‘We’re not copying anyone’
● BMW set to go head to head with Harley ● Aiming for 10 straight years of sales growth ● New R18 to be launched as early as August ● BMW CEO says R18 will take on H-D but it’s no cheap imitation
After nine years of solid growth BMW are hoping 2020 will become their tenth with important new bikes such as the F900XR, but they’re also pinning their hopes on the soon to be fully revealed R18. Markus Schramm, BMW CEO and a fanatical biker, thinks this could be the machine that really takes it to the folks in Milwaukee. “We have proven in the past that we can enter new segments we have not been in before,” Schramm told MCN. “Take the S1000RR in 2009 - we were not part of the superbike world and now we are one of the leaders on superbike sales. It’s important for us to bring an emotional bike for BMW
– we are not copying anybody. I think we have a good opportunity to grab a big slice of this huge segment. It’s 350,000 out of 1 million bikes above 500cc and the feedback we’ve had to the R18 concept is very promising.” Even for their new markets and going right back into BMW history, the marque has always been about performance first and foremost, so the R18 seems like a departure; Style over substance. Schramm isn’t concerned. “It’s a different mindset. Our core business is about pace and performance, but we also look at convenience and connectivity with our scooters and then we have heritage with the RNineT. The difference between NineT and cruiser is not that far – it’s all about customising, purity, simplicity. That’s where we are strong. We are looking forward to it.”
Of course BMW will not be the first to attempt to take on Harley – their last attempt the R1200C failed as badly as others from outside the US. So what’s changed?
“I think coming from the heritage perspective – not just technically but also in design. The shape of the tank and frame, come straight from our history. Ten years ago we weren’t really part of the custom scene but these days it’s very different. “We’re not just going after Harley. We want to present biking as an analogue island in a digital world.” BMW say they will launch the R18 in the latter half of the year, possibly at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the USA. See R18 spy shots page 17.
● ‘The feedback we’ve had to the R18 is promising’ BMW CEO MARKUS SCHRAMM