100th Anniversary Models??

[Paddler]

Seems to me BMW missed an opportunity with just offering the R12 nineT and the R18 as100th Anniversary models, as both are niche bikes.  In 1998 they rolled out 75th Anniversary R, GS, RS and RT models.  I thought they had also put out a K bike as well, but haven't been able to find it.  True, the 75th changes were mostly cosmetic, except that they were optioned up, but they were mainstream models.  Thoughts?

[szurszewski]

20 years ago I'd just started a new job, was about to get married, had made a big move the year before and then another for the new job...and BMW did that fancy thing where if you bought a new bike they'd fly you to Germany, had a party, had a tour for the new owners and then flew you and your bike back to the US. I sort of could have done it but it would have been a terrible financial choice...so I didn't. BUT, I thought, surely if they do this for 80 years they will do something even better for 100 years and by then I'll have plenty of money for a new bike. Well, apparently not. I mean, on the BMW front...but also not on the plenty of money front ;)

 

In any case, like you, to me it seems they don't care much about 100 years at all. 

 

 

[Cap]

39 minutes ago, szurszewski said:

... it seems they don't care much about 100 years at all.

 

 

Well, they are GERMANS after all.  Maybe they use zero-based indexing

[EdM]

I had really hoped they would do a 100 year version of the RT, but alas no such thing. I opted to go with the 719 paint which is at least somewhat traditional BMW with the pin striping. Neither of the two anniversary models were of any interest to me.

[Paddler]

4 hours ago, EdM said:

I had really hoped they would do a 100 year version of the RT, but alas no such thing. I opted to go with the 719 paint which is at least somewhat traditional BMW with the pin striping. Neither of the two anniversary models were of any interest to me.

Yep, as I said, niche models.  Not anything I would consider buying.  And for the 100th Anniversary!  What a shame.

[AviP]

To the original point, I think BMW marketing is not up to speed. And perhaps it's because there is a lot of internal bickering as the German automotive companies have a demand issue for their EVs in all markets. VW is almost bust in China and its ID3 and ID4 EVs are not flying off the dealerships in the US. BMW is just making uglier and uglier cars. Mercedes is arguably best placed but is still on life support. With all the chaos, coming up with a 100-year paint job seems to be a low-value proposition. Rather, it's the M-branding that is front and center. Let's change the engine map, add a high flow exhaust, some carbon fiber and voila! MMMMM!

[fourteenfour]

On 8/17/2023 at 11:41 AM, Paddler said:

Seems to me BMW missed an opportunity with just offering the R12 nineT and the R18 as100th Anniversary models, as both are niche bikes.  In 1998 they rolled out 75th Anniversary R, GS, RS and RT models.  I thought they had also put out a K bike as well, but haven't been able to find it.  True, the 75th changes were mostly cosmetic, except that they were optioned up, but they were mainstream models.  Thoughts?

 

I don't think the R18 is a line they are fond of investing more money into.

[gmcjetpilot]

I just threw a leg over an R18 Roctane. I knew nothing about it. I threw a leg over and stood it up. Well first casual attempt it barely moved. After confirming kick stand was not welded to floor, I put more leg and hip into it. I stood it up. I later looked up weight. 825 lbs. Ha ha. My R1150RT is 550 lbs.

 

Then putting it back on stand. It has a loose Harley style stand; bike leans more (a lot more) after stand first makes contact, before it holds up bike.  Scary, not my bike, on dealer showroom. I was afraid to drop it. 

 

Clearly this is a German Harley. But why. 

[Hosstage]

48 minutes ago, gmcjetpilot said:

Clearly this is a German Harley. But why. 

A question on my mind when it came out. I looked at it as pandering. BMW has always made bikes that were more function over form, the R18 seems to go for much more form. It is probably fun to ride for a while, but the lack of ground clearance would get old.

[9Mary7]

10 hours ago, Hosstage said:

the lack of ground clearance

Always kills it for me with cruisers.

