2021 BMW R 18 Pre-Ordering Begins:
Web-Only, No Final Version Shown Yet
BMW has been teasing the release of the 2021 BMW R 18 for some time now. It started with the debut at the 2018 Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show of Departed, a custom R 18 powered motorcycle from Custom Works Zon of Shiga, Japan. That was followed by Birdcage by Revival Cycles in Austin at the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in April of this year. A month later, BMW finally revealed its own build using the 1800cc boxer motor. The BMW Concept R 18 took a bow at Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance at Lake Como. Just this month, the BMW Concept R 18 /2 stepped into the spotlight at EICMA 2019.
Now, you can pre-order the 2021 BMW R 18 at www.r18.bmw-motorrad.it, a special page at BMW Motorrad’s Italian website. About the only thing you can be sure of is that you’re ordering a motorcycle called the BMW R 18. Yes, we have seen concept and custom motorcycles using the big all-new boxer, but an actual prototype has not yet been made public, and likely doesn’t yet exist.
BMW refers to aspects of the R 18 concepts it has built, such as the twin Solex carburetors, aluminum engine block and transmission, air-/oil-cooling, and chrome shaft drive when discussing the pre-ordering. However, it is yet to be locked down exactly what features and form the production R 18 will possess. While we are confident that it will have the 1800cc horizontally opposed powerplant in a cruiser-style chassis, pretty much everything else about the 2021 BMW R 18 is up for grabs.
According to BMW, a production R 18 will be shown to the public at some time in 2020. That most likely means a 2021 model year for the R 18 that will first appear on the showroom floor. Like pretty much everyone else, we cannot wait to see it and, especially, ride the 2021 BMW R 18.