The adventure motorcycles of today are designed to go just about anywhere. The class first proved its capability in the 1979 Paris–Dakar Rally when the Yamaha XT500 earned its place in history by winning the inaugural 10,000-kilometre rally, a gruelling journey that carried riders across Algeria, Niger, Mali, and Upper Volta before finally reaching the finish line on the beach in Dakar, Senegal. Following Yamaha’s lead, BMW introduced the R80 G/S in 1980, which went on to win the race in 1981.
BMW MOTORRAD
The development of BMW motorcycles began with Chief Designer Max Friz, who created the first BMW motorcycle, unveiled to the world at the German Motor Show on in 1923. Just a year later, in 1924, Rudolf Schleicher played a leading role in developing the engine for BMW’s first true sports model, the R 37, setting the tone for decades of engineering excellence to come.
Fast forward to 1980, when BMW’s head of sales and marketing, Karl Heinz Gerlinger, happened upon a mock-up of an off-road boxer motorcycle in the R&D department. Recognising its potential, and inspired by Yamaha’s triumph in the 1979 Paris–Dakar Rally, he saw the opportunity to create something new. Under the guidance of Fritz W. Bockenhauer, head of BMW’s R&D, the project gave birth to the BMW R 80 G/S. The “GS,” standing for Gelände/Straße (“off-road/road”).
A STAR IS BORN
Ridden by the legendary Ethiopian-born French rider Hubert Auriol, the BMW R 80 G/S, its name derived from Gelände/Straße, German for “off-road/road”, marked the dawn of a new era in motorcycling. In 1981, Auriol rode the bike to victory in the Paris–Dakar Rally, proving the concept in the most demanding conditions on earth. BMW repeated its success in 1983, and with Belgian rider, Gaston Rahier in the saddle, and secured back-to-back victories in 1984 and 1985, cementing the GS as an icon of adventure riding. The last time BMW claimed victory in the Paris–Dakar Rally was in 2000, when Frenchman, Richard Sainct rode the BMW F 650 RR to triumph.
The programme that captured the imagination of riders worldwide was the 2004 documentary Long Way Round, featuring Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. Originally planning to ride KTM motorcycles, the duo turned to BMW after KTM declined to sponsor the trip, reportedly fearing it might fail. Instead, they set off on R1150GS Adventure bikes, creating not only an unforgettable journey but one of the greatest pieces of advertising BMW could have imagined.
THE REALITY
As with so many advertisements we are exposed to that are built upon the glory of racing triumphs, we are shown film of cars and motorcycles conquering mountains and deserts to stir a spirit of adventure within us. The same holds true for the adventure motorcycle, its legend born from the dust and heat of the rally raids.
Yet, to borrow the dry wisdom of the Irish comedian Dave Allen, “If I want to go across a desert like the cars on the telly, I’d borrow someone else’s car.” And so it is that the mighty BMW GS, widely regarded as the gold standard for adventure bikes, a machine more than capable of traversing the Sahara and there are a number of bikers who ride their GS’s as designed, the vast majority of us, this author included tours Europe and beyond on these mighty motorcycles.
WHY A BMW GS?
The BMW GS stands as the gold standard of adventure motorcycling and is a masterful balance of comfort, performance and versatility. With its upright, commanding riding position, the smooth yet powerful boxer engine, and a wealth of advanced technology, the GS handles diverse conditions and vast distances with effortless grace. It is, quite simply, the consummate all-rounder – the measure by which all others are judged.
I speak from experience. Twenty-three years ago, I bought a red 1994 R100GS from Mac’s Motorcycles in Islandbridge. With just 57,138 kilometres on the clock, the bike had been imported from Italy and was barely run in. Today, that very same bike is still going strong; I’ve added another 55,000 kilometres, and countless riders I’ve met insist that my unstoppable R100GS is only now getting properly broken in.
TRIO OF BMW GS
This summer, while passing through Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrim, I came across a trio of BMW GS motorcycles parked together. The first, an immaculate R80 GS with its striking blue frame and custom Zega aluminium panniers, looked ready to take on the Paris–Dakar Rally. Beside it stood a red R100GS, much like my own, this one fitted with a kick starter, a single rider seat, and touring luggage, fresh from a spirited day’s ride through Leitrim’s winding roads. Completing the trio was a pristine R100GS PD (Paris Dakar), resting on a trailer before its next journey. I have seldom seen such a fresh paintjob.
Each year, this bike carries me across the continent and next year, it will take me to Spain, where I’ll trace the twisting roads and dirt tracks that follow the 930 km long Ebro River, from its Cantabrian Mountains source all the way to the Mediterranean sea. Only on a BMW GS!
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Sources of Information and Photo Credits:
ADI website
BMW Group
BMW GS: The Complete Story – Phil West,
From Wings to Wheels
My Classic Car TV
The Classic Machines
The Complete Book of BMW Motorcycles – Dubray Books
Wing Nut Wings
