100th Anniversary R18 Value

Will the 100th Anniversary R18 hold its value better than the current models have

  • No, it will sink like a rock like all of the current models have.

    Votes: 14 28.0%

  • Yes, due to its limited production numbers, it will hold up well.

    Votes: 10 20.0%

  • In between. It will hold up better than the previous models, but still lose value.

    Votes: 16 32.0%

  • Sit it out and wait a year. New ones will be available at great discounts.

    Votes: 10 20.0%
  • Total voters
    50
I think Rufus is on to something. Sometimes, there's someone in a company that just has that golden ticket to build something because it'll make the fans happy. They out-vote the bean counters and just do it anyway. Maybe that's the R18? A big beautiful 1800CC boxer for the 100th anniversary of the company knowing damn well that this bike would not be possible (due to regulations) at the 125th anniversary. so what if they only sell 5,000 of them, it'll make fans happy, it'll be an awesome and beautiful bike and that's all it's supposed to be ,not high volume, not to convert Harley riders just an ode to heritage because they can?

I've said it here before but when people ask me why I bought an R18, there's nothing practical about it. I tell everyone "Because this bike won't exist in 25 years" Every BMW will be electric, silent, full of batteries and probably belt driven. The r18 is a bike that exists now and I can own one. That's why I have it. When all of the gas stations go away and are replaced with electrical vehicle charging stations, I'll still have the memories and joy of owning an R18, the last European gasoline powered cruiser.

I think someone in Berlin knows that future is coming and this is their last hurrah.
 
It's a nice sentiment and I said something along those lines last week to good friend that had taken the first rides on his well farkled FE (by the way, with under 300 miles that he just took delivery of for $9Ks). We talked about how much fun these are to ride, the quality of the build, etc., with the bottom line to make the most of it as we are at the end of an era.

All that said, I think there were too many greedy bean counters trying to milk the platform for all it was worth and then some. Then they hired too many "group think" MoCo folks to advise on and direct the process trying to out Harley, Harley rather a unique BMW with all the good in motorcycle design, build and function it offers. Timing is everything and BMW's was unfortunate. Supply issues, covid lock downs, high pricing on list and for the unobtainium accessories and add a final insult in not taking the two minutes to adjust the shock properly that led to many unimpressed test riders in the media and on demo opportunities and final deliveries too. The "direct competition" faces the same regulatory and supply hurdles and their prices are certainly not anywhere, but "top shelf" and their used inventory has stayed high with I'm sure our crazy inflation adding to that too. But the R18 matches or exceeds all the Industry Standards these other's represent and yet it alone is floundering and I still think the greedy bean counters made the situation worse with this death by a thousand cuts. They had a pass for problems during Covid just as all manufacturers did when chips or upgrades/equipment weren't available and taking a short time out to adjust pricing and offer some good interest rates was pretty much universal, but when that became never ending I still think they instead should have donated, raffled, crushed or whatever option other than allowing the fire sale to continue it's downward spiral. They still have premium, high dollar models with up to half off of new pricing still struggling to get out the door with resale that is even worse so if that was part of the plan on how to celebrate any anniversary they all should be fired and I can't drink enough kool aid to make it seem like anything to raise a glass to.

Anyway, Spring riding is around the corner and bike sales are really doing well with so many great models from all the OEMs, so hopefully a little time and a lot of excitement in general will create good momentum making short work of the rocky start and oil threads and filling tires with nitrogen can once again resume their proper place at the top of the new posts....... 🍻 🍻
 
BMW was punished for the difference between the FE and the Concept. You can't laugh at customers like that by exchanging nobility for plastic
 
If the bars on this bike reached back an inch or two more and the motor had an internal counterbalance weight, BMW would have hit it out of the park. It is still a great looker though.
 
They are releasing 1923 of each type nineT and r 18. There is a little plaque on the tank that states "1 of 1923" but they are not numbered or anything. I was at a dealership in seattle and they had one of each (although the nineT had already been sold).
 
angrypcist said:
They are releasing 1923 of each type nineT and r 18. There is a little plaque on the tank that states "1 of 1923" but they are not numbered or anything. I was at a dealership in seattle and they had one of each (although the nineT had already been sold).
Click to expand...

