Spy photos of the production version of the BMW R 18 cruiser prototype that dropped jaws earlier this year now comes with an oil cooler, longer pipes, bags and a fatter front tyre.

We expected there would be some differences between the beautiful and simplistic prototype and it seems engine cooling for emissions regulations will be the real spoiler of the production model.

No surprises there.

The production version is expected to be unveiled at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan next month.

Spy photos

We’re not sure where these spy shots came from as we have seen them on many websites, each with their own watermark over them. These are all from Motorcycle.com who say they “received them”.

Unfortunately they don’t show all of the bike as it is loaded on to a truck with a blue tarp covering most of the machine.

However, we can see the 1800cc boxer engine is pretty much the same as the prototype, except for that oil cooler and, of course, EFI instead of the carburettors on the prototype.

That chrome-fronted engine is going to cop a lot of wear from stones thrown up from the front wheel!

We can also see the pipes are much longer and the front wheel is smaller with a fatter tyre.

The prototype front wheel has a 21-inch wheel with a 110mm or 120mm tyre. The production version is likely a 17 or 18-inch with a 130mm or wider tyre.

Like the prototype, the front wheel has twin discs and spokes.

Because of the changed wheel geometry, it seems the front forks may also be a slightly tighter rake and trail.

BMW designers have thankfully retained the lovely drop tank, exposed chrome-plated drive shaft and the simple steel cradle frame.

Let’s hope they have also retained the single, simple, lamp-shaped headlight.

Obviously the production version will have indicators, instruments and mirrors that the concept didn’t. And we doubt those back-to-front levers will be used.

Two versions

There appear to be a couple of versions of this bike; cruiser and tourer.

In some photos we can see a rear seat, rather than the prototype’s solo saddle and there are even leather saddlebags and a tall windscreen.

Pre-bookings have already opened around the world and a range of heritage gear to natch the bike has been released.

BMW Group Australia spokesman Nick Raman says customers are champing at the bit for the cruiser.

“Orders have been taken at a dealer level for a production equivalent of the R 18,” he says.

“The deposit amount is at the dealer’s discretion, bearing in mind pricing and specification detail have not yet been released.

“We are however very pleased with how the pre orders are tracking.”

BMW R 18 cruiser timeline

BMW has been teasing us with a return to cruisers since December 2018 when a Japanese custom shop wheeled out an R18 with a mysterious new BMW engine.

In April 2019 a second cruiser concept with the engine was rolled out by a Texan custom shop.

Then BMW wheeled out their BMW R 18 cruiser prototype at the 90th the Concorso d’Eleganza show at Lake Como in Italy.

There are no details, no tech specs and not even a confirmation that it has an 1800cc boxer engine, but it does look big enough.

The biggest Beemer boxer engine yet is believed to be 1798.4cc in an over-square configuration (107 x 100mm).

The Concept R18 cruiser was built for BMW Motorrad by Unique Custom Cycles of Sweden.

BMW only built the R 1200 C cruiser from 1997 to 2004. In recent years, it has become a collector and customiser favourite.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Even before a production model R 18 cruiser has rolled out of the Spandau factory gates, BMW Motorrad is taking orders and deposits on the handsome bike.

That seems to confirm that they are most definitely returning to the cruiser market after their mildly received R 1200 C back in the 1990s.

Dealers have long taken orders and deposits for limited-edition models but a recent trend is to take also orders and deposits for highly anticipated production models even before they are production models.

Indian did it with the FTR 1200 and Suzuki with the resurrected Katana.

Now BMW Motorrad is following the trend.

BMW Group Australia spokesman Nick Raman says customers are champing at the bit for the cruiser.

“Orders have been taken at a dealer level for a production equivalent of the R 18,” he says.

“The deposit amount is at the dealer’s discretion, bearing in mind pricing and specification detail have not yet been released.

“We are however very pleased with how the pre orders are tracking.”

BMW R 18 cruiser

In December 2018, a Japanese custom shop wheels out an R18 with a mysterious new BMW engine and in April 2019 a second cruiser concept with the engine was rolled out by a Texan custom shop.

A third BMW R 18 cruiser concept model was unveiled at the 90th the Concorso d’Eleganza show at Lake Como in Italy.

There are no details, no tech specs and not even a confirmation that it has an 1800cc boxer engine, but it does look big enough.

The biggest Beemer boxer engine yet is believed to be 1798.4cc in an over-square configuration (107 x 100mm) which means the pistons are wider than they are long. So it will be difficult to lane filter!

Concept R18 cruiser was built for BMW Motorrad by Unique Custom Cycles of Sweden, so it’s not the final version that BMW is expected to release.

This is a simplistic model with minimalist design.

No doubt the Germans will give it some Bavarian hi-tech and quirky design as they did with the R nineT after Roland Sands designed the Concept 90.

Cruiser return

BMW built the R 1200 C cruiser from 1997 to 2004. It was a flop, but in recent years has become a collector and customiser favourite.

Over the years I have asked BMW executives whether they would ever return to the cruiser market and they have never said they wouldn’t.

Now it appears they are!

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com