It’s Finally Here
BMW revealed the R 18 today, and the bike is no joke. The motorcycle looks almost as good as the concepts did. The BMW R18 is the company’s first motorcycle with its new 1,800cc boxer twin-engine. BMW did a virtual reveal of the bike and streamed it on YouTube. I’ve included the video reveal below, but before you get to that, let’s go over what BMW actually showed off.
BMW will sell an R 18 First Edition right off the bat. From there it will run into the standard model for certain markets. The bike has been designed to be easily customizable with a frame, hydraulic lines, brakes, cable harness, and pretty much everything else crafted to be simple to dismantle so you can make the bike your own. The engine, too, has been designed to make it easy to service. All of these things paired with the fact that BMW teamed up with Roland Sands Design, Mustang Seats, and Vance & Hines for various parts, mean that few R 18’s will be the same.
Here are some of the motorcycle’s highlights, according to BMW’s press release.
- Iconic style blending modern technology with authentic materials.
- Biggest ever BMW boxer engine with a capacity of 1802 cc.
- Output 67 kW (91 hp) at 4,750 rpm, maximum torque 158 Nm (116 lb-ft) at 3,000 rpm.
- More than 150 Nm (110 lb-ft) available at all times from 2,000 to 4,000 rpm.
- Exposed driveshaft based on the classic R 5 model.
- Elaborately crafted double-loop steel tube frame.
- Rear swing arm with enclosed axle drive in rigid-frame design.
- Telescopic fork with sleeves and cantilever suspension strut featuring travel-dependent damping.
- Harmonious ergonomics for relaxed riding and optimum control.
- Disc brakes front and rear, with wire-spoked wheels.
- State-of-the-art LED lighting technology, classically interpreted.
- Adaptive turning light for even better illumination of the road when cornering as a factory option.
- Classically designed circular instrument with integrated display.
- Keyless Ride for convenient function activation by remote control.
- Two standard riding modes, ASC and MSR.
- Reverse assist for convenient maneuvering and Hill Start Control for easy hill starts as factory options.
- The R 18 First Edition: exclusive look in paint and chrome.
- Extensive range of optional extras and Original BMW Motorrad Accessories as well as a cool Ride & Style Collection.
As you can see from the information, images, and video below, this is really a BMW unlike anything else in the company’s lineup. It’s a seriously interesting bike. The base MSRP for the bike is $17,495. The First Edition motorcycle features a $19,870 starting price.
