R 18 Owner?

[Gee Munnie]

Greetings from Ontario, Canada, I've been looking for something different, traditionally been riding Harleys and currently own a 2023 Pan America which I am enjoying and keeping. In the search to add something else the R 18 has entered my Radar particularly the Classic, I have found some new 2022 and 2023 with some deep discounts within a 3 hour radius of my house. Recently in Daytona I should have ridden one but didn't so looking for some of your impressions of owning one, is there any difference between 22 and 23' s

 

[Anibal]

Greetings from London.
I don’t believe there are real differences (if any) between a 22 and 23 but I will let any owners here to clarify that if I am mistaken. I have the 22 B which is a tad heavier than the classic

I would advise you to test ride the bike you are looking at because the ride is different to HDs or any other cruiser I have ridden before.

Good luck on your search.

 

[R18 100]

I have a 23 base model and really like the butter smooth drive train along with the overall elegance of the bike.. I spent a little extra and put floor boards on it because they sit a bit lower and allow for positioning your feet further forward. I am currently waiting for some ape hanger handlebars as I like to sit upright with no forward lean. The R18 is 8 feet long while I am 5'8".

 

[Rufus]

Morning Gee, as stated above unless you already ‘know’ you’ll like it get a test ride but try to approach with an open mind. There was a fair bit of negativity towards the R18 in the beginning but IMHO most of that has waned and the bikes are now finally finding the right owners, getting a lot more positive press and being judged on what they are (heavy cruisers) not what they aren’t (muscle bikes). I’ve had four HD myself over the years, I enjoyed them. The R18 isn’t a Harley, it’s not loud and brash (without heavy mods anyway) and the soundtrack is fundamentally different. Think Baron von Richthofen WW1 Bi-plane, but it has a delicious soundtrack of its own with gear whine, intake roar, clicks and ticks and the riders POV, sat behind those two huge jugs as you waft along is unique. Best of luck