BMW R 18 Roctane Review: The Best Bike Nobody's Buying?

[@JustFiddlinAround09]

I've got a 2022 R18B and put right at 9,000 miles on it this year. So, I feel pretty confident in my review. I have to say that in my 40 years of riding, this is my favorite bike. It has a different feel than a lot of bikes but in a good way. As far as the lean angle, if you look at the specs it actually has 2 degree more lean angle than the street glide and road glide does. Some complain about the vibration above 3,500 rpm, simple fix keep it between 2 and 3K and it is butter smooth. The engine has so much torque that you really don't need to rev it out unless you are passing or just want to play.

[@OsakaMotorcycleTours]

I have been looking for a new bike for a few months and have it narrowed down to and R18 or an Indian Super Chief... I am leaning more towards the R18, I think...

[@EliAvital-jv4zs]

@@OsakaMotorcycleTourswhat did you end up taking?

[@OsakaMotorcycleTours]

@@EliAvital-jv4zs I am still deciding. I think the Super Chief. I need to test ride an R18 to be sure. I will most likely end up with a Super Chief Limited after all is said and done, though.

[@mikek1187]

You CAN put your feet on the cylinders while your going down the road just fine. They aren't as hot as you might think. However, BMW does make a footrest specifically that lets you rest your feet a couple inches above the cylinders. Also, if you get the front crash bar (like the bagger and Transcontinental models), you can buy normal highway pegs that swoop back, allowing you to kick your feet out further down, like a HD or Indian. Not sure if this is the reviewer who missed these details, or the BMW dealer who didn't tell him, but I wanted to set the record straight.

[@stephenhollingsworth9158]

I've had my R18 Standard for about a year now and I absolutely adore her. I havn't wanted to get the bagger yet because I love the look and the simplisity of the Standard R18, granted I did get all the bells and whistles which is a lot for this bike. I came off Harley cruisers before with forward-controls and I thought this would be the biggest issue but surprisingly I found that these mid-controls actually are very comfortable (but get the floorboards) and give me more confidence in the overall handling of the bike. In my opinion, it's the best bike in its class. It oozes character and the fit and finishes are top-notch. Because of the boxer engine, the handling is very nice. It just goes where you want when you want it to go. As the narrator was saying it is definitely underrated but I love that since hardly nobody has one, you can be one of the most unique guys on the road.

[@TremereTT]

Exactly , I think the fact that allmost no one has one makes you riding a unique motorcycle without doing any hand crafted customizing.

[@peterskeates509]

If you can lean it down till the heads scrape, dude it's already game over. I own a R18 100 year edition and have scraped the footrests but the heads are still way off the ground.

[@VentiMocha1Rasp]

I own an FE. You're absolutely right!

[@bobsullivan5714]

Yeah....This "reviewer" doesn't know much.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

@@bobsullivan5714 I'm gonna cut him some slack on the lean angle issue. The reality is that this motor is optimally placed. And I reckon' that Kse, the reviewer, was merely pointing out the perception. As peterskeates509 stated in his reply, scraping the heads means it's game over!

[@WilliamB.-ij6gl]

great review, I'm sold. and adding a thank you to the comment section; great to see intelligent feedback and opinions

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Spot on Kase with your assessment, BMW really did pull out all the stops & showcase their heritage with the R-18 line. I couldn't agree more that the Rocktane is built like a Swiss Time-piece and perhaps deserving of more consideration in the market-place. As an owner of a '98 Gold Wing Valkyrie Tourer, I see the R-18 as the successor to Honda's Valkyrie line-up. The similarities between both bikes are noteworthy such as their lack of plastic whereas the engine is the focal point and epicenter of the bike. While neither the Honda nor these BMWs are "best sellers" they both serve the brand as showroom floor "halo" models. And I can attest that the Valkyrie, for any owner, is the kinda bike that after it's parked, has you looking over your shoulder as you walk away. And I reckon' so does the Rocktane! Thanks again for posting and keep up the good work.

[@jettand11]

The issue for me with the R18s is the lack of legroom. Giant boxers and low cruiser seats are just a bad combination for leggy riders.

[@caryd67]

It’s true. I’ve been riding Goldwings which obviously have the same configuration, and it limits where I can put my long legs. If I could afford a brand new bike, I think I would go for the Triumph Speedmaster. Beautifully built, classic design, nice big parallel twin, and foot forward controls.

