BMW R 18 If Arthur Davidson and William Harley had been born in Munich instead of Milwaukee, their company could have built the BMW R 18. In reality, this is BMW's second attempt to garner a larger portion of the huge cruiser market dominated by Harley-Davidson. Its first attempt was the R1200C, which was a complete failure. However, with this go around, it appears BMW has learned from its mistakes, as the R 18 is a beautiful machine backed up by mechanical prowess. Built around a giant 1,800cc boxer V-twin, the R 18 does double styling duty in representing the BMW R5 of the 1930s while going up against a Harley Fat Boy in terms of style. BMW has executed this one quite well. Its hidden rear suspension gives it the look of an old hardtail and combined with its low and wide seat along with wide, swept-back handlebars make it a genuine contender for buyers of cruisers. While the bike is full of modern technology, Rider Magazine also says it has been kept to a minimum, keeping a clean and uncomplicated machine. Despite its fantastic style, it does come up a bit short by having a harsher ride than it should and excessive vibration. Regardless, in its attempt to build a good-looking cruiser to compete with the Americans, BMW has succeeded. Triumph Bonneville The Bonneville name has been a mainstay for the Triumph brand since the company first built it in 1959. Over the years, the technology has changed and improved but the classic looks remain. Triumph offers the Bonneville with a 900cc parallel twin on the T100 model, with the displacement increasing to 1,200cc on the T120 model, nearly doubling the debut model's size of 650cc more than half a century ago. Other modern mechanical amenities include water cooling, electronic ignition, and fuel injection. The vintage looks belie the modern technology packed within the frame. The reason one rides a Bonneville is not to challenge every other bike from light to light but to cruise comfortably on a bike without fuss. It has no elaborate digital screen with Bluetooth integration and GPS onboard, but the engine does offer ride-by-wire throttle control with switchable traction control and ABS. USB charging is available under the seat, which is a good place to put the electronics, as the Bonneville is all about the ride. The parallel-twin offers a generous 75 pound-feet of torque to pull confidently ahead of traffic in most conditions, and, while it can top 100 mph, the Bonneville isn't built for this kind of riding. Anyone looking for a retro-styled bike would be hard-pressed to do better than a Bonneville, the epitome of a retro motorcycle offering a modern riding experience in an archaic package. Genuine G400C Genuine Scooter Company got its start in 2002 by contracting with a manufacturer in India to produce Vespa clones customized to its specifications and badged Stella for sale in the U.S. It later contracted with Taiwanese manufacturers to do the same thing with modern twist-and-go style models. This business model has led to steady growth over the past two decades to the point that Genuine outsold Vespa itself. Genuine later chose to offer an entry-level motorcycle to the mix, resulting in its G400C model currently on sale. Using the same successful formula as the scooters, Genuine contracted with Shineray of China for its first motorcycle. Shineray had once provided parts to Honda for its CB400SS and continued production of the engine once that model ended production. This engine is the powerplant for the G400C, and with Genuine's high level of quality control involved in manufacturing, the end result is a good bike. Genuine sells the G400C as an alternative to scooter riders wanting to upgrade to something a bit bigger. While the engine is now fuel injected, power is still just 26 horsepower, which is adequate and perfect for cruising around town and even on state highways. It is also a great-looking bike with styling that looks nearly identical to anything Honda released in the late '70s. The G400C is also relatively affordable at just over $4,000 and would be the perfect fit for beginning riders on a budget. Kawasaki W800 While classic Japanese bikes of the '70s are highly fashionable at the moment, and Kawasaki has brought its Z900 back to the future, another model from the brand goes even deeper into the archives. Kawasaki was an aircraft manufacturer when it bought struggling Meguro motorcycles in the early '60s, and the first bike to come from the merger was the 1966 W1. The W1 is a large and powerful bike based on the British BSA and featured a large for Japan 500cc parallel twin. Kawasaki put its aircraft engineering expertise to work to improve it and ended up with a successful launch for the company's new venture. Kawasaki has since revisited its first model with the current W800 which, at first glance, appears to be indistinguishable from the old W1. One could say this is retro done absolutely right. The W800 is powered by a parallel twin like the original but completely updated with an overhead camshaft, fuel injection, and modern manufacturing practices. It further has ABS disc brakes, a slip and assist clutch, and a contoured and ribbed seat. The W800 is a perfect bike for casual rides and weekend cruises with plenty of power to get on the highway while remaining small enough to easily zip through traffic. It is also unencumbered with technology, displaying nothing but two needles on the gauges and a few warning lights, just like the old days. It is a classic and retro bike in every sense and anyone riding one likely cannot help but feel cool, regardless of how true that may be. Fantic Scrambler 700 Fantic is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer with roots in the late '60s. Its initial products mostly included small-bore motorcycles with engine sizes of 50 and 125cc that were heavily involved in racing motocross and trials competitions. Production ended in the '90s, and Fantic went mostly dormant until the brand was revived in 2014. Today, Fantic offers a limited range of bikes with classic Italian flair. Its historic Caballero name is now affixed to a modern scrambler-style motorcycle powered by a Yamaha 700 twin making 74 horsepower. This modern Caballero is liquid-cooled and fuel-injected with ABS brakes and inverted forks in line with modern motorcycle standards. It is also an attractive machine that is clearly a throwback to the designs of the '70s in all the right ways. Production for Fantic is currently handled by Zongshen in China. However, the company has recently purchased Minarelli Motori from Yamaha, gaining decades of engine-building technology and experience along with a factory in Bologna. However, new Fantic models are not simply Chinese bikes with a few Italian badges. They are of original designs with engineering done by Fantic in Italy, and production of Fantic cycles should resume in Italy soon, meaning Fantic's best days are probably still to come. BSA Gold Star When looking for a retro motorcycle, it is hard to get closer to the root of the word retro than the new BSA Gold Star. The company has a long history beginning with the original Birmingham Small Arms Company, which produced firearms and later became a motorcycle manufacturer. BSA bikes were among the best in the world in their heyday but went out of business in the '70s. The resurgent company, under the ownership of Indian automotive group Mahindra, has produced an all-new bike with exceptional details of the past. The new Gold Star is powered by a single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 652cc running through a five-speed transmission. The engine is derived from a Rotax design, and although the bike looks to be from another time, the components are thoroughly modern. That means it has fuel injection and water cooling as well as Brembo disc brakes and dry sump lubrication. Its 45 horsepower may not win any drag races, but it will keep the bike cruising happily at highway speeds. Manufacturing is based in India, with sales launched initially in Europe with plans to soon enter the American market. BSA is a brand that is still loved by collectors of classic British bikes, and it looks like Mahindra has brought us a worthy reincarnation. And with prices starting under £7,000 ($8,900), it represents good value as well.
Liked by Benjamin Mitchell, Noah Wright
Liked by Benjamin Mitchell, Noah Wright
Liked by Benjamin Mitchell, Noah Wright
