BMW Motorrad is celebrating 100 years of motorcycles with the new 2023 BMW R 18 100 Years Edition. This is a limited edition model with just 1,923 examples produced for the entire planet. The MSRP of this special R 18 is $18,990, so let’s see what is unique about the 100 Years Edition.
The R 18 motor and chassis are unchanged internally, but paint is applied. It’s still the 1802cc air-cooled Big Boxer moving things around. However, on the 100 Years Edition, the cylinders, transmission, and rear drive all get painted Avus Black. The name comes from Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungsstraße (AVUS), a legendary 12.2-mile German racing circuit that operated from 1921 to 1989.
The tank and rear fender get a sophisticated paint-on-chrome treatment with white double-pinstriping. The chroming process is a tricky one, as it has to be prepped for modern solvent-free paints. After the part is chromed, it is polished to perfection and then submerged in electroplating baths of copper, nickel, and chromium. Multiple layers of paint are applied, with a clearcoat protecting the results. The front fender is chrome-less Avus black, and also features double pinstriping. More black is found on the fork covers. The tank also gets a 100 Years BMW Motorrad numbered tank badge.
There are plenty of unpainted chrome parts. Chrome is found on the cylinder head covers, intake manifold covers, engine cover, handlebar, bar-end weights, clutch and front brake master cylinders, mirrors, and brake calipers. Also, don’t miss the chromed Akrapovič muffler, which features a perforated BMW logo at the exhaust point.
That oxblood red diamond-embossed solo seat is from BMW’s Option 719 line.
Options include floorboards and an anti-theft alarm system. We could go for both.
You should be able to see the 2023 BMW R 18 100 Years Edition at your local dealer soon. Delivery is expected in the first quarter of this year.
Benda motorcycles are beginning to make a ripple on US shores with four intriguing and competitive models, courtesy of its partnership with Keeway Group. We were impressed with the Napoleonbob 500 and have now gotten our gloves on the persuasive, entry-level 2026 Benda Chinchilla 300, with its modest MSRP of $4999. It would be difficult to design a more welcoming entry-level cruiser than this easy-handling, visually appealing boulevard bobber. Editor Don Williams and Associate Editor Kelly Callan discuss the Benda Chinchilla 300 and how it actually rode for them.
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Our guest this episode is Jesse Merriman, Chief Technician for Jeremy McWilliams at the Arch Motorcycle racing project. Arch Racing was founded by Gard Hollinger and Keanu Reevs to compete in the Moto America Super Hooligan race series. Teejay Adams chats with Jesse about the Arch motorcycle and the challenges of extracting the absolute most from an air-cooled V-Twin racing engine and custom chassis.
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Here’s quick reminder to check out our monthly digital magazine. It’s filled with everything you want to read on motorcycling, including some things you’ve probably not seen elsewhere. It’s absolutely free and you will find it on the Apple App Store and of course on Google Play as well.
Don’t forget to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!
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![2023 BMW R 18 100 Years Edition First Look [6 Fast Facts]](https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-bmw-r-18-100-years-edition-first-look-3-768x512.jpg "2023 BMW R 18 100 Years Edition First Look [6 Fast Facts]")
