BIKE NIGHT ASIA BIKE OF THE WEEK: BMW R18 First Edition

On this week's Bike Night Asia Bike of the Week, we'll be looking at Mr. Mario San Andres' BMW R18 First Edition

Seasoned riders and enthusiasts alike will be in awe in the sight of this beaut.

The R18 is one of BMW's answers to the heritage that Harley Davidson have already established when it comes to these types of bikes.

This bike, much like the Japanese scooters that offers a wide range of customization from aftermarket parts is also designed to be customized as BMW have developed a catalogue full of accessories specifically for the R18. The fact that BMW have made this part highly customizable means that most aftermarket accessories made for other bikes can fit this gorgeous piece of art with no modification required. So, it is just a matter of your preference and the limit of your imagination to make this bike truly one of a kind.

The R18's chassis is based highly on the 1936's BMW R5 where all the inspiration came from is composed of a double-cradle design with a centralized backbone that flows from the headstock down to the bike's rear axle. The rear shock is preload only adjustable is made by ZF Sachs that offers 89mm travel is horizontally mounted underneath the seat that connects the top of the swing arm to the rest of the body.

Receiving the bumps up front is the beautifully shrouded forks made by Showa with a lot more forgiving travel of 199mm. The shoes despite being a spoked design to maintain the classic look is tubeless for a better performance on the roll. To break this monster's speed, the braking is handled by twin 300mm disc brakes clamped by 4-piston calipers up front and a single disc of the same size stopping the rear.

The most eye-catching feature of the bike for us is the R18's Euro 5 compliant 1802cc boxer-twin motor which is currently BMW's highest displacement boxer-twin they have ever produced. Who wouldn't stare at those beautiful monsters caged in the bike's chassis? We know we did!

The bike is powered by an engine that features old-fashioned pushrods and a 4-valves per cylinder head that can produce 91hp at 4790 rpm and a torque of 116.2 lb-ft max at 3000 rpm. Another awesome feature of this bike which is also derived from the R5 is how the 6-speed gearbox transfers the power to the rear wheel via an exposed drive shaft.

The R18 First Edition features a lot of high tiered functionalities and looks exclusive to this variant. From the extensive chrome plated parts to the elaborately done double white pin-striping paintwork, this R18 really screams premium looks and top of the line specs. Other premium features include Keyless Start, Hill Start Control, and Reverse Assist. Standard on all R18 are ride-by-wire, ABS, Automatic Stability Control, Engine Drag Torque Control, and 3 Riding Modes (Rock, Roll, and Rain).

That 1800cc emblem sticking out on the side of the bike might give the riders not used to high displacement engines some sort of fear or panic if not something to marvel at. But this boxer-twin engine prefers a short shifting below 2000 rpm rather than going all out with its threshold of 5500rpm. With 90% of its torque concentrated between 1750 rpm and 3000 rpm there's really no reason to go beyond 3500 rpm where the 1802cc boxer-twin produces its peak power.

R18 at 345kgs is definitely not the lightest, and you'll be reminded of this fact the moment you pick her up from her side stand or while backing up from parking. Good thing the seat height is very low at 690mm that even short riders can find solid footing when seated. As stated, the bike is equipped with a useful reverse-assist system to help you back off from parking. This is powered by a separate electric motor to serve as a reverse gear.

To show you the numbers, the large analog speedometer is sitting on top of the triple clamp and LED headlight. The digital display on the speedometer is controlled by a rocker switch on the left-hand switchgear which you can use to navigate through some useful information like to display gear position, tachometer, time, odometer, trip meters, ride mode, and even your average speed, but sadly there's no fuel gauge.

Premium as it may be, the R18 is not just an ordinary motorcycle, it is a sign of good taste and an engineering masterpiece and artwork materialized. R18 is BMW's way of looking and acknowledging the past while looking forward to the future and the current trends of motorcycles.