BMW R 18 takes aim at Harley

Germanic take on the American cruiser gets BMW's largest ever boxer engine and vintage looks

BMW Motorrad is apparently unfazed by the steady decline suffered by fellow motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson, as illustrated by its first all-new cruiser, the R 18. The machine boasts a boxer engine, producing – to quote the maker – “good vibrations” within a design that unashamedly tends the tastes of Harley fans. It comes at a time when HD’s sales are the lowest they’ve been since the recession, a trend BMW will obviously be hoping to contrast with this new laid-back model.

Not that the bike is some all-American pastiche, though, BMW tying much of the R 18’s simplistic, clean design to its boxer-powered R 5 sports bike of 1936. Indeed, the fuel tank and exhaust are very clearly inspired by that bike’s vintage lines, although the 1.8-litre twin-cylinder held within produces a very modern 91hp at 4,750rpm and, key to providing that cruiser character, 111lb ft of torque, available from 2,000rpm to 4,000rpm. As part of that, BMW says the “pulling power is combined with a full, resonant sound”, which may or may not sound like a Germanic take on a Harley.

The motor is mounted within a double-loop steel tube frame, in keeping with other classic frames from its lineage. The craftmanship is, of course, excellent, with neatly welded joints linking the steel tubes with cast or forged parts. The rear swingarm takes inspiration from that of the R 5, completing that classic cruiser stance that places the rider upright with their arms horizontally forward – something that’s traditionally accompanied by a leather jacket, riding goggles and facial hair.

For those wanting to maximise the image, at launch BMW’s bike division is offering two different design collections of milled aluminium parts, developed with motorcycle gear producer Roland Sands Design. The collections are named Machined and 2-Tone-Black, and do exactly what they say on the tin while retaining the cool, rebellious look that gave cruiser riders a degree of notoriety the world over throughout the second half of the 20^th century.

There are modern comfort features, too, with BMW equipping the R 18 with tech to offer three riding modes - Rain, Roll and Rock, which we take to be ‘soft, normal and sport’ in the way they alter the bike’s characteristics. There’s also standard-fit stability control, which can be fully turned off, engine drag torque control and even a reverse assist. No doubt useful on such a heavy bike will be the inclusion of hill start control as well. It all amounts to a bike that oozes retro cool but looks well placed to be a comfortable option as a daily ride – and priced from $17,495 (about £14.2k), it looks to be reasonably accessible, too.

Still, given Harley’s misfortunes, which include a share price down 46 per cent since 2015, BMW’s entry into this market might seem a little brave. Harley’s struggles have played out both at home and abroad, with US sales having fallen for five consecutive years, leading to the recent departure of former CEO Matt Levatich, who’s been replaced at the helm by board member Jochen Zeitz. Experts say that’s thanks to the brand’s outdated tech and core target market, mostly male customers from the boomer generation, slowly climbing off their bikes. But BMW clearly believes there’s still demand to be tended to here. It’ll be interesting to see if Motorrad can do what a pioneer of the American cruiser has failed to in recent times.

Read about the BMW R80 GS | PH2 Hero here