Getting to know my 2021 R-18 Classic

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Dave 0194

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I now have 1200 miles on my R-18 Classic, and I am really getting to know this beautiful piece of German engineering. I have been riding for 50 years, but have mainly been a Harley man. This is my first "Boxer" and I must say it it teaching me quite a lot. Some observations (from my perspective, of course) so far:

  • Changing the stock seat was a good move. That stock seat on my six and a half decade+ old rear end was way to stiff. I went with a Mustang that really improved my saddle comfort.
  • I can forget what I learned from Harley V-Twins about this bike's power band. This giant Boxer is an amazing power plant. It stacks up pretty close to the Harley M-8 114, but they behave differently, especially at higher speeds. In my opinion, it will out pull the M-8 in 6th gear at high speed. The Boxer really smooths out and walks when you turn it loose.
  • I am getting used to a mild vibration in the grips and floor boards between 2500-3000 rpms. Of course, I am also getting used to the right hand jibe when cranking and upon acceleration.
  • The length of the wheel base really makes for a smooth ride.
  • The 16" wide front tire really tames the front end. It does not hunt road imperfections for me to enjoy.
  • The matter of no gas gauge is not as worry some as I pre-conceived, BUT these bikes still need a gas gauge. I hope they address it on future models.
  • I am finding the up-right seating position to be more comfortable than I thought it would be. Room for my size 10.5's boots underneath the jugs seems ok. I find I like heel kicking to up-shift and toeing to downshift better than trying to just toe lift the front lever. Finding Neutral is no problem for me either way. I have the boards instead of pegs which give me plenty of support.
  • I was skeptical about claims that big motor not really putting out heat. I live in Florida and have been cooked half to death by Harley V-Twins. I must say, those big jugs really don't direct much heat at my feet like I thought they would.
  • I guess the Reverse is a nice feature, but where I live everything is pretty flat. I don't use it. I find the big old girl no more difficult to push around than a Harley Heritage.
  • Slow speed maneuvering has been fine. With most of the weight so low, it turns nicely for me in tight quarters.
  • I am still wanting a taller windshield. The tallest BMW makes is only about 15" above the headlamp. I would like 4-5 more inches to push more air off my head and shoulders. I do recommend the "Puig" wind deflector, which has been a great stop-gap until somebody makes a taller blade to fit the mount.
  • I am still getting used to the position of turn signal actuator (only on the left). It is a bit of a reach for my arthritic left thumb to "pull" the switch for a left turn. Punching it for rights is easier.
  • I installed blacked out "Craft Ride" passenger seat rest and crash bars. They are quite heavy duty, and the powder coating on them is fine. The price was much less than Wunderlich equivalents, but the air freight from Germany is stiff. I have to say, with all our supply problems I received both within a week of ordering.
All in all, I am impressed so far with my R-18. I hope it continues to wow me in the miles to come. I also hope this Newby assessment of the BMW R-18 world provides insight to others.
 
Spot on, Dave. Thank you.

The one comment which really resonated with me was this

  • I was skeptical about claims that big motor not really putting out heat. I live in Florida and have been cooked half to death by Harley V-Twins. I must say, those big jugs really don't direct much heat at my feet like I thought they would.

I keep telling Harley guys that the jugs aren't throwing out a lot of heat, and that my feet aren't actually baking from close proximity. They, uniformly, every single one, every single dang one of them, look at me like I'm a lying POS.

They say, isn't it hot? And I say no. And they say, really? And I say no. And they say, really. (Period). And I say no. Then some mumbling about "buckin feemer riders..."

Anyhow, welcome!!
 
TodkaVonic said:
Spot on, Dave. Thank you.

The one comment which really resonated with me was this

  • I was skeptical about claims that big motor not really putting out heat. I live in Florida and have been cooked half to death by Harley V-Twins. I must say, those big jugs really don't direct much heat at my feet like I thought they would.

I keep telling Harley guys that the jugs aren't throwing out a lot of heat, and that my feet aren't actually baking from close proximity. They, uniformly, every single one, every single dang one of them, look at me like I'm a lying POS.

They say, isn't it hot? And I say no. And they say, really? And I say no. And they say, really. (Period). And I say no. Then some mumbling about "buckin feemer riders..."

Anyhow, welcome!!
Click to expand...
Well, I guess they just have to keep on parboiling their manhood's. One thing I do miss on chilly mornings is the heat on my thighs from the V-Twin, but it's a simple South Florida math problem: 350 warm days versus 15 cool ones. I have some half-chaps to pick up that slack.
 
Excellent report. "The Boxer really smooths out and walks when you turn it loose." Well said! :D
 
Hottest ride I ever had was on a Road King in Las Vegas. Nearly had to get off due to the intense engine heat.
TodkaVonic said:
Spot on, Dave. Thank you.

The one comment which really resonated with me was this

  • I was skeptical about claims that big motor not really putting out heat. I live in Florida and have been cooked half to death by Harley V-Twins. I must say, those big jugs really don't direct much heat at my feet like I thought they would.

