Beemer Behemoth

[LowRyter]

Saw this big Beemer at the dealer the other day. 



They had three of those big Beemers there. Very low to the ground, keeps the center of gravity low so it was pretty easy to pick up. It has mid mount pegs but being so low, not a lot of leg room. Those really big cylinders won't allow cruiser pegs. I'd say it's a German Softail.

Hofbrau hopper.

[Perazzimx14]

NO need for highway pegs. Just kick you heels up on the cylinders. Been doing that on regular GS's since I've had them. GSA the tank covers the cylinders so highway pegs are needed.

[LowRyter]

NO need for highway pegs. Just kick you heels up on the cylinders. Been doing that on regular GS's since I've had them. GSA the tank covers the cylinders so highway pegs are needed.

Not on that bike, your calves maybe.

[Tom H]

Ok it's a bar hopper, but you new found love of your life will have to drive her car to your rendezvous. The pipes to me look ghastly, though I seem to recall maybe BMW having something like that in the '50's or so? Your knees look like they could be in your chest if it scales to my R75. At least with my R75 my thighs are almost level.

Loose the pipes, and I would give one a test ride. It is kinda cute in a retro way.

Tom

[ohiorider]

.....  I seem to recall maybe BMW having something like that in the '50's or so?

Tom

1936 R5

[blu guzz]

there has been a lot of noise about this bike.  is it really what the public wants, at this time?  it seems like these sort of large cruisers are loosing market share now that the demographic that fueled the fire for cruisers is aging out of the hobby.  BMW tried a cruiser once before when cruisers were really hot and it was not much of a success at that time.  that bike was too much bmw and not enough cruiser - they didn't really get what the US market wanted.  in my opinion, they will sell a few to well heeled bmw riders who want a toy.  anyone know the price yet?

[JJ]

Saw this big Beemer at the dealer the other day. 



They had three of those big Beemers there. Very low to the ground, keeps the center of gravity low so it was pretty easy to pick up. It has mid mount pegs but being so low, not a lot of leg room. Those really big cylinders won't allow cruiser pegs. I'd say it's a German Softail.

Hofbrau hopper.

My BMW / Triumph buddy sat on one this week.  He said it was pretty cool!  I am sure it cruises just fine down the highway...Low-Rider Beemer...what's not to like??!?

[mobiker]

1936 R5

That's what the R18 needs - a sprung saddle. As it is, I don't think my hips and back could take it for long.
Not for me, but I hope they sell a bunch.

[bad Chad]

It’s a dumb bike for sure.   Actually the 1200 bmw cruiser sold pretty well. Not s why they axed it.

[ohiorider]

It’s a dumb bike for sure.   Actually the 1200 bmw cruiser sold pretty well. Not s why they axed it.

Chad, I think BMW sold 6-7k of the R1200C and variants over its lifespan.  I may be wrong.  A Wiki article claims 40k over 8 years, or 5k R1200C bikes a year.

[bad Chad]

Yes, I believe you are indeed wrong.

[JJ]

I LOVE BMW's and have owned / ridden five (5) of them in my time, mostly airheads...but a few oil-heads also.

If I were going to buy / own / ride a low slung, cruiser tractor like this, I would not hesitate to go with a 2020 HD Softtail Slim like this...

[oldbike54]

 It's a niche bike , BMW Wil sell these in sufficient numbers to cover development costs, and get some brand exposure . A HD owning buddy thinks this thing is beautiful .

 Dusty

[DesertPilot]

It's a Kreuzer!

[Canuck750]

I had a look at one in Scottsdale at Go AZ last week, very nice detail. Take a look at the final drive frame support, bears a strong semblance to the original hard tail BMW of the 30's.

The engine is huge, not my cup of tea but I think BMW did a good job with it.

[kirby1923]

Saw one in Paris recently, actually looked smaller than the new GS.

Pretty clean.

:-)

[kingoffleece]

Regardless of opinions, as always, the market will decide the success, or not.

