Who designed this ?

[CaptJim]

It's a gorgeous bike my TC. I am surprised to find some really stupid design flaws on this gorgeous bike.

- Trying to ride during mid-day hrs on a sunny day with clear skies is a torture since the large chrome panel on top of the tank put there as the fuel cap cover works like as if someone holding a mirror and reflecting the sun directly to my eyes. Solution? I had to put my extra neck cooler bandana on top of it like a sock and try to ride that way...

- Fixed windshield? For the love of God at least they could've offered a movement (adjustability) for 1,5-2.0 up and down...

- I ride to a destination at Yosemite area today and I took a longer route with curvy roads that took me 2,5 hrs to get there. Once I arrived at my destination I needed to park at an area where loose dirt was over hard layer below. Kind a like spilled cat litter on an asphalt. You know perfect for your feet to slip like as if you were on ice. Now, in those conditions I needed to use my reverse to park the bike. My gloves were already off. I touched that reverse lever and blurted out infamous "F$%#@ hell!!!!" scream... It was like as if it was on fire!

- My tail bone begin to hurt after 2 hrs on the saddle. Even on my GSA 1250 that time limit was almost 4-5 hrs... Now i am back at home and even on my soft couch I feel the pain as same as when I was sitting on that saddle.

- Motorrad app's GPS map character is sooooooo tiny, I need a microscope to see them with my aging eyes but I think even at age 20 I wouldn't be able to do that. Especially with the shake of the bike not only the tiny font but it is Tiny + Blurry font now and impossible to read. Plus detail level sucks!

- Handle bar has hardly any room for even one single attachment's adaptor. Zumo XT is a must and for God's sake BMW get rid of that ridiculous propriety app crap!

A few more stuff that pissed me off today but for now this is good enough and I am tired...
I will continue later...

 

[Strawdiggity73]

It's a gorgeous bike my TC. I am surprised to find some really stupid design flaws on this gorgeous bike.

- Trying to ride during mid-day hrs on a sunny day with clear skies is a torture since the large chrome panel on top of the tank put there as the fuel cap cover works like as if someone holding a mirror and reflecting the sun directly to my eyes. Solution? I had to put my extra neck cooler bandana on top of it like a sock and try to ride that way...

- Fixed windshield? For the love of God at least they cut've offered a movement (adjustability) for 1,5-2.0"...

- I ride to a destination at Yosemite area today and I took a longer route with curvy roads that took me 2,5 hrs to get there. Once I arrived at my destination I needed to park at an area where loose dirt was over hard layer below. Kind a like spilled cat litter on an asphalt. You know perfect for your feet to slip like as if you were on ice. Now, in those conditions I needed to use my reverse to park the bike. My gloves were already off. I touched that reverse lever and blurted out infamous "F$%#@ hell!!!!" scream... It was like as if it was on fire!

- My tail bone begin to hurt after 2 hrs on the saddle. Even on my GSA 1250 that time limit was almost 4-5 hrs... Now i am back at home and even on my soft couch I feel the pain as same as when I was sitting on that saddle.

- Motorrad app's GPS map character is sooooooo tiny, I need a microscope to see them with my aging eyes but I think even at age 20 I wouldn't be able to do that. Especially with the shake of the bike not only the tiny font but it is Tiny + Blurry font now and impossible to read. Plus detail level sucks!

- Handle bar has hardly any room for even one single attachment's adaptor. Sumo XT is a must and for God's sake BMW get rid of that ridiculous propriety app crap!

A few more stuff that pissed me off today but for now this is good enough and I am tired...
I will continue later...

Here is how I solved the chrome glare of the gas cap cover. I put a faux leather vinyl wrap on it.

 

[Strawdiggity73]

View attachment 20230203_173735.jpg

 

[Anibal]

That is a nice touch. I was going to suggest a mat wrapping to the chrome cover but it looks like you did just that. Personally I don’t have such issues with glare but then again, sunny days in the UK are far and few in between.