They really should number them. There was a car issue a few years back where I think it was Lamborghini who made more cars than they stated and owners who were sharing online their vin numbers one day were like "we were told there were 150 of these but there are 250 of us owners on this Facebook group" and found out the "1 of 250" was bullshit. Since then I refuse to trust there are ONLY 1923 examples without actual numbers. Just a personal pet peeve.
 
adamchandler said:
They really should number them. There was a car issue a few years back where I think it was Lamborghini who made more cars than they stated and owners who were sharing online their vin numbers one day were like "we were told there were 150 of these but there are 250 of us owners on this Facebook group" and found out the "1 of 250" was bullshit. Since then I refuse to trust there are ONLY 1923 examples without actual numbers. Just a personal pet peeve.
Click to expand...
I owned a 1997 Land Rover D90 Limited Edition Defender which was badged 001 / 300; I didn't have a day go by where someone would flag me down and ask me "what number".
 
angrypcist said:
They are releasing 1923 of each type nineT and r 18. There is a little plaque on the tank that states "1 of 1923" but they are not numbered or anything. I was at a dealership in seattle and they had one of each (although the nineT had already been sold).
Click to expand...
well, how did they look in person? you may be the first one of us to see them in the flesh.
 
I saw one at the dealer and it did look pretty damn awesome. It was already sold.
Are all those r18 incentives still going? I know they had carried them over into 2023. If their still going I'd definitely pick up a anniversary edition if the offers applied to it
 
I stopped into the Cross Country BMW Hasbrouck Heights, NJ shop yesterday to have my R18 B headlight inspected for warranty repair; I saw that they had two R18 Anniversary edition bikes on the floor.

Not sure if they only made a limited amount?
 
I have an R18 100 Yr.
I did not buy it because I think Im gonna get 100k for it when I sell it or anything like that.
I bought it because its unique and I like it.
When I was shopping for them I was told by different dealers that most of them went to collectors who will never drive them.
All of the Californian dealers pretty much said the same thing.
My local dealer who did NOT sell me the bike ( they had already sold their 1 ) told me that the BMW rep told them only 89 of them came to the states.
Maybe/maybe not. IDK
When I was shopping a dealer told me they currently sold theirs but they would be getting 1 or 2 more in, which I found weird.
Again, maybe/maybe not.
I just like the look of the chrome tank with the black and the pin striping and the few extras that it is optioned with.
I like the fact that it is relatively unique among R18s.
Before any talk of appreciating values there has to be a demand for it and I dont see people beating down any doors to get one.
I dont care.
I like the bike and I paid msrp rather than buying a used R18 for almost half the money from my local dealer.
If I honestly thought it was going to be some priceless jewel in a few years I would probably park it in my living room like a "collector" but I dont, I actually like riding it.
 
evomind said:
I have an R18 100 Yr.
I did not buy it because I think Im gonna get 100k for it when I sell it or anything like that.
I bought it because its unique and I like it.
When I was shopping for them I was told by different dealers that most of them went to collectors who will never drive them.
All of the Californian dealers pretty much said the same thing.
My local dealer who did NOT sell me the bike ( they had already sold their 1 ) told me that the BMW rep told them only 89 of them came to the states.
Maybe/maybe not. IDK
When I was shopping a dealer told me they currently sold theirs but they would be getting 1 or 2 more in, which I found weird.
Again, maybe/maybe not.
I just like the look of the chrome tank with the black and the pin striping and the few extras that it is optioned with.
I like the fact that it is relatively unique among R18s.
Before any talk of appreciating values there has to be a demand for it and I dont see people beating down any doors to get one.
I dont care.
I like the bike and I paid msrp rather than buying a used R18 for almost half the money from my local dealer.
If I honestly thought it was going to be some priceless jewel in a few years I would probably park it in my living room like a "collector" but I dont, I actually like riding it.
Click to expand...
I agree with your approach. I’ve got a 50 year old Toaster tank R75/5 that was a bit of the inspiration for the 100yr R18 model. I just used it in the DGR a couple weeks ago for a 200 mile day. Yes it is worth multiples more than it cost new, but inflation is a major part of that. As the slogan on MotorcycleClassics magazine goes “ride ‘em, don’t hide ‘em”.
 
I was just curious so had a quick look online at some nearly new HD bikes for sale in the UK. Today.

Now, I know we can all find stuff to suit what we are saying (confirmation bias) but, having said all that they weren’t holding value as much as I thought tbh, especially when we do lament the used values of our R18’s. More or less in the same ball park actually which surprised me.

Then again, a lot of the ‘problems’ crossover onto the HD brand too, things like being very expensive to buy, expensive to service and buy accessories, negative image (for some), and limited use (as an everyday bike or all rounder). I did have a chance conversation with an independent bike trader (who sells about 500 bikes a year) a few weeks ago and he said Harleys were hard to shift. He didn’t expand why and I didn’t think to ask which is a shame. 🤷‍♂️
 
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