Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Auto
  3. News

BMW’s ‘new’ R motorcycles are the most retro-cool bikes we’ve ever seen

These limited edition BMW motorcycles are a blast from the past

By

BMW may be known for its upscale sports cars, but the German brand’s motorcycle division is celebrating its 100th birthday in 2023. The company has released two rad bikes to commemorate 100 years of motorcycles from BMW Motorrad. The 2023 BMW R nineT 100 Years and R 18 100 Years Editions (no one said the bikes would have easy names) celebrate BMW Motorrad’s centenary with designs that make them look like they’re from a different era.

For BMW Motorrad fans, the new limited-edition nineT 100 Years and R 18 100 Years Editions resemble bikes from the brand’s early days. The most noticeable design elements on the motorcycles include a black-and-white paint scheme with white double-pinstriping. The motorcycles also utilize a liberal amount of chrome as a nod to motorcycles of the past, which came with loads of the shiny stuff. The special motorcycles feature paint on some of the chrome components thanks to a process called “paint on chrome” that was very popular five decades ago. While the process was straightforward back then, it’s far more complicated now because of the use of REACH compliant Chromium III. It may have been difficult to pull off, but the look of the black and gray metal tank is sublime.

1 of 4
Side angle of 2023 BMW R 18 and R nineT 100 Years Editions parked inside of a villa on top of a dirt path.
BMW
2023 BMW R 18 and R nineT 100 Years Editions parked in front of a villa with clouds and sun in the back.
BMW
bmw r motorcycles are retro cool 2023 ninet 100 years editions
BMW
Close up of side angle of 2023 BMW R 18 100 Years Edition parked in a villa.
BMW

Starting with the R nineT 100 years Edition, the bike gets some other special touches like a black front wheel cover, a solo seat cowl, and a black and oxblood seat cover. The sportier of the two bikes also gets an inverted 45mm fork that’s all black, and a chrome-plated exhaust manifold. Milled aluminum can be found on the engine cover, seat brackets, cylinder head covers, adjustable hand control levelers and foot controls, foot pegs, oil filter plug, bar end mirrors, and expansion tank covers. A set of 719 Classic spoked wheels on black anodized rims finish off the R nineT.

Recommended Videos

The burlier R 18 100 Years Edition gets the same exterior motif as its sportier half, but gets a retro Akrapovic exhaust system that’s finished in chrome, a red and black saddle, and a perforated BMW Roundel logo on the tailpipe trim. The limited-edition model gets an impressive roster of high-tech features that include keyless ignition, cruise control, reserve assist, engine braking, stability control, and ABS.

BMW hasn’t changed the motorcycles’ engines or performance, making these limited-edition models mostly appearance packages. We’re not complaining, as they look incredible, especially when compared to the modern versions of the bikes. The R nineT 100 Years and R 18 100 Years Editions will go on sale at dealerships during the first quarter of 2023, but for bikes this limited, it’s best to reach out to your local dealer to get on the order books. The R 18 100 Years Edition will carry a MSRP of $18,990, while the R nineT 100 Years Edition will cost $19,995.

First glance at the BMW R nineT 100 Years and BMW R 18 100 Years
Joel Patel
Joel Patel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joel is a dog lover, a foodie, and an automotive junkie. He’s usually tinkering away on one of his latest Craigslist finds… Read Full Bio
Topics
Auto
Porsche wants to teach you how actually to drive their cars
Porsche

A Porsche is one of the most recognizable cars on the road. You always know when you are looking at one. So, it stands to reason that people love them, right? Of course they do. But loving a car and knowing how to drive one are very different. What is it that Ja Rule said in The Fast and the Furious? “We know a few things. And one of the things we knows is, it isn’t how you stand by your car, it is how to drive your car. You better learn that.” How do you learn to drive a Porsche? At the Porsche Track Experience, which has offered programs on everything from a single-day basics class up to a three-day advanced course.

Now, the team behind PTX is expanding into new offerings for the car.

Read more
Auto
The next evolution of the sports car: Porsche redesigns an icon
City, Car, Transportation

Authenticity. It is what we are looking for nowadays as consumers. Thirty years ago, we looked for brand names. We strived for status and letting all those around us see that what we wore, where we lived, where we dined, and finally, what we drove, symbolized our success in life. Then all of that started to stumble, and every industry felt the recession. Of course, the recession was temporary, but the effects of it were not. What we started to look for after that was something real. We realized that stuff…was just stuff. Now, when I look at cars, or suits, or restaurants, I ask myself: What is this going to make me feel?

That is what the new Porsche Mission S does; it makes me feel like vintage New York and the upstate escape.

Read more
Auto
How much horsepower does a 2026 Formula 1 car really have?
Red Bull's Max Verstappen driving a victory circle.

 

If you have ever been to a Formula 1 race, you probably know these machines are the pinnacle of performance. These super machines are some of the most amazing creations in the mechanical world and are a marvel to watch scream around the courses around the world during the F1 season. But how much power do they have? More specifically, how much horsepower pulls that thing around the track?

Read more