Rock "n Roll Thunder
It would appear that Harley-Davidson has pretty much cornered the market on big-bore two-cylinder cruisers. Many other manufacturers have tried to stray into this market segment with varying levels of success but have always fallen just short of capturing the essence of what the HD represents. The bruiser cruiser, a large capacity two-cylinder bike became a rather hotly contested arena a few years back with behemoths such as the Kawasaki Vulcan, Suzuki Intruder and Yamaha Road Star all putting in a strong fight against the American machine.
The bulk of the offerings came from Japanese builders, and for the most part, still do, but it was now time for the Germans to get in on the act. Naturally, BMW had to go big, really big and brought us this, the R18 Classic, a monster of a 1800cc two-cylinder machine, in their own inimitable fashion. We were happy to spend a week cruising the highways and byways on this black and chrome First Edition throwback and this is what we found.
Styling
There is no mistaking where the R18 has pulled its inspiration from, it's big, long(2.5m), and draped in chrome. The First Edition is resplendent in high gloss black paintwork which is the perfect accompaniment to the chrome trim. The R18 becomes a classic model with the fitment of a tall highway screen, saddlebags, extra LED spotlighting, floorboards, heel/toe shifter, a smaller than normal front wheel, and the First Edition badging. The drawcard here is the giant engine sitting barely inside the frame that hints at the history associated with the R nameplate
Tech
This is a BMW after all so although the Classic looks, well, classic, it is bristling with rider tech. There is a decided lack of high-tech interfaces here with a single round binnacle featuring a traditional speedo needle but within that is a small digital gauge that tells you which ride mode you are in. The R18 is equipped with three ride modes, rather aptly named Rock, Roll, and Rain. These are used during needed performance, handling, or when the weather turns.
Engine and drivetrain
The 1800cc twin-cylinder engine is hard to miss on the R18, starting this thing is a life-altering experience in itself. Pushing the start button, you will be greeted by a throaty growl and a great deal of torque that will almost pull the handlebars out of your grasp if you aren't expecting it. The engine produces 67kW and an eye-watering 158Nm, power is delivered via a 6-speed sequential transmission and shaft drive to the 185/16 rear tyre. One of the standouts of the Classic is that the front wheel is also 16" piece in 130 section adding the big heavy brutish look.
Let's ride
Before you take off the first thing you notice is the ergonomics, you don't feel stretched out, leaned over or cramped up. Rider posture is almost straight up and down with one's feet firmly planted on the floorboards at a very comfortable height. With the engine chugging away and kicking the trans in gear, you will be greeted with a mechanical thunk as the gear engages. The low down torque is very apparent, feeling almost as if you could pull away in fourth gear.
This makes one feel as if you are being ushered along by a giant unseen spectre and a further twist of the throttle will see you approaching the horizon at a rapid rate. Once you are moving the 365kg wet weight all but disappears while you glide along. With such a large engine sitting low down in the frame cornering is easy but, due to its low slung design, the lean angle is minimal.
Models and Pricing
| BMW R18 | R 324 400 |
| BMW R18 Classic | R 364 100 |
| BMW R18 Transcontinental | R 433 209 |
| BMW R18 Bagger | R 403 759 |
* Base prices, correct at time of publishing
Verdict
The R18 Classic First Edition is a fantastic piece of kit, the question though is can it rival its American brethren? I would say that it is every part a better-equipped motorcycle and definitely is a better talking point at your local breakfast run, but it falls short when it comes to the overwhelming weight of brand awareness. The R18 stacks up well but unless you want something completely different from everything that is out there, the HD will win time and time again purely in the brand stakes.
