BMW R 18 2022
It's big, it's expensive, and it's a BMW cruiser. It sounds too much like an April Fool's joke, but still...
BMW's super-duper boxer dreams have finally come true. Moreover, their implementation raises a lot of questions. Like, what market did they make it for? The implication is that for the North American - apparently, for some reason the Bavarians felt that there were not enough cruisers in America. Well, okay, maybe not enough - but there are local producers who know this market better than anyone, simply because they form it. Will Americans choose imported goods instead of their own, home-grown, native ones?
Another question. Why exactly a boxer with a dual (liquid and oil) cooling system? Was the task really just to make the largest possible opposition at any cost?
You may think I'm being harsh on BMW, but that's only because the R 18 is not the kind of bike I want to see from them. After all, they had already tried to make cruisers - and these were extremely niche devices, essentially failures in terms of sales. But enough grumbling - let's get down to specifics.
BMW R 18 2021
BMW CONCEPT R18 BREAKS INTO LIFE
“A motorcycle is the best accessory. He doesn’t necessarily have to be the fastest, but he has to be the most beautiful.” Edgar Heinrich / Head of Design BMW Motorrad
Concours d'Elegance festival of classic cars and motorcycles. It has been held every year since 1929 on the last weekend of May on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. This event was perfect for the presentation of the new BMW Concept R18 motorcycle.
The world premiere that all fans of custom motorcycles have been eagerly awaiting: BMW Motorrad presented a concept cruiser equipped with a prototype of the new two-cylinder boxer engine. This elegant, minimalistic motorcycle received the laconic name Concept R 18.
The undisputed dominant feature of the Bavarian prototype is the new air-cooled BMW R18 Boxer engine. The massive 1800cc engine has been engineered from the ground up and is designed to echo the BMW boxer engines of the '60s, but scaled up to monstrous proportions. The engine block and transmission housing are machined from ball-machined aluminum, creating a crisp contrast with the polished aluminum valve covers and lifters.
The Concept R18 simply attracts with its minimalism, it is equipped with a Solex carburetor, similar to those used in BMW cars of the 70s, and the only electronics are a starter and a headlight. Lead designer Bart Janssen Groesbeck took inspiration from the classic R5, R50 and R60 models. He describes the design as a "direct projection" from BMW motorcycles of the 1960s. Elements such as the frame design, the open driveshaft and the teardrop-shaped fuel tank are all classic BMW Motorrad heritage.
The large spoked wheels (21 inches front, 18 inches rear) are shod with tires from Metzeler, also a long-time tire supplier for BMW motorcycles.
Previously, BMW confirmed that the R18 engine will be equipped with a separate line of the company’s models. Open cardan drive, softtail rear wheel suspension, Solex carburetor from a BMW car, LED headlight installed between the fork legs, similar in design to Bosch headlights of the 1950s, no visible gear shift mechanism.
The story continues, but the most interesting thing is that its continuation does not lead in the direction of high technology, but along the path of searching for individuality, originality and emotional response. Maybe it's time to slow down and enjoy the beauty?
*based on information from an article by Internet blogger Tommygun and the official website https://www.bmw-motorrad.ru
Technical characteristics of the BMW R18 in numbers
Engine
The engine of this model weighs 110 kg! It is the largest and most powerful boxer engine BMW has ever built, with a 107.1mm bore and 100mm stroke, with a compression ratio of 9.6:1. It produces 91 horses at 4750 rpm and 157 Nm of thrust at 3000 rpm. Its cutoff occurs at 5750 rpm. The engine has two lower camshafts, the valves are located in the heads and are driven by pushers. A significant difference between this engine and previous BMW units is that they installed a third main bearing in it to prevent crankshaft bending. Just imagine how they came to this idea: apparently, something incredible was happening to them while testing the Big Boxer prototypes.
Frame and ergonomics
The engine is housed in a duplex steel frame with carefully calculated rigidity. The monoshock on which the swingarm is suspended runs under the seat, much like on the new Softails or Triumph Bobbers. The front wheel is mounted on a 49mm telescopic fork with adjustable spring preload. The final transmission is cardan. What else can you expect from BMW?
The riding position of the motorcycle is mainly due to the huge engine. The footpegs are forced to have a middle position, and the handlebars are quite strongly arched towards the rider. The seat is approximately level with the top of the engine - 69 cm from the ground. It will not be possible to move the platforms forward, unless of course you attach them to the valve covers.
Technical equipment
Compared to other modern BMW models, the R 18 is technically rather sparsely equipped. It has three riding modes, keyless entry, ABS, stability control as well as engine braking control. Hill assist is optionally available, as well as reverse gear, activated by a special switch and carried out using an electric starter.
All lighting equipment is diode, including a unique headlight. The R 18 can also be optionally equipped with adaptive headlights - i.e. cornering lights, which use tilt sensors to turn on side lighting sources hidden in the headlight.
