At the start of 2026, I decided to buy my first motorcycle after not riding for a long time, probably about 15 years. I used to ride my family’s motorcycle, but I had never owned one in my own name. The first time I walked into the showroom, I fell in love with the BMW R18 Roctane. Honestly, I had planned to look at a different bike, but when I saw this one parked there in deep black, its shine caught my eye and I had to take a closer look.

In the end, I signed the papers and became its owner. It’s been more than 10 months and over 1,000 miles together, so I want to share how it feels after some real riding. My very first impression: it’s heavy, probably because I wasn’t used to its weight at the beginning. According to the specs, it weighs around 800+ lb, or roughly 350+ kg, which is seriously heavy. And this one is Berlin-built, so the quality speaks for itself.

Not long after I got the bike, I made a few changes to suit my own taste. The most obvious one is the handlebar: I switched to a drag bar. Personally, I’m not a fan of really tall bars, since I’m not that tall myself, about 5’3″. I also didn’t get the reverse gear option on this bike, because from what I had read, there’s been a safety recall on the reverse gear, so I decided it was better to skip it.

I’ve been riding it through the summer in Chicago. I have to admit that the weight makes city riding a little less nimble, but because it sits so low, it isn’t too hard to handle. Weaving in and out of traffic, though, would probably wear you out. On longer rides, I think it does really well: the weight makes it feel steady and planted when you’re cruising at speed. You do have to accept that without a windshield, riding at high speed can get tiring. For relaxed rides and enjoying the view, this bike is perfect, but if you’re heading out on a long trip, a windshield helps a lot.

Another thing I like is the saddlebags. They’re exactly what I needed, because when you ride a motorcycle, storage matters, and I don’t want to carry a backpack everywhere I go. They do the job well. As for engine power, I think it’s more than enough: with a 1,800cc engine, it’s plenty for a bike this size. The engine sound is a little on the quiet side for me. I’m not into really loud pipes, but I’d like it a bit louder than this, because on the road or when passing big trucks, they might not see you, but at least they can hear you and be careful.

Overall, after riding it for a while, I like it. I have some praise and some criticism, and that’s just my opinion, but nothing is perfect. In the end, you customize it to fit your own style.