Motorcycling in its most authentic form: instinct over mind, technology not for its own sake but as a way of creating space for fantasy and powerful emotion rather than sober contemplation and objective calculation.

This was the message that accompanied the debut of the BMW Motorrad Concept R 18.

More than any other present-day BMW motorcycles before it, the Concept R 18 translated the essence of famous BMW Motorrad classics into the modern era, in particular in terms of form, while at the same time providing a glimpse ahead to a volume-production motorcycle that would enrich the BMW Motorrad Heritage world of experience in the near future: the BMW R 18.

The heart of the new BMW R 18 is a completely newly developed two-cylinder boxer engine – the 'Big Boxer' – which has played a key role not just in the two BMW Motorrad prototypes – the Concept R 18 and the Concept R 18 /2 – but also in the custom bikes supported by BMW Motorrad, namely 'The Departed' by ZON and 'Birdcage' by Revival Cycles. BMW Motorrad now presents this new, highly distinctive engine in detail.

Not only in terms of its impressive outward appearance, but also from a technical point of view, the new 'Big Boxer' ties in with the traditional boxer engines that were synonymous with motorcycles from Munich and Berlin-Spandau for around 70 years, from the beginning of BMW Motorrad production in 1923 through to the appearance of the air/oil-cooled successor.

With its OHV valve drive along with a separate engine and transmission housing, the new 'Big Boxer' has the same structural features that distinguished the very first BMW Motorrad boxer engine, which at that time had laterally controlled valves. The highest-capacity twin-cylinder boxer engine ever used in motorcycle series production is a 1,802 cc engine, resulting from a 107.1mm bore and
100mm stroke. The engine output is 67kW (91hp) at 4,750 rpm. The maximum torque of 158Nm is already available at 3,000 rpm.

More than 150Nm is now available from 2,000 to 4,000 rpm. This ensures enormous pulling power and – in conjunction with a generously sized flywheel mass – exemplary running smoothness as well. 

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