As said in the Willy Wonka movie: "It doesn't have to have a point, that's why it's candy."

[Moparnut72]

I contend that the Audace is a much better bike. It will outrun, corner better and ride better than the R18. The Audace doesn't sell very well and as soon as the novelty of the new R18 wears off I don't think it will either. The R18 looks cool but my Audace gets an awfully large amount of "gee that is a gorgeous bike." I'll stick with my MGas long as I can hold it up.
kk

[inditx]

My wife says it’s flamboyant! 
no signature :~0

[Turin]

I think they did a very nice job with it. Sure is pretty, and that's not something I've ever said before concerning BMWs.

[TodkaVonic]

I bought one yesterday. Rode it about 120 miles today. It's a blast. Pulls like a damn freight train. I'll get to more of my impression later.

First, the usual gripes:
1) It's heavy. Yes. It's something insane like 760 pounds. It's really heavy. Despite it's girth, riding around, even in parking lots, it feels...nimble? Can I say that about 760 lbs? Maneuvering it in my garage is tedious. There's an electrical reverse gear that's something of a novelty. I don't have any trouble pushing her backwards though, at least on flat surfaces.
2) It's low. Yes. Saddle height is 27 inches. That's not a big deal until you get to 2.b) the pegs are like 8 1/2 inches from the ground and 2.c) There's only 3.5" of travel in the rear shock. Many, many reviews mentioned pegs scraping seemingly all the time. Well, 100+ miles today in the coulee region of SW Wisconsin and nary a scrape. Granted, I was careful and was "cruising", but, regardless, she's not the peg-scaper that you may be lead to believe, at least not with, let's say, un-spirited use. The rear shock travel issue is confusing to me because reviewers will say it's not typical of BMW but IS typical of other cruisers, ie the HD Softail, etc., and then go on to say that it's a problem. I guess either way it translates to potentially not the smoothest ride. Felt fine to me though.
3) The pegs are under you. Kinda. They're actually about 16" forward. I'm 6' with a 32" inseam. Sitting in the saddle, my thighs are parallel with the ground and my knees are at a 90 degree angle. It's like sitting on the can.    It's not uncomfortable for me, but I'm used to a loop frame and, if I really want to torture myself, a Ducati Sport Classic. If you absolutely must equate cruiser with extreme foot-forwardness, you're out of luck.
4) those mufflers! Holy crap what were they thinking? All I can say is, in person, they're kinda sexy. They curve in and under and are pretty sleek overall. I had anticipated changing them pretty much immediately, now, well, we'll see.
5) It vibrates! Why no counter-weights! Yup. Apparently the engineers wanted to recreate the R5 feel right down to it pulling to the left when you twist the throttle. After riding my Guzzi (which visibly shakes whilst on it's stand), this engineered un-refinement doesn't faze me. I could see it bothering some, however.

Next, my gripes
1) There's no fuel gauge. It's a $23K motorcycle with all sorts of useless info on the dash (average speed? Seriously?) but no fuel gauge. How is this acceptable?
2) The seat is atrocious. For reference, remember, I ride a Paul Smart Ducati who's seat cushion is slightly thicker than a folded $5 bill, and my old Guzzi which has a generic "bobber" seat. Not premium comfort items, either of them. So you can sense my disappointment with the abuse that is the R18 saddle. I remember one reviewer who said that swapping seats is mandatory. He was correct and it will happen.
3) She's kinda quiet. Not sure how to remedy that short of swapping pipes.
4) There's no way that I can see to reverse the shifting to GP to match my other bikes. Bummer.

