On May 11, 2023, BMW Motorrad officially introduced the fifth member of the R 18 family—the R 18 Roctane. Featuring a combination of a blacked-out engine and drivetrain, dark chrome exhaust, and painted bodywork that stands out even more due to the contrast, it’s sure to be a head-turner wherever riders take it.
It’s powered by the now-familiar 1,802cc air- and oil-cooled boxer engine, which makes a claimed 91 horsepower at 4,750 rpm as well as peak torque of 116 pound-feet at 3,000 rpm. It’s mated to a constant-mesh six-speed gearbox, and power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a shaft drive.
As for the frame, the Roctane uses the same double-loop steel tube frame found on both the R 18 and R 18 Classic. The swingarm and cantilever shock were designed to channel the appearance of the BMW R 5’s rigid frame, while still providing a more modern suspension feel and experience to riders. The rear shock has only one adjustment—preload—and the forward suspension is a standard, non-adjustable telescopic fork.
Gallery: 2024 BMW R 18 Roctane
For wheels, the Roctane comes equipped with a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear cast alloy wheel. A pair of four-piston fixed brake calipers and 300mm front discs handle the stopping duties up front, while a single 300mm disc brake setup does the job in the rear. BMW outfitted the R 18 Roctane with its Integral ABS system as standard, which means that using the brake lever will actuate both the front and the rear brakes at the same time, while the brake pedal only actuates the rear brake.
Other important R 18 Roctane features include mid-rise handlebars, mid-mounted foot controls, painted hard side cases with integrated turn signals, and an instrument cluster that’s integrated into the headlight housing. It also comes with standard keyless start and three ride modes: Rain, Rock, and Roll. An Engine Drag Control and switchable Automatic Stability Control setting are also standard items.
LED lighting comes standard, as does a solo seat, floorboards, heel-toe shifter, and a 12-volt power socket. Additional optional equipment includes a locking fuel cap, hill start control, and reverse assist. Riders can also choose to equip the Select Package on the R 18 Roctane, which includes an adaptive headlight, Headlight Pro, heated grips, and tire pressure monitor.
Seat height is 28.3 inches, and curb weight is listed as 825 pounds. Per BMW, the R 18 Roctane’s zero to 62 mile per hour time is 5.46 seconds, and top speed is 111 mph. The 2024 BMW R 18 Roctane is available in the US market in three colorways: Black Storm Metallic, Mineral Gray Metallic Matte, and Manhattan Metallic Matte. An exact launch date has not been announced at this time but is expected sometime in Q3 of 2023. MSRP will be $18,695 plus destination.
