BMW focuses on retro twins
By Ben Purvis
Big, retro boxer twins are the order of the day at BMW for 2025 with the launch of the new R 12 S, two updated R 18 cruisers and the apparent confirmation that last year's R20 Concept is also heading towards production.
BMW's last launch in 2024 was the R 12 S, a largely cosmetic rework of the relatively new R 12 nineT that harks back to the R 90 S by adding a nose cowl, seat hump and iconic orange and silver paintwork, albeit in a slightly more vibrant tone than the original's Daytona Orange.
It might be essentially a parts bin creation as the fairing, tail unit and 'Option 719' dress-up parts fitted to the R 12 S are all available optionally on the standard model, as is the Headlight Pro system, Shift Assistant Pro, heated grips and cruise control that come with the R 12 S as standard, but uprating the stock R 12 nineT to the same specification is considerably more expensive.
The brand's first new model launches of 2025 have been a pair of updated R 18 cruisers - the base R 18 and the R 18 Classic. They both gained a slightly reworked, Euro5+ version of the massive 1,802 cc boxer twin, as do the other 2025 models in the R 18 range, with unchanged peak power of 67 kW but a slight increase of torque from 158 Nm to 163 Nm, and changes to their wheels and styling.
The base R 18 switches from wire wheels to cast alloys and its rear wheel goes from 16 inches to 18 inches for 2025. The changes also include new front and rear mudguards and a much simpler, more attractive exhaust with two circular-section tail pipes instead of the fishtailed design used before. The shrouds that hid the forks on the original version have been deleted in another move away from the retro look of the previous iteration.
The R 18 Classic bagger is also updated, with a slim 19-inch front wheel instead of the earlier version's fat 16-inch design. A new fender extends much further around the wheel than before, as well as the same updated rear fender that appears on the standard 2025 R 18. It retains the more traditional look with fork shrouds and wire wheels.
One surprise is that the R 18 models haven't adopted a larger, 2,000 cc version of the engine, particularly after BMW teased that motor with its R 20 Concept in early 2024. However, and R 20 is on the horizon as BMW has filed multiple trademark applications to use the name 'R 20' on motorcycles for commercial purposes. The R 20 Concept, which essentially combined an enlarged version of the R 18's massive, air-cooled twin with a chassis and style similar to the much smaller R 12 nineT, looks like a near-certainty for production soon.
