New R18 Classic owner from Oklahoma

Saunders

Saunders

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As a new R18 owner, have to say this a very helpful website to have come across and look forward to sharing my equipment upgrade reviews as well.

Living up on a hill overlooking a highway and seeing bikes cruise by all day, I thought it was about time to get back to riding again. My last "New" motorcycle purchase was a 1987 Honda VF700 Magna many years ago, which had the perfect ergonomics with handlebars and foot-pegs being in the ideal position.

I was hoping to find a modern bike that was as comfortable as my Honda was, and had my mind set on an Indian Springfield. However, it along with most other heavy cruisers, the foot controls are all mounted too far forward for my preference.

While looking for bikes with mid-controls, I somehow stumbled upon the BMW R18. Up until a few weeks ago I didn't even knew this model existed. My thoughts of a BMW were of the touring style bikes with the briefcase looking saddle bags.

The R18 Classic is just the bike I was hoping to find. Not only beautiful to look it at, but so much fun to cruise around on. These bikes are definitely in a class of their own. And when the weather doesn't cooperate, its a great man-cave furniture piece to sit back and admire.
 
aicpjim said:
Welcome to the club! I would have bought the Springfield had I not selected BMW.
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Thanks. Indian is now making mid-control options for the Scout and new Chief models, but not so for the Springfield. If they did I would have certainly bought one, but think I made the right choice with the R18 Classic.
 
The R18 has great optics. Enjoy your new bike Saunders.
 
Kickstand_Down said:
Woo! Although, with the roads in Oklahoma.... might have suggested a GS 😆
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We may be the orange barrel capital of the nation with all the construction repairs going on here. I figured the wide 16" front wheel on the R18 Classic with the taller sidewall would be better on bumps and potholes. Perhaps with the narrower 19" wheel, you could maneuver quicker to avoid them in the first place.
 
Saunders said:
We may be the orange barrel capital of the nation with all the construction repairs going on here. I figured the wide 16" front wheel on the R18 Classic with the taller sidewall would be better on bumps and potholes. Perhaps with the narrower 19" wheel, you could maneuver quicker to avoid them in the first place.
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My wife/inlaws are from and in Oklahoma. It always blows my mind that I have to pay to use some of those roads. I go to 5th Gear Cycle for service (live in Northwest Arkansas), and I'm really curious to see if the R18B handles the Cherokee turnpike better than the R9T in a few weeks when I go for the break in service. Going 80MPH on effectively railroad ties is a character building experience 😅
 
Kickstand_Down said:
My wife/inlaws are from and in Oklahoma. It always blows my mind that I have to pay to use some of those roads. I go to 5th Gear Cycle for service (live in Northwest Arkansas), and I'm really curious to see if the R18B handles the Cherokee turnpike better than the R9T in a few weeks when I go for the break in service. Going 80MPH on effectively railroad ties is a character building experience 😅
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5th Gear is where I just bought my bike at. Have a couple hundred miles left to go for my first service and be taking it in too. Pretty nice folks there. We definitely have our fair share of tolls here, but have to say they keep them in pretty good shape.

Scariest moment on this bike was after I picked it up from the dealer, I had to stop to pay the tolls on the way home. (Once I get my license plate I'll be able to get a PikePass for it and just drive on through). But when I stopped to pay the toll fees, I almost tipped the bike over as I was trying to dig for quarters out of my front pocket. Forgot about the weight this thing has when your not moving.
 
Saunders said:
5th Gear is where I just bought my bike at. Have a couple hundred miles left to go for my first service and be taking it in too. Pretty nice folks there. We definitely have our fair share of tolls here, but have to say they keep them in pretty good shape.

Scariest moment on this bike was after I picked it up from the dealer, I had to stop to pay the tolls on the way home. (Once I get my license plate I'll be able to get a PikePass for it and just drive on through). But when I stopped to pay the toll fees, I almost tipped the bike over as I was trying to dig for quarters out of my front pocket. Forgot about the weight this thing has when your not moving.
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Yea, I bought my R9T there after the Bentonville shop closed. I actually test rode an R18TC there a few weeks ago, but was really in the market for an R18B which they didn't have on the floor. Had to go to Dallas to get what I wanted. If you haven't already scheduled your service, I would do so ASAP. As far as they've told me, they only schedule same day service on Saturdays and are 6 weeks booked up even if you drop it off during the week. Luckily I had a service scheduled for the R9T that I just transferred to the R18. I scheduled in early September for the first Saturday available which was 10/15.
 
Kickstand_Down said:
Yea, I bought my R9T there after the Bentonville shop closed. I actually test rode an R18TC there a few weeks ago, but was really in the market for an R18B which they didn't have on the floor. Had to go to Dallas to get what I wanted. If you haven't already scheduled your service, I would do so ASAP. As far as they've told me, they only schedule same day service on Saturdays and are 6 weeks booked up even if you drop it off during the week. Luckily I had a service scheduled for the R9T that I just transferred to the R18. I scheduled in early September for the first Saturday available which was 10/15.
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Thanks for the tip. Had no idea you had to book that far in advance.
 
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