BMW R 18 Roctane Review
By Wayne Vickers, Images by RbMotoLens
I remember Trev once told me that there are bikes you really need to spend at least a few good days on in order to be able to review them. At the time I was a bit sceptical and wondered if he was just a little slow on the uptake… but he’s been shown to be right several times since then.
The R 18 Roctane is another case in point. Stepping off my workhorse Tiger 800XC (that’s just celebrated passing the 280,000 kilometre mark!), it was a bit of a shock to the system. In fact – I actively didn’t like the Roctane. At nearly twice the weight of the Tiger it felt massively heavy and cumbersome – 374 kg will do that. And it was obviously far too wide to filter through traffic, which added an extra 25 minutes onto my commute.
The engine seemed to make all sorts of mechanical clatter, none of which sounded particularly great. The gear lever seemed impossible to find for up-shifting, the clutch and brake levers needed an unnecessary amount of squeezing on those fat levers and worst of all – no fuel gauge. Who in their right mind thinks not having a fuel gauge is acceptable?
I wasn’t thrilled…
It wasn’t until about the third or fourth ride when the Roc and I had our first moment. I’d already accepted that the design brief didn’t include commuting in peak-hour Melbourne traffic and that I just needed to accept sitting in the queue with the cagers for a couple of weeks. Just chill Wayno.
I’d started to get over my weight and size grumbles and had been able to spend some time soaking in the wonderfully executed design. As an object, there can be no denying the fact that the bike is a beautiful thing. Clean and simple do not do it justice. I find it just stunning from several angles. And that engine is a work of art aesthetically. The designer in me applauds. Bravo.
So this day in particular – we’d made it out of the CBD hustle and bustle for the day and were literally riding home into the sunset and it dawned on me. I was perfectly happy just cruising along.
Not rushing, not trying to get anywhere in a hurry. Just. Enjoying the ride. And for the average rider who doesn’t commute. Who doesn’t do the silly miles that I do. Who pulls their bike out of the shed of a weekend when the weather is nice to head off for a ride somewhere. Just for the simple joy of riding. This is right up their alley. And once you find the Roctane’s rhythm… it’s actually a lovely thing.
So maybe it’s me that’s slow on the uptake after all…
Let’s talk some important numbers and specs:
- A massive 1802 cc air/oil cooled donk. It’s the biggest boxer engine BMW has ever produced.
- The 91 hp might not seem like a massive amount to some. But it’s the 150 Nm that is the real hero. That’s planet rotating levels of torque available anywhere between two and four thousand revs. Pulls like a train.
- Comes with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel. Yes you read that right. No it’s not a dirt bike. But I must admit that the thought of throwing knobbies on there made me giggle.
- Beautifully crafted open shaft drive that’s like a hidden nickel-plated gem when you spot it.
- Electronic modes include ‘Rock’ (full hump, sharp throttle response), ‘Roll’ (softer throttle) and ‘Rain’. ASC = Active stability control, HSC = Hill Start Control, Cruise control and heated grips.
- Comes with a reverse gear that engages the starter motor to ease the bike out from tricky spots like downhill parking bays or similar.
- 2.6-metres long. 95 cm wide and 374 kilos. You’re not going to miss it.
The Roctane is actually the fifth variation of the R 18 platform that’s starting to gain momentum. I’ll admit I hadn’t noticed many on the road, but oddly enough at one of the photo stops we came across another R 18, and one of the other riders in his group also had one. Both compared them more favourably to certain Milwaukee bikes that they had also owned. We’ll come back to that.
So yes the Roctane is basically a bagger-styled tourer, which I think suits it better than all of the other variants. Its wonderful sweeping lines working brilliantly with those bigger wheels to give it near perfect proportions and stance.
The bigger wheels do have a slight downside in that the Roctane leans over a little further on the side-stand than its siblings and needs a little more muscle to lift up. No biggie once you get used to it.
Back on that styling. The whole blacked-out and black chrome look is really up my alley. Got a bit of swagger going on. I did wonder why they didn’t also use black bolts to complete the look there but obviously chose stainless ones to add elements of jewellery instead, which also works.
There is no mistaking that massive engine. Sitting astride the bike those enormous cylinder heads dominate your view. There are cars with smaller engines. Hell, my Grey Fergie only has an extra 200 cc and probably doesn’t make as much torque.
The engine vibrates like a maniac as it bursts into life and if I thought the boxer tilt on the 1250 GS was a bit much, then this takes it to another league. Yet… I quite like all of that activity in this guise. It somehow feels right.
Those wonderful long low pipes need some tweaking to liberate some more noise though. I don’t want it to be anti-social by any means (like some Harleys can be with loud pipes on), but I’d love to let out a little more bark.
I read somewhere that BMW have now been making Boxers for 100 years. So they’re getting pretty decent at it. It’s a ripper engine. Stonking bottom end as the numbers would suggest. No need to rev the tits off it, just ride the torque wave and enjoy life. Oh – and I swear it’s not as mechanically loud with a few more kays on it now that I’ve put another thousand on.
I found the rocker gear lever set-up a ripper too. Up-shifts being noticeably smoother and more positive using your heel to stomp them in, rather than having to squeeze your foot under the front lever. Once you get into the bike’s rhythm it floats along bloody well.
Could do with a bigger fuel tank though. Don’t expect to do massive stints without fuelling up. I was seeing the reserve light come on at around 200 km. Another litre or two would be nice. It doesn’t get the much bigger tank that’s on the full bagger. Aesthetically a smaller tank works wonders for the bike, but a smidge more range would be nice.
