The BMW R80G/S is an important motorcycle. Not because it will sell a million. It won’t. Not because it’s everyone’s ideal. It may be, but it’s $5000. Not because it’s all new. It’s a brilliant collection of existing parts with a little new technology.

It’s important because Japan will probably copy it and give the world the bike it really needs for commuting, touring and exploring, hopefully $2000 cheaper.

At the Paris Motor Show of 1923, the first Max Friz-designed BMW was shown. Success in competition could make or break a marque in the 1920s, so the Friz BMW was entered for anything and everything.

The oddball arrangement of cylinders was openly ridiculed at one event after another by riders who hadn’t competed against the lightweight, torquey, well-built German machine.

The war wasn’t long over and ridicule plunged into bloody-mindedness when the BMW competed abroad, particularly in Britain.

Rudi Reich rode BMWs to 91 first places in German cycle events during 1925. In 1956 Rudolf Schleicher rode BMW to its first ISDT Gold. He used road tyres because the British thought that memories of the first war gave them the right to be bad sportsmen and prevent Schleicher from buying trials tyres.

The company hasn’t looked back since then. Ponderous progress and a price governed by a commitment to high quality engineering has limited worldwide sales. The 1979 figure was 33,000 units. Small fry in Japanese terms.

In the light of the relative insignificance of BMW, it’s surprising that the engineers’ obsession with the flat ­twin has· survived. It is also surprising that most serious riders eventually ride BMW, especially if they’re touring.

It’s hard to understand, the dedication of BMW owners. BMWs are conservative to the point of boring. But they are tough, reliable and have dynamics, which makes the bike a complete machine; a unified concept, not a selection of some brilliant ideas and some mediocre.

Max Friz was only allowed to design the first BMW because. he fought the new management which took over the defunct Bavarian Aeroplane Works. They wanted him to redesign the Douglas engine for the Helios company which had passed to BMW under liquidation. Friz hated the Helios. He only agreed to redesign the unsold Helios’ if he could also design his own machine.

No doubt he borrowed from British genius Bradshaw, of ABC fame. His fight with BMW director Franz Popp was vindicated. The flat-twin has survived through thick and thin, lean times and good, war and peace.

Somewhere at BMW works an unsung reincarnation of Max Friz. He works for BMW, has probably been to Africa, likes pottering around the forests of Germany and regretted having to use a car and trailer to tow his Honda XL500 to play tough guys in the rough country.

So he took a new little BMW 600 frame, grafted in a low compression 800 cm3 engine with slightly improved power and vastly altered torque characteristics, achieved by a two-into-­one exhaust system designed by the best engineers at BMW. So that he could change tyres, he rebuilt the cardan shaft and swing arm with only one trailing leg; fitted a shock absorber that works brilliantly and added two superb, long travel front forks. Then he took a hacksaw and pared the weight to an unbelievable 167 kg.

Now he had a machine which he could ride to the rough country, along the Autobahnen, dirt roads, tar roads, traffic and rock piles.

Friends at BMW copied. Spent weekends away. Climbed every mountain, crossed every stream, followed every rainbow and finally, in the hills of Austria, they found their dream.

A marketing man discovered the reason for their glazed-eye good humour on Monday mornings and decided to take a punt on selling the special to the public.

Is all this fantasy? We don’t think so. The R80G/S is a bike that was obviously designed by engineers, for engineers. Not by bean counters and marketing whizz kids who know that this year’s colour is yellow, everyone has a Gucci handbag and 500 cm3 bikes are bought by demographically B-plus people with 1.2 children and a dog.

It wouldn’t be silly to guess that 50 percent of BMWs sold in the export market will be G/Ss. The buyer with $5000 to spend (or beg, or borrow, but definitely not steal – BMW riders have better principles) certainly doesn’t like to have his styling dictated. The R80 G/S doesn’t have any styling to speak of.

It’s an engineer’s bike.

The bike

It is light. Dry weight is 167 kg. Here are a few examples of bikes which have a similar dry weight, and bikes which have a similar engine capacity: Honda CB250N 167kg; Suzuki GS450E 175kg; Kawasaki Z400B 168kg  and then…Honda CB750K 236kg; Suzuki GS850 253kg.

