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R20 almost prod ready it seems

  • <i class="fa--xf fal fa-check "><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" aria-hidden="true" ><use href="/data/local/icons/light.svg?v=1791081245#check"></use></svg></i> Discussion starter Discussion starter Deleted member 1810
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I do hope that the cylinder head covers become black before production, as well as the engine and everything else that can.
 
I don't get it. It's not a cruiser. It's not a sport bike. It's not a UJM naked. It's not a retro. It's an expensive over weight single seat motorcycle with an unnecessarily big low revving torquey engine. Who are they marketing to? I doubt it will effectively compete with the performance cruiser segment like the Triumph Rocket, Ducati Diavel and Suzuki M109. I'm all in favor of different kinds of bikes but I don't see what BMW is going for with this one.
 
I just sold my Diavel V4 and will wait for the R20.
Why do people still buy Rolex when there's an Apple Watch out there?
Even the R18 doesn't make much sense!
I don't ride my bikes out of need but out of choice.
We don't only need bikes that make sense, but bikes that are different, desirable, challenging, unique.
IMO :-)
 
I wonder if the steep depreciation on the early R18s will impact how quickly people will "buy in" to the R20 platform.... ie "early adopter hesitancy".

From what I read some time ago the newish then CEO was a bit critical of the R18 and it seemed the R20 was his baby, so a bit might hang on it for him.
 
It probably won't sell. I love my R18TC and the R18 style, but the only thing I like about what I have seen of the R20 is the boxer engine. The bike style itself to me is ugly.
 
ccmjr77 said:
It probably won't sell. I love my R18TC and the R18 style, but the only thing I like about what I have seen of the R20 is the boxer engine. The bike style itself to me is ugly.
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For me the R20 has much more chance of success than the R18.
R18TC, bagger, etc came to fight face to face bikes that are already established on the market without bringing nothing new.

The R20 has no competition.
Unless they do with it what they did with the R18, and deliver a final project very different than the concept.
 
HUNTS said:
My understanding is that the R18 is being discontinued because it won’t pass the next lot of Euro Emission laws… What will be different on the 20?
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I thought it was because it didn't sell as well BMW thought it would and the new CEO hated the R18.
 
HUNTS said:
Then the new CEO is a prat.
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Well, I think motorrad got as arrogant as the auto division. If we stick a roundel on it, it will sell. Five years is not enough time to make a dent in the American cruiser market. I don't care how good your bike is compared to the competition. You are going against Harley and Indian; two well established marques. Add that to the fact they couldn't seem to figure out the accessories end of the business and there you have it.

PS: and personally, I think the new bike is butt-ugly...
 
Judge said:
Where are we seeing that the current motorrad ceo hates the r18?
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I was doing a search on BMW canceling the R18 or on the R20 replacing the R18, and I found an article discussing his push for the R20. It's been so long that I couldn't tell you which motorcycle website it was now.
 
I could not remember either.... but these days I just don't bother trying.... I just ask AI

AI summary.....

BMW Motorrad CEO Markus Flasch addressed the R 18 model's performance in a featured Q&A article published by RevZilla.
In the interview, Flasch candidly discussed the internal response to the R 18's sales performance and admitted that the brand made structural miscalculations regarding its launch strategy:

📊 Key Takeaways from the Interview

• Overambitious Targets: Flasch admitted that BMW "set the target too high in the beginning", which led to the bike's reception being "kind of a disappointment within the team".
• The "Pope" Jest: When asked what could have been done to improve sales and acceptance in highly competitive traditional cruiser markets, he jokingly retorted, "We should have given a bike to the Pope earlier, maybe?".
• Defending the Build: Despite acknowledging the strategic target miss, Flasch clarified that the absolute sales numbers achieved were still significant, noting that the R 18 is a "fantastic bike" with a strong customer base and that there is ultimately "nothing wrong with it".

🏍️ The Strategic Shift (R 18 to R 20)

Flasch's critical perspective aligns with a broader shift inside BMW Motorrad. Media outlets have noted that slow initial sales figures for the massive retro cruiser meant it was occasionally viewed as a "blot on BMW's copybook". In response, Flasch has spearheaded a pivot toward a more aggressive, roadster-inspired design via the incoming BMW R 20 big-bore cruiser platform.

Article is here...


And when Ai is pushed for more.....

Yes, while the RevZilla Q&A Interview remains the most direct instance of Markus Flasch calling the internal targets a "disappointment," he has discussed the R 18 platform, its market position, and the brand's shift in direction across several other public appearances and executive teases.

1. The R 20 Concept Reveal & Social Media Teases (May 2026)

Rather than conducting a traditional interview, Flasch used the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and his personal social media accounts to implicitly address the R 18's shortcomings.
• The Implicit Critique: By shifting focus heavily to the aggressive, minimalist, and stripped-down BMW R 20 Concept, Flasch signaled a pivot away from the traditional, heavy American-style cruiser market (where the R 18 struggled to gain a foothold) toward a European-style big-bore roadster.
• Production Commitment: Flasch noted in executive side-talk that unlike traditional concept bikes, 95% of what is shown on the R 20 concept is slated for serial production, moving with unusual speed to evolve past the pure R 18 cruiser philosophy.

2. YouTube Interview: 'The Ones Who Ride' (September 2026)

In an official BMW Motorrad video series, Flasch expanded on how BMW approaches its legacy platforms, giving a deeper philosophical background to the R 18 and R 20 shift.
• The Insight: Flasch noted that true motorcycle vision begins with designing the "customer's experience" first.
• The Reflection: Analysts interpreted this as an acknowledgment that the R 18 was built heavily around brand heritage first, rather than what the modern, active big-twin customer actually wanted out of daily ergonomics and road dynamics.

3. The 'Tomorrow Thinking' Podcast (May 2026)

Flasch appeared on this podcast discussing the cultural reality of high-horsepower and high-weight lifestyle bikes.
• The Insight: While not explicitly bashing the R 18 by name, Flasch openly admitted that he only started riding motorcycles later in life because he recognized he was too risk-prone in his youth.
• The Connection: He spoke heavily on how large bikes (like the massive 1,800cc boxer platform) need to be treated with "humility and respect" as active mechanical objects, steering the brand's narrative toward rider control—a direct nod to the feedback that the R 18's massive, wide cylinder heads can feel physically limiting to manage on the road.
 
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