, the suspension strikes a decent balance between sporty and plush. The front suspenders are on point, and I didn’t need to fiddle with the clickers at all.

Overall, the suspension is top-notch. It’s firm enough for play without being bone-jarring. In fact, it does a damn fine job of smoothing out the garbage we call roads in Australia.

Brakes are another strong point. There’s heaps of feel and loads of power up front and on the bum, and combined with switchable ABS Pro—otherwise known as cornering ABS—I doubt you’ll be yearning for more braking performance.

The dash is a dual-clock analogue setup—very on-theme—but the sun reflecting off the glass can make it hard to read at times, which makes routinely glancing down to check your speed in case the constabulary are lurking a trying task.

At $34,752 ride away, it’s not exactly cheap, but when you consider what you’re getting—premium finishes, billet parts galore, a knockout aesthetic, and the undeniable cool factor of a BMW boxer wrapped in a ’70s suit—it starts to look pretty good.

If I was in the market for a retro-styled rig that actually looked like it was well thought out, I’d only ever consider two bikes—Triumph’s Bonneville T120 and the R 12 S. But I’d have to give the nod to the R 12 S. The Trumpy is a fine-looking motorcycle, well put together and fabulous to ride, but when it comes to performance—either chassis or engine—it can’t hold a candle to the R 12 S.

It’s a modern classic done right.