BMW Launches Powerful R18 Cruiser
Its two-cylinder “Big Boxer” is the German brand’s most powerful bike engine ever.
BMW Motorrad presented the Berlin-based marque’s biggest engine ever in an all-new cruiser model that’s oozing with cool retro style.
What’s the biggest BMW Motorrad engine?
At the core of the recently revealed and previously conceptualized BMW R18 is the formidable 1,802cc “Big Boxer” two-cylinder, which sends 91 horsepower and 116 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed gear box equipped with an anti-hopping single-disc clutch.
Functional and stylistic elements such as the double-loop frame, pear-drop tank, and the open-running driveshaft all hark to the legendary BMW R5 that first debuted in 1936. The R18 First Edition (pictured) doubles down on classic aesthetic touches with a more chrome a black finish with white pinstriped paintwork, a unique seat badge and a “First Edition” chrome clasp on the side covers.
Meanwhile, the standard R18 is available with two different design collections of milled aluminum parts—“Machined” and “2-Tone-Black”—created in collaboration with American performance brand Roland Sands Design, as well as a wide range of components from Original BMW Motorrad Accessories and handmade saddles by Mustang Seats. State-of-the-art LED lights surrounded by circular bezels add yet another classic touch.
Three adaptive ride modes—“Rain”, “Roll” and “Rock”—are ordered here from least aggressive to most. The standard trim also includes ASC (Automatic Stability Control), which adds another safeguard for less experienced riders. Other handy standard features include standard engine drag torque control (MSR), an optional reverse assist and Hill Start Control.
The standard BMW R18 will start at $17,495 and the First Edition at $19,870 when the first examples hit dealerships in September of 2020.
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