BMW Motorrad Anniversary: 30 Years of GS
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010Both the individual chassis components and the chassis as a whole were newly thought-out and developed, as was the frame. The cross tubes above and below the likewise revised swing arm mounting were stronger than those of the R 80 G/S. And the pivot point of the right rear spring strut on the main frame had also been modified. The only brand new element was the stiffer, longer and heavier rear subframe, which was bolted to the main frame, as before.
In response to requests from a large number of customers, BMW also upped the capacity of the fuel tank to 26 litres. The new tank offered a good compromise between the predecessor model‟s standard 19.5 litres and the Dakar version, which could hold a seldom required 32 litres.
A larger and more comfortable seat bench was a longstanding fixture of many customers‟ wish lists, and refinements were also made to a range of smaller details. The new, longer rear subframe allowed the engineers to fit a more powerful battery. Four wheel bolts ensured the rear wheel was safely secured, hinged clamps instead of screw clamps held the bellows to the fork, and the large tank cap was now lockable and made it easier to refuel from a can, as you often need to when riding off-road. The front fender was developed in the wind tunnel and reduced the degree of “sway” experienced by the machine at high motorway speeds. A large light-alloy plate in front of the centre stand with wide floor rest protected not only the sump, but also the machine‟s exhaust manifold.
More than a third of the extra 15 kg in weight carried by the BMW R 80 GS over its predecessor, the R 80 G/S, could be attributed to the larger fuel tank capacity. The remaining ten kilos were accounted for by the improvements mentioned above, and thus represented a sound investment of weight. The windshield and standard-fitted protection bars with attached oil cooler of the R 100 GS marked it out from the lower-priced 800 cc model.
Press and customers alike were won over by the new model, and sales even trumped those of the R 80 G/S. In Germany the BMW R 100 GS shot straight to the top of the new bike registration lists. The 1,000 cc version was by far the more popular model, despite its higher price tag, fully vindicating BMW‟s decision to increase engine output.
The “27 hp” GS: welcome the R 65 GS.
BMW had also been keeping an eye on the interests of novice motorcycle riders in West Germany who, from 1 April 1986, were not permitted to ride models producing more than 27 hp. In December 1987 the R 65 GS duly went on sale – exclusively in the German market – with the 27 hp engine from the BMW R 65 fitted to the chassis underpinning the BMW R 80 G/S. BMW was keen to set the new machine apart from the new mid-range R 80 GS enduro and there was also a realisation that new riders might be slightly out of their depth with the heavier R 80 GS on a day-to-day basis – something that wouldn‟t be an issue with the comparatively light and dainty R 65 GS.
Sales reached 1,727 units, which fell short of the figures normally recorded by 800 cc models. And yet the 146 km/h R 65 GS was very much a typical BMW GS: capable, strong and comfortable. The 650 cc engine, which was 56 mm slimmer than the 800 cc engine, did wonders for handling. Visually, the only difference from the R 80 G/S came in the decoration on the fuel tank. The smallest GS avoided criticism in the press, but was lost in the shadows of its new, larger siblings, which had arrived to such tumultuous acclaim. Production came to an end in 1991, and the R 65 GS was duly replaced by a 27 hp variant of the R 80 GS.
Popular “ship of the desert”: the R 100 GS Paris-Dakar.
Much more successful was a spin-off variant of the R 100 GS. Similarly to the R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar, the R 100 GS Paris-Dakar was born out of a desire to offer a fully-fledged touring motorcycle for the most remote roads on the planet. A few months earlier, Eddy Hau had imbued the project with a handy portion of sporting credibility by winning the Marathon class at the Paris-Dakar Rally on an HPN-modified production G/S. Hau was the leading independent rider in the race.
Initially only a conversion kit went on sale, but it was followed in March 1989 by the complete machine. The kit included a 35-litre fuel tank with a lockable compartment on the back, as well as an engine protection plate complete with comfortable single seat. This could be combined with an extra luggage rack in place of the pillion seat. Fixed to the front of the tank was a slim plastic fairing with a rectangular headlamp and a small windshield. On the inner side of the fairing was an “instrument cluster” containing a speedometer, warning lights, a rev counter and a clock. With BMW having notched up four motorcycle wins in the Paris-Dakar, the notorious desert rally was the best possible ambassador when it came to extolling the virtues of the super-durable touring model.
Privateers celebrate success with GS models.
BMW decided to wind down its works involvement in the Dakar from late 1986, so it was left to privateers Eddy Hau, Richard Schalber and Jutta Kleinschmidt to provide the fireworks which would illuminate the GS Boxer‟s sporting talent. Particularly worthy of note were Hau‟s victory on a privately-entered HPN GS in the Marathon class of the 1988 Dakar and Jutta Kleinschmidt‟s fifth place in the Marathon section of the 1992 Paris-Cape Town Rally. An engineer at BMW at the time, Kleinschmidt reeled off over 12,700 kilometres to cross the finishing line on what was – with the exception of the spring elements and exhaust system – a standard-issue R 100 GS Paris-Dakar. Her successful voyage over exacting terrain proved to be the perfect advertisement for the rugged qualities of the boxer model. The impressive and comfortable 1,000 cc machine quickly became a popular favourite and remained in the model range until 1995.
Improved touring comfort for the GS.
The touring comfort of the Paris-Dakar model was welcomed by customers and the majority of GS buyers did most of their riding on asphalted roads. It was therefore no surprise that the extensive update package introduced for the model year 1991 R 80 GS and R 100 GS reflected these preferences. The simple windshield on the R 100 GS – available for the 800 cc as a cost option only – disappeared along with the small round headlamp. They were replaced on the GS models by a semi-fairing mounted firmly to the frame. This included a rectangular headlamp which was similar to the one on the R 100 GS Paris-Dakar but adapted to accommodate the 26-litre GS fuel tank. As on the Paris-Dakar model, protective bars were once again fixed to the frame tubes. Another new feature promptly carried over to the Dakar was the cockpit with two 100 mm circular instruments.
The enduro filler cap gave way to a screw cap with hinged lid and lock. All models were fitted with an improved seat bench and different handlebar switches. The switches used up to that point were replaced by the handlebar controls from the K models, which also worked excellently when the rider was wearing thick gloves. The rear spring strut was replaced by a higher-quality component with an adjustable damper rebound stage.
Like all other boxer models, the GS models could also be specified – as a cost option – with the pollutant-reducing secondary air system. This technology, which was already tried and tested in the USA and worked according to the principle of exhaust afterburning, cut carbon monoxide emissions by 40 per cent and hydrocarbon emissions by 30 per cent. As these upgrades were hinting, the old boxer engine was reaching the limits of its design and the BMW Motorrad range was due for another revision. After all, sales of the R 80 GS / R 100 GS models had reached over 45,000 by 1996, confirming the importance of the boxer enduro in the BMW range.
