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Beach bars I’m waiting

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Broncoman1

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Feb 7, 2021
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BMW R18 / Goldwing/ Ural/ Roadking/ Heritage Springer/ Honda XR650L
This bike was designed for buyers to customize, but theirs no accessories available per my dealer. I just purchased a 2021 R18 classic so now I’ll have to wait for parts.
I passed on the first edition r18 when it first arrived solely because I couldn’t customize the bike. But when I saw the video with the classic with the beach bars, I went to my dealer and purchased it. So come on BMW get the accessories out that you show in your catalog I’m ready to build my r18.
 
Welcome. Yeah, there's a lag between showing options and their availability. We're all kinda in limbo waiting for things we like to materialize. Meanwhile the bike itself is pretty terrific and so the only downside of riding and enjoying it is that it'll either steel your resolve to modify it or to leave it as is.

:unsure:
 
I agree and the bike rides fantastic, I have several other bikes and they all have their own special features. I’ve customized all my bikes with chrome accessories and BMW really caught my eye with a cruiser that can be customized , once I hear the parts are available my build will start.
 
You can do as I am, fabricate your own parts for a "Unique" ride. Did the same for the K1600B. The K-B is still the distance machine.
The R18 is for short trips, around the county or 2 day duration and less than 300 miles one way.
 

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Broncoman1 said:
This bike was designed for buyers to customize, but theirs no accessories available per my dealer. I just purchased a 2021 R18 classic so now I’ll have to wait for parts.
I passed on the first edition r18 when it first arrived solely because I couldn’t customize the bike. But when I saw the video with the classic with the beach bars, I went to my dealer and purchased it. So come on BMW get the accessories out that you show in your catalog I’m ready to build my r18.
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I have 2 questions for you Bronco1.
Can you post the part number for the beach bars. They didn't show up in the system when I was at the dealership yesterday. Do you know if the hydraulic lines need to be replaced with longer ones when using the beach bars?
Thanks
 
I've wondered the same thing. AND the switch wires may have the same issue. I've noticed that in the videos of industry "experts" riding the R18, the one with Beach bars has the wires ran outside the handlebar. That's a retrograde thing to do to a bike that had the wires internally routed when it came off of the assembly line.
I was originally considering the Beach bars for my R18 back before I owned it, because I've had two big cruisers with them and loved them. But I'm now thinking that the OEM bars, which lean me into the wind, probably will stay in place. I don't ever plan to install a windshield. So unless the Beach bar does more to splay the grips out, as opposed to moving them aft, I need that forward lean to combat the force of the wind.
I will be watching your progress none the less.
 
I gained some knowledge about changing out handlebars on this bike while at the dealership this past weekend. I ask if longer hydraulic lines and wire extensions would be required and the answer is yes. Jeff managed to find the part numbers associated with the beach bars and gave me a price of $680 on top of what the bars cost. I guess each item is priced out individually rather than in a kit. I would think that the hydraulic lines could be found aftermarket much cheaper but the wire extensions will probably have to come from BMW. I'm not going to jump in at that price for now.
 
OUCH! Well, the OEM claimed that they were making a BMW that would be customizable. But they didn't say that it would be inexpensive.
You might want to check out Goodridge, Galfer and Russell for alternative brake lines. I've had great results with Goodridge in particular. As to wire extensions, cutting the OEM wires and soldering-in additional length, up-hill from the connectors, worked for me.
 
Thanks for the info theMucker. I need to do some measuring with the bars I have & would like to put on (not beach bars). There maybe enough slack in the wiring to make it work without cutting & splicing. I still haven't been successful locating the wiring connectors that are used on this bike.
 
HerrFarber said:
Thanks for the info theMucker. I need to do some measuring with the bars I have & would like to put on (not beach bars). There maybe enough slack in the wiring to make it work without cutting & splicing. I still haven't been successful locating the wiring connectors that are used on this bike.
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When I put beach bars on my Road Star, I cut into the middle of the wires, added the needed length and then resoldered on the original ends, with the original connectors. If you do that, just stagger the solder connections so that they don't align next to each other, which would make bulky "lumps" that have to be routed through the bars. And, of course, the connectors will have to be temporarily removed so the wires can be routed through the bars. So you want to make a "map" of the wire colors-to-connector pin positions.
 
Broncoman1 said:
This bike was designed for buyers to customize, but theirs no accessories available per my dealer. I just purchased a 2021 R18 classic so now I’ll have to wait for parts.
I passed on the first edition r18 when it first arrived solely because I couldn’t customize the bike. But when I saw the video with the classic with the beach bars, I went to my dealer and purchased it. So come on BMW get the accessories out that you show in your catalog I’m ready to build my r18.
Click to expand...
Looks like $299 for th bars and $675 for the installation kit.
 
Broncoman1 said:
This bike was designed for buyers to customize, but theirs no accessories available per my dealer. I just purchased a 2021 R18 classic so now I’ll have to wait for parts.
I passed on the first edition r18 when it first arrived solely because I couldn’t customize the bike. But when I saw the video with the classic with the beach bars, I went to my dealer and purchased it. So come on BMW get the accessories out that you show in your catalog I’m ready to build my r18.
Click to expand...
Are the beach bars available now?
 
I own a house on the Beach in Barra do Jucu, Brasil, there are 8 "Beach Bars" within easy walking distance, no problem.
Todays Portuguese lesson, subject: Beach Bars.
 
Ok. Dumb question. Why can't you just buy any brand of bar with the same diameter? Other manufacturers make beach bar style bars.
 
Caveman said:
Ok. Dumb question. Why can't you just buy any brand of bar with the same diameter? Other manufacturers make beach bar style bars.
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Not a dumb question. You can. But stock bars are 25mm diameter throughout EXCEPT at the grips, where they're 22mm.
 
You could buy a 25mm set of bars and then Swage the ends to 22mm, but then you might have to buy a swage block and learn a new skill set, having worked in a blacksmiths shop in the early seventies I have exeperience with this process, your results may vary.
 
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MilwDave said:
The Beach Bars are finally at dealers
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I had them in my hands last month. They are huge and a bit too raked in for me. They require longer hydraulic lines as well as wiring —which is now routed outside of the bars. I ended up passing on them and I installed a set of black Indian Scout Tracker bars instead. BTW, the Bobber part numbers were live at the same time as the bars’ arrival, so they should not be too far off.
 
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