The new R18

[Bobby]

Good day everyone. Hope you're all safe and able to ride some. So, just got the latest BMW ON with the new R18 on the cover and I have to say, IMHO, that it will probably go down as one of the ugliest bikes in history. Admittedly, it's a far cry better looking than the R1200C, but not by much. Obviously BMW didn't learn from producing that disaster that nobody, neither BMW riders or the cruiser enthusiast, want a BMW cruiser, especially one made with a flat twin. Of course some fringe element will love it. I've been wrong once or twice in my life but I predict this will be a disaster... possibly worse than the r12c. And of course this is just my humble opinion.
PS. So BMW decides to stop production of the k bike and all the time is planning to make the R18? What a bunch of narrow minded imbiciles.

[Lee]

It's ok when you add some BMW accessories.
I have not seen the cover of the June issue.

[Bobby]

Well Lee, that one certainly looks better with the straight exhaust and the seat molded into the fender. But is there really a market for this kind of bike....a bigger market than there was for the k13s, for the instance? Does BMW really expect to make money with this bike, or is this just some pet project of a small group at BMW with a bizarre obsession. Frankly, it looks like an old flat twin on steroids with some chrome slapped on it.

[Loggiebone]

Probably just giving a nod to the cruiser market and hoping to make a dent in that market segment.

[Captain Howdy]

No uglier than this

[Captain Howdy]

........or this

[Loggiebone]

Don't care for the Diaval look either but gotta tell ya...that thing will really move! Put a Termi pipe without baffles on it and it'll "out loud" any HD!

[wildbears]

The R18 is better looking in real life.

I've seen it at Bike Week and the Columbus Expo.

But still alot to visually handle.

[Bobby]

There are much uglier bikes out there that's for sure. I guess one of my issues, or questions, is why BMW seems to feel the need to capture market share from every segment of the motorcycle community. They dominate or at least have large shares in the touring, dual sport, and sport/racing segments. So why do you suppose they want to court the cruiser crowd? Will t ultimately be worth the investment? Hard to say, and who knows what the board of directors is thinking.

[Loggiebone]

I don't have the data but one would assume that their sales (not market share) of existing models/lines are decreasing so they're just looking for another apple ot pick from the tree.

[Bobby]

Yeah, maybe they'll be able to pick up new, young, professional riders that are interested in a cruiser but are not interested in a HD, and like the idea of owning a BMW.....maybe the ones that own a BMW car.

[Captain Howdy]

There are much uglier bikes out there that's for sure. I guess one of my issues, or questions, is why BMW seems to feel the need to capture market share from every segment of the motorcycle community. ....

[Bobby]

My biggest issue is perhaps not with the idea that BMW wants to produce a cruiser and capture those types of riders but how they approached it. The old flat twin in black with pinstripes is such a beautiful and classic bike with so much history. The R18 Looks like a caricature or a cartoon version of that bike. Is nothing sacred?