 

[CaptJim]

Fixing the reflection issue from the gas cap was an easy fix. I just wanted to mention it due to the thoughtlessness of the design. Other stuff still bothers me. No idea what kind of designing process BMW people go thru before thinking the pro and con of each their ideas.

 

[Anibal]

I am sure is the same process of any other manufacturer. They know that something may bother 1% of the users but not the other 99% and so they press ahead with the design. It is down to the end consumer to make those personal tweaks to make the product ours/individual.
You now have a very good motorcycle and it is just a matter of fine tuning to make her yours the way you like her. Don’t let those little *imperfections* ruin your experience, just try to make them better and you shall have a unique bike to you.

 

[Keehn]

It's a gorgeous bike my TC. I am surprised to find some really stupid design flaws on this gorgeous bike.

- Trying to ride during mid-day hrs on a sunny day with clear skies is a torture since the large chrome panel on top of the tank put there as the fuel cap cover works like as if someone holding a mirror and reflecting the sun directly to my eyes. Solution? I had to put my extra neck cooler bandana on top of it like a sock and try to ride that way...

- Fixed windshield? For the love of God at least they could've offered a movement (adjustability) for 1,5-2.0 up and down...

- I ride to a destination at Yosemite area today and I took a longer route with curvy roads that took me 2,5 hrs to get there. Once I arrived at my destination I needed to park at an area where loose dirt was over hard layer below. Kind a like spilled cat litter on an asphalt. You know perfect for your feet to slip like as if you were on ice. Now, in those conditions I needed to use my reverse to park the bike. My gloves were already off. I touched that reverse lever and blurted out infamous "F$%#@ hell!!!!" scream... It was like as if it was on fire!

- My tail bone begin to hurt after 2 hrs on the saddle. Even on my GSA 1250 that time limit was almost 4-5 hrs... Now i am back at home and even on my soft couch I feel the pain as same as when I was sitting on that saddle.

- Motorrad app's GPS map character is sooooooo tiny, I need a microscope to see them with my aging eyes but I think even at age 20 I wouldn't be able to do that. Especially with the shake of the bike not only the tiny font but it is Tiny + Blurry font now and impossible to read. Plus detail level sucks!

- Handle bar has hardly any room for even one single attachment's adaptor. Sumo XT is a must and for God's sake BMW get rid of that ridiculous propriety app crap!

A few more stuff that pissed me off today but for now this is good enough and I am tired...
I will continue later...

My! My! Jim...

Please let us know how you REALLY feel?

But yes, I agree about the lack of adjustable windshield. I have that on my 2003 R1150rt. BMW missed the ball on that one.

Wunderlich sells a reverse gear lever here: https://www.wunderlichamerica.com/wunderlich-r18-reverse-gear-shifter-black.html. Their version makes it easier to grab the lever. Perhaps you might want to wrap it or the existing lever in handlebar foam???

100% agree with the OEM seat; It SUCKS, and shame on BMW for even offering it on the TC! You'll want to look for an aftermarket option for all-day saddles.

I presume you have the GPS map stuck in the right corner? How to turn off:

• Hold your [MENU] button upwards until the generic BMW motor wallpaper shows up on the display
• Press the multi controller to the left and hold until the split-screen disappears. (multi controller is the wheel controller you move around with your thumb)

And now the GPS will appear full-screen. If you need to zoom in/out, use the multi controller while viewing the map.

Mike

 

[Cu Dubh]

Here is how I solved the chrome glare of the gas cap cover. I put a faux leather vinyl wrap on it.

Yeah, think I might have mentioned that particular gas tank mod early on in CaptJim's research here.

Keep at it, CaptJim, you'll either get the TC were you want it or sell it off and move on. Either way, enjoy the journey.

The stock TC isn't perfect but then my stock 1150 GS wasn't either. After years of riding and a lot of modding the GS it's now near perfect for me... like 500-600 mile days perfect, like offroad perfect (for a 600+ pound top-heavy beast). But I still love riding the TC and as I learn more about her, and have the funds, more mods will happen. The TC is amazingly stable on the hardtop, is surprisingly so on gravel/dirt roads, and is willing enough for this 64 year-old rider.

