As a former Harley and Indian owner, I love my current R18 B. I was concerned with the foot position, but it has turned out to be a non issue. I'm 5'10" and I run out of fuel before my legs cramp up. Personally, this checked all the boxes of what I was looking for. There were things about the Harley and Indian that drove me to BMW and I'm glad I made the switch. I feel like this bike is a great option for anyone who's not married to the big 2 of American style cruisers.

Together with a buddy I rented two R18s from our local BMW dealer for a day and it was awesome. We turned a lot of necks on those things. I don't think a single biker passed us without giving a compliment that day. The R18 is an absolute eye-catcher.

I own one and I'm 6'4", 220lbs. I've ridden it from full until empty 3 times a day and feel fine. The seating position is actually not bad at all. Wind noise sucks, but I've yet to ride anything other than an RT, where it doesn't.

The reviews I’ve seen from people who have actually ridden it, loved it.

This bike will sell, it looks weird and it is expensive. There are enough lawyers and dentists out there.

There's one demographic you forgot about: The old guys who have 6-12 of the old 50's, 60's and 70's air-cooled BMWs sitting in various states of disrepair in their garages/barns and think this bike hits just the right nostalgia buttons while also not breaking down on them every time the want to ride across the state.

I like my R18 classic, I am 5 feet 10 inch, on long trips if I set back on the seat there is no problem. the massive amount of torque is like having a new form of turn help. This and setting much lower going down the road. I feel much more secure. The turning radius in a parking lot is wide. I have a 1200cc HD sportster and the big difference is with the sportster it was always vibrating parts loose or breaking down costing me money in 3 years. When at a stop sign i was on my toes, when in a turn i felt i was on a unicycle compared to the R18 that hugs the turn.

“Putting strawberry jam on a burger or sugar on your fries” Americans: am I a joke to you

I really like it. I will buy one used in two years...Love the look.

Probably will be ending up one of the most expensive and sought after bikes.

Honda: Check out the Valkyrie Rune! BMW: Hold my beer...

Just one quibble: I've had a burger with peanut butter and jelly on it, and it was surprisingly tasty.

Man I love the look of this thing

It may not be relevant, but I seem to remember a lot of people who thought the R9T would be a flop when it was first out.

My buddies BMW spent more time in the shop then on the road. Very expensive bikes to fix and good luck finding dealers close by on a long trip.

I own an R1200c and love it . For my 50th in December I’m getting the R 18. I see your point but I’m 5’8”! Very comfortable for my size Test ride was AMAZING

Can't wait to pick one of these up for $5K in two years time

I pre-ordered one.

Over the years, worked up to 1800cc and 900 lbs, now I'm back down to a 750cc and 500 lbs, what a relief! Also, as the body and streets get older, having feet under you turns your legs into 2 additional shock absorbers and keeping your back and core engaged will extend your riding career.

DISAGREE. Valid points, but I ultimately disagree. I am 6' 3" (1.9m) and 230 lbs (104kg), and I have been riding mid-controls exclusively for the better part of the last decade. FXDLS all day. I LOVE mid-controls. I am able to adjust my weight easier because my feet are under me, I feel that I have better control of my bike, and I feel that I can be way more aggressive than if I had forward controls. Granted, on long cross-country rides, having mids sucks on a cruiser, but that's where my highways bars (engine guard) come to the rescue. But in town, in the twisties, or basically anywhere other than extended highway riding, mids are far superior. So I disagree with your argument against the R18 having mid-controls. The fact that it does, is what has piqued my interest as a buyer. The pipes, on the other hand, are outrageous. I'm with you there. But that's why you go hit a custom shop and swap your pipes. Usually, that's custom part numero uno for any rider, so I see that as a non-issue. The market clientele for this bike is cruiser riders that want something different; riders that want a bike with exquisite styling that isn't seen everywhere. Practicality matters, but style reigns supreme. In other words... fashion is pain. and rule number is: Look Cool.