It is tall. If your private parts (both sexes) are less than 860 mm from the ground, you’ll have problems.

It is an enigma. The BMW R80G/S has managed to incorporate a lot of existing technology, engine, frame and quality. To this have been added new components, but only enough to express the new philosophy. Wheels, tyres, suspension, saddle (read, rider), comfort, brakes, ignition and a host of minor details.

This gives the G/S a whole new image, yet it can still be serviced worldwide by existing BMW service centres.

The G/S isn’t a machine for the hysterical enthusiast. BMW has compared it to the Range Rover 4WD and the analogy is accurate.

Dyed-in-the-wool 4WD freaks condemn the Range Rover because it won’t climb mountains and pull stumps out of the ground. Car drivers treat the Range Rover with suspicion because it’s a 4WD.

Dedicated off-road riders will soon discover the G/S’s shortcomings. It is not a motocross, trials or enduro machine. Road riders will initially approach it with caution because, with its stark white tank and safety orange saddle, it has the appearance of a balls-­out boondocker.

The Two Wheels staff were prepared to concede that the G/S would be reasonably successful in handling on and off-road conditions with the ability of a fair compromise. In fact, it handles off-road conditions quite well, rough country passably after a fair period of acclimatisation, very rough country poorly, and dirt roads (of which Australia has its share) brilliantly.

The traditional Australian unsealed road can be covered at 100 km/h with an air of competence achieved by no other bike.

But the big surprise is city riding. Bopping through traffic, it is all too easy to forget how wide the engine is. The G/S has managed to prove profoundly the virtue of lightweight manoeuvreability, regardless of engine size (both in capacity and dimensions) or height above sea level.

It is a delight in traffic and urban roads. Quiet, quick, stable and with the ability to inspire confidence. The engine and transmission contribute to its good mannered traffic behaviour.

Engine power is of no importance on the G/S, it is the way that the engine’s power arrives which matters.

Add the responsive engine to the positive brakes and the superb suspension and you have a machine which instils a sense of invincibility to the rider.

This is let down somewhat on the highway. At 110 km/h, the riding position and the bike’s compromise design have almost reached their limit of endurance. At 130 km/h the upright riding position places the rider in the buffet zone of discomfort. At 140 km/h the front end lightens and buffeting becomes a problem.

We saw 185 km/h indicated, a true 172 km/h. At this speed the front end’s contact with the road was tenuous, wind buffeting was intolerable and the G/S had developed an interesting cha­-cha motion which frightened one rider and gave others grave cause for concern. This is far from unusual at speeds above the Imperial ton on bikes with dirt-compatible steering geometry, however.

As a bike the G/S succeeds brilliantly because it has absolutely no competition (except for the sake of argument). It will cruise all day (and in comfort) at the legal maximum anywhere in Australia. It will handle dirt roads and grain­crop paddocks with impunity and offers the amazing bonus of behaving better in traffic than it should.

It isn’t cheap. It is good value. It is a new concept and, as yet, that concept hasn’t been clearly enough defined to recommend the G/S to any specific breed of biker. Only time will tell who buys it, and why.

Art directors from advertising agencies will buy it because it looks different, costs a lot and is a BMW. Dedicated tourers will buy it because it offers better touring potential than any BMW before; and BMW is the undisputed king of the long distance touring bikes.

On one road test run our GSX750 Suzuki wanted to run between 140 and 150 km/h while the G/S gave the rider a hard time at this speed. But on dirt roads the GSX became a handful at 80 km/h while the BMW was happier at 100. It tours at the same speed on both surfaces.

No bike tested by Two Wheels has ever managed to refine the on­road/off-road compromise so well that the cruising speed for the two conditions is identical.

Most of this is due to the suspension. But first another word about weight. While weight reduction programs seem to offer plenty of answers to age-old problems, they introduce a new set of problems to the suspension designer. One disc-braked spoked wheel and tyre weighs pretty much the same as any other. The same applies to drum braked rear wheels. If the weight of the bike is reduced, so the sprung/unsprung ratio becomes less favourable. The lighter the bike, the heavier the wheels are as a proportion of the over­all weight. And the wheels are unsprung, the bulk of the BMW’s final drive weight.