[@youneverknow1536]

Have an r18 not an issue, crazy comfortable ride.

[@nielsmeer]

I’m 6’4” and prefer the R18 to the feet forward Harley & Indians. Those put way too much pressure on my tailbone. If I want to stretch my legs, I just lay them on top of the cylinders for a few minutes. By far the most comfortable setup for a cruiser. I’ve had my bike a bit over 2 years now & it still gets the most miles out of the 5 bikes in my garage.

[@WW-wf8tu]

Nicely done Kase. This is the kind of review we need on the bikes you guys talk about. I like the bike. Obviously not a canyon carver. So lean is not important. It is not something I would think one would long distance on either. As you stated, you cannot stretch out your legs. But as a mid to short range ride experience, it looks great.

[@MarshallHodges-pd9xh]

😊

[@Xs395]

As someone with a deposit on a Black Storm Metallic Roctane, I've been keeping an eye on the inventories of the two closest dealerships. The first matte grey Roctane was assembled around August 10th, and there may have been one more allocated to the dealer between then and now. My bike has a VIN and has been marked as on a boat since November 3rd. Conveniently between it passed final quality check and transport BMW had their week long stop sale, which may have affected schedules. Otherwise, as someone who is voraciously consuming whatever is available from journalists and BMW, the answer is there has been almost nothing posted in English. BMW made their obligatory salvo and then proceeded to focus on their Adventure and sport money makers. We'll see.

[@Deetroiter]

It’s true…BMW motorcycles sell very well in the US…but for some reason, the R18 is a difficult sell. I live in a prime area with heavy BMW motorcycle ownership. Even here they discount brand new R18’s at the BMW dealership $8000-9000 off of MSRP. $11,000 or so for this bike is an absolute steal. No picture or video can do this bike justice. In person, it’s truly a gorgeous masterpiece and is quite regal. Only other bike I can think of that comes close to it is the Moto Guzzi California but they stopped selling it a few years ago. This R18 is certainly the current king of cruisers

[@nelsonphilip4520]

I too live in what I'll call a high-dollar motorcycle market and I've seen more 2024 H-D Road Glide & Street Glides than any heritage BMWs.

[@NYCZ31]

BMW says they are pleased with how many R18's have sold (around 20K units last year I think) so even if they arent selling many of them, they do seem to be a profitable line for BMW so far. Enough that they are still developing it and are now road testing the R20 engine

[@bsmukler]

It’s a stunning model in person, especially with the black chrome exhaust and details like the curved front of the tank and the super-retro gauge set into that nacelle-like headlight fairing. Wonderful design coupled with high quality construction.

[@Blunt44]

You can get leg rests above the cylinders with the highway bar

[@galatians22122]

You are so RIGHT! Just picked up a R18B For a Crazy low price with only 200 miles. Right now is the time to pick one up Low Miles pre-owned Search the net!

[@mohannedal-deen1583]

Driving my r18 fe for a year then got me a new 2023 R18B I love it awesome bike .

[@hoganapex11]

This bike and the R18B should put Harley on it's heels. It does everything and more that a Harley does for WAY less money. I have a pristine 78' BMW R80/7 and recently had someone see the bike and said, ' Nice bike, but I'm a Harley guy' Didn't own a Harley, but that mentality means they are missing out on some truly great bikes! His loss! Great review, keep them coming!

[@PaulGinAZ68]

Nice review and I think that the R18 platform is starting to gain more momentum in the market as the dealers figure out how to market it and BMW starts to be more aggressive with both the marketing and also, the pricing. I just purchased a leftover 2022 R18B and it has been somewhat of a mixed experience for me. The bike itself is great when you compare it to the class it competes in, but you have to frame this bike up in terms of how you use it. It is a cruiser and a mile muncher, not a peg scraper for the most part. I also have a 2020 R1250GS Adventure and I sometimes wish that my R18B was lighter and the engine more powerful.. but, the fit and finish on the R18B is way above the more expensive competitors in its' class.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Agree. Rather than capturing sales from H-D, I feel that BMW wanted to offer this model to their existing clientele so that those Beamer owners who want to add an American style cruiser to their motorcycle collection.