So u think you're smarter than BMW's marketing people and their consultants? Seriously, this probably wasn't meant to be high volume bike, and dudes with money who like nice toys and like bikes will buy enough of them

That's a beautiful motorcycle, I would totally buy that. 👍🏻

I'm buying the BMW R 18. I also think you're 100% correct. I've owned only Suzuki V-Stroms previously, purchased my 2008 V-Strom 650 lightly used at 18 years old, and upgraded to the liter back in 2015, also used. I come from that Florida Harley family that you quite aptly described, so I was always the odd man out. I've been contemplating a cruiser for a few years now, having grown tired of my well performing, reliable, and frankly rather ugly bike (although I love it). Harley's didn't interest me much (with the exception of the Livewire - but I'll wait until that market is more mature). Indian almost drew me in, but something about them always seemed a bit... off. I can say with all honesty that the R 18 has kindled an excitement in me that a new bike hasn't done in... well... ever. I know it'll have a horrible turn radius. I know I could get far more bang for my buck elsewhere. Heck, I've ridden V-Stroms for the past 13 years! I'm the exact opposite customer they're looking for! But, what can I say? The R 18 excites me, and I can't really describe why: all I can say is that I accept that you're right. And that I'm going to buy one anyway! Maybe it's because I'm short. Ha! Thanks for the thoughts and I love you vids :)

if Siegfried would drive a bike to the dragon's lair to save his beloved Brunhilde,....This would be the bike !

Loved the “outside a Starbucks” comment. So true.

The Nine T was a throwback and it became their best selling model for a bit before the GS series caught back up. They will sell. Hipsters eat this up

"Softtail lowrider - a beautiful bike" - LOL

You got the point. However the fact that not everyone is going after, it’s beautiful to look at and it’s a BMW, I bought one and I LOVE it! My other bike is HD Street glide special but the beemer is much more fun to ride.

You're probably right about this being a piece of art. One condition for art is it does not serve a purpose. Art exists outside of usefulness. So yes, it's art! They'll sell into collections.

I really like the look, and obviously the Sound (boxer ❤️). Would choose this over a HD.

BMW means Bring My Wallet,,I have been working on BMW cars for years,,good for the first 4 years then they are plagued with electrical problems,,I know so many people who hate the bloody things,,even the dealerships cant fix them.

I don’t think this guy has actually ridden one. The problem with forward controls is that every bump is transmitted directly to your spine - very smooth roads are required. The lower the seat then the more likely the spinal damage. I love Harleys but the heat coming out of that rear cylinder fries your inner thighs on hot days and in slow traffic. This R18 looks sensational. Nice to sit on I found but too heavy for me. It seems they’re not moving from the dealers so there may be some bargains around.

I think this bike is a promising platform for modification. Also, new products are always a risk. Wait and see.

I love my 1975 R60 because it is simple easy to work on, tho you don't have to work on it cause it is so well engineered. Also if it tips over, i don't have to get someone to help me pick it up. I don't think i will ever get another motorcycle. the new bmws are beautiful, but i am happy with what i got.

It's pretty, but the huge cylinder heads directly in front of your shins might be a bad thing. Not to mention cooking them while riding. Oh, and it's not a Harley.

You are wrong. I would love to have one. :-)

They already sold out on their website, well, at the dealership near me. I think it's a very nice bike, with its own unique character. BMW has their own style, and that bike will be on the biker scene, for sure!

If I was in the market for a motorbike, I'd buy a Triumph T120. Plenty of power, seats two, classic design with modern technology.

I fell in love at first sight. I bought it without a test ride. I’ve had a lot of Harleys but this is the best so far. I am 6.1” with a 32” inseam. I did replace the seat with a heated Corbin that made a big difference in comfort.

If I have that amount of money, I would buy it as a second bike! Looks great and so comfortable to ride...

Maybe their trying to tap into the Triumph Bobber success over the Harley cruiser failures of late.

perfect platform for a sidecar, reverse gear , nice job...

Some people can t stand the notion of owning something that isn’t popular , for others that s the major attraction.

Im no German, but as an Austrian I feel that I am in a position to say that your pronounciation is actually rather good.

Your last point is the most important one. I saw it in Toronto and just couldn't tear my eyes away. The bike is for people who are loaded and want shortish rides on on 2 wheeled porn!

Wings? It’s a Boxer dude!

I tried hard to like it, but his comments are spot on, I can't get used to the lack of forward controls and the inability to move ones foot forward or move around on the boards. I think after a 3 hr ride you would be locked up. Sad deal as it is a nice bike with loads of tech, but the Moto Co has nothing to worry about, they have boards w/ forward controls.

WOW..at 7:25 ...take a look on how those legs are super flexed downward / backwards. How long one can stay on that position???

Looks beautiful! I'd buy one.

There is part of me that doesn't like the cylinder heads being the first think to hit the pavement if it goes over.

niche premium beautifully made and i want one ( 66 year old delinquent.)

Gonna be expensive! But it is beautiful....