Only a witchdoctor could tell you how BMW has managed to design a suspension system which laughs at the unsprung weight problem suffered by all bikes, and more so by lightweight bikes.

Suspension travel is long at the front and soft at the rear. The single coil spring on the right-hand side of the single trailing arm (and cardan shaft tube) works brilliantly. It has none of the harshness associated with, say, Yamaha’s single rear shock, on the compromise models (DT, IT etc). Yet the BMW doesn’t have any of the wallowing ineffectiveness of a road bike used on indifferent surfaces.

Our·guess is that a replacement shock absorber would upset Australia’s trade balance with Germany.

The front suspension doesn’t have the rear’s two kilogram unsprung advantage with only one leg (now that would look odd). Yet it works better than most 21-inch front-wheeled suspension systems.

You have probably judged, by now, that we have been impressed by the BMW R80G/S. In fact we have been mightily impressed!

The engine

In terms of absolute power, the R80G/S’s rear wheel figures make disappointing reading: 28.0 kW at 6500 rpm from an 800 cm3 engine is hardly exciting, and neither is the peak torque of 42.3 Nm at 6000 rpm. Yamaha’s mildly tuned XV750 V-twin pulled 32.3 kW at 6500 rpm (15 percent more) and 49.3 Nm at 6000 rpm by way of comparison.

Don’t expect the BM to be a slug on the road however. It weighs in with most 250-400 cm3 bikes and these outputs are far from meagre in this company. BMW knew what power and torque characteristics they needed and began work with the old low-compression 800 road bike engine. The powerplant was initially further de­tuned and then fractionally increased in compression ratio to 8.2:1. A lighter flywheel and clutch assembly were other modifications.

The net result is a flexible, reasonably responsive motor which almost runs on standard petrol (BMW recommends fuels of a Research Octane Number of 91, but most Australian standards are 89 RON). Filling with 92 (soon to be Australia’s new standard) eliminates the slight pinging on ordinary regular.

The engine has a good spread of power, but despite its larger displacement doesn’t match the XV750’s low and midrange performance. It is also surprisingly heavy on fuel for an engine pulling so little weight. Our test consumption varied from 13.5 km/l (38.5 mpg) to 16.5 km/l (47.0 mpg) for road use.

At 3000 rpm the R80G/S makes a puny 8.7 kW, but coupled to the equally puny 167 kg dry weight it’s enough to ensure the G/S leaps away from traffic lights like a startled gazelle. In normal riding the bike feels, and is, downright zippy one-up. A passenger of course pulls the performance back to levels which correspond with the engine’s actual output.

Torque spread is good. There is none of the usual drop-off as revs fall from 3000 to 2000 rpm, although midrange figures (3000 to 5000 rpm) are not stunning. The engine is certainly no ball tearer but its characteristics have been carefully tuned to give the best possible performance without losing any of the advantages of an engine in a low state of tune. First overhaul should be due about the Twelfth of Never.

The galnikal-coated alloy cylinders offer durability and light weight. The oil system has been designed for maximum sensible capacity (the engine does use oil, like all good engines should) and cooling.

An all-new electronic ignition system features a build-up capacitor which is said to offer a bigger spark boost if you need to kick it manually into life, eliminates servicing and reliability problems. It is a pig to start manually, though.

However, it is a battery powered electronic ignition system – or it is described as such in the technical information. Batteries can break in rough country spills and push-starting the BMW wouldn’t be an easy job, provided you could spin the engine fast enough to obviate the need for a battery. A magneto electronic system would be much more intelligent.

Electrical power regulation is taken care of by a micro-regulator (electronic) which maintains constant battery charge according to demand.

The exhaust system has a two into one meeting under the rear of the engine in a primary silencer. It then leaps up to the left of the machine into a huge muffler. Heat protection on the muffler is inadequate. The plastic sidecover has buckled on the test bike and pillion passengers have had their legs cooked.

