The 2022 BMW R 18 B “Bagger” and R 18 Transcontinental (above) are BMW Motorrad’s first foray into the heavyweight traditional touring cruiser segment. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

BMW has long been committed to designing and building motorcycles for travel, and the all-new 2022 BMW R 18 Transcontinental continues that tradition in a new segment for the German brand. BMW’s current lineup is filled with sport-tourers, adventure tourers, luxury tourers, and even a bagger, but all occupy the modern, performance-oriented end of the spectrum. Many are popular and sell in respectable quantities each year, especially on a global scale.

But here in North America – the biggest market for large-displacement motorcycles – cruisers are king. And when it comes to heavyweight touring cruisers, Harley-Davidson is by far the dominant brand.
With a batwing-style fairing, audio and infotainment system, hard saddlebags, a trunk, a passenger seat with a wrap-around backrest, and other amenities, the R 18 Transcontinental is fully equipped for two-up, long-haul touring.

According to data from Infobike, two Harley-Davidson model families – Street Glide and Road Glide – accounted for 65% of global sales for heavyweight cruisers last year. If you add in Harley’s Electra Glide, Sport Glide, and Road King models, that number jumps to 84%. Of 67,859 units sold worldwide, Harley-Davidson accounts for 57,178 of them, and 49,331 (73%) were sold...