Next still, my positive impressions
1) The build. It's built like a brick sh*thouse. Everything is very-well executed and exudes quality in both build and material. In terms of fit and finish, it's very well done.
2) The look. Long and low. The lowness (as mentioned above) sacrifices lean angle and rear shock travel. In return, you get that cruiser aesthetic. Adjunct to this is the simplicity of the dash and overall cleanness of the handlebars/controls. Everything is tidy.
3) That engine. It's monumental. It's uncluttered by hoses and cables and trim pieces. It's just a great big boxer engine, right there, and there, and there's some too. I find it beautiful. And, performance-wise, it's a hoot. Twist the throttle and it just keeps pulling and pulling. The torque is fantastic, which is important because she only makes 91hp.
4) It's purpose-built for cruising. So many of the reviews found faults because they were trying to make the R18 into something it isn't. She's not a bagger. Although you can get a windscreen, if you don't have one, and you're doing 70 sitting bolt upright, there's gonna be a breeze. She's not a sport bike. If you're scraping your pegs around every corner, you're going too fast. Slow down. Cruise. She's not a touring bike. The tank is a bit over 4 gallons and the seat is horrible. You're gonna want to stop to stretch out, low fuel notwithstanding. So stop. Look around. Relax.

My final word is that it's really something you need to see and, hopefully ride, before passing judgement. It's far more appealing in person than in photos and many of the expert's impressions don't really apply for typical riding.

And on that note, I will close by posting a photo. Oh the irony.





Nate

[Kremmen]

I had a look at one in Scottsdale at Go AZ last week, very nice detail. Take a look at the final drive frame support, bears a strong semblance to the original hard tail BMW of the 30's.

It's hard to even see, now. The concept version showed things off much more nicely.





Silencer aside I think they've done a nice job here. I'd have one, if I rode cruisers.

[wymple]

"she only makes 91hp."

91 HP is never "only".

[blu guzz]

thank you for that great review.  so much more useful than a "reveiwer" review.  those guys are so jaded by getting to ride everything under the sun. you could write for a magazine. 

[Moparnut72]

Nice review,  best I have read.  Well done.  About the amount of power I can't agree more.  My Audace weighs about the and has 96 hp and a very flat torque curve. I can't see anyone needing any more than that. My bike is quite fast and can get a bit scary at times.
kk

[rtbickel]

I know that manufacturers have to make the bikes comply with noise regulations, but couldn't they make OEM exhaust systems that don't look totally ridiculous, out of proportion and out of place?

[TodkaVonic]

Nice review,  best I have read.  Well done.  About the amount of power I can't agree more.  My Audace weighs about the and has 96 hp and a very flat torque curve. I can't see anyone needing any more than that. My bike is quite fast and can get a bit scary at times.
kk

Thanks! The Audace is a hell of a machine and is definitely more "on-trend" with it's murdered-out look. Whenever I see one, it catches my eye.

Nate

[jwinwi]

I bought one yesterday. Rode it about 120 miles today. It's a blast. Pulls like a damn freight train. I'll get to more of my impression later.

First, the usual gripes:
1) It's heavy. Yes. It's something insane like 760 pounds. It's really heavy. Despite it's girth, riding around, even in parking lots, it feels...nimble? Can I say that about 760 lbs? Maneuvering it in my garage is tedious. There's an electrical reverse gear that's something of a novelty. I don't have any trouble pushing her backwards though, at least on flat surfaces.
2) It's low. Yes. Saddle height is 27 inches. That's not a big deal until you get to 2.b) the pegs are like 8 1/2 inches from the ground and 2.c) There's only 3.5" of travel in the rear shock. Many, many reviews mentioned pegs scraping seemingly all the time. Well, 100+ miles today in the coulee region of SW Wisconsin and nary a scrape. Granted, I was careful and was "cruising", but, regardless, she's not the peg-scaper that you may be lead to believe, at least not with, let's say, un-spirited use. The rear shock travel issue is confusing to me because reviewers will say it's not typical of BMW but IS typical of other cruisers, ie the HD Softail, etc., and then go on to say that it's a problem. I guess either way it translates to potentially not the smoothest ride. Felt fine to me though.
3) The pegs are under you. Kinda. They're actually about 16" forward. I'm 6' with a 32" inseam. Sitting in the saddle, my thighs are parallel with the ground and my knees are at a 90 degree angle. It's like sitting on the can.    It's not uncomfortable for me, but I'm used to a loop frame and, if I really want to torture myself, a Ducati Sport Classic. If you absolutely must equate cruiser with extreme foot-forwardness, you're out of luck.
4) those mufflers! Holy crap what were they thinking? All I can say is, in person, they're kinda sexy. They curve in and under and are pretty sleek overall. I had anticipated changing them pretty much immediately, now, well, we'll see.
5) It vibrates! Why no counter-weights! Yup. Apparently the engineers wanted to recreate the R5 feel right down to it pulling to the left when you twist the throttle. After riding my Guzzi (which visibly shakes whilst on it's stand), this engineered un-refinement doesn't faze me. I could see it bothering some, however.

