BMW’s Burly R 18 Cruiser Is Here To Take On Harley-Davidson, But It’s No Harley
If the those wide wings of cylinders don’t get your attention, the upswept fishtail mufflers will.
Roberson Photo
It’s the question or comment I got most often while riding BMW’s new R 18 cruiser, so let’s address it right off the top: Is the R 18 cruiser lineup Bavaria’s bid to take on Harley-Davidson (and Indian)? And if so, is the R 18 “BMW’s Harley” – something it was often accused of being while I was riding it. Answer One: Well, I guess so. Answer Two: No.
Let’s dig a little deeper. Back in the late 1990s, BMW took an