This feels like they went through the whole process of bringing it to manufacture and got it to the point where it was too late to go back before someone put a rider on it and they realized "We've made a terrible mistake"

The only thing that can't be changed is the foot controls, unless you fit the optional Weber leg roasting trays above the cylinders. The build quality looks exceptional, as you would expect. I think it would be fine for a weekend ride with your buddies not far out of town, and not wanting to cross a continent on it. It will get plenty of looks and comments from people out the front of a cafe on Saturday morning, that alone is enough to sell bikes in some cases. I wouldn't buy one, but I can see the appeal in it and would love to study one parked somewhere, each to their own I guess. That's what makes motorcycling fun.

There is a law in germany you need a reverse gear above a specific weight. About the FW 190 designed by Kurt Tank: The liquid cooled engines outperformed the radial engine. But you don't have an coolant system, which is important as those are pretty vulnerable and can't be armored. Furthermore Tank used electric wires and servos instead of a hydraulic system for the control surfaces. That system was much tougher when taking damage.

heres the issue I see with them trying to snag the cruiser market. You cant put your feet forward for more cruising comforts.

No one: BMW: Remember the r1200c? People liked that, right... right? In all honestly I absolutely love it though 😂

The most beautiful bike in the world was the concept. This final product is just banal.

BMW is just developing this machine, great start in the BMW market ! An old saying ( Different Strokes for Different Folks ) BMW will survive , not sure if different spokes will ?

Every time I head into my local BMW dealer, another R18 appears alongside the others that appeared before. They must have 8 of them in there. Maybe it’s just this Texas market, but I tend to agree with this reviewer - a beautiful bike that would be a fantastic museum piece or an interesting adornment in an office lobby.

OMG! "Gynecological exam chair", priceless, you have no idea! :)

There will be aftermarket exhaust systems and other stuff to customize your bimmer bike

I sat on the R18Bagger in the dealership and fell in love instantly ( all blacked out ). I am 5.5 and could flat foot comfortably so I traded my Harley street Glide. They had a super deal for me.. When I picked it up on a Friday and drove it home i was upset because I hated it. By Saturday I had learned to ride it properly (shift changes and Braking) and made it fit me and I started to like it. By Sunday I was I love with it and so Happy.. I drove 4 hours straight and found I had no aches and pains because of the riding position. Turns out, putting your feet up , rounds the back and creates pain.. The mistake I made was expecting it to be a Harley Its not! The Fit and finish is amazing.. The handling is far beyond my Harley once you get comfortable.. The Marshall sound system is great.. the screen works Spotify and maps fantastically.. Fuel Mileage is in the mid 50's (54 ish Canada ,47 ish USA).. I got a 6 year unltd mileage full warranty. I got features I couldn't even get on a Harley at 10 k more. The boxer engine is nearly 100 years old and this bike is a celebration of the "R" series from the 20's and 30's BMW is not interested in stealing Harley customers, they are celebrating their own heritage.....I am 64 and have owned 58 bikes of all brands and styles . BMW sales are up 21% with the R series responsible for half that upswing. When I go to a coffee shop where there is lots of Harley guys , out of a group of 10, 2 will come over and ask questions and the rest will cross their arms and grumble.... Hilarious!! So.. I am very happy with my Bagger and I am very happy to have something different .

Its gonna be a gamble of which bike is gonna sell worse, the Harley Pan America or the BMW R18

I agree with you completely. People who like the style of traditional American heavy weight motorcycles buy Harley's and Indians. People who like Harley's style but won't pay the big bucks for one or can't afford one, buy cheaper Japanese Harley look alikes. BMW tried to make a cruiser with the R1200 C from 97 to 2004. Though it did not look anything like a Harley, It was a total failure. I just don't see the market for the R-18.

"That's a small crowd of people." Dude, that's all of China.

I am 5'5" and I love mine. Yeah, I am a small person and this bike is a blast to ride. It feels like an old-time bike as you look over the handlebars. No one EVER will like every bike or every feature. Find what fits you as a style and power. I have owned over 20 bikes now I did not pay more than a Harley. He is right but it is a rolling piece of art. It will never outsell a Harley but I don't think it was meant to.

Best bike ever created

Well, their sales are extremely good especially in US. This is by far the highest quality cruiser/bobber in the market now :)

There was a motorcycle journalist here in Oz in the '80s who had an R75/5 with fishtail pipes on it, just to upset the purists.

To answer the question...... why BMW? THE ROLLS ROYCE OF MOTORCYCLES!

Sugar on fries is a thing btw. No dipped, but shaken onto, much like how you put chicken wings into some aluminum foil then pour on that wing sauce and toss the chicken, So yeah, sugar fries are a thing and there's a proper version of this called Sopapilla , a Spanish dessert it's bread that becomes hollow by frying the dough, then put an ounce of sugar in a brown sandwich bag, drop in the Sopapillas still hit and with a little oil on them, boom, sugary bread.

