It’s no secret that BMW Motorrad has a big-bore cruiser in the works. And the teaser campaign has been inspired?with spectacular scratch-built bikes from Custom Works Zon and Revival Cycles showcasing the mighty new powerplant.
The Germans have finally revealed their own prototype: the BMW Concept R18. It’s long, low and devastatingly beautiful.

BMW invited us to Lake Como to watch the Concept R18 reveal at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este. It’s a classy affair, with seersucker jackets and Panama hats for miles. But even in the midst of high fashion and exotic classic cars, the R18 shone brightly.
When we first heard that BMW were working on a cruiser, we immediately had visions of the BMW R 1200 C Montauk?and shuddered. But thankfully, BMW didn’t look to the American market for design inspiration this time.
Instead, they cast their eyes back to their own past. ?There is so much history in BMW,? says design head Edgar Heinrich, ?we just don’t always use it. What you see here is one hundred percent BMW?even if it’s a segment we have not been in before.?
BMW drew most of their inspiration from the iconic R5?a bike that Edgar cites as one of his all-time favorites. There are hints of the R50 and later R60/2 too, but looking at the lines and details of the Concept R18, it’s the R5 genes that dominate.

It’s not just pitched as a retro though; BMW’s hope is that it’ll stand alone as...