The BMW R18 Transcontinental is an all new , very flash , fully dressed version of the R18 cruiser BMW released a couple of years back . As the name might suggest , the Transcontinental is designed to cruise vast open stretches of road in style and comfort - the Transcontinental rider venturing forth with surround sound blasting , cossetted from the elements by a huge fairing and simply enjoying the glory of the journey . That ’ s the imagery . What ’ s the reality ?
BEATING HEART I ’ m going to start here with the engine , because it ’ s dominant both from a visual perspective and the riding experience . Yes , the engine is clearly BMW ’ s ubiquitous boxer twin , but that ’ s where similarities end . This is the boxer twin on steroids . It is 1802cc ... with two huge 901cc singles punching out to either side . Peak power is 91hp at a low 4750rpm , and , as you might expect from such huge pistons , the torque is huge - peaking at 158Nm at just 3000 rpm . That ’ s not quite the
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