They sold about 500 with in the first hour. I ordered one with in the first 60 seconds of when the order bank opened, my good friend tried to order his 45 minutes later and the BMW Websight indicated the first edition was sold out. I feel that you might be wrong. As they say, 'There's a ass for every seat'...

Well done sir, I LOVE THIS MOTORCYCLE.even the exhaust. As stated..............work of Art.

I bought an R18 Roctane. It’s very comfortable with the floorboards. Don’t miss forward controls. Reaching the brake pedal is an issue but also a non-issue since the brakes electronically are linked.

I bought an R18 100 year edition this year, got a great discount on it. I absolutely love how it rides and the power it has. It also turns a lot of heads when out on the streets. The riding position seems odd, but once riding it I was very comfortable and I am 6' 1". Will it sell in the US? Probably not in large numbers like you said however it may do a little better than you think once people start riding it.

Hahaa, this was pretty interesting, especially the assumptions from you being a marketing and sales expert ("You need to look at your target market, BMW! Let me help.)". And you know exactly what people like or don't like ("current BMW owners won't buy it either because it's not their type of bike"). Cheers m8, I'm a bit jealous :) Well, I don't know if BMW is targeting very big sales numbers at all with a bike in the uber-premium category. Apart from that - what I have experienced throughout the years is that bikes don't necessarily always have to fit exactly into a certain category to be successful. Sometimes products can be a success because they are different from the stuff known so far (of course that can also be the reason for failure). Pricewise I have experienced that when people are willing to spend well over 20.000 € for a motorcycle they don't care if it costs 22800 € like the R18 First Edition or 21700 € (German prices) like the Fatboy for example. In this price category you will find people buying an R18 and a Fatboy together putting a Rocket 3 aside. Or a Streetfighter V4 S whatsoever. Personally, I think BMW did a fantastic job with this bike so far, the R18 First Edition looks georgous in my eyes, and the Art Deko style fits perfectly to the big boxer engine. When there is someboy saying "wow, that boxer engine! But wait, mid placed footpegs??" you really can't help that much haha :) When somebody points to the R18 prototype - with the options and the accessoires you can get as close as it is possible streetlegalwise from the factory. I mean very close. Honestly I had hoped for a few more horses, but I understand that it's all about the torque and the fact that the motor has to be aircooled, so the emission regulations could have been a factor.

Well there you go it’s a rolling piece of art you know I love this bike from the minute I saw it and yeah there’s just gonna be us but as special people who who buy those but wait till we start to customize a saying it’s going to be nuts things you’ve never seen it’s just a new platform and people like me are excited

Of all the motorcycle reviews I have watched over the last 10 years. It’s safe to say that, for a young guy the best motorcycle is the one that goes fastest and cost the least. Same mentality when my dad is buying a pair of $40 sneakers.

My uncle actually got one. He loves it and I can see why.

I ride a Moto Guzzi Audace and I can say that BMW motor sticks out way too much. BTW, the apehangers are just dumb.

my first thought as I saw this (as German) is your key message: The Zylinders are in the way of a relaxed position.

I've been looking at pictures of this bike for a few months now and I was very excited about it. Yes the pipes look ridiculous but that's easy enough to change. I think the biggest drawbacks are the price and I can do without all that Tech crap like traction control and abs

Ok. 3 years later. I am still enamored by the design. KTM 790 adv R and my Honda CMX 1100 are my 2 current bikes. But I see some fantastic second hand examples that are a lot cheaper than a HD. So I am in the market for one of these…! SO Edit a year after last comment: I got a great second hand R18C deluxe just after I posted above. Its a rolling piece art, it has presence and a sound track that I like, reverse is not a gimmick but a must and I use it a lot. The big surprise is the incredible fueling, the Honda is crap and it makes the KTM feel a bit twitchy, 3 gear 1500 RPM and 35 Kph - smooth. I like HD but this I like more, and yep, they are not selling so I have not seen many in my part of the world. The floorboards give good allowance to move feet around more than most give credit for. I am keeping this Berlin wonder and selling the Honda.

Those cylinders in front of your legs could be life savers here in Australia....kangaroos and wallabies would just bounce off rather than take your leg out with them.

Yeah I am buying one so I’ll put me down

The one thing that is missing is the biggest fault. Customization to make it your own. Very Limited.

I ride a Honda Valkyrie. And I would love their BMW.