 

[CaptJim]

My! My! Jim...

Please let us know how you REALLY feel?

But yes, I agree about the lack of adjustable windshield. I have that on my 2003 R1150rt. BMW missed the ball on that one.

Wunderlich sells a reverse gear lever here: https://www.wunderlichamerica.com/wunderlich-r18-reverse-gear-shifter-black.html. Their version makes it easier to grab the lever. Perhaps you might want to wrap it or the existing lever in handlebar foam???

100% agree with the OEM seat; It SUCKS, and shame on BMW for even offering it on the TC! You'll want to look for an aftermarket option for all-day saddles.

I presume you have the GPS map stuck in the right corner? How to turn off:

• Hold your [MENU] button upwards until the generic BMW motor wallpaper shows up on the display
• Press the multi controller to the left and hold until the split-screen disappears. (multi controller is the wheel controller you move around with your thumb)

And now the GPS will appear full-screen. If you need to zoom in/out, use the multi controller while viewing the map.

Mike

Don't get me wrong, I love the bike. It is like a piece of artwork. But even at this level for BMW to leave things out bugs me... My beef is with the BMW corporate mentality not with the bike!

 

[Cu Dubh]

Sorta concur though my concern is more with the currently reported apparent lack of corporate customer support. With that said, my BMW dealers have always been great, and that includes my current dealer. I do wish there were more dealerships across the country to access.

Another perspective: I looked at HD, Indian & Japanese bikes before buying the TC. The TC is a piece of rolling artwork with some easily rectified (though some expensive) shortcomings. A comparable HD or Indian would have cost me several thousands more and would be, for my tastes, not as pleasing and would still require mods to make it the bike I'm comfortable with.

 

[CaptJim]

Yeah, think I might have mentioned that particular gas tank mod early on in CaptJim's research here.

Keep at it, CaptJim, you'll either get the TC were you want it or sell it off and move on. Either way, enjoy the journey.

The stock TC isn't perfect but then my stock 1150 GS wasn't either. After years of riding and a lot of modding the GS it's now near perfect for me... like 500-600 mile days perfect, like offroad perfect (for a 600+ pound top-heavy beast). But I still love riding the TC and as I learn more about her, and have the funds, more mods will happen. The TC is amazingly stable on the hardtop, is surprisingly so on gravel/dirt roads, and is willing enough for this 64 year-old rider.

Hey same age here too until July 15th. then I will be 65!

My problem is me being the originalist I guess.
I hate turning my vehicles whether a car or a bike into a Frankenstein-like vehicle in the name of "personalizing" them...

I never liked to fill my bikes with aftermarket stuff. It looks too weird to my taste. I added stuff on top of original things like a seat cover or change the bulbs to LED or add a flashing brake light modulator etc. But none of my bikes had either a Corbin seat or an aftermarket backrest that looks out of place on those bikes.

Aaaanyways I still love the bike and as soon as my tail bone pain goes away I'll ride more...
So far I put 1050 miles on it since I bought it 2 weeks ago. Not much but because weather was 108F-110F for a few days in my town. Even dogs didn't want to go out in the backyard for their potty-break.

 

[enzo5000]

It's a gorgeous bike my TC. I am surprised to find some really stupid design flaws on this gorgeous bike.

- Trying to ride during mid-day hrs on a sunny day with clear skies is a torture since the large chrome panel on top of the tank put there as the fuel cap cover works like as if someone holding a mirror and reflecting the sun directly to my eyes. Solution? I had to put my extra neck cooler bandana on top of it like a sock and try to ride that way...

- Fixed windshield? For the love of God at least they could've offered a movement (adjustability) for 1,5-2.0 up and down...

