We drove: BMW R 18 First Edition // Made in Berlin

In these days of corona, with the virus dancing its unpredictable dance, a trip to Germany is an interesting experience as commandments, prohibitions and instructions change daily. The pulse of Munich is quite normal at the time when Oktoberfest usually takes place there, people wear masks, but there is no particular panic.

The press conference was also held in compliance with all safety recommendations: with masks of participants, disinfection of hands and the distance between them. Some fellow journalists were absent due to the internal epidemiological situation and travel restrictions, the presentation of the motorcycle took place in one of the halls of the already mentioned BMW Museum. - and with a specific purpose.

Inspired by the past

The R 18 is a car that emphasizes the BMW tradition in all its elements, both visually and technically, and in fact builds its history on this. It can be described as a retro cruiser with clean lines, with only basic equipment and the largest boxing unit as the centerpiece of the motorcycle. Hey generator! This is something special. It is not the most powerful, but the largest boxer two-cylinder motorcycle of the production motorcycle.

Two-cylinder with a classic design, that is, by controlling the valves through a pair of camshafts per cylinder, he has a model with an R 5 engine from 1936. BMW called it Big Boxer., and for a reason: it has a volume of 1802 cubic centimeters, accommodates 91 "horses" and has truck torque 158 Nm @ 3000 rpm... It weighs 110,8 kilograms. The device has three options: Rain, Roll and Rock, driving programs that the driver can also change while driving using a button on the left side of the steering wheel.

When driving with the rain program, the reaction is more moderate, the unit does not work on full lungs, while driving in Roll mode is optimized for versatility, while in Rock mode the power of the unit can be fully utilized thanks to its sharp responsiveness... Standard equipment also includes ASC (Automatic Stability Control) and MSR systems, which prevent rear wheel slip, for example, when shifting too much. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via the power take-off shaft, which, as in previous BMW models, is unprotected.

When developing the new R 18, the designers were looking not only for patterns in appearance and composition, but also in the construction of the steel frame and the classic technical solutions used in the suspension of the R 5, naturally in accordance with modern trends. The stability of the front of the motorcycle is provided by telescopic forks with a diameter of 49 millimeters., a shock absorber is hidden behind the seat. Of course, there are no electronic tuning assistants, as they do not fall into the context of the motorcycle.

Especially for the R 18, the Germans have developed a new brake kit, a double disc brake with four pistons at the front and a single brake disc at the rear. When the front lever is depressed, the brakes work as one unit, ie they simultaneously distribute the braking effect to the front and rear. It's the same with the lights. Tif the headlights are LED-based, the double taillight is integrated in the center of the rear direction indicators.

The overall design of the R 18, with an abundance of chrome and black, is reminiscent of older models, from the shape of the fuel tank to the tailpipes, which, like the R 5, end in a fishtail shape. BMW also pays attention to the smallest details, such as the traditional double white line of the fuel tank lining.

In response to competition in America and Italy, the interior of the traditional circular counter with analog dial and the remaining digital data (selected operating mode, mileage, daily kilometers, time, rpm, average consumption () are written at the bottom. Berlin is built... Why Berlin? They do it there.

In the heart of the Bavarian Alps

When I tied my soul to my morning coffee, I sat down on the selected R 18. The quality seat is set very low and the stock handlebars are wide enough for the driver to handle 349 kilograms of weight.. Starting the unit at home without a key - it lies in the pocket of my leather jacket. The motorcycle found it and revived it, only the start button was missing. And here it is worth stopping, breathing and getting ready.

For what? When I start the car, the mass of the cylinders remains in sleep mode and begins to stroke horizontally at 901 cubic centimeters of volume per cylinder.... What in practice means the movement of the masses that need to be controlled. And this is a challenge. At least for the first time. When the unit calms down after the first jump, it works quietly and the vibrations at the end of the rudder are not (too) strong. The sound disappointed me a little, I expected a deeper and louder hit. I turn to the first one (with a typical BMW sound when switching). He sits upright like a cruiser with outstretched arms and neutral legs.

I start and soon the feeling of mega-mass disappears. From downtown, where I drive during rush hours, the R 18 looks pretty good, I head south on the highway. The engine pulls well in fifth and sixth gears, the impact of air waves is surprisingly not pronounced even at a distance of about 150 kilometers., Feel the abundance of torque. After a stop and the obligatory photo session, a heavy downpour awaits me. Cool down. I put on my overalls from the rain, turn on the heating of the handles and expose the operation of the unit to the Rain.

I turn to Lake Schliersee and past the villages where elderly people happily wave to me (!). On excellent country roads with little traffic, I reach Bayrischzell, which lies on the slopes of the Bavarian Alps. The rain stops, the roads dry quickly, and I switch to the Roll setting, which gives the device a slightly more direct response. From there, following the winding Deutsche Alpenstrasse, I check the position of the R 18 in narrower corners and accelerate from them.

Hi, the car provides a dynamic ride, in corners where I quickly touch the ground with my feet, it remains stable, the frame and rear suspension deserve special praise for the unit. I switch a little, I go constantly in third gear, there is between 2000 and 3000 rpm.... The grip is improving, so I move to Rock where I take full advantage of the device's potential. In this mode of operation, this is a strictly direct reaction to the addition of gas and is immediate. I jump past Rosenheim and follow the highway back to the starting point. NSabout almost 300 km of run, the consumption per 100 km stopped at only 5,6 liters.

Designed to suit everyone's taste

But this is not the end of the story. The Bavarians, as usual, offered in addition to the motorcycle an abundance of additional equipment (Original BMW Motorrad Accessories), while it is called Ride & Style Collection full clothing collection available. The Germans went further and teamed up with the Americans: designer Roland Sands, who created two collections of accessories for them, Machined and 2-Tone Black, Vance & Hines, in collaboration with them, created an exclusive series of exhaust systems, and Mustang, a set of handmade seats.