BMW R18 & R nineT
For 2023, BMW has brought out heritage editions of the R18 and R nineT as part of the factory’s celebrations of 100 years of production, so it seemed only right that we should take a look at how the Bavarian factory’s retro bikes have been influenced by the past
The market for retro-styled motorcycles is not only one that seems to be expanding year by year, but is also one that has been part of several manufacturers’ ranges for quite some time. So much so that some bikes are being produced that could be said to be a retro version of bikes that were originally produced as retros themselves.
In the main, manufacturers build retro bikes as a reflection of the machines that they had built themselves some 30, 40 or more years ago. And the names from the past are often used in the new models, with a few exceptions, of course. And that desire to reflect upon past glories is clearly a strong one in the motorcycle industry, hence the heavy reliance that the Bloor Triumph empire, as an example, has set on the range of Bonnevilles that the Hinckley factory (and its subsidiary factories abroad) now produce. A reliance on designs, if not technology, from years past is obviously conducive to sales in the 21st Century, and BMW was keen to jump on that particular bandwagon when it launched its monster-motored R18 in April 2020.
But there’s also the thought that retro-styled bikes need not actually reflect the designs and aspirations of a bike that actually existed in the manufacturer’s range. Such is the case with the BMW R nineT. There was no previous R nineT – in contrast to the way that Triumph (as an example) has rejuvenated so many names – nor was there a bike that the R nineT has taken its styling influences from. It’s just a machine that looks as though it’s a retro, when in actual fact it is simply a modern naked bike, albeit an aesthetically-pleasing one.
Another recent theme of production bikes has been that of there being a basic version, with further better-equipped (and more expensive, naturally) models expanding the range. So, we were keen to try the basic versions of each model, getting some purity without looking at the top-of-the-range bikes.
So. One manufacturer, two recent bikes harking back to earlier times. Which is the better reflection of a manufacturer’s previous victories, and which is the best for 21st Century Britain?
R nineT Scrambler
As said, this naked roadster’s look is quite contemporary, although not really of a true retro style, despite the factory’s attempts at trying to bring some older style elements to the game. The red leather seat cover is one such item (which I like, although many will hate the colour), and the fork gaiters are another, being a practicality that seems to have been phased out of general use for some reason but help to give a look that matches the name. Although, and this is something that confuses me a little (not that that is difficult), the Scrambler that I was riding on the BMW trip had road-focussed tyres that weren’t those fitted to some of the other bikes, with them having the more appropriate (for the bike’s name) knobbly-styled rubber.
It being the model that approximates to being the ‘entrylevel’ R nineT, the Scrambler costs £12,350, so it’s somewhat cheaper than the £14,100 of the ‘normal’ R nineT that comes with spoked wheels rather than the cast hoops of the Scrambler, again perhaps a little contradictory as one might have thought that the name suggests a level of off-road ability and some traditionally built-up wheel rims. Perhaps I’m being a little pedantic here, given that I really like the look of the Scrambler’s five-spoke wheels, and I also prefer the road-type tyres as well, although if you were to take the R nineT off-road (and, to be fair, it would have to be gentle green lanes and nothing remotely like the sort of thing that experienced enduro or trials riders would be looking for) then you’d only be considering it were it fitted with the more appropriate rubber.
While the flat twin powerplant hasn’t got the capacity and engine tech of the GS1250’s ‘ShiftCam’ engine, being 27bhp and 27Nm down in power and torque on its big brother, it is still a supremely useful road engine, punchy enough to make overtakes instantaneous and easy, regardless of gear or speed, with plenty of character and that addictive flat twin drone that’s the perfect aural accompaniment to a twisty A or B road.
There are two ride modes, Rain and Road – although there is the option of the Pro riding modes as an upgrade, which brings in the Dirt mode – but such is the easy flexibility of the engine, I wouldn’t consider the Rain mode unless the conditions were exceedingly treacherous. The factory claim the R nineT is capable of ‘over 200kph’, which some many consider to be a vague statement
suggesting factory wariness of admitting how fast it is (or isn’t!), but any real figure is fairly irrelevant in this market segment. The important thing is how much of a grin factor the bike has, and it is most certainly there, in spadefuls!
R18 Big Brother
The factory’s biggest flat twin ever is one that has been considerably more influenced by BMW’s earlier creations than its smaller sibling. And the factory itself states that the open shaft drive, the shape of the fuel tank and the pinstripes adorning it are all drawn from the R5 of 1936. Of course, nigh on 90 years ago, motorcycles were still undergoing swift and rapid development, and there wasn’t such a thing as ‘cruiser styling’, which is undoubtedly what the R18 is based around, regardless of the design elements that the factory has taken from earlier models.
Although weighing in at a frankly astounding 345kg, it is very different to the pre-war model in virtually every other way, too, and while the engine has pushrod valve actuation, it most certainly isn’t old-fashioned in the way it delivers its prodigious power output, with an impressive torque figure of 116.5lb-ft being punched out at a lowly 3,000rpm.
And that makes for a wonderful riding experience and a bike that is actually far quicker from A to B than you’d expect given the styling.
And the styling is, in my eye, as close to perfect as an 1802cc flat twin could be. The lines flow neatly from front to rear; the fork shrouds and curvaceous exhaust silencers have an echo of bikes built 100 years hence; and the level of detailing and quality is just what you’d expect if you’re handing over north of 17 grand.
While it’s not something that will be apparent when you’re actually riding the bike – but is something of a distraction for anyone riding close by – the open shaft drive to the back wheel is a genius styling statement. While just about every other modern