When you think of cruisers, chances are you think of big, beefy bikes with low seats and relaxed ergonomics. You know, bikes like the Harley Road King or Indian Challenger. Up until recently, it was really just those two names worth paying attention to in the cruiser scene.
But these days, BMW has joined in on the party with the R 18.
I’ll admit, when the R 18 first hit the scene back in 2020, I wasn’t quite sure what the heck BMW was thinking. And even today, it’s a bike that I think sits at the far end of BMW’s lineup—like, what are you even doing here? Nonetheless, I get its appeal. After all, it was the Bavarian company’s attempt at creating the biggest, baddest cruiser ever. It’s rocking the biggest boxer engine BMW has in production: a 1,802cc twin with a rather docile 91 horsepower and a punchy 120 pound-feet of torque.
So yeah, in a way, the R 18 is what a Harley or Indian might be if it were made in Berlin—precise, over-engineered, and very well-built. Love it or hate it, you definitely can’t ignore it. And for 2025, BMW has thrown in some extra spice to the R 18, and across the entire model range, at that.