[fourteenfour]

On 10/31/2023 at 10:37 PM, gmcjetpilot said:

I just threw a leg over an R18 Roctane. I knew nothing about it. I threw a leg over and stood it up. Well first casual attempt it barely moved. After confirming kick stand was not welded to floor, I put more leg and hip into it. I stood it up. I later looked up weight. 825 lbs. Ha ha. My R1150RT is 550 lbs.

 

Then putting it back on stand. It has a loose Harley style stand; bike leans more (a lot more) after stand first makes contact, before it holds up bike.  Scary, not my bike, on dealer showroom. I was afraid to drop it. 

 

Clearly this is a German Harley. But why. 

 

The easy way to stand it up is turn the forks all the way to the right.

 

Why? Who knows. It was evident early on it was doomed when BMW spent all that time with influencers and custom shops making odd bikes off the R18 motor. They were spending zero time with actual BMW riders. Hence we got an overweight bike whose tour models that did not have the BMW expected features of ESA and an adjustable windscreen. Worse that weight was truly silly, the R18B which is equivalent to a Harley Street Glide weighed fifty pounds more than the Harley. Cycle World reviews stated it appeared BMW did not strengthen the clutch from the base model to the tour models as many experienced slippage on the intro back in September 21.

 

This is the third year of the model, I will be surprised if it continues. Dealers regularly have the bikes age on the showroom floor till they qualify as demo models and offer big discounts on top of the BMW financial offerings which have been as high as 3k customer cash on top of 3 free payments and zero percent interest. Feature wise it can be a steal versus an equivalent Harley but you will be stuck with it and lucky to get half of what you paid when selling

 

[gmcjetpilot]

On 11/2/2023 at 6:37 AM, fourteenfour said:

 

The easy way to stand it up is turn the forks all the way to the right.

 

Great tip. I knew that. I have ridden way heavy HD's. I just had no idea what this bike weighed. However technique totally unnecessary if your bike weights 300 lbs less. Ha ha. I got it second time. My 1st attempt was casual, like I was on 125cc moped. I was fooled by the low seat height. I will likely never throw a leg over a R18 again much less ride one. I just say NO yo heavy bikes. My RT is heavy enough. 

[fourteenfour]

14 hours ago, gmcjetpilot said:

Great tip. I knew that. I have ridden way heavy HD's. I just had no idea what this bike weighed. However technique totally unnecessary if your bike weights 300 lbs less. Ha ha. I got it second time. My 1st attempt was casual, like I was on 125cc moped. I was fooled by the low seat height. I will likely never throw a leg over a R18 again much less ride one. I just say NO yo heavy bikes. My RT is heavy enough. 

I do love the reviewers who call the RT a heavy weight cruiser and call out its weight, I am like, damn have they ridden any of the other bikes which are tour focused? The RT is one of the lightest available.

[Pappy35]

On 11/5/2023 at 6:35 AM, fourteenfour said:

I do love the reviewers who call the RT a heavy weight cruiser and call out its weight, I am like, damn have they ridden any of the other bikes which are tour focused? The RT is one of the lightest available.

 

I went from from a 90th RT (see my avatar), to a '21 Goldwing, and now I'm on a '22 Harley Road King - 600 to 830 to 900 pounds. I'm seriously thinking about going back to an RT because I can't move the beast around in the garage.

 

I just realized they didn't do a 100th Anniversary R1250xx!?! Such a landmark milestone and they basically ignored it? I'm astonished.

[Hosstage]

Not to call you out or anything, but the Road King is ONLY 830 pounds. Downright svelte! 

Having said that, and riding an actual 900 pound pig of an Ultra Classic, I did find the RT refreshingly light for its size.

[Pappy35]

18 hours ago, Hosstage said:

Not to call you out or anything, but the Road King is ONLY 830 pounds. Downright svelte! 

Having said that, and riding an actual 900 pound pig of an Ultra Classic, I did find the RT refreshingly light for its size.

 

I added a "Tour Pak" and it's fixed mounting hardware, so maybe not 900lb but it's al least 40lbs heavier than stock. 

[Hosstage]

45 minutes ago, Pappy35 said:

 

I added a "Tour Pak" and it's fixed mounting hardware, so maybe not 900lb but it's al least 40lbs heavier than stock. 

At least that weight is nice and high. That always helps!