But the exhaust system, according to BMW, is crucial to the torque characteristics of the engine.

Conventional Bings are used for carburetion. No relation to the Crosby of the same name, they breathe well and make starting simple with the electric starter motor, providing too much choke isn’t used. It gets colder in Germany than Australia. The choke lever has a two-click position. Pull it on too hard and the engine stumbles when it’s Australian cold. The two-click position is for the Arctic northern winter.

Idle speed vibration is a gentle massage which only proves the integrity of the quality of the remainder of the bike. Nothing falls off at idle when everything is rocking back and forth in the traditional BMW fashion. Over 2000 rpm the engine becomes smoother and at 3000 rpm it becomes as smooth as most fours. From 3000 rpm up, the G/S has no odd vibration periods. It is well balanced, quiet and has plenty of urge. The BMW R80G/S has two cylinders, not four. This much is always present. But it does have the smoothest set of two cylinders on the highway.

Transmission

When Two Wheels made the Honda CX500 Bike of the Year, we said that shaft drive would come as surely as we predicted disc brakes 10 years earlier. We were right, and as the Japanese encroached on BMW territory, the originator of shaft drive was quietly improving its own setup. The R80G/S comes with BM’s best shaft drive yet, although it still has more internal freeplay than Suzuki’s state-of-the-art mechanism. Unlike the Yamaha shaftdrives, the R80’s unit is free of gear whine and/or bearing noise and going on recent BM experience, a long, trouble-free life seems assured.

BMW also seems to have overcome past problems with an engine-speed gearbox. The primary reduction used in almost every other bike aids easy, snappy, clunk-free changes.

The relatively high transmission and gear speeds of the BMW means that the design and quality have to be spot-on. This eliminates the problem which was, once, the only thing testers could find wrong with BMWs – the massive “clunk” in gear changes. Apart from an occasional reluctance to select first (easily fixed by easing the clutch out until first engages) the rest of the changes are smooth and precise – not light, though. A slight hesitancy has also appeared between four and five after 5000 test kilometres unless the lever is prodded with some elan.

Once a rider has become accustomed to the precision and feel of the new, light, single plate dry clutch, it simply adds to traffic tractability and off-road precision. It’s possible (in fact, necessary) to slip the clutch off-road and the new unit makes this possible with ease. All road BMs still have that old, annoying in-or-out clutch most riders love to hate.

Nothing fundamental has changed in the rear transmission except for the exclusion of the left-hand swingarm. An optional 3.56:1 differential is available for predominantly off-road use. First is too tall with the 3.36:1 diff fitted as standard, but at least it’s a tolerable compromise.

The gear change lever has an odd little remote linkage with the transmission rod operating half way along the lever, which is placed back to front.

It works well, even though the operating lug on the lever is very tiny. At least it’s out of harm’s way.

A light clutch operating pressure, controllable slip and clunk-free transmission can be summed up as competent and easily BMW’s best to date.

Braking

A drilled front disc and a very light caliper help stop the R80G/S strongly. Lever pressure is high, initially, but the transition from soft to hard braking isn’t marked enough. The asbestos-­free linings have a semi-metal base. They are said to have 40 per cent better wet-weather stopping than conventional disc pads. We can’t disagree. We couldn’t detect any difference between wet and dry stopping pressures or effectiveness.

The rear brake lever has the world’s tiniest serrated pressure pad, but it is strong.

Braking stability is astonishing. Ten stops were made from 100 km/h and seven from 60 km/h. The figures aren’t astonishing – other road (but no dirt) bikes have stopped quicker – but never in our experience have they stopped with both wheels locked and the rider with both feet still on the footpegs and the machine in a straight line. Very impressive. The standard Metzeler dual-purpose tyres contribute to this drama-free behaviour in an emergency.

Electrics and controls

The H4 halogen headlamp proves for all time that it isn’t the bulb which gives good light, it’s the quality of the reflector. The H4 on the G /S is outstanding. The sharp cut-off can be a hassle in dirt road dipped-beam riding conditions, but the high beam is plenty good enough for any conditions. The tail light appears small, but has enough power for most use. A bigger surface area would inspire more confidence in traffic.

