Thanks for sharing that interesting article!

Here's another good review....

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-bmw-r18-review/

This article contains a lot more background on why BMW decided to design a monster cruiser.

The intro version with those huge flared pipes is incredibly ugly.  The newly announced classic edition looks pretty nice and more of something that might interest me...if I was a cruiser kind of guy.

Seems that a lot of the early buyers are slamming it because of the seating position.  Can’t move your feet around on the pegs due to the huge cylinders and intakes.

This won’t happen, but if I were forced to buy a modern BMW, it would be an R nine T pure /5. That is one handsome machine. I saw one with an aftermarket inner rear fender, some other nice accessories, and a windscreen. Gotta say, it was mighty sweet. 

But then, the modern bikes are so sophisticated. I’m just not up for all that. My best traveling buddy has an ‘04 R1150RT. It’s a great bike. He’s been a gear head since we met in HS, and he restores classic cars as a hobby. But, he will hardly touch that RT. Just takes it in for whatever it needs. My wife questions my sanity hanging on to my old airhead. I told her that I enjoy it, including every bit of the fussing and tinkering. I’m retired now, and it’s all good. 

One thing we do enjoy with these bikes is that, for the majority, the parts and aftermarket upgrades are easy to find and relatively inexpensive.  I wonder what part and accessory prices are like for the modern bikes. 

One thing I do wish I could swipe from a modern bike and fit on mine would be the brakes. My ‘78 goes great, handles fine, and the brakes are as good as they can be for a ‘78. I guess I just ride within my limits.