- I ride to a destination at Yosemite area today and I took a longer route with curvy roads that took me 2,5 hrs to get there. Once I arrived at my destination I needed to park at an area where loose dirt was over hard layer below. Kind a like spilled cat litter on an asphalt. You know perfect for your feet to slip like as if you were on ice. Now, in those conditions I needed to use my reverse to park the bike. My gloves were already off. I touched that reverse lever and blurted out infamous "F$%#@ hell!!!!" scream... It was like as if it was on fire!

- My tail bone begin to hurt after 2 hrs on the saddle. Even on my GSA 1250 that time limit was almost 4-5 hrs... Now i am back at home and even on my soft couch I feel the pain as same as when I was sitting on that saddle.

- Motorrad app's GPS map character is sooooooo tiny, I need a microscope to see them with my aging eyes but I think even at age 20 I wouldn't be able to do that. Especially with the shake of the bike not only the tiny font but it is Tiny + Blurry font now and impossible to read. Plus detail level sucks!

- Handle bar has hardly any room for even one single attachment's adaptor. Sumo XT is a must and for God's sake BMW get rid of that ridiculous propriety app crap!

A few more stuff that pissed me off today but for now this is good enough and I am tired...
I will continue later...

 

[CaptJim]

Haha yep that’s me alright!

 

[insomnia]

Haha yep that’s me alright!

I don't think you're a crybaby - you gotta have the right to ventilate some frustration once in a while. And since the R18 is such an outstanding, feature rich bike, one wonders how BMW could miss out on an electrical windshield for the B/TC - since it's almost a trademark for them - and how about such a simple thing as a button for the grip/seat heating.

I absolutely love my B model and I don't focus too much on these shortcomings, but I'm still hoping for aftermarket solutions coming up. Windshield wouldn't even have to be electrical - just low/high positions for city/touring would be great. Heating buttons - I don't know if it's possible to fool the software or to fiddle with the CANbus, but I would be first in line if a solution arises.

 

[Scott Semone]

I'm 5'9" at 185 lbs coming off of 2008 GS Adventure; the R18 B is exactly what I was looking to get into for my elderly riding years (+55 years old).

Other than the adding of the TC Winglets, Lower Leg Wind Protection and Auxiliary Lights; I've somehow seem to not experience the wind buffeting that everyone complains about. I still have the stock B model windshield and the stock B model seat; other than cosmetics wants, I want the 719 diamond pattern seat - even though there isn't any additional padding. A 6 - 8 hr. riding day doesn't bother me in the least; I enjoy the navigation and music via the Marshall speaker system. The heated seat & grips issue, they get limited use by me, and not enough for me to complain; side-by-side comparison with the Road or Street Glide, I'm happy with my R18 B and no regrets.

 

[greeng]

I have the tall seat and a backrest - I'm not sure if it's the added padding in the tall seat or not, but the two combine to make my R18B is far more comfortable for long rides than my KTM 1290SA. It's like riding a comfy padded chair.

 

[IRODEMINE]

It's a gorgeous bike my TC. I am surprised to find some really stupid design flaws on this gorgeous bike.

- Trying to ride during mid-day hrs on a sunny day with clear skies is a torture since the large chrome panel on top of the tank put there as the fuel cap cover works like as if someone holding a mirror and reflecting the sun directly to my eyes. Solution? I had to put my extra neck cooler bandana on top of it like a sock and try to ride that way...

- Fixed windshield? For the love of God at least they could've offered a movement (adjustability) for 1,5-2.0 up and down...

- I ride to a destination at Yosemite area today and I took a longer route with curvy roads that took me 2,5 hrs to get there. Once I arrived at my destination I needed to park at an area where loose dirt was over hard layer below. Kind a like spilled cat litter on an asphalt. You know perfect for your feet to slip like as if you were on ice. Now, in those conditions I needed to use my reverse to park the bike. My gloves were already off. I touched that reverse lever and blurted out infamous "F$%#@ hell!!!!" scream... It was like as if it was on fire!

