BMW MOTORRAD CONCEPT R18
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Feature
A
t the prestigious Concorso d'Eleganza held in Italy on
May 25 at the elegant Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake
Como, BMW Motorrad unveiled its own Concept R18
interpretation of the Custom Cruiser theme, signaling a first step
in taking on Harley-Davidson on home turf soon.
Stripped down and raked out, the long-wheelbase retro-styled
Concept R18 is a statement of what BMW's designers are capable of.
"Motorcycles like the Concept R18 are a response to a grow-
ing need among the motorcycling community," explains Edgar
Heinrich, head of BMW Motorrad Design. "Instead of technology,
the focus here is on simplification, authenticity and transparency.
(Above) The R18 may
only be a one-off
custom, but the motor
is ultra-close to what
you'll be seeing in
the new BMW cruiser.
(Left) Design of the
R18 harkens back to
the 1936 BMW R5.