[@mldiode]

This bike screams sidecar!

[@JarmelSingsKaraoke]

😊 GREAT JOB KASE ... THANKS FOR THE RIDE

[@pwokaren]

The best looking bike on the market ⭐️🇦🇺

[@farmon2000]

As an American, I will pick America first, so I ride an Indian Springfield, but being of German ancestry, the R-18 is looking awfully sweet, especially with their reliability and undeniable genius design of sticking their cylinders out into the wind.

[@VentiMocha1Rasp]

Now you're thinking like a real American... ride one for your German grandparents!

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Agree! Kudos to BMW for "killing 2 birds with one stone"! They showcased their heritage with that audacious boxer motor and package it up into classic American cruiser style. It does, however, bug me that BMW has printed on the instrument dial or "clock face" ; Built In Berlin. While it wouldn't preclude me from buying one, I would get a customer made sticker to place over it which would read....American Owned & Operated!

[@JeepAndThings]

I love Big Bikes, and I cannot lie! 🙂 Saying that I have a 2014 Honda Valkyrie flat 6 1800cc that I love! Some Aftermarket exhaust, a small windscreen and away I go! This bike is intriguing, but I'll stick with the Big 6. Thanks for the Video. You should add some things like weight, a quick small comparison to other big bikes. Cheers!

[@nelsonphilip4520]

I only wish Honda had applied some "heritage" styling to the 2014 Valkyrie model.

[@m2menuiserie540]

An intelligent and objective appraisal of a bike that I am pleased exists but I would never dream of buying.

[@alextreitl584]

Hi . I have the 2022 r18 classic and I can say it’s a really great bike, fun to ride and yes if you want something what it’s not really common, but a good build bike , the r18 it’s the bikes… Ride safe everyone….

[@1320613]

It’s a great bike but you wouldn’t want it as your only bike. You need something to do the hard miles and then bring this out for special occasions. The seating position does look rather cramped which limits its use for touring but sunny days out for coffee and cake would be memorable.

[@richardkwast1882]

Bought a 2021 R18 Classic First Edition when discounts from MSRP reached 30% . That was the correct price for that beautiful, exceptionally finished cruiser. I also chose the Classic over the roadster based on the 16 inch wheel selection that helped cushion the ridiculous 3.5" rear suspension on these first models, and the thin sidewall 21 inch front wheel / tire on the roadster. Still leaves me with a very sore lower back over less than perfect pavement. The B and Transcontinental added an inch to the rear suspension to solve that issue, so I am surprised to see BMW returning to the 18/21/3.5" suspension & tire inch combination. Vibey motor and all, I am a sucker for the look, and still enjoy the occasional rides. Have a Milwaukee 8 Road King for serious distance riding and enjoyment (Fine Motor), and lighter bikes for the local twisties. But seriously BMW, my buyer demographic is extremely small, Why would you go there?

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Agree and well said. I gotta figure that BMW was targeting existing owners with offering a "heritage" model as a second bike.

[@groucho9748]

Its a bike for short people. Not every one who rides is 5'8". Where I live the Harley and BMW dealerships are in the same building and while waiting for my Road King to be serviced I threw a leg over the R1800 and at 6'3" it felt like my knees were nearly touching my elbows. Also the foot position is not a cruiser position. They built this bike to look good (which it does) but its a non starter for tall riders.

[@johnthompson9896]

Putting the 24 litre fuel tank on it from the transcontinental would help sales.

[@Getgoogly]

So it’s a big bad long range bike, with no windshield, and a display past the handlebars? I don’t get it. What happens if you want to take your long distance bike on long distances that may experience weather changes?

[@davedubeau9124]

Nice bike for sure. The only thing I find is that they put the speedometer in the wrong spot. They should mount it on the fuel tank and add a console

[@stephenhollingsworth9158]

It's a tribute to the 1930s R17 bike. Look it up, you'll appreciate what they've done a lot more once you see it.

[@Glitched-PanAmerica]

No repair manual, valves have to be adjusted every 6,000 miles , bmws service in my area is usually 2months out before they can get you in, and At $1,000 every 6,000 miles for service isn’t doable! Before you comment back saying “do the repairs/ service yourself “ not everyone is a mechanic and like I said they don’t sale a repair manual for the R18! owned one. It was a very fun and enjoyable motorcycle, besides the above statement!