I keep telling Harley guys that the jugs aren't throwing out a lot of heat, and that my feet aren't actually baking from close proximity. They, uniformly, every single one, every single dang one of them, look at me like I'm a lying POS.

They say, isn't it hot? And I say no. And they say, really? And I say no. And they say, really. (Period). And I say no. Then some mumbling about "buckin feemer riders..."

Anyhow, welcome!!
Click to expand...
 
Welcome Dave and thank you for the thorough feedback that you have provided. I too have the Classic but with only 300 miles so far. I should be putting my experiences on here regarding the ride.
Dave 0194 said:
I now have 1200 miles on my R-18 Classic, and I am really getting to know this beautiful piece of German engineering. I have been riding for 50 years, but have mainly been a Harley man. This is my first "Boxer" and I must say it it teaching me quite a lot. Some observations (from my perspective, of course) so far:

  • Changing the stock seat was a good move. That stock seat on my six and a half decade+ old rear end was way to stiff. I went with a Mustang that really improved my saddle comfort.
  • I can forget what I learned from Harley V-Twins about this bike's power band. This giant Boxer is an amazing power plant. It stacks up pretty close to the Harley M-8 114, but they behave differently, especially at higher speeds. In my opinion, it will out pull the M-8 in 6th gear at high speed. The Boxer really smooths out and walks when you turn it loose.
  • I am getting used to a mild vibration in the grips and floor boards between 2500-3000 rpms. Of course, I am also getting used to the right hand jibe when cranking and upon acceleration.
  • The length of the wheel base really makes for a smooth ride.
  • The 16" wide front tire really tames the front end. It does not hunt road imperfections for me to enjoy.
  • The matter of no gas gauge is not as worry some as I pre-conceived, BUT these bikes still need a gas gauge. I hope they address it on future models.
  • I am finding the up-right seating position to be more comfortable than I thought it would be. Room for my size 10.5's boots underneath the jugs seems ok. I find I like heel kicking to up-shift and toeing to downshift better than trying to just toe lift the front lever. Finding Neutral is no problem for me either way. I have the boards instead of pegs which give me plenty of support.
  • I was skeptical about claims that big motor not really putting out heat. I live in Florida and have been cooked half to death by Harley V-Twins. I must say, those big jugs really don't direct much heat at my feet like I thought they would.
  • I guess the Reverse is a nice feature, but where I live everything is pretty flat. I don't use it. I find the big old girl no more difficult to push around than a Harley Heritage.
  • Slow speed maneuvering has been fine. With most of the weight so low, it turns nicely for me in tight quarters.
  • I am still wanting a taller windshield. The tallest BMW makes is only about 15" above the headlamp. I would like 4-5 more inches to push more air off my head and shoulders. I do recommend the "Puig" wind deflector, which has been a great stop-gap until somebody makes a taller blade to fit the mount.
  • I am still getting used to the position of turn signal actuator (only on the left). It is a bit of a reach for my arthritic left thumb to "pull" the switch for a left turn. Punching it for rights is easier.
  • I installed blacked out "Craft Ride" passenger seat rest and crash bars. They are quite heavy duty, and the powder coating on them is fine. The price was much less than Wunderlich equivalents, but the air freight from Germany is stiff. I have to say, with all our supply problems I received both within a week of ordering.
All in all, I am impressed so far with my R-18. I hope it continues to wow me in the miles to come. I also hope this Newby assessment of the BMW R-18 world provides insight to others.
Click to expand...
 
Dave 0194 said:
All in all, I am impressed so far with my R-18. I hope it continues to wow me in the miles to come. I also hope this Newby assessment of the BMW R-18 world provides insight to others.
Click to expand...
Dave, welcome and thank you for the considered post. It largely mirrors my thoughts too.
 
Welcome Dave from Cape Coral,FL. where in FL are you located? I also installed the crashbars and Sissy bar from Motea. I have a rear wheel stand for the R18 that I don't need any more, that is made by Kern Stabi and sold through Hornig if you are interested. i will give it away for a $100. I have the same sentiment regarding the windshield.
 
Dave 0194 said:
I now have 1200 miles on my R-18 Classic, and I am really getting to know this beautiful piece of German engineering. I have been riding for 50 years, but have mainly been a Harley man. This is my first "Boxer" and I must say it it teaching me quite a lot. Some observations (from my perspective, of course) so far:

  • Changing the stock seat was a good move. That stock seat on my six and a half decade+ old rear end was way to stiff. I went with a Mustang that really improved my saddle comfort.
  • I can forget what I learned from Harley V-Twins about this bike's power band. This giant Boxer is an amazing power plant. It stacks up pretty close to the Harley M-8 114, but they behave differently, especially at higher speeds. In my opinion, it will out pull the M-8 in 6th gear at high speed. The Boxer really smooths out and walks when you turn it loose.
  • I am getting used to a mild vibration in the grips and floor boards between 2500-3000 rpms. Of course, I am also getting used to the right hand jibe when cranking and upon acceleration.
  • The length of the wheel base really makes for a smooth ride.
  • The 16" wide front tire really tames the front end. It does not hunt road imperfections for me to enjoy.
  • The matter of no gas gauge is not as worry some as I pre-conceived, BUT these bikes still need a gas gauge. I hope they address it on future models.
  • I am finding the up-right seating position to be more comfortable than I thought it would be. Room for my size 10.5's boots underneath the jugs seems ok. I find I like heel kicking to up-shift and toeing to downshift better than trying to just toe lift the front lever. Finding Neutral is no problem for me either way. I have the boards instead of pegs which give me plenty of support.
  • I was skeptical about claims that big motor not really putting out heat. I live in Florida and have been cooked half to death by Harley V-Twins. I must say, those big jugs really don't direct much heat at my feet like I thought they would.
  • I guess the Reverse is a nice feature, but where I live everything is pretty flat. I don't use it. I find the big old girl no more difficult to push around than a Harley Heritage.
  • Slow speed maneuvering has been fine. With most of the weight so low, it turns nicely for me in tight quarters.
  • I am still wanting a taller windshield. The tallest BMW makes is only about 15" above the headlamp. I would like 4-5 more inches to push more air off my head and shoulders. I do recommend the "Puig" wind deflector, which has been a great stop-gap until somebody makes a taller blade to fit the mount.
  • I am still getting used to the position of turn signal actuator (only on the left). It is a bit of a reach for my arthritic left thumb to "pull" the switch for a left turn. Punching it for rights is easier.
  • I installed blacked out "Craft Ride" passenger seat rest and crash bars. They are quite heavy duty, and the powder coating on them is fine. The price was much less than Wunderlich equivalents, but the air freight from Germany is stiff. I have to say, with all our supply problems I received both within a week of ordering.
All in all, I am impressed so far with my R-18. I hope it continues to wow me in the miles to come. I also hope this Newby assessment of the BMW R-18 world provides insight to others.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the information. Mine is a 21 standard model, only option is the passenger seat kit.. We live in Parkland Florida.
 
Which Mustang seat did you install? I'm thinking about ordering the day rider because it is a 2 piece and I can get also a backrest. I too installed the sissy bar and the crash bar from craftride. I live in Cape Coral. I'm in NY at the moment and will be out of the country from Jan.6 till the 18th. as soon as I get back I will order the seat. I also have the rear and front stand combination from Kern Stabi through Hornig. Great piece. I installed the MRA X-Creen on my windshield. Vast improvement since I'm 6'6''. Normally it is a drill and bolt through the windshield but I ordered a clip on conversion kit from Twisted Throttle for$28. It works perfectly fine to securely attach the deflector to the windscreen. I ordered the deflector through Amazon
 
4Zweistein said:
Which Mustang seat did you install? I'm thinking about ordering the day rider because it is a 2 piece and I can get also a backrest. I too installed the sissy bar and the crash bar from craftride. I live in Cape Coral. I'm in NY at the moment and will be out of the country from Jan.6 till the 18th. as soon as I get back I will order the seat. I also have the rear and front stand combination from Kern Stabi through Hornig. Great piece. I installed the MRA X-Creen on my windshield. Vast improvement since I'm 6'6''. Normally it is a drill and bolt through the windshield but I ordered a clip on conversion kit from Twisted Throttle for$28. It works perfectly fine to securely attach the deflector to the windscreen. I ordered the deflector through Amazon
Click to expand...
Hi 4Zweistein,
Which MRA-X_Creen did you use? Sport? Touring?
Can you share a photo of your setup?
Thank you!
 
Marave said:
Hi 4Zweistein,
Which MRA-X_Creen did you use? Sport? Touring?
Can you share a photo of your setup?
Thank you!
Click to expand...
I have just installed the Weekender seat with backrest & had also earlier installed a MRA Touring screen. The picture of the seat was after I'd already removed the saddlebags & I went for the solo-seat look not bothering to install the passenger perch included with the Weekender. That seat is about twice as thick as the stock one, so should offer better visibility to a passenger and perhaps more comfort. The weekender is 14 inches wide at the stitch line vs 11 inches on the stock seat. I believe the Day Rider seat is a touch narrower and shorter than the weekender, while the Cross Country is wider and taller yet.IMG_0559.jpegIMG_0525.jpeg
 
nielsm said:
I have just installed the Weekender seat with backrest & had also earlier installed a MRA Touring screen. The picture of the seat was after I'd already removed the saddlebags & I went for the solo-seat look not bothering to install the passenger perch included with the Weekender. That seat is about twice as thick as the stock one, so should offer better visibility to a passenger and perhaps more comfort. The weekender is 14 inches wide at the stitch line vs 11 inches on the stock seat. I believe the Day Rider seat is a touch narrower and shorter than the weekender, while the Cross Country is wider and taller yet.
Click to expand...

That's great. Thanks for sharing Nielsm!
I noticed a mark on the windshield. Is this due to the way it's rigged to it?

MRA Touring screen.jpg
 
Excellent review. With you all the way on your comments. One further point I would add is the front mudguard is not fit for purpose. One short stretch on a wet road and the bike is filthy. I have been asked a couple of times if I had been off road riding. So far just over 7000 miles and love riding it. UK based so weather can be very mixed with snow today so it will get a bit of a rest over the next couple of months.
 
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