Turning indicators are bright and clear but the rubber mounts on the rear units soon snapped on the test bike.

The instrument panel has a single analogue speedo with gear speeds marked by dots. These are useless unless you take the trouble to learn the speeds. However, the engine’s characteristics make it a red-letter day when you use redline. Most of the time 3500 rpm is quite satisfactory.

Beside the speedo is a set of idiot lights which glow like a powerhouse at night. The high beam light is simply too bright. The others are okay because they only appear when the machine is stationary or something has gone wrong.

A huge 16 Amp/hour battery handles the electrics well and there is no sign of interaction between the various circuits; the headlamp remains unaffected by turning indicator operation.

Each handlebar lever has no more controls than it needs. The right hand unit has the electric start button, a very smooth twist grip and an engine kill switch which isn’t easy to use.

The left-hand lever unit has a top mounted choke control that is easy to use.

Horn and turn indicator controls have been badly planned. The turn indicator switch button fell out. It’s too small and the centre position isn’t clear enough. BMW should copy the switch from the little H100 Honda. The centre part of the unit is taken up by the headlamp high-low beam switch and flasher. It is easy to use. The horn button is mounted above this and is awkward. A pity, because the horn is loud and effective.

Apart from reservations about the battery-powered electronic ignition and its vulnerability in the case of an accident while riding in isolated country, the electrical system is as good as anything the Japanese makers can offer in its effectiveness. Now if it was easier to use (left hand handlebar controls) it would be almost perfect.

Suspension

Saved till last. Editor Thoeming describes the G/S as “a suspension system in search of a bike.” Some testers disagree. It is simply the right suspension for this bike.

BMW claims that the elimination of the left-hand rear swing arm has not only saved two kilograms, but the final product has 50 percent better torsional rigidity and saves the problems caused by interaction of a two-spring unit system. It also makes the rear wheel child’s play to change.

A progressive action spring system is used up front and attention has been paid to the construction of the shock absorbers. They work well. The rear spring is also progressively wound.

What is so impressive about the suspension is its ability to handle the rough without letting the hard times reach the rider’s bum. It handles the smooth without compromise. The spring and shock absorber ratios, front and rear, offer compliance and stability.

Spoked wheels in WM profile are stronger than alloy units and the WM profile makes tyres easier to change than normal CP rims. This is essential if tyres need to be changed in the outback. Spokes are still the only reliable method of supporting a rim for really rugged use. When they fail, they fail gradually.

Handling

As the R80G/S was designed for multi-purpose use, it must be judged on its ability to handle all three basic conditions: City, highway and off-road.

In the city the comfortable riding position, light weight, superb suspension and responsive torquey motor all combine to provide handling that is confidence inspiring, It can be mixed with peak-hour traffic and never once feel like a “trail” bike or a compromise design.

Low speed cornering is a little alarming only because of the rider’s height from the ground. A lean feels a lot further than it is. This is acceptable as the front Metzeler will “walk” if pushed too hard. On greasy roads it is less than perfect.

High speed cornering is stable and the suspension will soak up mid-corner bumps without throwing the bike off line.

Hard cornering is a little worrying because it is hard to wrap yourself into the bike. However, the G/S is so stable through fast corners that you can hang off the side in a demonstration of angular knees and elbows.

Don’t do this at speeds in excess of 100 km/h. When you rip your body back into the centre of the saddle the bike will weave and shake with the dreaded BMW wobble.

In brief, the high and slow speed cornering ability of the bike is much better than you would expect from a compromise bike, up to 120 km/h. After that, slow down before the corner, or move about very gently in the saddle.

Ridden quickly, but not hard, the low centre of gravity and excellent suspension makes the BMW R80G/S one of the world’s premier touring bikes.

Off-road handling is a little odd. It will travel quickly on dirt roads and will out­handle any road bike. But it weighs 167 kg, about 25 kg more than most large trail bikes, and the thought of pitching a $5000 heavyweight “trailbike” sideways is daunting, even if it does boast a low centre of gravity.

