BMW R 18 showcased in India, launch expected this festive season

BMW Motorrad came up with the brand-new R 18 cruiser earlier this year in April. And now the new motorcycle is banging on the Indian doors with expected launch around the upcoming festive season.

The big-sized power cruiser was recently showcased in India to potential customers and select BMW Motorrad dealerships have also started taking pre-orders for a token amount of ₹1 lakh. When launched, the R 18 is expected to cost somewhere in the range of ₹18 lakh to ₹22 lakh (ex-showroom).

The key highlight of the gigantic cruiser is its cradle-type chassis housing a 1,800 cc, two-cylinder boxer engine. It is claimed to be the biggest motorcycle engine developed by BMW Motorrad till date.

This is a new powertain featuring a design inspired from the flat-twin engines from the 1960s. Goes without saying, the new engine packs a bigger displacement and liquid-cooling technology. Featuring a 107 mm bore and 100 mm stroke, this engine has been rated to deliver 91 PS of power at 4,750 rpm and 158 Nm peak torque at 3,000 rpm. As per official claims, most of the torque from this engine is available in the lower rev band (2,000 rpm to 4,000 rpm). It comes linked to a 6-speed transmission and has a top speed of over 111 mph (178 km/h).

Some of the key highlights of the R 18 cruiser include LED round headlight with LED DRL, fishtail dual exhausts, handlebar-mounted side turn signals, machined fuel filler cap, 3 riding modes - Rain, Roll, and Rock, ASC (Automatic Stability Control), and Drag Torque Control (DTC).

When launched, it will rival the likes of cruisers such as Triumph Rocket 3, Ducati XDiavel S and Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.