R18 Touring Transcontinental

Nice, but that photo does not paint transcontinental ergonomics IMHO. I'd prefer to do it on a superbike instead, which would be painful at best - same hip and knee inclination, but at least one's ankles would be at a more natural angle with your feet below your 4ss instead of locked in behind and below the cylinders - right side especially. I also own a GL1800, and even though it is a flat-six with a similar seating configuration, the seat is slightly higher, with room to add highway pegs on its engine guards.
 
BMW's probably going to Replace the K16 series with this R18 T
I cannot imagine that happening. The K16-series competes primarily with the GoldWing, and some less significant inline-fours - the multi-cylinder super-tourer league - while also being a competent contender in the sports-touring segment. The R18 Transcontinental aims for a slice of the v-twin tourer market dominated by H-D, Indian and Yamaha. It starts out with a huge transcontinental handicap, though, IMHO - no highway pegs. Those accessory leg-rests won't cut it, at least not for me. Although it could pass as a v-twin, I suppose, a 180° horizontally-opposed v-twin that is (-:

I own a 2014 Goldwing and a same-year 1190 Adventure. I am not a fan of the BMW para-lever front suspension, and I have tried it several times, only to dislike it more each time I've tried it. Each to their own. I would also not trade my Goldwing on the new one, which is down in both luggage and fuel capacity to compete with the K16s - despite DCT and all the new electronics.
 
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Based on my FE, they're going to have to make changes to make a it a true touring bike. The two big things I think of immediately is vibration and leg/foot position. The vibration coming through the handlebars at Highway speeds puts my hands to sleep during stints on the highway. Compare it to the Harley Streetglide I had which when cruising at Highway speeds was smooth. It was like driving a luxury car. Perfect for long trips.

While I don't mind the leg/foot position, thats going to be a problem for long "trans-continental" trips. You need to be able to move your legs/feet around more than the BMW design will allow. Simply putting footboards on isn't going to do it. And where would you reasonably mount highway pegs with those cylinder heads...

And as I see it, the R18 isn't selling well as it is unfortunately, i can't see that this model will fair much better. This version is going to be close to the pricepoint of a StreetGlide.
 
I wish BMW well with the touring model, but I doubt that it will be real competition to the existing V-twin touring market. I'm confident that my 2016 1901cc Roadmaster will eat it's lunch in every touring category.
While I have no use for "highway pegs" most tourers consider them essential. And, unless they put a counter-balancer in the tourer, it's not going to cut it at highway speeds, where lots of riders consider 65 MPH just getting rolling.
If the gas tank really is bigger than ours, I may look into getting one for my First Edition.
 
I don't know why, I've never been tempted by the K1600.
Don't misunderstand me, I for sure consider it's a fantastic machine.
But altough her hight end tech, I have no emotion when looking at it.
 
I don't know why, I've never been tempted by the K1600.
Don't misunderstand me, I for sure consider it's a fantastic machine.
But altough her hight end tech, I have no emotion when looking at it.
I felt the same way until they launched the K1600B - looking like a space age Street Glide...with almost 3 times the HP and about 200 lbs lighter. I quickly sold my 2017 Street Glide CVO and bought my BMW bagger and have never looked back.
 
I had the #2 BMW K 1600GT in the US, loved it, Would happily cruise at 140 on the GPS on a road I traveled a lot thru Nevada, Caliente thru Rachel to Tonapah, 211 miles. Had a full Remus, great bike.
 
Based on my FE, they're going to have to make changes to make a it a true touring bike. The two big things I think of immediately is vibration and leg/foot position. The vibration coming through the handlebars at Highway speeds puts my hands to sleep during stints on the highway. Compare it to the Harley Streetglide I had which when cruising at Highway speeds was smooth. It was like driving a luxury car. Perfect for long trips.

While I don't mind the leg/foot position, thats going to be a problem for long "trans-continental" trips. You need to be able to move your legs/feet around more than the BMW design will allow. Simply putting footboards on isn't going to do it. And where would you reasonably mount highway pegs with those cylinder heads...

And as I see it, the R18 isn't selling well as it is unfortunately, i can't see that this model will fair much better. This version is going to be close to the pricepoint of a StreetGlide.
Thanx for this post. It is making me question whether to leave the R1200 platform to R18 TC or K1600 GA. I like short 1 or 2 day trips but also a couple of multi-week trips per year. Hummmm…
 
- good Review, spot-on IMHO.

I (currently) own two Harleys, one Indian, three Victories, one Buell, two EBRs and one Boss Hoss (all US). Also a Triumph, a BMW (R18), two KTMs and two Ducatis (Europeans) as well as one Yamaha and one Honda. If I got told tomorrow that I could only keep three (it would have to be by God), it would be 1) the Goldwing and a toss-up, 2) between the two Harleys (Twincam Breakout or M8 Electra Glide), and 3) between the EBR 1190SX and the Triumph Rocketr 3R. And I would try to hide the 1190 KTM Adventure somewhere nearby (-:

I have been riding bikes for fifty years this year and have owned more than one hundred motorized two-wheelers. The R18 is my first BMW and will be my last. I have owned several BMW motorcars, and my wife still drives one now. I am not a fan of the GS (not after having owned KTMs), the S1000RR (coming from Ducatis), or the K1600 - no match for the Goldwing, especially not the latest model. I own a 2014 GL1800 - my wife's favourite.
 
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