- My tail bone begin to hurt after 2 hrs on the saddle. Even on my GSA 1250 that time limit was almost 4-5 hrs... Now i am back at home and even on my soft couch I feel the pain as same as when I was sitting on that saddle.

- Motorrad app's GPS map character is sooooooo tiny, I need a microscope to see them with my aging eyes but I think even at age 20 I wouldn't be able to do that. Especially with the shake of the bike not only the tiny font but it is Tiny + Blurry font now and impossible to read. Plus detail level sucks!

- Handle bar has hardly any room for even one single attachment's adaptor. Sumo XT is a must and for God's sake BMW get rid of that ridiculous propriety app crap!

A few more stuff that pissed me off today but for now this is good enough and I am tired...
I will continue later...

Love your post my friend,
I mean the honesty. I’m a bit hesitant to say how I really feel about things and my R18b as probably rightfully so, many’s response might be defensive. I dunno just wanted to say I appreciate your honesty, I tread lightly, for now at least. Cheers from Sf Bay Area my friend keep ‘em down

 

[IRODEMINE]

Love your post my friend,
I mean the honesty. I’m a bit hesitant to say how I really feel about things and my R18b as probably rightfully so, many’s response might be defensive. I dunno just wanted to say I appreciate your honesty, I tread lightly, for now at least. Cheers from Sf Bay Area my friend keep ‘em down

Riding up to Tahoe at the end of the month taking the boss up to see Rod Stewart in Reno, she loves him no comments please lol, I’ll report how my extended time in the saddle went after. Lastly, Sf bay to Tennessee on my F800Gt no sore a$$ at all…..SF to Sturgis on K1600b I couldn’t complain even if I wanted too….looking at my R18 saddle I’m confident my feeling won’t be the same after my Tahoe trip cheers!!!

 

[Keehn]

Love your post my friend,
I mean the honesty. I’m a bit hesitant to say how I really feel about things and my R18b as probably rightfully so, many’s response might be defensive. I dunno just wanted to say I appreciate your honesty, I tread lightly, for now at least. Cheers from Sf Bay Area my friend keep ‘em down

I agree. While I love my Alcina, there are certainly things I would change, and some list items are identical to Jim's complaints. I think it's disingenuous for anyone to come out and gush as a fanboy/girl, because there are people on the fence lurking here, figuring out whether or not to buy an R18 for themselves. If we sugarcoat the bike in every post, then we paint an unrealistic picture that NO bike can ever live up to. And, even a bike as amazing as the R18 will disappoint the prospective buyer, who imagined one thing, courtesy of the zero-defect posts here, only to realize that the real world is a b*tch, and things like bad cylinder head castings CAN make it past QA.

I only state the above as a "what-if", not actually what happens here. BUT...OTOH, some complaints can also come off as...superfluous in tone (Jim, this is NOT about you, I'm just talking in general), thusly also giving potential buyers a negative bias towards the R18.

I don't think any of us owe any "duty" towards BMW to act as pseudo sales agents for the R18 line, nor would I want to, but personally, I know how quickly BMW shuts down an unsuccessful line if there's not enough in it for them (e.g. the R1200c). Me personally, I WANT the R18 line to succeed, which is why I'm on this forum and spend my time telling Jim how to turn off his dual-screen navigation instead of being out on Alcina riding myself!

Anyways, off my soapbox for now.

Mike

 

[CaptJim]

Riding up to Tahoe at the end of the month taking the boss up to see Rod Stewart in Reno, she loves him no comments please lol, I’ll report how my extended time in the saddle went after. Lastly, Sf bay to Tennessee on my F800Gt no sore a$$ at all…..SF to Sturgis on K1600b I couldn’t complain even if I wanted too….looking at my R18 saddle I’m confident my feeling won’t be the same after my Tahoe trip cheers!!!

Thank God, we are not living near Reno, otherwise I'd loose my wife to Rod Stewart. She loves him too... Since you are from the SF Bay area we should be riding together sometimes. Stay active here and let's figure it out.