BMW R 18 Roctane (2023 – ) review

BMW’s determination to take on classic US cruiser brands like Harley-Davidson and Indian continues. First it came up with the R 18, an all-new, 1,800cc, air-cooled ‘big twin’ whose laid-back attitude matched its American cousins’ performance and approach with a blend of credible BMW style, quality and tech true to the German marque’s values. BMW followed it up in 2021 with the Harley Road King style R 18 Classic, Street Glide style R 18B and, in 2022, Transcontinental full-dress tourer as inspired by Harley’s Electra Glide and Indian’s Roadmaster. This latest variant, the R18 Roctane, is arguably the most attitude-laden and derivative yet. It does it impressively well, too. Put simply the R 18 in all its guises – and particularly here in latest Roctane bagger form – is a stylish, quality, class act.

Despite its cruiser image and low seat the Roctane is conventionally upright, with your feet below you. Which they have to be, considering the location of the boxer’s enormous cylinders. Peg position hadn’t been an issue on earlier R 18s but the Roctane, with its big 21-inch front wheel and mini ape-hangers, is the most ‘choppery’ of the lot. As a result you almost instinctively want to place your feet further forward … but can’t. Instead, small footboards are placed as close to the cylinders as possible, and you have to use a heel-toe ‘change to get through the gears. It’s not ideal, nor particularly comfortable or relaxing and rather suggests maybe the boxer twin layout wasn’t the best one for a cruiser after all, given there’s no way on earth you could use highway pegs on it.

The Roctane’s bagger configuration was never going to be as practical as a European style sports tourer or similar, or even as much as the more ‘sensible’, faired R 18 B on which it’s based. But there is a modicum of practicality thanks to its panniers and pillion seat, meaning room for your other half and enough luggage for a weekend away. As long as it’s not very far. Given the bike’s premium value and bulk it’s certainly not a workhorse or commuter, though.

The monster 1,802cc boxer twin is grunty, characterful and effective while the exposed shaft drive has been turned into a styling feature which, like everything, is impressive and beautifully finished. There is also a modicum of tech in the form of three riding modes, rather cringingly named Rain, Rock and Roll with ‘Rock’ being the sharpest. The twin front discs aided by a single rear and ABS are effective enough, too, although you also never quite lose sight of the huge bulk you’re trying to haul up. In slippery conditions, even with ABS, it can sometimes try to ‘push’ at the front. Overall, though, no complaints.

Although fairly extreme with its hefty all-up weight and ape-hanger bars, the Roctane handles far better than it has a right to. The boxer layout means the weight is carried low, the ride is decently plush and controlled and the overall result feels surprisingly conventional and manageable. The kicked out, non-adjustable 49mm forks hold a fairly skinny 21-inch front wheel for fairly nimble steering but, again, the Roctane is undeniably big and heavy to manhandle.

The Roctane starts at over £21,000, packs a heavyweight twin and carries the premium BMW badge, so it was never going to be cheap to run. That said, nor is it likely to be as bad as perhaps feared. Peak power is 91 horsepower and there is a whopping 158Nm of torque so, if ridden hard, there’s the potential to munch through tyres. On the other hand this is a laid-back cruiser so likely to be ridden gently and it’s also shaft drive, so you’ll have no concerns about replacing chains, belts and sprockets and BMWs generally have decent residuals.

Although a new machine, the Roctane is a further derivative of the R 18 1,802cc boxer twin platform as first introduced in 2020, with no major reliability concerns since. On top of that it’s a BMW, with the reputation for quality and reliability that goes with it and the Roctane is also very much a premium model with excellent build quality and finishes, so we have few causes for concern.

The new Roctane benefits from the recently introduced three-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer-backed warranty for all parts and labour, which should give plenty of peace of mind. Its service intervals match the rest of the R 18 range with checks every 6,000 miles or annually with major services to check the valve gear every other year, or at 12,000 miles.

Although a premium BMW the Roctane is also a pared-back cruiser where less is more, so it’s not exactly slathered in luxury and features. Instrumentation comprises the R18’s smart single dial built into headlamp nacelle in classic-cum-cruiser style. The central panel in the analogue speedo contains all the warning lights, plus an LCD digital display switchable between revs, odometer, clock, tyre pressures, temperatures and the selected rider mode. The switchgear, meanwhile, boasts not only riding modes and cruise control but a hazard warner and even heated grips. There are the hard panniers, of course, but that’s your lot.

If you like the bagger genre, but want a BMW, the Roctane succeeds in matching its American rivals in performance and handling, beats them in others like specification, options and price and is almost certainly the better all-round bike. As a result BMW should be commended, not just for giving it a go but doing it so successfully while remaining true to its heritage and identity. For all that, though, most will probably still want a genuinely American bagger.