Beautiful bike would love to own one. I am quite sure it would ride just fine. And this is coming from a Harley owner. Love that are 18.

Absolutely right, everything you brought up is exactly what I thought when I saw it. Pipes looked like two pieces of stamped metal tack welded together.

That are war preparation bike, becomes an sidecar with some MG's to dominate the battlefield.

It's great! There's nostalgia and artistic style combined, not to forget it's likely going to last for years due to it's quality build. The lack of leg room says I won't be buying one. I'm not Jay Leno so I won't be adding this to the collection.

When BMW took a giant step "backwards" (according to the motorcycle press) and released the air/oil cooled R9T, all the haters ragged on the bike and declared it was an answer to a question nobody was asking. Of course the R9T became the instant sales leader for Motarad and spawned a whole line of R9T variants. The R18 is just a jumbo sized R9T and it will quickly become the companies flagship.

The exhaust pipe look awful..

The seating geometry and controls on the R 18 is almost identical to 1150, 1200, 1250 GS and the k1600. You ride it in the same basic seating configuration. The all of the bikes mentioned above do not come with forward pegs or controls. That means there are a lot of candidates to buy the bike. It would make a great second bike for me and it may even end up as my main ride.

I think you missed the point on this one. This bike is not a mass market cruiser. This is a handmade, bespoke bike that will be somewhat limited production. I think they already have a decent idea of their target market and how many they'll sell. If money was no object, I would buy one immediately. Listen, you can buy tons of tech heavy, fully modern bikes if thats what you want, but there are almost no bikes like this on the market. This is form over function in the classic German style. It's beautiful, made with high quality materials, and has a thoughtful design with tons of attention to detail. That is what will sell the bike. Not the specs or the features. Same with Moto Guzzi and many other bikes. It's not about the practicality or functionality, it's unique, it feels good and it draws you in. Part art, part motorcycle. Appreciate it for what it is, not what you think it should be. Great review, just my 2 cents on the matter. The exhaust is horrendus though. What were they thinking with that?

I Love it, Looks Old school with modern pro's

Let’s see .. take my 34” inseam legs..turn them into a pretzel shape...oh and then pay a kings ransom to do...never I love BMWs and have owned over twenty.. but this as you mention will languish on show room floors the same way the James Bond BMW ..they couldn’t give them away ..this plain and simple is a duh moment for BMW

Exhaust pipes aren't for looking at. They're for hearing. That's the reason most pipes are covered, shortened, or just taken off. They don't want see them just hear them.

I have owned and ridden both BMW and HD for a lot of years. Currently own 2 BMW's a 2016 R1200R and my latest 2020 R1250RT. Before both of these was a 2009 R1200R. While it was a great bike for just about any situation, one of my fav things to do is tour riding. Throw back from my earlier H-D days on a Ultra Glide. So when I first tried doing some real distance on the 2009 R1200R, I found myself getting cramped up from the knees forward position. I had bought that bike barely used with under 4k miles. But the previous owner had put crash bars around the cylinders. For me, being an old H-D rider, the solution was simple. I installed highway pegs on the crash bars, that would fold backwards, instead of upwards when not in use. Even the big H-D touring bikes will mostly have a set of aftermarket highway pegs on them. Even though you are in the La-Z-boy position, it's nice to be able to have another place to put your feet. So let's go backwards a little bit to the K1600B. Same upright sort of riding position, and the pegs and controls are right under your @$$, but the bagger model is supposed to be a cruiser. Solution? BMW installed factory floor boards on the engine case guards. While you can't shift and brake etc from there, it does give you someplace else to recline and be comfortable. So with the size of the cylinders on the R18, there is no way you're gonna get away without someone making some really nice solid cylinder guards out there. So just grab some pegs and mount them on it. Will I buy one when it becomes available? Absolutely! My first bike was a 73 or 74 R75/5 and it was a great bike. Other than drum brakes, it was so far ahead of it's time in comfort and smooth ride, I kept it for several years and it was my daily rider. I wish I had never sold it. So even tho this monstrous bike isn't an old piece of classic Bavarian history, it does reach back into its roots. Even the shaft drive is old skool. Not like the modern shaft drives I have on my current R bikes. So yeah, I'll get one when they come out. And the first thing I will do is replace that god awful looking muffler abortion. Then put on the cage and pegs. Because I can live without the pegs for now, but that swoopty whatever that is hanging off the end of the pipe, does not invoke anything from their past, and hopefully nothing from the future either, or I might just have to make the switch to Triumph.... Bob no longer in Germany