The Roctane is pretty comfy too. Not just because the seat is nicely shaped, but… shock horror… the suspension is pretty damn good. Not just ‘for a cruiser’ either. I was very pleasantly surprised with just how good the bike not only flowed along but soaked up everything from dips and ripples to genuine hard edge hits on potholes. Easily the best cruiser suspension I’ve ever ridden. Massive tick.
Corners very nicely. Again – far better than you expect it will. The Roctane will lean over further than its siblings thanks to those larger wheels, but those sideboards deck out well before you think the bike’s nearing its grip limitations. In truth, they are a nice reminder that you’re on a heavyweight bike and probably should keep the speed in check. Overall, silky smooth and stable.
Those brakes I mentioned earlier. 300 mm all around. Two up front and one out the back. Interestingly they’re linked brakes and a squeeze of the front will apply some rear. Stabbing the rear will not activate the front, however. I quite like that.
They do need a proper firm squeeze to achieve maximum braking and I do think they could have more power, 374 kg takes some pulling up and while it’s not a bike to be flung about, we do have wildlife and distracted drivers to watch out for. Maybe a simple switch to some more aggressive pads would do the trick for me.
And the bagger-style side cases have plenty of volume in them. You’d have to go close to a slab of your favourites with a bit of ice thrown in. You’d probably get invited on a lot of rides if you kept turning up with them filled as such… The only downside I see with them is that the nicely integrated tail lights and indicators mean removing them isn’t a simple deal.
However, after living with this one for a couple of weeks, I’m not sure I’d want to remove them (as opposed to every other bike I’ve ever tested that came with side cases). They aren’t that much wider than the cylinder heads, so removing them isn’t going to turn it into a filtering machine. Leave ’em on. BMW offers some nice bag liners amongst their plethora of accessory options too, that list stretching to four pages in the press kit…
Nice strong headlight too. Actually, that whole headlight housing design with the integrated round dash is another design callout. Cruising along amongst the Otway Forest trees I couldn’t help but notice the curved silhouettes of the trees reflected on the headlight shape. Another lovely detail.
There’s a lot to like with this one. And BMW has made a great effort to ensure the bike is designed with customisation in mind. I think they’ve nailed it.
Going back to the earlier comments about some HD owners already being won over. There’s no doubt that this bike has a certain… ‘King of the Road’ in its Berlin-Built sights. And it’s a chunk cheaper than that bike in question too… a bargain at that money in my humble opinion.
It might have come right at the eleventh hour, but this has to be a contender for my bike of the year. I reckon this year it’s between this and the M 1000 R. Which is another BMW. Crikey.
I suspect Triumph’s 765 RS would also be up there, but I haven’t had the pleasure of putting that through its paces so I can’t make that call yet. Ducati’s Desert X is also up there and of course, I loved my extended time on the awesome KTM 890 SMT. Been another great year. How good are motorbikes 🙂.
I like the R 18 Roctane because:
- Oh so nicely proportioned and styled. It’s just lovely. From the factory!
- That big 1802 cc boxer has lots of character and just oozes torque.
- Class-leading suspension that absorbs big hits nicely.
- Out on the open road it floats along far better than you imagine it could.
I’d like the R 18 Roctane more if:
- No fuel gauge? At least have the reserve meter count DOWN towards empty, not just count kilometres post hitting reserve…
- Another litre or two in the tank wouldn’t hurt.
- A slightly longer side stand for this variant wouldn’t either.
- I’d have to release a few more decibels on delivery.
2023 BMW R 18 Roctane Specifications
| 2023 BMW R 18 Roctane Specifications | |
| Engine | Air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine with two chaindriven camshafts located above the crankshaft |
| Bore x stroke | 107.1 x 100 mm |
| Capacity | 1.802 cc / 110 cui |
| Max. power | 67 kW (91hp) at 4,750 rpm |
| Max. torque | 158 Nm at 3,000 rpm |
| Compression ratio | 9.6 :1 |
| Induction | Electronic manifold injection / digital engine management: BMS-O with Egas |
| Emission control | Closed-loop 3-way catalytic converter, emission standard EU-5 |
| Clutch | Single-disc dry clutch |
| Gearbox | Claw-shifted 6-gear transmission in seperate gearbox housing |
| Drive | Shaft drive |
| Frame | Double loop tubular steel frame with bolt on lower frame rails |
| Front suspension | telescopic front fork |
| Rear suspension | Steel dual swingarm with central spring strut |
| Suspension travel | 120 mm / 90 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1720 mm |
| Castor | 185 mm |
| Steering head angle | 55,3° |
| Wheels | Aluminum cast wheels |
| Rim | 3.50 x 21in, 5.50 x 18in |
| Tyres | 120/70 B21, 180/55 B18 |
| Brake, front | Dual disc brake, diameter 300 mm, 4-piston radial calipers |
| Brake, rear | Single disc brake, diameter 300 mm, 4-piston radial calipers |
| ABS | BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (fully-integral) |
| Seat height | 720 mm |
| Inner leg curve | 1675 mm |
| Usable tank volume | 16 L |
| Reserve | 4 L |
| Length | 2615 mm |
| Height | 1294 mm |
| Width | 982 mm |
| Unladen weight | 374 kg |
| Payload | 181 kg |
2023 BMW R 18 Roctane Gallery