However, as long as the Metzeler tyres are deflated suitably beforehand (we adopted 16 psi front and 19 psi rear), and the rider sits well forward in the seat, all such fears are groundless. We found the BM a delightfully predictable slider and one of the finest throttle steerers we’ve encountered this side of a Hagon-Jap. The 800 feels a little twitchy in the frame as the slide is set up, but from here on, the ISDT experience shines through. No sudden let goes and no nasty high siding, provided the rider does not become ridiculously exuberant. Even doughnuts are easy and fun – if you want to raise eye­brows, it’s hard to beat a doughnutting BM.

Slow, rough country trials riding requires an approach unknown in 1981. Massive torque makes it essential to control the throttle with the skill of a brain surgeon to prevent the torque from becoming ferocious wheel spin.

Two-up off-road running shows the bike at its most impressive.

Performance

It almost seemed like heresy to take the BMW to Castlereagh. There is something ungentlemanly about drag-testing a bike with obvious class.

BMW claims a standing quarter time of 13.8 seconds. While we were not able to match this time at Castlereagh, 14.1 seconds at 146 km/h is not to be sneezed at for an overgrown trailbike. It’s more than a second better than the Yamaha XT500 and Honda XL500S can manage and about two seconds quicker than the quick-early-on-then-slow-up DT 400 Yamaha two stroke. On the other hand most 750/850 cm3 road bikes will blow the G/S into the weeds, even if their front wheels do stay closer to the deck.

With a bike like the R80G/S, standing quarter times are pretty academic.

This bike is just not about neck-snapping pickup and rorty rubberies. However, for acceleration freaks, the zero to 100 km/h time of 6.3 seconds is excellent.

The G/S doesn’t so much run hard out of the hole at the start of the quarter, it leaps. Power is built up by holding the throttle around 6000-6500 rpm and dumping the clutch while hanging over the handlebars to keep the front wheel on the deck. The power and transmission seem to wind up during the first 0.1 second and then the G/S simply leaps forward about 50 metres with the back tyre spinning and the speedo instantly registering 80 km/h. 100 km/h is reached soon after changing into third.

Again the magic number 120 km/h comes into play. It appears as though this figure governs almost every aspect of the G/S. It handles well, does every­thing well up to this speed and even accelerates well to 120 km/h. After this, acceleration becomes a bit laboured and it takes a while to wind out.

Conclusion

The BMW R80G/S is not an expensive high-tech compromise for rich riders with delusions of taming Marlboro country. Nor is it simply a very refined stop-gap measure by BMW to fill a vacant niche in its market line up.

The G/S is a bike that Japan will copy in essence because it offers the best of all compromises to markets outside Japan and Europe, although Europe will also respond well to the R80G/S.

Financially, the bike is outside the reach of all but a lucky few. Technically it is what Australia, Africa and the USA need in a city commuter/highway touring/ off-road exploring vehicle.

If Japan doesn’t buy, dismantle and copy the G/S and give the world a lookalike that’s $2000 cheaper, we’ll all be the poorer.

The world needs this bike.

By Brian Woodward. Two Wheels, June 1981.

Our rallying writer, Geoff Hall (pictured below), seemed the logical person to give us a second opinion on the R80G/S. As it turned out, he was. He also went out and bought one four days after returning the road test bike, and is currently busy refitting it to make it the bike it could be …

Cold sweat beaded the brow. The clammy hand of fate grasped the heart. The R80 was sideways. Heading for some rather solid guidepost, tyres clawing at a wet and oily Putty Road. (“Dear Editor, we wrapped it around a guidepost, leaving country, love Geoff.”)

Gentle power, feed in some opposite lock. Perhaps we can survive. Then the white rocket is lined up for the next corner…

Phew. Where is Woody with the Polar Bear R75/5? A casual (well, almost casual) glance in the rear view mirrors reveals a bearded face, grinning over the top of the ever-bouncing fairing.

No one will ever maintain that the G/S will save you from an oily grave, but its combination of light weight, responsiveness to power and directional agility will give you a fighting chance after other bikes give up.