Next, my gripes
1) There's no fuel gauge. It's a $23K motorcycle with all sorts of useless info on the dash (average speed? Seriously?) but no fuel gauge. How is this acceptable?
2) The seat is atrocious. For reference, remember, I ride a Paul Smart Ducati who's seat cushion is slightly thicker than a folded $5 bill, and my old Guzzi which has a generic "bobber" seat. Not premium comfort items, either of them. So you can sense my disappointment with the abuse that is the R18 saddle. I remember one reviewer who said that swapping seats is mandatory. He was correct and it will happen.
3) She's kinda quiet. Not sure how to remedy that short of swapping pipes.
4) There's no way that I can see to reverse the shifting to GP to match my other bikes. Bummer.

Next still, my positive impressions
1) The build. It's built like a brick sh*thouse. Everything is very-well executed and exudes quality in both build and material. In terms of fit and finish, it's very well done.
2) The look. Long and low. The lowness (as mentioned above) sacrifices lean angle and rear shock travel. In return, you get that cruiser aesthetic. Adjunct to this is the simplicity of the dash and overall cleanness of the handlebars/controls. Everything is tidy.
3) That engine. It's monumental. It's uncluttered by hoses and cables and trim pieces. It's just a great big boxer engine, right there, and there, and there's some too. I find it beautiful. And, performance-wise, it's a hoot. Twist the throttle and it just keeps pulling and pulling. The torque is fantastic, which is important because she only makes 91hp.
4) It's purpose-built for cruising. So many of the reviews found faults because they were trying to make the R18 into something it isn't. She's not a bagger. Although you can get a windscreen, if you don't have one, and you're doing 70 sitting bolt upright, there's gonna be a breeze. She's not a sport bike. If you're scraping your pegs around every corner, you're going too fast. Slow down. Cruise. She's not a touring bike. The tank is a bit over 4 gallons and the seat is horrible. You're gonna want to stop to stretch out, low fuel notwithstanding. So stop. Look around. Relax.

My final word is that it's really something you need to see and, hopefully ride, before passing judgement. It's far more appealing in person than in photos and many of the expert's impressions don't really apply for typical riding.

And on that note, I will close by posting a photo. Oh the irony.





Nate

Nate,
It is a pretty bike but, IMHO, it's only the third-best looking bike in your garage. 
Congrats!

[SteveRivet]

I bought one yesterday. Rode it about 120 miles today. It's a blast. Pulls like a damn freight train. I'll get to more of my impression later.

