The Big Cruiser Will Hit the Big Market
The Indian motorcycle market is one of the biggest out there. Bikes are everywhere there, and while the market has sustained some losses recently, it’s still a big deal for motorcycle manufacturers. That’s why BMW is bringing the new R 18 cruiser to India.
Autocar India reported that BMW Motorrad dealerships in Delhi will have the bike on display and that the dealerships in the country have been booking orders for the R 18 cruiser. The official launch date for the bike is September 2020. Both the standard and first-edition versions of the R 18 will be available.
BMW’s massive 1,802cc air-and-oil-cooled boxer twin will remain the same as it is in all other markets. That means it will put out 91 hp and 116 lb-ft of torque. The shaft-drive bike will, of course, be a high-end machine, just as BMW wants it to be. I don’t expect BMW to sell these bikes in extremely massive quantities, but I certainly can see the company moving some of these bikes.
The BMW R 18 is a very unique motorcycle and gives buyers a different high-displacement option from what’s currently out there. This is a unique bike anywhere it is, but I’d suspect that in India, where smaller displacement models reign, it’s even more of an oddity, albeit a good one.