This machine is no silky-smooth, big-­bore Japanese blaster, equipped with the brute power of a raging Mack Truck, and the wet weight to match. You are not being presented with another large thumping Oriental single, capable of significant dirt feats but tiring and unstable on the open road. Likewise, don’t expect a full blown trails or enduro rocket.

So what is this R80G/S? The answer is “stuffed if I know” – except that we exposed it to Australian conditions for 1300 km and two days. It shrugged its shoulders, burnt our legs, numbed our bums, and asked for more. We treated our wounds and searched for another ride.

In all honesty, this is not a touring motorcycle straight off the showroom floor. It simply lacks a good seating position (and seat) as well as adequate protection from the upswept muffler. The handlebars are too close, too high, and perhaps too wide for touring. The resulting seating position means that you are presented as a sail to the oncoming wind at touring speeds. At 130 km/h you want a rest after two hours and the hands are aching from hanging on.

The rider’s footpegs appear to be too far back (for my build anyway), which results in cramped legs. No doubt these positions suit dirt riding, but they are not even adequate for long distance blasts. The seat is too hard and too small to provide adequate accommodation.

To compound the pillion passenger’s problem, the exhaust pipe has not been sufficiently shielded. At the two hour mark of our road blast the pillion’s left foot was medium rare. Well done takes longer. The heat shield is partly to blame, due to its flimsy nature, but the real culprit is the left hand pillion peg. It is situated so that only half of its length is usable, because of obstruction by the heat shield. This ‘heat shield’ blistered and blackened due to constant contact with the muffler…

Lack of heat protection will also make the carrying of luggage on the left hand side a tricky proposition. Pillions also complained of fume inhalation, but this could have been the paint curing on the exhaust.

None of this is aided by the fact that the pillion pegs are about seven centimetres too high, causing the old “Knees Up Mother Brown” syndrome. Two hours with your pillion’s knees tickling your ribs and the novelty wears off.

You may chorus “It’s not meant to be a touring machine!” But it is. The essentials are there, it’s just that the aesthetics need attention.

This is a touring machine because of its supple suspension and gutsy pulling power between 110 and 160 km/h; a long, easy lope that eats up kilometres with a minimum of fuss. You are not faced with a CX500 or XJ650, which require revs to give performance. The R80 has the “pull from any revs” sensation of a Z1300, but without the massive power.

In recent years increasing emphasis has been placed on suspension refinement. BMW has upstaged all others. Despite the massive single-sided swinging arm and shock absorber, I couldn’t bring myself to accept that this machine wouldn’t wobble under load in corners·. You can always be wrong! It simply refuses to wobble. You actually start looking for rough surfaces, hoping that you can induce a sign of weakness. Tramlining doesn’t occur and radical changes of line in corners are possible with no fuss at all.

Traditionally, the BMW bolt-on subframes have received a rather cool reception. I frankly doubt that this one will be any better. The welding isn’t as good as one would expect, which will probably cause cracks with only the right hand (optional) pannier, let alone a full load. Similarly, I feel that the bracket which attaches the shock absorber to the main frame could fail under touring conditions.

The front end is designed for the dirt rather than the road rider. The bike has a 21 inch front wheel and long travel suspension which produces a definite sensation of lightness in straight line running at over 130 km/h. It should be noted that the fork seals were shot on our test machine, which may have contributed.

You should be careful at the lights, as crossed up monos are easily done.

Other factors contribute to straight line instability, such as the large endure-style plastic guard, the long forks and the single disc. It has been suggested that fork flex could be involved, but it doesn’t feel like it. For the dirt freaks, it seems a fork brace will be available in the Enduro kit.

If you are used to riding big road bikes over dirt surfaces, the wandering of the BMW can cause alarm. A little more weight up front would make it feel safer. I am told that this is a trait of all big bore dirt bikes, and one gets used to it.

Our dirt shoot-out was against an XL250S, a capable dirt machine and Two Wheels (Dirt) Bike Of the Year in 1979. Being brave chaps, we picked little hills first. The BMW was required back in one piece. And so were we.

First lesson is to go easy on the right hand or you simply progress in a series of donuts, slides, and maybe aerobatic loops. Roll on gently.

