After Harley-Davidson, BMW Recalls Its R 18 Cruiser

Since its inception in 2020, the BMW R 18 has made all the right kind of headlines. But there’s a slight hiccup now, as the cruiser has been recalled in America. It applies to three versions of the motorcycle, namely the R 18, the R 18 B, and the Transcontinental, out of a total of five. As always, the news comes straight from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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BMW Recalls R 18 Cruiser Because Of Faulty Headlight

According to BMW, some R 18 models have faulty headlights. The LED unit could have insufficient illumination, which can reduce your visibility at night. Alternatively, the headlight can also cause glare to the oncoming traffic, both of which result in an accident. The detailed explanation reads, “The headlight low beam attachment points may break, shifting the reflector out of position, and resulting in insufficient illumination. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108.”

As mentioned, the recall affects three variants of the cruiser–standard, bagger, and Transcontinental–all produced between 2021 and 2024. A total of 2,369 units are said to potentially suffer from the issue. There’s no information on how BMW discovered the problem.

What’s the solution? The company has yet to reveal that, as the recall notice reads, the remedy is currently under development. That’s also why the owner notification letters will go out quite late in February 2024. In case you’re already facing the issue, BMW insists you call its customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW R 18 Recall Highlights

• Problem: Insufficient illumination from the headlight
• Affected models: 2021-2024 R 18, R 18 B, R 18 Transcontinental
• Owner notification timeline: February 2024
• Potentially affected units: 2,369

The BMW R 18 Range Starts From $14,995

To tell you about the motorcycle, the BMW R 18 employs a one-of-a-kind 1,802cc boxer engine. It’s good for 91 horsepower and 116 pound-feet, all of which reaches the wheel via a shaft-driven six-speed transmission. BMW claims the output helps you reach speeds of over 111 miles per hour.

The engine sits inside a double-cradle chassis, which suspends on telescopic forks and a monoshock. It’s a super-long and low motorcycle too, with its wheelbase measuring 68.1 inches and the ground clearance just 5.7 inches. The weight, meanwhile, is a whopping 761 pounds–courtesy of all the metallic treatment and barely any plastics.

Finally, you can choose between several variants of the cruiser. There’s the base model, the R 18 Classic, the R 18 B, the R 18 Transcontinental, and the newest of the lot, the R 18 Roctane. We’ve listed the latest prices below for your reference.

Source – NHTSA