Kiến Thức Cho Người lao Động Việt Nam > Noindex > Motorcycle Review: 2021 BMW R18

Motorcycle Review: 2021 BMW R18

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Toyota says EVs will charge to near-full in 10 minutes by 2027

Telo wants to build an electric truck the size of a Mini

Motorcycle Review: 2021 BMW R18

If we had to sum up this bike in two words, we’d know which ones we’d choose: “f’in huge”

2021 BMW R18 (Booth) 3

Photo by David Booth

The motor in this motorcycle is freaking huge. No, that’s not right, “freaking” being totally inadequate a descriptor for the way BMW’s 1802-cc Boxer Twin defines every aspect of the R18. So forgive this dive into the blasphemous, but the motor in this motorcycle is f’inghuge.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

I know some of you won’t pardon such callous wording.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team.

Try refreshing your browser, or

Motorcycle Review: 2021 BMW R18

Back to video

But, trust me on this, spend just a couple of days riding the R18 and, even if you’re a card-carrying member of the local chapter of God-fearing bikers for Jesus, I suspect you’ll dig deep into the profane hunting for words adequate to portray its immensity.

This, the largest ever of Boxer Twins, totally dominates the R18. For one thing, it’s strikingly large. Or, at least, its twin 180-degree opposed air-cooled cylinders are strikingly large, looking for all the world like they were liberated from a First World War Sopwith Camel.

The pushrod tunnels – no overhead cams here! – are as big as the most Cuban of cigars, the cylinders look like they could support a medium-sized bridge and, should you suddenly find yourself short of a casserole dish suitable for paella for eight, I can assure you the R18’s valve covers are voluminous enough to substitute. This thing is f’ing huge.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Learn more about the cars

  1. 2023 BMW

    X3

    MSRP  $55,200 to $70,500

  2. 2024 BMW

    X5

    MSRP  $86,000 to $105,000

  3. 2023 BMW

    3 Series

    MSRP  $54,900 to $68,000

  4. 2023 BMW

    2 Series

    MSRP  $47,950 to $58,950

  5. 2024 BMW

    4 Series

    MSRP  $57,250 to $81,500

It also dominates the ride. All flat-twins have what BMW calls a “torque reaction.” Blip the throttle of any Boxer at idle and it will rotate on its tires as if someone was standing beside you, pushing on your shoulders. On prosaic BMW twins – that should be read “normal-sized” – it’s a quirky but largely unnoticed phenomenon.

Not with the R18. With 107-millimetre pistons and a crankshaft only slightly lighter than a girder in the aforementioned bridge, the R18 seemingly wants to slam you into the ground every time you get on the gas hard. Because said torque reaction is the result in the change in speed of the crankshaft – and because the greatest change in crankshaft speed always occurs on an engine’s first explosion of internal combustion on startup – it’s most noticeable when the big twin transitions from starter motor to spark plug. The first time you hit the starter button on this thing is going to be a real surprise. This thing is f’ing huge inside and out.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

  1. 2021 BMW R18 4

    Photo by BMW

  2. 2021 BMW R18 5

    Photo by BMW

  3. 2021 BMW R18 6

    Photo by BMW

  4. 2021 BMW R18 8

    Photo by BMW

  5. 2021 BMW R18 7

    Photo by BMW

  6. 2021 BMW R18 (Booth) 2

    Photo by David Booth

  7. 2021 BMW R18 (Booth) 1

    Photo by David Booth

  8. 2021 BMW R18 (Booth) 3

    Photo by David Booth

All 8 Photos for Gallery

Function Not Available

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

Out on the road, said motor continues to dominate proceedings. For one thing, though BMW only boasts 91 horsepower, the R18 manages a colossal 117 foot-pounds of torque, 110 of which are available as low as 2,000 rpm. Indeed, this is one cruiser which actually needs the traction nannie-controlling modes that are so de rigueur. The sporty “Rock” mode is simply too much on rainy roads, all that low-end torque and instantaneous throttle response quickly overwhelming the rear 180/65B16 Michelin, despite its impressive width and aggressive tread pattern. Thankfully, there’s a Rain Mode (as well as, you had to know it, a “Roll” setting).

Meanwhile, all that grunt means that 100 kilometres requires but 2,200 rpm in top gear. Three grand is a little over a buck-forty, at which speed the R18 feels like’s it’s just loafing. I don’t know why you’d ever take it to the 4,750 rpm power peak, but at that speed you’ve pretty much exceeded every speed limit on the planet, save Germany and Wyoming.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Should you find yourself short a casserole dish for eight, the R18’s valve covers are voluminous enough to substitute

In fact, the one aspect of the R18’s powertrain that doesn’t make sense to me – its gargantuan displacement and exposed rear driveshaft perfectly reasonable as far as I am concerned – is that somehow BMW thought this 1802-cc twin needed six speeds. Seriously BMW, three would probably have sufficed, and four seems a luxury.

Six? Well, you just sintered a bunch of extra gears for nothing. I’d often start in second, skip to fourth and then snick through both fifth and sixth, but I probably could have gotten by without the second-last cog. There’s just so much torque. All that said, this tranny is the slickest shifting yet on a BMW Boxer, impressive considering it’s about 50 per cent bigger than the R1250 GS.

There’s also a fair bit of vibration. The engine fairly quakes at idle, the whole big thing shaking from side-to-side – remember the engine is longitudinally-mounted – in a very Harley-like impression of a cement mixer. And then when you get to about three grand, things start to get a little tingly in the footpegs. By the time the dinky little digital tachometer reads 3,500 rpm, you’ll be wishing for a counterbalance shaft or two. Luckily, in between there’s about 130 km/h of totally smooth sweetness that will let you tour – if the R18’s cruiser appointments inspire you to the open road – in relative comfort. It may be f’ing huge, but this engine can also be well-balanced.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

As for the rest of the bike, it’s built to BMW’s legendary quality, the flying propeller folks obviously proud of their heritage, what with about two dozen “Berlin-built” badges scattered around its copious metal surface.

It is, lacking the dramatics of feet-forward footpegs, relatively comfortable, save a seat that is both a little too small and lots too firm. The suspension, despite boasting only 90 mils of travel in the rear, is passably compliant, though severe potholes will challenge your lower lumbars as all cruisers will. And it handles more than passably well considering that its 345 kilograms (760 pounds) – dense enough that a reverse gear is a $1,320 option – ride on a stretched 1,731-mm (68.1-inch) wheelbase.

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

But none of that matters because the engine is – let’s say it all together now – f’ing huge.

The 2021 BMW R18 is already in dealerships, but most of the first shipment will fulfill pre-orders. Another batch is on its way. The base MSRP is an almost reasonable $20,895, but BMW will be offering so many options packages — the First Edition kit, for instance, with its multiple chromed “Berlin” trim bits — that $30,000 will be very easily attainable.

LISTEN:

This week on our Plugged In podcast, we talk all things Polestar with North American boss

Subscribe to Plugged In on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

David Booth picture

David Booth

Canada’s leading automotive journalists with over 20+ years of experience in covering the industry

Learn more about Author

Read Next

  1.  

    Image by default

  2.  

    Image by default

  3. Story continues below

    This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

  4.  

    Image by default

  5.  

    Image by default

  6.  

    Image by default

Email Address

  • There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails or any newsletter. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Bài viết liên quan
Bài Mới Nhất