BMW R 18

BMW R18 Roctane 2024: Touring with hot-rod styling

with inputs from www.bmwmotorcycles.com Appearance: Bagger. Comfort: touring motorcycle. Personality: custom factory hot rod. It is driven by the powerful big boxer engine. Ride it and every country road turns into Route 66. Its style is black and matte – that’s what joy can look like. At least for those who bring #SoulFuel to life. Bagger outline, dragster seat and mini ape-hanger demonstrate that this is not an ordinary bike. Want even more rock ‘n’ roll? The bike is ready for customizing. All you need to do is own it! Character: independent This extroverted bike does not conform. It stands out despite its dark colors. Or precisely because of them. The three versions emphasize its different facets. You like doing your own thing? Take it to another level with customizing. More than a bike – your statement The iconic front with round LED headlight and 21-inch cast aluminum wheel leads the way towards the horizon. You casually grip the mini ape-hanger and rest your feet on the standard footboards, while the dragster seat gives you support on long tours. The elongated bagger outline flows straight to the stylish rear end, featuring hard-shell cases. This bike is an eye-catcher. Unmistakable: the unique boxer sound from the striking, dark chrome rear exhaust. Your bike, your rules Lend the R 18 Roctane your unique character. We offer a range of optional accessories, such as the Filler Panels or the Machined series by Roland Sands Design. A single seat is available for solo riders. Take customizing even further. There are no limits to your ideas. Everything under your control Numerous assistance systems make sure that you always have your bike under control. These include Automatic Stability Control (ASC), engine drag torque control (MSR) as well as optional Hill Start Control and reverse. Your three […]

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BMW R 18 Going on Three-Nation Tour, including U.S.A.

The Great Getaway. That’s what German bike maker BMW Motorrad calls its first event dedicated to the moniker that marked its return to the cruiser segment, the insane R 18 motorcycles. from https://www.autoevolution.com by Daniel Patrascu The motorcycle was first shown back in 2020, and quickly expanded into an entire family that now comprises no less than four models, namely the standard cruiser and the Classic, and the more recent R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental. Advertised as one of the most important two-wheeled BMWs in recent memory, the family makes use of the most “powerful 2-cylinder boxer engine ever used in motorcycle series production,” the mighty Big Boxer – 1,802cc in displacement and rated at 91 hp at 4,750 rpm, and a maximum of 158 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm. Now, not enough time has passed since the model’s introduction for the world to have plenty of them on the roads, but that isn’t stopping the Germans from coming up with a series of mammoth ride events meant to advertise the bike to new customers. The Great Getaway is in fact the first in what will be a series of travel events dedicated to R 18 riders. Next year, BMW promises “three inspiring destinations […] to provide riders with outstanding motorcycling pleasure in heritage style.” The tour kicks off in March 2022 in Costa Rica, moves to Portugal in June, and ends in August in the U.S. Each of the tours in these countries will comprise eight days of riding “along rugged coasts, through dense forests and past mountains and waterfalls,” and benefit from “a tour guide, hotel accommodation and meals, support vehicle and an extensive social program.” At the time of writing, BMW does not give any info on the cost for the rides, but says

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First Ride Review of 2022 BMW R 18 B

