The BMW R 18 may not yet be able to draw full houses, but the Germans cannot be denied that they are persistent. As the fifth member of the cruiser family, BMW has now announced the R 18 Roctane.
When BMW launched the R 18 in 2020, the Germans made no secret of it, after a failed previous attempt, to get a foot in the door in the cruiser segment that is still incredibly popular in the United States. And that the range would be expanded considerably in the foreseeable future.
The Germans kept their word. Since the First Edition of the R 18, BMW has added an R 18 Classic, R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental, all variations on the same R 18 theme. A classic, a Bagger and a Touring model.
As a fifth model, BMW has now added the R 18 Roctane. According to BMW, the new R 18 Roctane is characterized by a “skillfully staged design language” with the rear part in so-called “streamlining design”. That sounds very interesting, but if you ask us it’s just an R 18 B, but without the batwing fairing.
Come on, it’s a bit more complicated than that. The color scheme is a bit more subdued and here and there chrome has made way for black, which we think is a huge improvement, but the big difference is in the front wheel that now has a 21″ size. That and the petrol tank, which of the R 18 (and R 18 Classic) has been taken over and therefore has ‘only’ 16 liters (R 18 B: 22.7 litres)
Under the skin, the R 18 Roctane is exactly the same as the other R 18 models, so with the same double cradle frame with the prominent 1,802 cc boxer twin, good for a top power of 91 hp at 4,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 158 Nm at 3,000 rpm, of which between at 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, more than 150 Nm is always available.
The 18 Roctane will hit the market sometime this fall as 2024, with a price tag starting at €30,950. Including options and a 5-year warranty, you are at € 32,987.00 and then it only starts. The accessory package is so extensive that before you know it you have to put another 5,000 euros more on the table. Just for a set of aluminum forged wheels you are 3,952 euros poorer.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.