2024 BMW R18 Iron Annie Guide • Total Motorcycle

Introducing the 2024 BMW R18 Iron Annie…

The old “Aunt Ju” Junkers Ju 52, the legendary three-engine commercial and transport aircraft from the 1930s, is still familiar to many people. The Ju 52 with the aircraft registration D-AQUI in the Lufthansa colour scheme grey-black from 1936 became particularly well known worldwide. During its time in the USA from 1970 to 1984 under the American aircraft registration N52JU, it was christened “IRON ANNIE” for short by its then owner Martin Caidin.

It was precisely this aircraft that inspired a customer of BMW partner VTR Motorrad AG & VTR Customs in Schmerikon, Switzerland, to create a very special customized version of the BMW R 18 – the R 18 “IRON ANNIE”. Years before, the architect had already had an individual R nineT built entirely according to his ideas at VTR Customs and this time, too, aviation style elements from aircraft construction were to be used.

The R 18 IRON ANNIE will receive road approval and is sure to turn quite a few heads in its new home on Lake Geneva

The dial of the speedometer integrated into the tank, which is intended to be reminiscent of old cockpit instruments, or access panels with quick-release fasteners, as found on many aircraft. And of course, it was imperative to borrow from the Ju 52’s characteristic corrugated aluminium planking. At the same time, the seat was to be reminiscent of a riding saddle and, of course, only the “IRON ANNIE” colour scheme in grey and black was to be used for the paintwork.

A BMW R 18 First Edition served as the starting point for the customizing project. First the engine was removed and painted black. All chrome parts were painted black and the fork stanchions also received a black coating in the form of a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coat.

The cockpit trim was pulled back as narrow and flat as possible to emphasise the streamlined shape. The 7 cm shorter fork and a height-adjustable Wilbers shock absorber emphasise the crouched stance of the motorcycle. “To make the bike look smaller and give it a more filigree appearance between the wheels, we had large 18 and 21 inch wheels made by Kineo,” adds Daniel Weidmann, Owner & Managing Director of VTR Motorrad & VTR Customs.

As a further technical treat, racing-style HC3 pumps from Magura were fitted in place of the standard R 18 brake and clutch fittings. The dial of the customized speedometer also received a hand specially made by watchmaker Zeitzone Zurich.

“One of the big challenges with the R 18 IRON ANNIE was the replica cooling fins in the area of the rear silencers. Shaping these parts into parallel and beautiful radii and at the same time still fastening them harmoniously took a number of attempts,” says Daniel Weidmann about the aluminium sheet metal work. This consumed countless hours of work, as the fuel tank, the tail with the suggested tail fin of an aeroplane, the side panels and the cockpit were artfully hand-formed from aluminium sheet. Reminiscences of traditional metal aircraft construction are also provided by the numerous lens-head rivets.

“What almost pained us a little when we saw all the handmade, bright aluminium sheets shimmering and shining was that they would have to be painted. However, we are extremely satisfied with the result because the R 18 IRON ANNIE differs even more clearly from our well-known SPITFIRE, which is also designed in aviation style,” Daniel Weidmann continues.

Standard R18:

Design

Air/oil cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine with two chain-driven camshafts above the drive shaft.

Bore x stroke

4.2” x 3.9”

Capacity

1,802 cc

Nominal capacity

91 hp at 4,750 rpm

Max. torque

116 lbs-ft at 3,000 rpm

Compression ratio

9.6 :1

Fuel preparation

Electronic intake pipe fuel injection, BMS-K+ electronic engine management with overrun cut-off and twin-spark ignition.

Emission control

Regulated three-way catalytic converter

Maximum speed

over 111 mph

Fuel type

Super plus lead-free (max. 15% ethanol, E15) Gasoline (min. 90 AKI Octane Rating, max. 15% ethanol content)

Alternator

Permanent magnet generator 600 W (nominal capacity)

Battery

12 V / 26 Ah

Clutch

Single-disc dry clutch

Gears

6-speed transmission

Secondary drive

Shaft drive

Frame

Double-cradle steel frame

Front suspension / spring elements

Telescopic fork

Rear suspension / spring elements

Steel swingarm with central shock strut

Spring travel, front / rear

4.7” / 3.5”

Wheelbase

68.1”

Caster

5.9”

Steering head angle

57.3°

Wheels

Spoke wheel

Rim dimensions, front

3.5″ x 19″

Rim dimensions, rear

5.0″ x 16″

Tire, front

120/70 R 19

Tire, rear

180/65 B16

Brake, front

Twin disc brake, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed calipers

Brake, rear

Single disc brake, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper

ABS

BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (partially integral)

Seat height, unladen

27.2”

Rider step length, unladen

64.2”

Usable tank capacity

approx. 4.23 gal

of which reserve

1 gal

Length

96.1″

Height (excluding mirrors)

44.3″

Height (above mirror, at DIN empty weight)

48.5″

Width (with mirror)

38.0″

Unladen weight, fully fuelled/road-ready

761 lbs

1)

Max. permitted weight

1,234.6 lbs

Max. load (with standard equipment)

474 lbs

1) As defined in EU directive 93/93/EEC, filled with all operating fluids, fuelled to at least 90% of usable tank capacity

Standard R18:

Design

Air/oil cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine with two chain-driven camshafts above the drive shaft.