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Bullseye! What's it like to live with an R-18 or any other BMW model once you've purchased it? And how would the ownership experience stack-up against rivals H-D & Indian?

[@skowmi5681]

Gonna trade in my 2020 1250 GSA for either the Rocktane or the bobber version.

[@Cst-dh7hn]

Really like BMW motorcycles and would like to own one. Issue is nearest dealer is a little over 100 miles away, they don't get good reviews, and the next dealer is about 140 miles away.

[@treeguyable]

Love my vtx 1800 shaft drive, they are cheap , and abundant. My Raider 1900 is great , too.

[@montecook5260]

Like vtx 1800 also but no cruise control

[@viperq]

I felt like this was an advert than a review.

[@tylerpoling5609]

Gotta keep the lights on somehow

[@nelsonphilip4520]

I feel the same too, but that's just the way of this industry so I don't hold anything against either TFL or BMW. That being said it is telling & a bit troubling how BMW feels that this bike is not meeting its sales target.🤔

[@NJPAS]

I heard that this R18 manage heat so well, not like HDs. The issue for me is the engine is like the reverse osmosis water tank, looks weird though.

[@Bladeoppscod]

The mid controls pushing you back seems like they would have made the instrument cluster closer to the rider seems like it would be difficult to lean over the engine to see how fast you are going

[@Bladeoppscod]

They had to do something different so it wouldn't look like a road king special

[@BrusselsSouth]

Any information about the R18/2 red coloured naked bike ?

[@brewer4599]

Love that black chrome exhaust and sounds great for factory pipes.

[@anthonyrstrawbridge]

Hottie! It's as fun to tune as it is to ride. I'd ride it hard in the afternoon then swiftly rack it and measure the valve clearance then again stone cold in the morning. Check the timing and start running through the maintenance items list straight away. You need to simply avoid trouble on this one; it pays to stay ahead of it.

[@huibertdegraaf9622]

It's just valve clearance to check nothing special. I set mine at 20.000 km check again at 30 and if good set them at 40.000 km. Don't need much maintenance

[@mattg5022]

I think this is a nice review, good info. We get to see many parts of the bike

[@joeguzman3558]

That motor looks 100% the best german quality it's a motorcycle you can have it in your living room or even bedroom because you want to keep looking at it all the time it's almost as if you're married to miss universe lol

[@drgeoffangel5422]

The German BMW bikes are quality engineered bikes, but very expensive! They are great toys for the rich!

[@walterlee3839]

I almost caused a hernia getting the thing off the kickstand. These bikes are ridiculously heavy off the kickstand. Loading one down with a passenger has to be fun.

[@basedury]

I think those wheels completely remove all the sophistication that the R18 has. It's like if James Bond wore Jordans with his suits.

[@angershark88]

Indian blows pathetic Harley out of the water, and in my opinion, the R18 is an even better bike than an Indian. I’ve ridden all of them. I want an R 18 so bad I can’t stand it.

[@carlosandleon]

the bmw doesn’t have to be popular- it just has to exist

[@ramondelosreyes3056]

Nor afford it either, they are not cheap, I want one too but a bit steep

[@brandt85able]

But not good for a 6,4 tall Guy ?

[@philc4520]

I traded in my 2022 Indian Chief Dark Horse on a new 2024 R18.

[@bwkern3]

​@@brandt85able I'm 6'4 and I have one of the standard model R18 1st editions. I would recommend if you're going to buy one buy The Roctane, bagger or transcontinental stay away from the standard or classic because they're much smaller compact riding position. I have had to spend a little bit of money to make mind comfortable for me. Those 3 bikes were not available when I bought mine and I wasn't gonna buy it at first. but I got it for $13000 brand new and it was a first edition and stickered at $22000.

[@CorvetteGuy912]

Have an S1000RR and 749s monoposto. Pretty sure this is my next bike

[@Bikerbug2020]

The bad thing about the Beemer is no room for those of us over 6’3”, the jugs are real limiting factor IMO

[@nielsmeer]

Hmm… I’m 6’4” and find the R18 more comfortable than any Harley or Indian I test rode. You need to actually ride them, not just look at pictures. I’ve owned mine for over 2 years now & it is my go-to bike in my garage.

