Southwest Adventure on an R18 – Day 7

Packed up and ready to go. I took this trip for a bit of two-wheel therapy. While I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do on this trip, not much of that came to pass. Instead, I was able to make it up as I went, not knowing where I would be the next day. It wound up being a great experience and I enjoyed the forced ambiguity. I also wanted to spend some real time on the BMW R18.

I have been considering getting one since a test ride last fall. It’s a very different bike than the RnineT I have and presents a completely different riding proposition. I wanted to know if I could use one for a long trip and enjoy it enough to buy one. It is absolutely a road-worthy bike and capable of endless miles. In the past week, I clocked nearly 2,500 miles with all my side trips down unknown roads.

For today, I am not sure I am ready to commit. I will need to find out if the floorboards and shifter geometry can be adjusted for more comfort. That’s the main hurdle, in my view. It’s a beautiful bike with workmanship that is more art than vehicle. It may find a home in my garage at some point, but I’m going to stick with what I have for now.