First, the usual gripes:
1) It's heavy. Yes. It's something insane like 760 pounds. It's really heavy. Despite it's girth, riding around, even in parking lots, it feels...nimble? Can I say that about 760 lbs? Maneuvering it in my garage is tedious. There's an electrical reverse gear that's something of a novelty. I don't have any trouble pushing her backwards though, at least on flat surfaces.
2) It's low. Yes. Saddle height is 27 inches. That's not a big deal until you get to 2.b) the pegs are like 8 1/2 inches from the ground and 2.c) There's only 3.5" of travel in the rear shock. Many, many reviews mentioned pegs scraping seemingly all the time. Well, 100+ miles today in the coulee region of SW Wisconsin and nary a scrape. Granted, I was careful and was "cruising", but, regardless, she's not the peg-scaper that you may be lead to believe, at least not with, let's say, un-spirited use. The rear shock travel issue is confusing to me because reviewers will say it's not typical of BMW but IS typical of other cruisers, ie the HD Softail, etc., and then go on to say that it's a problem. I guess either way it translates to potentially not the smoothest ride. Felt fine to me though.
3) The pegs are under you. Kinda. They're actually about 16" forward. I'm 6' with a 32" inseam. Sitting in the saddle, my thighs are parallel with the ground and my knees are at a 90 degree angle. It's like sitting on the can.    It's not uncomfortable for me, but I'm used to a loop frame and, if I really want to torture myself, a Ducati Sport Classic. If you absolutely must equate cruiser with extreme foot-forwardness, you're out of luck.
4) those mufflers! Holy crap what were they thinking? All I can say is, in person, they're kinda sexy. They curve in and under and are pretty sleek overall. I had anticipated changing them pretty much immediately, now, well, we'll see.
5) It vibrates! Why no counter-weights! Yup. Apparently the engineers wanted to recreate the R5 feel right down to it pulling to the left when you twist the throttle. After riding my Guzzi (which visibly shakes whilst on it's stand), this engineered un-refinement doesn't faze me. I could see it bothering some, however.

Next, my gripes
1) There's no fuel gauge. It's a $23K motorcycle with all sorts of useless info on the dash (average speed? Seriously?) but no fuel gauge. How is this acceptable?
2) The seat is atrocious. For reference, remember, I ride a Paul Smart Ducati who's seat cushion is slightly thicker than a folded $5 bill, and my old Guzzi which has a generic "bobber" seat. Not premium comfort items, either of them. So you can sense my disappointment with the abuse that is the R18 saddle. I remember one reviewer who said that swapping seats is mandatory. He was correct and it will happen.
3) She's kinda quiet. Not sure how to remedy that short of swapping pipes.
4) There's no way that I can see to reverse the shifting to GP to match my other bikes. Bummer.

Next still, my positive impressions
1) The build. It's built like a brick sh*thouse. Everything is very-well executed and exudes quality in both build and material. In terms of fit and finish, it's very well done.
2) The look. Long and low. The lowness (as mentioned above) sacrifices lean angle and rear shock travel. In return, you get that cruiser aesthetic. Adjunct to this is the simplicity of the dash and overall cleanness of the handlebars/controls. Everything is tidy.
3) That engine. It's monumental. It's uncluttered by hoses and cables and trim pieces. It's just a great big boxer engine, right there, and there, and there's some too. I find it beautiful. And, performance-wise, it's a hoot. Twist the throttle and it just keeps pulling and pulling. The torque is fantastic, which is important because she only makes 91hp.
4) It's purpose-built for cruising. So many of the reviews found faults because they were trying to make the R18 into something it isn't. She's not a bagger. Although you can get a windscreen, if you don't have one, and you're doing 70 sitting bolt upright, there's gonna be a breeze. She's not a sport bike. If you're scraping your pegs around every corner, you're going too fast. Slow down. Cruise. She's not a touring bike. The tank is a bit over 4 gallons and the seat is horrible. You're gonna want to stop to stretch out, low fuel notwithstanding. So stop. Look around. Relax.

My final word is that it's really something you need to see and, hopefully ride, before passing judgement. It's far more appealing in person than in photos and many of the expert's impressions don't really apply for typical riding.

And on that note, I will close by posting a photo. Oh the irony.





Nate

Great eval, thanks for the posting.   I saw one in person last week and was impressed.  Congrats on your purchase.

Steve

[JJ]

Is that an oil-drip-pan I see under that Guzzi?!?  Whaaaaaaaatt?!?