[@scubatrucker6806]

Great looking Bike🖤🩶🖤🩶🖤

[@mohannedal-deen1583]

I owned both classic and the B model awesome bikes. I'll stick with it for a long time until I find something better .

[@DM-ci2nn]

I bought one a month ago. I love this bike. I'll never part with it

[@Ray-he4oe]

Someone with some taste among the unlearned. Great choice!

[@TwoHawksHunting]

The BMW R-18 is a nice looking bike. I wonder why it only has 90 HP? An engine of that size could easily produce 100 - 110hp. Maybe it would produce too much vibration, harshness, and heat with more HP.

[@asianconservativelawyer1531]

Good question, basically it’s a 2 cylinder 1800cc, to put in perspective Honda civics are 1400cc spread out amongst 4 cylinders. The advantage of more cylinders is faster rpm, because it doesn’t take long for the fire to ignite and spread across the piston head. This bmw has pistons 4 inches in diameter. Fire will only travel as fast as it wants to travel. So rpm have to be low. The equation of horsepower is TxRPM/5252. This means that Hp is directly associated with how fast the crankshaft spins

[@got2kittys]

BMW can build the oilhead motor with a torque tuning. I have a 1200C, same basic build. Low RPM, lower total Hp, but lots of torque at every speed. It eats miles effortlessly. Not a sportbike, but designed for highway cruising. It does that perfectly. Also, they are high mileage engines, they seldom are stressed in normal riding.

[@nielsmeer]

Torque and HP are related by RPM. Other engines with higher top HP have lower torque but a higher top RPM. It’s a choice of tuning based on the application. A sport bike needs more HP to have top speed, but you won’t be going 150MPH on a cruiser, so torque is more important. Then you get into physical limitations as a long stroke motor (which gives high torque) can’t have high RPM as the parts would have to move very quickly compared to a shorter stroke motor.

[@IKnewMickey]

Are the cylinder heads going to produce so much heat that you'll regret riding this bike all summer? I've never ridden a BMW.

[@huibertdegraaf9622]

I own a r18b and no heat coming of that motor. It has to be pretty damn hot with a headwind so you can feelwarm air coming up from it. Cyl heads stay cool you can put your legs on it no problem.

[@kentee4957]

I ride my R18 in over 95 degrees and surprisingly not hot

[@nielsmeer]

No, the cylinders being out in the airflow are cooled far more effectively than a v-twin, especially the rear cylinder in that case. I have 3 boxer engine motorcycles and don’t have an issue on any of them, ranging from my “small” 750cc R75/5 to the big 1800cc on my R18.

[@tjf2258]

This Bikes a keeper. Feels and rides more different than anything on the road…relaxed classic. Love the looks of the Roctane but at my age the R18 Classic is just about perfect…not a fairing type rider. Only thing the bike needs is a fuel gauge…totally weird thing BMW left off the bike

[@juanmaldonado3281]

THE. BEST. REVIEW. EVER. TNKS.

[@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel]

Good video :)

[@AntZvonick]

BMW builds The Best Motos on planet Earph...

[@ADSCoachSimonB2112]

Best bike in the cruiser range at this time and nobody in the USA is buying. The new line of nine T revams and R12 should arrive in Jan 24

[@a99miata]

my big turn off was the awkward weight at slow speed or parking lot positioning. great on the road but a pain slow speed

[@stephenhollingsworth9158]

I found it the opposite. Because of the boxer engine being so well-balanced, I can crawl mine at about 2 mph without even dropping a leg.

[@nielsmeer]

If you are not used to a big heavy bike with a long rake, it is true it will feel awkward. My Vespa is better than my R18 Classic at slow speed, but it’s the length of the bike that limits the turning circle, not the balance. My S1000R on the other hand has such a limited turning lock, I find that the most annoying bike I own for slow speed and parking lots. My R18 is much easier than the sport bike.

[@Yelwas]

test rode this 4 Sept 2024 front brake very weak, no feel from the lever, and it was nearly touching the handle bar !!! rear brake very difficult to apply pressure, downwards with floorboards fitted. the speedometer was built into the headlight, nice feature but its too flat, and difficult to see (its not pointed at the rider, its pointed at the sky) at 80 to 90 speed, the wind was very turbulent, and plenty of wind noise (same the crash helmet on the HD Sport Glide and similar speed, very quite and clean air, not turbulent) suspension was very hard at the rear, and not forgiving at all. NOT recommended by me!!

