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<p>Greetings folks!</p>
<p>This past weekend my wife and I went to Portsmouth to visit her
brother for the weekend. He's self employed and has been working
from home since "the troubles" began so we felt comfortable paying
him a visit, as was he. He rides an 18 R1250R. The other motive
for the visit was the new NH liquor store on the rotary! :) OK.
It was the BMW demo truck at MAX, the liquor store was just a side
benefit. <br>
</p>
<p>I was interested in giving the R18 a go. I wasn't disappointed.
In person it's quite imposing and quite beautiful. Yes, a large
bike, the jugs contain 900ish CC's of displacement each! But the
styling cues of the R5 are there and BMW didn't forget too many
details. It's a simple bike. No handlebar wheel controlling 6000
features of the riding experience. A simple single speedo with a
small LED screen with a few options. <br>
</p>
<p><img moz-do-not-send="false"
src="cid:part1.DB7DD94A.BE3D7791@gmail.com" alt="" width="1008"
height="756"></p>
<p>The seat was very un-BMW-like comfortable. The seating position
for me was great. I was flat foot on a BMW for the first time,
I'm 5'6". My brother-in-law also rode one, he's 6'1" and found it
tight, he occasionally struggled to get his feet properly
positioned for the brake or shifter. I found only two surprises
with the R18. It's a heavy bike. Getting it off the side stand
was the first. But once centered, it felt fine. We pulled out of
the dealership and less than a mile down the road we hit a light.
We were making a right. As I approached the turn and started the
lean, the bike's weight showed up again. I negotiated that turn,
now with more knowledge that made the rest of them a non-issue. <br>
</p>
<p>The R18 engine lives up to the reports. In 6th gear at 1100 rpm,
a roll-on unleashed gobs of torque. The ride leader suggested
that shifting take place in the 2700-3000 rpm range as the engine
tends to get vibratey. He was right. But it wasn't an issue for
me. <br>
</p>
<p><img moz-do-not-send="false"
src="cid:part2.88C5A418.5EF7730F@gmail.com" alt="" width="720"
height="720"></p>
<p>Overall I enjoyed the ride. No, it's not an R5. It's not a
tossable curve carving machine. It wasn't designed to be. But
for what it IS designed to be, it excels. The engine sound was
very BMW-like. No fake lumpy idle a la the 1200 C. The exhaust
note was pleasingly BMW, I dare say that the Luftmeisters on my
R100 are louder and more throaty. I never felt like I was on a
Harley. In the picture above, you catch a glimpse of the R18 my
brother-in-law road to my left. It was one outfitted with some
custom bits that BMW has commissioned. A set of Vance and Hines
pipes did give it more of an audible presence but it was STILL not
Harley-offensive. If I had a space $20k, I could be interested in
having one. The one MAX got alloted? Already sold. <br>
</p>
<p>For the record, BMW and MAX handled this event well all things
considered. The BMW team was all masked up, they sanitized the
bikes when the returned in preparation for the next group and
almost everyone in attendance (MAX staff included) was masked up.
<br>
</p>
<p>Nik<br>
Maine A/M<br>
</p>
<br>
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