BMW has unveiled the R 18 Transcontinental grand tourer and the R 18 B bagger, both of which sport classic styling, modern equipment and the ‘Big Boxer’ engine.
The R 18 B bagger variant has been designed as a ‘rider’s machine’ ideal for cool touring and cruising, claims BMW.
It is a classy piece of kit, really. Building on the already stunning R 18, the R 18 B gets a huge fairing with a wide windscreen, round mirrors, a slimmer seat, wider footrests and a matt black metallic engine.
Of course, one must not forget the panniers either, and they should bode well for short rides.
The R 18 Transcontinental comes with a larger windshield, wind deflector and flaps, touring seats with heating function, running boards, panniers, top case, and an engine in silver metallic.
Both models come with a cockpit with 4 analogue dials and a 10.25-inch TFT colour display with navigation. They also get additional headlamps and a Marshall sound system (Marshall Gold Series Stage 1 and Stage 2 sound systems are options).
Built on a double-loop steel tube frame, the cruiser and bagger sport an open universal shaft drive, 24-litre pear-drop fuel tank, and powered by a 1802cc 2-cylinder boxer engine that makes 91 HP and 150 Nm of torque.
Riding on light alloy cast wheels, the BMW R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B have a 49 mm telescopic fork at the front and a rear strut with travel-dependent damping and automatic load compensation.
The suspension travel is 120 mm at both ends, while braking is done by dual discs up front and a single disc at the back, aided by ABS.
Each get 3 riding modes (Rain, Roll and Rock), as well as Automatic Stability Control (ASC) and MSR (engine drag torque control) as standard. Reversing aid and Hill Start Control are optional extras.
Further, BMW has equipped the motorcycles with Dynamic Cruise Control (DCC) and cornering control as standard. Active Cruise Control (ACC) that works through radar sensors integrated in the front fairing, is optional.
What’s more, the BMW R 18 Transcontinental and the R 18 B also come in ‘First Edition’ versions that get black paintwork with white double-lining and a chrome package.
But that is not all. BMW also offers exclusive Option 719 equipment and tonnes of accessories for both the grand tourer and bagger models.