BREAKING: BMW R 18 Cruiser arrives in India, launch by the end of September 2020

BMW Motorrad has received the first unit of the R 18 Cruiser in India. OVERDRIVE has learnt that BMW Motorrad will be launching the flagship offering in the end week of September 2020. The company dealerships have already started accepting bookings for the same with a token amount of Rs 1 lakh. The deliveries of the BMW R 18, that is being brought to the country, through the CBU route, will commence in October 2020. We are expecting the BMW R 18 to start around Rs. 20 lakh and stretch all the way up to Rs. 24 lakh, ex-showroom.

The first unit of the BMW R 18 cruiser has arrived in India

The R 18 marks BMW's re-entry into the cruiser space and it rivals the likes of the Harley-Davidson Fatboy. The R 18's design is inspired by the yesteryear R 5 BMWs and therefore it showcased a similar, lean and minimalist design theme. It is powered by a 1,802cc boxer-twin engine - the largest of its kind on any production motorcycle - larger than even the R 1250 GS and is good for 91PS of power and 150Nm torque that is fed to a shaft drive configuration. The R 18 also features a BMW-typical electronics package, which includes riding modes, automatic stability and traction control, engine drag torque control which limits slip under hard downshifting, a reversing assist and even a Hill Start Control, much like the new R 1250 GS.

Optional extras include a million options right from 21-inch front wheel options, headlamp designs, auxiliary lamps, a windshield and much more. There is a Bobber Kit which keeps the motorcycle barebones along with the side mounted number plate. If you want you can also build the R18 to be a complete bagger (pictured below) with the exhaust options, chrome packs, engine guards amongst other options.

The modern-day equipment includes three unique riding modes - Rain, Roll and Rock - which in our opinion mean Wet, Comfort and Sport modes in layman terms. These come courtesy of a BMW -typical electronics package, which also includes automatic stability and traction control, engine drag torque control which limits slip under hard downshifting, a reversing assist and Hill Start Control, much like the new GS.