[@ilikelampshades6]

Cruisers have never been that popular, usually because of the lack of performance, heavy weight and high costs. But for those in the market for a cruiser I'm glad this bike exists because there's only really Royal Enfield, Triumph and Kawasaki making them.

[@nielsmeer]

Unless you count American bikes like the Harley & Indian. Globally, it’s true cruisers aren’t that popular, but in the US where TFL is based, cruisers are very common.

[@ilikelampshades6]

@nielsmeer I've never seen an Indian bike on the road in my life and only a few HDs. I am based in Europe though tbf. American cruisers in particular are not great for Europe. They're far too big and heavy and can't corner very well. Very different to North America

[@nielsmeer]

@@ilikelampshades6 In general it’s true the big cruisers don’t handle well. But, my R18 Classic handles far better than the Harleys & Indians I test rode. It’s not as good as my S1000R of course, but it does surprisingly well on twisties. I mostly ride my bikes on backroads similar to Europe rather than the giant American highways, probably why all the bikes in my garage are European.

[@ilikelampshades6]

@nielsmeer horses for courses. The roads you ride dictates how good the bike is for that job

[@PabloCruise1]

I won’t consider this bike until it gets a larger gas tank!

[@TakeTimeToRide]

As the previous owner of an R18 be warned the 5000k mile service is an eye watering 1500$ and no BMW does not sell you a repair manual.

[@stuartosborn4785]

Jesus ! That dealer saw you coming ! I purchased a service pack in the UK for a 1st service plus 3 annual services for less than that

[@nielsmeer]

Depends on your dealer. I had the 6K service done on my R18 and it was about $700. The 6K is an oil change, check the valves and replace fluids. If your dealer charged $1500, they ripped you off. The cylinders are sticking out, it’s the easiest engine configuration to do valve checks & adjustments on.

[@MHeadroom]

Having owned BMWs in the past I can attest to the fact that you get raped at the dealer for service costs.

[@ФедорГлебов-ч2ф]

In Russia the price for bike is much higher (no discounts), but 5y warranty and 5y free service included

[@SprSonik13]

R18 is on the shortlist to join my R NineT next year. Triumph Rocket 3 is the other contender.

[@alp3781]

Before you spend money on the R18, please ride the Rocket 3 GT. IMO, 10 times more worth it. Surly, more practical.

[@Acmegamer]

"The best bike"? Can't take you serious due to that statement right off the bat.

[@kellyco4139]

A beautiful and magnificent piece of machinery 😎

[@QuietStormX]

Sharp and love the design of Engine! ;-D

[@chrisdooley1184]

How do they get so few horsepower from 1,802cc? That should be an easy 150-160hp all day wouldn’t you think?

[@popanimation1]

It is air cooled, only two cylinders, and torque oriented rather than horsepower focused. That is a lot of mass to be moving back and forth in the cylinder heads. Along with the air cooled, if it made 150 to 160 horsepower then the engine would get insanely hot, especially in traffic. Its design is more comparable to a truck for long hauling rather than a speed missile.

[@huibertdegraaf9622]

No different then harley davidson. Build for torque not hp

[@Kahless00]

"hi i dont know how engines work but im an expert and im ignoring the type of bike this is and the bmw s1000RR"

[@charlesrocks]

This is a phenomenal bike. I love it

[@alp3781]

To look at, the R18 is a very nice bike. Beautiful drive shaft. To ride, no leg room, if you are tall, don't even try to ride it. Low seat, boxers remind me a prop plane. The bike shakes like a drink mixer when idle. Some may like it, I hated it. This machine can't be ridden for a long trip, not alone work commute. By the time you get the option you want, might as well buy a Goldwing.

[@nielsmeer]

I’m 6’4” and ride my R18 Classic with no issues. The stock seat is too narrow, but the Weekender I added addressed that. If I’m touring, I throw an Airhawk on and gain an extra inch or so. But for day rides, it’s fine without the Airhawk. I did 200 miles on Sunday on mine. I have no issue with leg room at all. If I want to stretch, I throw my legs on top of the cylinders for a few minutes, but 95% of the time I find the mid controls more comfortable. Idle is meant to be rough if in Rock mode. If you don’t like that, switch it to Roll and it’s smooth.

