What did you do to your R18 today?

Used a 1.25" bi-metal hole saw with a 10" extension rod and a drill to drill out the exhaust baffles on the stock exhaust. Bike sounds considerably throatier and deeper when revved. Such an easy mod to do without spending 2 grand on an entirely new exhaust system
care to expand on this? Maybe a picture of the tools and how to go about this?
 
2022 R18B -
Blacked out a lot of items, added Vance & Hines (baffles removed), DNA Stage 2 air cleaner, Brentune, tinted windscreen, winglets (painted).
Runs like a bat out of hell...Nice !!
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Hello, Just came across your post - bike looks awesome. Any experience riding with the "short windscreen"? Have approx.4200 miles on my R18B (since April 2023) and am looking for a better screen to reduce wind turbulence/buffeting. I do not mind "clean air" to my torso and helmet but the stock screen is creating too much noise. I assume yours is the BMW wind deflector 77 33 9 444 313.
Thanks - Wolfgang
 
Hello, Just came across your post - bike looks awesome. Any experience riding with the "short windscreen"? Have approx.4200 miles on my R18B (since April 2023) and am looking for a better screen to reduce wind turbulence/buffeting. I do not mind "clean air" to my torso and helmet but the stock screen is creating too much noise. I assume yours is the BMW wind deflector 77 33 9 444 313.
Thanks - Wolfgang
thank you, I have winglets on the bike which stops the buffeting ( I'm 5'8"), with the shield I get clean air.
 
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Went for a ride with new suspension settings.... I think I am pretty close now with the settings.

Played some more with the heel and toe shift levers.... swapped them over etc.... pretty happy with them as per this picture.....

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I now have rasied my homage seat by 28mm at rear and 18mm at front.... generally good for my hip/knees now..... I am now going to replace the rear spacers with something with some give in it (ie sort off spring it).... at this point I'm playing with skateboard truck bushes.... they are urethane and available with different spring/dampening properties.... mmm... I'm trying black ones.....

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Went for a ride with new suspension settings.... I think I am pretty close now with the settings.

Played some more with the heel and toe shift levers.... swapped them over etc.... pretty happy with them as per this picture.....

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I now have rasied my homage seat by 28mm at rear and 18mm at front.... generally good for my hip/knees now..... I am now going to replace the rear spacers with something with some give in it (ie sort off spring it).... at this point I'm playing with skateboard truck bushes.... they are urethane and available with different spring/dampening properties.... mmm... I'm trying black ones.....

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I see that you got a First Edition, does that mean you added the floor boards? If so, do you have the part numbers for the Shifter Levers and the Brake Pedal? My dealer says BMW does not sell them, which I believe is BS.
 
I see that you got a First Edition, does that mean you added the floor boards? If so, do you have the part numbers for the Shifter Levers and the Brake Pedal? My dealer says BMW does not sell them, which I believe is BS.
No sorry..... it came with them..... in Australia the second wave of bikes came with the boards and cruise control as standard.... if you search the forum I'm sure there is a bit about the part numbers that I have seen.
 
Last week or so.. Added the Big Ass Cup Holder. Was using the ram mount cup holder, but it really only liked can diameter things, and tended to get tippy with anything taller than a 20oz bottle. Also got a Saddlemen CD3600 for trips that include a hotel vs the dry bag for camping.
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A week ago I submitted for this very same vanity plate here in FL. Guess we had the same thought process.
Will post if and when it arrives.
 
Got some skateboard truck bushes today...... they are the perfect size and come in four hardnesses (90 to 100 on some rubber scale)...... so $12 later I fitted some to the rear of my homage seat.... I'm hoping to get a bit of an "air nike" feel to it.... first set fitted were hard ones (100).... but good progress..... I think soft could be the go.... so another $12 needed....

Thought this might help some with their bobber seats that are rigid mounted.
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Finished playing with the "skateboard truck bushes" to allow allmost 25mm of rear seat "give" on hard jolts. The bushes (polyurethane) come in different hardnesses..... for the rear mounts I settled on "soft".... which seems to allow about 50% compression.... of course ones weight on the seat is about 10 to 15 cm further to the rear then the rear seat bolts... so the rear seat "give" translates to about twice the travel off the bush/spring compression. I used hard bushes at the front.... as the front mount does not require compression..... just some "angular give"..... net result is it really takes some harshness away from the homage seat.... which does not have much padding or give.... really really worthwhile.

Seat height is about 750mm now.... and maybe 30mm more forward.... my hips are grateful...

Now I'll tidy things up a bit.... maybe add some thread locker.... done!

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Also... made and hung a jacket and helmet rack in the shed....... the wood was left over from a 20 year ago job... I was going to throw it away when cleaning the garage to fit the R18 in.... but had an idea.... nothing fancy... just used some stainless bolts I had as "hooks".

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And.... went for a test ride.... suspension wise.... all positive now I think.... a bit of give now in the seat has helped.....
 
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Installed an ornamental part today ...
... and I don't like things that could rattle, so I ran some trim-tape around the inside edge before I set it in place (I guess I should have taken pics of that)
now it will guaranteed not rattle !!
It was a lot easier to install than I thought ... actually if I didn't have the crashbars, all I would have to do is take the cover off the 'snowplow' (oil cooler).
This said, everywhere was gobs of thread locker ... just not on the oil cooler cover, there was 0 and the bolts were finger tight at best ...
well there is thread locker on there now :) .. you may want to check theses bolts on your bike.

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Fits real nice with the Roland Sands valve covers ..

At this time also a really BIG shout-out to "OscarTGrouch" for making me an offer I couldn't refuse and being a stand-up guy!!!
THANKS! (y)
 
Installed an ornamental part today ...
... and I don't like things that could rattle, so I ran some trim-tape around the inside edge before I set it in place (I guess I should have taken pics of that)
now it will guaranteed not rattle !!
It was a lot easier to install than I thought ... actually if I didn't have the crashbars, all I would have to do is take the cover off the 'snowplow' (oil cooler).
This said, everywhere was gobs of thread locker ... just not on the oil cooler cover, there was 0 and the bolts were finger tight at best ...
well there is thread locker on there now :) .. you may want to check theses bolts on your bike.

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Fits real nice with the Roland Sands valve covers ..

At this time also a really BIG shout-out to "OscarTGrouch" for making me an offer I couldn't refuse and being a stand-up guy!!!
THANKS! (y)
Really nice, which part is that? I have not come across it yet.
 
I'd love to see a side-by-side comparison, showing the different hand/arm placement between OEM and the Heli Bars

Looks good..!!
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That the best I can do for comparison, if you're on the wall about it, just do it. Improves low speed handling and reduces driver fatigue.

If you ever come to south jersey, let me know we can meet up and compare
 
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