2019 BMW R nineT /5 Unveiled To Mark 50th Anniversary Of Berlin Motorcycle Factory

BMW have been unveiling plenty of new motorcycles lately but almost always with a nod to the past. I covered the R18 concept which showcased their massive new 1.8 litre boxer twin which is due for production in 2020. This design was heavily influenced by the R5 of the 1930s and I also delved into the Vision DC Roadster electric motorcycle concept which was an attempt to acknowledge the history of their boxer twin whilst pushing them forward into a new era of electric motorcycling. And yet again this week's bike announcement is a modern take on a famous BMW of yesteryear, the Slash 5 series. With car production increasing massively in the 60s, BMW shifted their motorcycle plant to Berlin in 1969 and released a line of Slash 5 motorcycles in the R50, R60 and R75. So this year to mark the 50th anniversary of this successful run of bikes, along with the opening of the Berlin factory, BMW have announced the R9T Slash 5. This bike is essentially the same 110 horsepower boxer twin powered R9T that we've come to know and love but with a bunch of mostly cosmetic changes to reference the Slash 5 series. The first thing you'll notice is the paint job. The metallic smoked lupine blue with double lining is almost an exact copy of an original Slash 5 and definitely stands out from the rest of the existing R9T range which typically comes in block flat colours or brushed aluminium. The mudguard matches and there's even an anniversary symbol to finish it off. Chrome isn't something you see a lot of on modern bikes but the R9T Slash 5 has plenty. The mirrors, exhaust manifold and silencer should be enough to satisfy any urges to polish. The seat is chunkier than the standard R9T being contoured to mimic the original Slash 5 and features a bunch of retro touches like the pillion strap, white piping and a white BMW badge embossed on the back. Spoke wheels really affect the look of the bike and a finished in aluminium silver coating along with the motor, gearbox and fork sliders whilst the black frame and black prop shaft casing all make sure that the bike fits the mould of the original Slash 5s. A couple of finishing touches like knee pads and fork gaiters might add some slight practicality but otherwise this is almost entirely a styling exercise. The paint is pretty bold and might not be to everyone's taste but for anyone who owned an original Slash 5 and is looking to purchase the modern equivalent this might be a tasty prospect. What do you guys think? Another cool retro or is the paint too fussy by today's more minimal standards? And what other bikes of yesteryear would you like to see rebooted out of a modern day sibling? We've seen the likes of the Suzuki Katana and Kawasaki Z900RS recently but there must be some iconic bikes still waiting to be revived. Let me know in the comments below and if you're new here and you want to see more videos like this, hit subscribe and I'll catch you in the next video.