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com A Tour(ing) De Force – Conquering California’s coast with a Bavarian bagger. BMW made no bones about moving in on the Harley-dominated cruiser market when it launched the R 18 in April, 2020. Drawing from the Motor Company’s Softail Slim, the Bavarians literally took a page out of Harley’s book to attract buyers. BMW then returned to the well in October, 2020, introducing the R 18 Classic. Equipped with leather bags and a large windshield, the variant shared more than a moniker with Harley’s Heritage Classic. That first offensive wasn’t BMW’s endgame, however. To truly hit the Harley where it hurts, the company went after the Bar and Shield’s bread and butter: the grand touring segment. Released in July, 2021, the R 18 B added long-distance comfort and convenience to the platform’s repertoire. BMW did more than just slap on a full-size fairing and hard bags though. The House of Munich re-engineered the chassis to suit the cruiser’s new touring ambitions as well. A 19-inch front wheel steps in for the R18’s 16-incher, the rake tightens to 27.3 degrees, and the wheelbase shrinks to 66.7 inches. That revised double-loop frame not only accommodates two-up touring but also lightened the standard model’s heavy steering. BMW addressed another common R 18 complaint when it increased the bagger’s rear suspension travel to 4.7 inches while adding position-dependent damping and hydraulically adjustable ride height. The advanced technology doesn’t stop at the tail end though. The new front fairing houses the IMAX of all motorcycle displays, a 10.25-inch-wide, HD resolution (1920 x 720) TFT dash. On the left switchgear, BMW’s trademark WonderWheel makes its R 18 debut, allowing riders to scroll through the bike’s diagnostics, settings, and available navigation. The Marshall stereo system encourages users to jam out to local

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BMW Debuts R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B ‘Bagger’ touring motorcycles

by Florina Spînu from https://www.autoevolution.com According to BMW, the new R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B will be available worldwide as special R 18 Transcontinental First Edition and R 18 B First Edition models when they hit the market in September. The two new R 18 family members will be unveiled to the public for the first time on August 6th in Sturgis, South Dakota. BMW is expanding the R 18 family with the new R 18 Transcontinental and the R 18 B “Bagger,” one ideal for long-distance rides and one perfect for touring and cruising. You can watch some high-octane scenes with the new models in The Cadillac Three’s new music video, “Get After It.” The collaboration between the American Southern rock group and BMW only came naturally as the new models are built to appeal to those looking for a sportier ride and those going for a more touring-oriented machine. The southern country music is a perfect addition for these bad boys that star in the clip, riding just outside Nashville. The new R 18 Transcontinental is a luxurious tourer that comes with a high windshield, wind deflector, and flaps. Compared to the standard R 18, it has additional lights, a top case, and four analog round instruments. The ride has seat heating as standard to ensure long-distance riding comfort even when two people get on it. On the other hand, the R 18 B has no top case and a lower windscreen that adds to the style of a bagger. Among other features, it sports a smaller seat, wider and more comfortable footrests, and a matt black metallic engine. Like the previous R 18 models, both rides combine the power of the 2-cylinder “Big Boxer” engine with a classic chassis design based on BMW’s historical motorcycle

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BMW’s prewar-inspired R18 boxer motorcycle makes its production debut

by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com/ We loved the concept at Villa d’Este, and now the production version will haunt our dreams until it’s released. I’ve been looking forward to a production version of BMW’s R18 concept since it debuted last year at Villa d’Este, and now it’s finally here. How close does the production model get to the utterly gorgeous prewar-inspired concept? Well, pretty close, actually. Sure, there will be plenty who argue that it should be closer, that the production bike’s front wheel is too small or that BMW should have retained the concept’s fork covers, but I’m not one of those people. This thing is a handsome-as-hell cruiser-bobber style motorcycle, and I badly want to ride it already. The R18’s headline feature is its massive 1.8-liter horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine. This is the biggest boxer that BMW has ever offered — by over half a liter — and it’s still air-cooled. This lump outputs a 91 horsepower and a whopping 116 pound-feet of torque. It’s got four valves per cylinder with dual overhead camshafts on each cylinder, and it promises to be a characterful old thing, in the best traditions of the brand. The bike also features the classic BMW boxer large single-disc dry clutch and a six-speed gearbox. Unusual for the BMW though (these days, at least) is the decision to leave the bike’s driveshaft exposed. This was done in homage to the prewar Beemers like the R5 and R51 from which the R18 takes much of its inspiration. A reverse gear ala Honda’s Goldwing is available as an option. The R18 is probably closest in spirit to the R NineT, at least as far as current production motorcycles go, and like that bike, it’s been designed with easy customization in mind. To that end, BMW has

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