[@alp3781]

@@nielsmeer Man, well I am glad for you. I still don't know how you are comfortable and we are same height. I am 34 inseam. I felt strange with my hip and legs just doing a nice test run for like 1/2 an hour.

[@drunkbikewrenchen6400]

Considering the rather large displacement, they’re not getting a lot of power out of it.

[@nielsmeer]

Like most big capacity twins, they are tuned for torque, not high RPM. Power is simply torque times RPM. My S1000R is 160HP from 1000cc, but about 80lbft of torque, while my R18 is 90hp and 116lbft of torque.

[@taurusironcloud9397]

Yeah, I'm getting one of those, super cool and I don't wanna ride what everyone else ha, everyone I know is on a Harley lol, so boring, I'm getting the BMW, I already ride a GS750, also super dope.

[@KDSchiester]

After riding a GS for decades, hopping on the R18, was not fun. An absolutely uncomfortable bike for long distance.

[@EssexCountyPhoto]

Twenty two grand. And if you're tall, no leg room. Absolute joke.

[@PeterEndelt]

Beautiful bike 🙏🙏🙏

[@Posttraumaticgrowth]

Road king special!

[@GrampsD63]

Well at over $25K it's not exactly a budget friendly ride. Maybe that's why sales are a bit slow.

[@Ray-he4oe]

Your way out on your prices. Check again you could pleasantly surprised. BTW, I'm presently looking to add a second R18 to the stable.

[@GrampsD63]

@@Ray-he4oe New in SoCal they're $22k so not that far off. I could almost buy 3 Enfield Super Meteors for that much

[@ФедорГлебов-ч2ф]

All R18 range are super bikes!

[@got2kittys]

It seems too heavy, what does it weigh? I have a 650 lb. BMW machine now, it's plenty.

[@nielsmeer]

The Roctane is over 800lbs. My R18 Classic is 805 with the windshield & bags on. My GSA is 560, while my Vespa is 350lbs. The R18 is certainly tougher to move around the garage than the Vespa, but given my GSA is much taller, it’s about the same feeling moving them around.

[@rd4k04]

The torque was very disappointing and the handling was ponderous. I was expecting more considering it has similar torque figures to my gl1800.

[@doxydoxdelamanca9902]

The sales numbers are bad. That's why BMWF offers 0% finance + 3 mos no payments. They're trying to push these things, but they challenge is pulling those HD diehards away from their HDs. Tall order. I have a '21 R18c that I picked up heavily discounted and I am happy with the buy. Easy to maintain; oil change, rear diff and gearbox service are easy to work on.

[@DonutLord32]

I can't say I've seen any on nz roads yet. Most I've seen are Harleys, indians or a Japanese cruisers

[@weaselman24]

Rode one. That engine just gets in the way too much. It's cramped for taller riders.

[@billysbility]

Nice bike but STOP waving your hands in the air when going through intersections. U gotta be ready to break or maneuver around some SUV's being driven by Karen that dont see you.

[@joemann3536]

its German! it a precision German machine... built in Berlin

[@SuperPlastered]

I sat on one, but my shins hit the cylinders. No bueno.

[@MHeadroom]

Depreciation is an absolute killer. 🥴 Second hand and heavily discounted would be my only consideration, but naah, not for me even at a heavily discounted price. It’s just not a cruiser tourer with that size fuel tank and no fuel gauge. And as for around town, well good luck commuting and filtering lanes of traffic on that barge.

[@cg1288]

Under 5 gallon fuel tank and no fuel-gauge. Love the bike, but that is just stupid BMW.

[@willmann30]

Definitely should be at least 6 gallon, fuel gauge, adaptive cruise, auto dimming headlight, dynamic system shiftable on the fly and definitely batwing windscreen with Nav and infotainment. And the boxer engine is cool but inline 5 or 6 would be more practical.

