BMW's New R 18 Roctane Sure Seems to Be Going After the Harley-Davidson Road King

For $24,000, Harley-Davidson will sell you its Road King Special: A cruiser with a big twin-cylinder engine, subtle recessed gauges, a naked front end, and sleek saddlebags out back. But if you could get all that for just $18,695, without sacrificing that classic style, would you? What if it swapped the bar and shield for a Bavarian roundel?

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That seems to be the value proposition of the new R 18 Roctane, BMW’s latest entry in the Harley-fighting R18 cruiser line. Spec for spec, the two seem similarly matched, but is that enough to pry the Harley loyal away from Milwaukee?

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