BMW rocked the motorcycling world by unveiling the production version of the R18 and now, bookings for this gorgeous retro cruiser are now open in India. It is expected to make its way here sometime later this year and has also been listed on the manufacturer’s India website. The refundable booking amount for the BMW R18 varies, depending on the dealer. Only a select few points of sale are currently accepting bookings for the R18.
With most of the dealerships still closed because of the lockdown, interested buyers can call up the nearest dealer and make the booking online. When the production version was unveiled, it made jaws drop almost everywhere around the world as this retro cruiser calls back to the gorgeous simplicity of the 1936 BMW R5.
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Details
This pretty motorcycle was first showcased in its concept avatar last year at Villa D’este and the wait for it to enter production was haunting, to say the least, because while at a standstill, it called for legit admiration. All of us thought that this is just a concept and when it enters production, it will definitely lose some of its defining traits but guess what? It didn’t. Even in its production guise, it looks fantastic.
One of the most defining feature apart from the looks is its massive 1.8-litre horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine. This is the biggest boxer that BMW has ever offered — by over half a litre — and it’s still air-cooled. The performance figures are quite impressive though as the massive boxer engine is good for 91 hp and a whopping 157 nm of torque. Such performance on tap is definitely required to get something going which weighs a massive 345 kg wet! It’s considerably fast though as it can do the 0-100 kmph sprint in just 4.8 seconds.
The R18 also features an exposed driveshaft and multiple ride modes which include Rock, Roll and Rain. The former being the most aggressive ride mode, with access to the bike’s full power and torque. Roll mode is analogous to most motorcycles’ Road mode, while Rain offers softer throttle response and more limited power and torque. The bike also features the classic BMW boxer large single-disc dry clutch and a six-speed gearbox. It will also come with a reverse gear as an option.
The R18 is available in two trims: Standard version and first trim. The latter pays tribute to the beemers of the days gone by with all kinds of pinstriping and chrome. And if you want to lay your hands on one because it is going to be limited in numbers and as reports suggest, a few of them are already booked.