BMW has applied for a European trademark for the name 'R 12' to be used on a future motorcycle, which is definitely a cruiser and will be listed below the R 18 in BMW's line-up. BMW also added the name 'R 12 S' to its arsenal.
In Australia, the United States, and Germany, he has filed similar trademark applications. However, BMW has filed a new trademark application to cover the name "BMW R 12" in the United States due to a problem with its registration, perhaps due to other products sharing the same name.
It makes sense that the R 12 will follow in the footsteps of the R 18, BMW's only other model to use this name. As a result of its 1,171cc R 1200 C having too little engine capacity to compete in a market where engine sizes were increasing rapidly, BMW abandoned the cruiser market in 2004.
Triumph just released the 2,294cc Rocket III. Bigger was better, and the R 1200 C looked anemic next to bikes like Kawasaki's Vulcan 2000 and Honda's VTX1800. After finally getting into the cruiser market with the massive R 18, there's a clear trend toward smaller, more versatile cruisers.
It's pretty clear that DOHC water-cooled 'cruisers' have been accepted by the market, with Harley's 1,252cc Sportster S and 975cc Nightster, for example, and Indian's Scout 1,133cc. BMW's existing R 1250 engine could be used as the basis for the R 12, or the company could go back to the old 1,171cc air-cooled engine from the R nineT.
New R 12 S branding probably means a sportier or higher spec model is also in the works. Recently, BMW has launched motorcycles into new markets using a near-production philosophy. In early 2018, the first trademark application for the R 18 was filed, with production starting around 12 months later. We might have to wait for something official from BMW about this new model after the first trademark was filed in 2021.
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