American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 250 May 2020 | Page 8

NEWS
BRIEFS
Indian Motorcycle has had to issue a
recall of "certain" 2020 Challenger
motorcycles already, due to a
potential engine output shaft bearing
problem. The bearing may not have
been sufficiently lubricated during
assembly, possibly resulting in
bearing failure at very low mileage.
Kevin Lackey of Freedom
Powersports, the 13-dealer
group in Texas, and Curtis Sloan
of Sloan's Motorcycle & ATV
(Murfreesboro, TN., a 13-brand
powersports store) have joined
the MIC's Dealer Advisory
Council, "adding more veteran
talent to represent the needs
and interests of dealerships
across the nation."
Royal Enfield is discontinuing
production of the 500 cc single-
cylinder engine it introduced in 2009
- reportedly due to compliance issues
with India's new domestic emissions
regulations. The popular 'Classic' and
'Bullet' model names that used the
engine will continue, but with a new
engine that is in development.
A recent survey of 100 dealers
in 35 US states by PSB and BMO
Capital Markets found that as
at the final 10 days of March, a
total of 67% were either
operating at full capacity or
were still open, but with
reduced hours. The remaining
37% were either only open for
service or closed entirely until
further notice. Some 61% of
those surveyed were stores
with a turnover of $3m or more.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission Report shows
continuing decline in ATV injuries
according to the ATV Safety Institute.
Assessing a 10-year period (2009-
2018), CPSC staff continued to find a
statistically significant decreasing
trend of -38% for the 10-year period;
with a -13% decrease coming in
2017/2018.
Is This the Shape of Cruisers to Come?
BMW is saying that its new BMW R 18
marks its entry into the cruiser
segment of the motorcycle market. In
fact, BMW is theoretically already
there with the hugely versatile R nineT,
from which a myriad of factory
versions has emerged and dozens, if
not hundreds, of spectacular custom
specials - not least by Winston Yeh
(Rough Crafts, Taiwan).
Indeed, many BWM 'standard' street
bikes and tourers have been
cruiser kissing cousins, not
least the current 'standard' R
1250 R - as much cruiser as it
is street bike.
The R 18 has been much trailed
during the past 18 months, with
two initial design concept iterations
and specials by Revival Cycles in the
USA and Custom Works Zon in Japan.
However, the BMW story that brought
the German manufacturer to this place
goes back several more years than
that.
Back in 2008, legendary head of the
BMW Design Studio David Robb (from
Boston) unveiled what was then
described as the BMW 'LoRider' - a
design concept for a Boxer 1200
engined modular custom cruiser
program. Robb's team had taken hints
of muscle bikes and streetfighters and
combined them with lashings of
Italian-esque roadster to come up with
a naked cruiser that was clearly
intended to add yet another new
direction for the manufacturer as Robb
determinedly continued to drive BMW
motorcycles away from the 'pipe &
slippers' image of its past.
That Robb succeeded in his mission is
the stuff of record, but sadly the
'LoRider' was not one of his success
stories. I saw him unveil it at EICMA in
2008, and he concluded his remarks at
the press unveiling with the now
legendary statement of intent -
"Harley - we are coming after you!".
Unfortunately, the timing (just four
weeks after the 'Lehman Apocalypse')
wasn't helpful, and the project
appears to have languished for a few
years as BMW, indeed all
manufacturers, held on to the tiger by
the tail waiting for the financial crisis
recession to find the bottom of its
The Irvine, California Motorcycle
Safety Foundation (MSF) hopes
to be conducting a series of
regional Rider Education
Training System workshops
across the country this year.
These RETS are one to two-day
professional development
workshops offering a variety of
activities to help RiderCoaches
become more effective
motorcycle safety professionals.
8
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MAY 2020
ocean.
It is rumored that one of a
series of fierce arguments between
Robb and his employers that
prompted him to quit in 2012 was over
the direction that BMW wanted to
head in with the 'LoRider' as they eyed
blowing the dust off the project.
Whatever the plans, without Robb's
energy, and with the market still only
two thirds of the way to its 2014
seabed, the 'LoRider' never did see the
light of day. What the story does tell us
though is just how seriously BMW has
More
Torque Than
the Wife
been coveting a share of Harley's
action and for how long.
The mission behind the R 18 is
avowedly to rain on Harley's parade,
and with initial press reactions and
test reports having nothing but good
to say, then maybe, as Harley
(theoretically) gets ready to play in
BMW's Adventure Tourer/Dual Sport
backyard, just maybe the R 18 could
finally be the model to gain BMW
some traction in Harley's backyard.
Described as borrowing from famous
BMWs of old, such as the legendary R
5 (1937 - 1939) with an essentials only
"purist, no-frills technology," don't be
fooled by the apparent simplicity of the
R 18 - this a very advanced, rider-
centric mile eater, "offering a riding
experience that is as cultivated as it is
emotional."
The centerpiece of the new BMW R 18
is a newly developed air cooled two-
cylinder boxer engine - the "Big
Boxer" - the most powerful two-
cylinder boxer engine ever used in
motorcycle series production with a
displacement of 1,802 cc and peak
output of 91 hp (67 kW) at 4,750 rpm,
with over 150 Nm of torque available
at all times between 2,000 to 4,000
rpm for "elemental pulling power
combined with a full, resonant
sound."
The 'Boxer' engine layout is a naturally
smooth, low center of gravity
configuration, and on the R 18 is
housed in a double-loop steel tube
frame and rear swingarm with
enclosed axle drive and a rigid-frame
look with mid-mount pegs.
The suspension elements of the R 18
deliberately dispense with electronic
adjustment options. Instead, a 49 mm
telescopic fork and a directly mounted
central suspension strut with travel-
dependent damping and adjustable
spring preload "ensure superior wheel
control and suspension comfort."
Suspension travel is 120 mm at the
front and 90 mm at the rear; the
braking system consists of a twin disc
brake at the front and a single at the
rear with four-piston fixed calipers.
There are three riding modes ("Rain",
"Roll" and "Rock") along with ASC
and MSR - disengageable Automatic
Stability Control and Engine Drag
Torque Control as standard and
Reverse Assist and Hill Start Control as
ex-factory options.
The new R 18 will be offered
worldwide as an exclusive R 18 First
Edition right from launch, with a
standard model reserved additionally
for certain markets.
Customizing parts offered by BMW
include RSD 'Machined' and '2 Tone
Black' collections, as well as co-
branded BMW/Mustang seats and
Vance & Hines exhaust systems.
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