BMW R 18 design
The design of the BMW R 18 is best described by a quote from BMW press materials:
Like no other BMW motorcycle, this model draws entirely on the tradition of historical BMW motorcycles – both technically and in terms of design.
How can it be that a motorcycle is at the same time different from other models, and at the same time based on tradition? I don’t know how to put it into words, but the BMW R 18 represents the best answer to this question. This bike is all typical BMW design, minus the class and physical size of the engine.
To make the BMW R 18 interesting for cruiser fans who love aftermarket and customization, BMW made the R 18 “easy to change” - that is, a good basis for customization both by the owner and in a custom workshop. The rear subframe is removable, and BMW is already ready to sell you a whole catalog of easy-to-install optional components.
What I liked
Exterior of the engine. Despite the cubic capacity and weight, this engine is designed to stand out. There are a lot of ugly engines being produced today - and this is not one of them. It is clearly and clearly different from engines that are designed to hide under the hood... and end up being installed on naked bikes.
Open cardan. I know that making it closed is more practical. However, the exposed nickel-plated driveshaft is such a clear reference to past BMW models that even the boxer engine fades into the background. The huge boxer is a first, but they've been making cardans from the very beginning, and putting an old-school cardan on a motorcycle is really going back to the roots.
Round cornering lights. An ingenious solution: a clever reflector, a clever diode, a couple of sensors - and here you have a classic style with a modern filling in an old-school headlight. It will be great to see how this system works.
BMW R 18 2021
What I didn't like
Landing. This is a virtual review, but I can roughly imagine how I would sit on it with my 180 cm. I can fit on almost any bike, sometimes my legs are a bit tight, and this one I'm sure is quite tight. But there are people much taller than me. I think the seating position is the biggest downside of a boxer cruiser.
Oil radiator. On a classic-style motorcycle, the casing looks extremely out of place. It might look good on a Harley-style bike, but on a bike whose design is a nod to a nearly century-old classic, it needed to be done differently.
Blown pipes. Fortunately, this option is not the only one, and graceful tapered pipes look much better.
BMW
After two concepts, a dozen leaks and almost a year of waiting, the Bavarians finally showed the production version of their new cruiser. The Bagger, apparently, will appear a little later, but in the official photos you can see a huge number of custom elements, thanks to which it will be possible to significantly transform the appearance of the R18.
In its press release, BMW very often mentions the R5 model, which appeared in 1936. Undoubtedly, the appearance of the R18 indicates that the cruiser is in many ways an homage to the legendary ancestor. A neat and laconic design is combined with modern equipment and “pleasant vibrations” of the engine.
The new engine is designated “Big Boxer” and is air-oil cooled. Together with the gearbox and intake, it weighs 110 kilograms (the curb weight of the entire bike is 345 kg). The working volume is 1,802 cubic meters, the cylinder diameter is 107.1 mm, the piston stroke is 100 mm. Maximum power - 91 hp. at 4750 rpm, maximum torque - 158 Nm at 3000 rpm. BMW also emphasizes that in the range from 2000 to 4000 rpm, more than 150 Nm of torque will be available to you.
The motorcycle is based on a steel tubular softail frame with a monoshock absorber under the saddle. Its stroke is 90mm. At the front there are stays with a diameter of 49 mm with strokes of 120 mm.
BMW describes the riding position on the R18 as classic for a boxer motorcycle, which allows you to ride both relaxed and active. You can install platforms instead of running boards from the accessories catalog. The saddle height in the basic version is 690 mm.
At the front, two brake discs with a diameter of 300 m are installed with four-piston calipers. The braking system is combined, and pressing the front brake lever will partially activate the rear brake, but the rear brake pedal will not affect the front one. In addition to ABS, the ASC stabilization system and MSR traction control system will be available in the base, which will protect you during a sudden start. Another electronic assistants are three engine operating modes, Rain, Roll and Rock. Rain softens throttle response, Roll is standard, and Rock is sporty.
BMW paid a lot of attention to accessories. Realizing that HD owners were accustomed to an extensive aftermarket, the Germans immediately agreed with Vance & Hance, Mustang Seats and Roland Sands design. At the start of sales, the following will be available: ape-hanger steering wheel, cast wheels, turned aluminum caps and little things, a single saddle “like my grandfather had in the Urals,” V&H mufflers, bags, windshields of different heights, as well as a lightweight bobber-style rear fender ”, which deprives you of a subframe and the ability to carry a passenger. With it, the level of authenticity increases by 5 R out of five. But it is better to choose spoked wheels, which will be offered with either a diameter of 16 at the front or 19.
In the US, the price tag for the R18 starts at $17,495 for the basic version. If you want an even more vintage look, an additional $2,375 gets you the First Edition package, which includes more chrome and painted tank stripes. In its home country, the R18 is currently only available as a First Edition for €22,800
UPD . I found the factory arches in the configurator. I am adding a screenshot (the quality is low, there is no other one). They are only a little wider than the pots, and definitely not higher in height.