Bore x stroke

4.2” x 3.9”

Capacity

1,802 cc

Nominal capacity

91 hp at 4,750 rpm

Max. torque

116 lbs-ft at 3,000 rpm

Compression ratio

9.6 :1

Fuel preparation

Electronic intake pipe fuel injection, BMS-K+ electronic engine management with overrun cut-off and twin-spark ignition.

Emission control

Regulated three-way catalytic converter

Maximum speed

over 111 mph

Fuel type

Super plus lead-free (max. 15% ethanol, E15) Gasoline (min. 90 AKI Octane Rating, max. 15% ethanol content)

Alternator

Permanent magnet generator 600 W (nominal capacity)

Battery

12 V / 26 Ah

Clutch

Single-disc dry clutch

Gears

6-speed transmission

Secondary drive

Shaft drive

Frame

Double-cradle steel frame

Front suspension / spring elements

Telescopic fork

Rear suspension / spring elements

Steel swingarm with central shock strut

Spring travel, front / rear

4.7” / 3.5”

Wheelbase

68.1”

Caster

5.9”

Steering head angle

57.3°

Wheels

Spoke wheel

Rim dimensions, front

3.5″ x 19″

Rim dimensions, rear

5.0″ x 16″

Tire, front

120/70 R 19

Tire, rear

180/65 B16

Brake, front

Twin disc brake, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed calipers

Brake, rear

Single disc brake, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper

ABS

BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (partially integral)

Seat height, unladen

27.2”

Rider step length, unladen

64.2”

Usable tank capacity

approx. 4.23 gal

of which reserve

1 gal

Length

96.1″

Height (excluding mirrors)

44.3″

Height (above mirror, at DIN empty weight)

48.5″

Width (with mirror)

38.0″

Unladen weight, fully fuelled/road-ready

761 lbs

1)

Max. permitted weight

1,234.6 lbs

Max. load (with standard equipment)

474 lbs

1) As defined in EU directive 93/93/EEC, filled with all operating fluids, fuelled to at least 90% of usable tank capacity

Standard R18:

Design

Air/oil cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine with two chain-driven camshafts above the drive shaft.

Bore x stroke

4.2” x 3.9”

Capacity

1,802 cc

Nominal capacity

91 hp at 4,750 rpm

Max. torque

116 lbs-ft at 3,000 rpm

Compression ratio

9.6 :1

Fuel preparation

Electronic intake pipe fuel injection, BMS-K+ electronic engine management with overrun cut-off and twin-spark ignition.

Emission control

Regulated three-way catalytic converter

Maximum speed

over 111 mph

Fuel type

Super plus lead-free (max. 15% ethanol, E15) Gasoline (min. 90 AKI Octane Rating, max. 15% ethanol content)

Alternator

Permanent magnet generator 600 W (nominal capacity)

Battery

12 V / 26 Ah

Clutch

Single-disc dry clutch

Gears

6-speed transmission

Secondary drive

Shaft drive

Frame

Double-cradle steel frame

Front suspension / spring elements

Telescopic fork

Rear suspension / spring elements

Steel swingarm with central shock strut

Spring travel, front / rear

4.7” / 3.5”

Wheelbase

68.1”

Caster

5.9”

Steering head angle

57.3°

Wheels

Spoke wheel

Rim dimensions, front

3.5″ x 19″

Rim dimensions, rear

5.0″ x 16″

Tire, front

120/70 R 19

Tire, rear

180/65 B16

Brake, front

Twin disc brake, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed calipers

Brake, rear

Single disc brake, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper

ABS

BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (partially integral)

Seat height, unladen

27.2”

Rider step length, unladen

64.2”

Usable tank capacity

approx. 4.23 gal

of which reserve

1 gal

Length

96.1″

Height (excluding mirrors)

44.3″

Height (above mirror, at DIN empty weight)

48.5″

Width (with mirror)

38.0″

Unladen weight, fully fuelled/road-ready

761 lbs

1)

Max. permitted weight

1,234.6 lbs

Max. load (with standard equipment)

474 lbs

1) As defined in EU directive 93/93/EEC, filled with all operating fluids, fuelled to at least 90% of usable tank capacity

Manufacturer Specifications and appearance are subject to change without prior notice on Total Motorcycle (TMW).