[@nielsmeer]

Fuel gauges are only accurate when full and empty. Trip meters work perfectly fine. My low fuel light on my R18 Classic comes on right around 130 miles on the tank with the way I ride. I aim to refuel by around 150 miles on the tank. But, if you are sedate or riding highway, the low fuel light will come on later. I’ve gone as much as 173 miles and still only put in 3.7 gallons. Low fuel light comes on when there is about 1 gallon remaining or about 40-50 miles of range depending on MPG. All my bikes with fuel gauges I still use the trip meter on since they aren’t all that helpful.

[@cg1288]

@nielsmeer I disagree. I have owned over 40 bikes in my life, including the R18 Classic. Any bike I ever owned with a fuel-gauge was accurate. Yes, you can use the odometer/mpg/calculator method, and I have. The problem comes when you haven't ridden a bike for a while and have no recollection of when it was last fueled. Any bike that has a factory windshield or factory saddle bags should have a fricking fuel-gauge and at least a 5 gallon tank. I will stick to my guns on that. Shame on BMW. I bet BMW doesn't make a "touring sedan" with a 10 gallon tank and no fuel-gauge.

[@nielsmeer]

@@cg1288 I’m not saying the tank shouldn’t be bigger. But, if you use a trip meter, it doesn’t matter if you don’t remember when you last fueled it. You know exactly how many miles you’ve done and how many you probably have. It’s far more accurate than any fuel gauge. With oddly shaped tanks, most gauges are inaccurate. They may show near full for many miles and then suddenly drop to less than 1/4 tank. If a gauge is between 1/4 and 1/2, how many miles do I have left? Is it 40, 60, 80, 100? How is that useful? Whereas, if my trip meter on my R18 is at 100 miles, I know I’ve got about 70 miles left to empty. So if you choose to fill up at 1/2 tank or 1/4 tank, just pick the miles that match that & you know exactly how many miles till then. I have a 50 year old motorcycle that not only doesn’t have a fuel gauge, it doesn’t have a trip meter. I have to open the tank stopped at a light and see how full the tank is to gauge when I need to refill. I’d be much more annoyed if a modern bike didn’t have a trip meter than a fuel gauge. Having to choose between them, I’d take a trip meter every day over a fuel gauge. I understand some people love fuel gauges, but to me I want to know how many miles I can go till I need to refill, not the rough percentage of fuel remaining in the tank. On my R18 C, I expect to be empty around 170 miles, so I aim to refill at 150 miles. Looking at the trip meter, I know exactly how many miles I can go until I need a gas station.

[@britishbrotherschannel7884]

If you flick through the menu, it will say if it needs filling or if it's full.

[@chained_1969]

Beauty ❤❤❤❤❤

[@danlonick800]

1- drop it once & you will damage the engine. 2- you can’t ride with your legs extended. Pretty good reasons not to own one despite the good quality of the vehicle.

[@shortyg9399]

how the hell do you read the speedo that far.

[@janosistvan5226]

I like the engine... and bike but I'd like to see in in a Trike or Bug... LOL

[@KaypangAsli]

Psychology number: under 100hp.

[@ianwright3971]

Size for the sake of it....

[@daveroush4896]

Looks like a nice bike,. But my preference would be Harley-Davidson. I guess I am a little biased, since I already own one.

[@brushcreek]

Handsome until you realize that there are no forward controls and it’s not as sporty as other “classics” with mid controls (like the Triumphs). It’s the worst of both worlds.

[@599Dan]

So many better options for the price

[@14489]

I like everything on this bike except the ridiculous huge horizontal cylinders exactly where the pegs need to be on a cruiser. totally stupid and unnecessary gimmick just to stand out as a brand. the horizontal vibrations in high revs are no fun tho

[@bensmith7536]

Theres no substitute for tank capacity...... give a cruiser a peanut tank. /facepalm

[@JamesJacobson-ov4ps]

These are so cheap on cycletrader right now

[@Kahless00]

no tach? cmon man.

[@chibiwibi]

It's one of the screens you can select on the digit readout on the speedometer.

[@Ray-he4oe]

that's because the tach is digital

[@JuanMaldonado-ik8lg]

BMW lost its luster a long time ago. There are a lot better and less expensive motorcycles in the market. Not to mention, the maintenance on these motorcycles is for rich people pocket.

[@Ray-he4oe]

Yes, there are a lot of "less quality" motorcycles in the market