Our Ross has been riding the BMW R 18 Roctane. It’s a big beast! How’s he finding it? Ross explains…
Finding some twisties, we got a bit of a chance to see how the newest R 18 handles. It definitely feels better than before. It was always good once banked over, but the last time I rode the R 18 Classic, it sometimes felt a bit ungainly and unsettled while getting there. The new 21-inch front wheel seems to help, and throwing it from side to side through the turns is no problem. It is surprisingly agile.
It’s still a big old lump, though, weighing in at a whopping 374kg. As soon as you’re rolling, it’s all forgotten – but moving it about and dropping it right over onto its side stand, you appreciate what a hefty thing it is.
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The 1802cc big boxer motor is a lovely thing. Massive – but lovely to use with plenty of character. Power is a surprisingly meagre (considering the size of the engine) 91hp at 4,750rpm – but with 158 Nm of torque available at 3,000rpm, you can wind open the throttle and let it do its thing. It almost doesn’t matter what gear you’re in – it’ll just keep pulling.
The bike is very well set up, and the springs do an excellent job of keeping the bike poised on rough surfaces and composed under hard braking. I’ve been asking a lot of it, but I’ve not managed to unsettle it yet.
The brakes are good too. They’ve got a hard job on their hands stopping this whopper quickly… and although they’re not exactly pin sharp, there’s plenty of bite to pull it up efficiently. And being honest, you can make full use of the ample engine braking on offer by crashing your way through the slightly agricultural (but reassuringly sturdy) 6-speed gearbox.
The finish is fantastic. BMW knows how to build bikes that’ll stand the test of time, and the R 18 Roctane is no different. You’ll pay for it, though – although there’s no doubt you get a lot of bike for your £21,750.
As always, there will be a full launch report in Motorcycle Sport and Leisure magazine (plus some information on the brilliant roads we’ve been riding), so if you want the full lowdown be sure to snag yourself a copy.
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