The exercise goes on until we start getting crossed up ripping over the ledge, then it’s off to the jumps.

Getting airborne is easy, although landing from three feet sees the sump­guard take quite a beating. Perhaps a heavier unit will be required by enduro riders. The initial overall impression is that you are dealing with just another large trail bike, except that it has heaps of poke to carry on with the job.

Previously, we had taken the XL250S across the neighbouring river and climbed the sandy 10 metre bank. The bank had proved an obstacle, the river a snack. Although requiring more care, the BM mounted the bank without any trouble. To give it a thorough water test. we forded a creek trying our best to imitate a submarine, water over the engine and all. Not a splutter!

Various jumping and swimming antics suggest that the GS will handle most trail tasks, providing that the trees are 76.4 cm apart at rocker cover height. We reached speeds of up to 120 km/h across open country with little problem. Small gullies cause the heart to miss a beat at that pace, though.

Despite weighing 48 kg more than the XL250S, the R80 shone. It was capable of handling everything that the 250 could. Once out in the open the BMW disappeared in the proverbial cloud of dust (err…mud!). It appears that the R80 would give little ground to the XT or XL500s in the rough stuff, while thoroughly decimating them on the highway.

We found the new R-rated Metzeler tyres excellent in all conditions. For those who really want to get serious in the dirt, Michelin provides something more knobby. The enduro Metzelers did provide noticeable levels of road roar on tar due to their block pattern, but this wasn’t annoying.

Fuel consumption wasn’t miserly, although it should be said that the motor was still quite stiff and the machine was being ridden fairly hard. Initial two-up road work at 130 to 140 km/h returned 13.71 km/l (38 mpg). On the return trip, 16.73 km/l (47 mpg) was achieved.

BMW has made an attempt to marry the excellent ISDT winners to the long legged tourers, shooting for the best of both worlds. This has failed, but only in comfort. The engine, frame and suspension are excellent, providing the basis of a top machine.

The problems are not insurmountable. Early discussions revolved around changing the exhaust system altogether, to eliminate the heat on the pillion’s left leg. However, the problem was easily cured by relocating the footpegs 7.5 cm lower, and moving the left peg five cm out from the exhaust. We simply used the adaptors from an early model R60. Short trips since have shown that both the heat and location problems have been cured. The hard seat can be improved by the trusty sheepskin, a water seat, or even an air seat – the sort of modification most tourers make anyway.

Rider relocation would involve fitting 11.2 to 13.7 cm replica /5 BMW touring bars which will drop the hands some 7.5 cm, achieving a riding position where you are leaning into the wind. These bars will still give excellent control under virtually all off-road circumstances.

Initially we thought of fitting longer rear engine bolts, to allow us to use conventional BMW footpegs. These would have fouled on the footbrake, however. A more effective alternative would be to cut the existing pegs off the frame and relocate them about two and a half cm further forward. This will mean changing the gear lever, which is simply a matter of re-attaching the change pedal up at the first hole on the lever. Experience shows that this won’t affect your changes, in fact it will probably increase the accuracy.

The avid tourer could fit a tiny handlebar fairing on the accessory gauge brackets.

If you are interested in carrying much gear, thought should be given to tank bags and throwover bags, easily detachable when you get off the road and down to business. Add a small sleeping bag rack over the tail light (having strengthened the sub-frame) to support lightweight camping gear.

This type of machine does not require heavy panniers and rack – a sturdy set of throwover bags will be quite adequate. A lightweight mesh shield over the exhaust pipe and on the right hand side will stop the bags·fouling the wheel or being singed.

I suspect the actual modifications (not the carry bags) would weigh nine kg if achieved by an amateur. If BMW were to effect them, this might only be seven kg. This weight increase won’t affect the white rocket.

The challenge is there for the BMW boffins. A motorcycle revolution is at their feet. All they have to do is kick the ball.

By Geoff Hall. Two Wheels, June 1981.

Hans Muth, pictured below, is one of the great motorcycle designers. Among his machines are BMW’s R90S, R100RS and the R80 G/S, while he also shaped the original Suzuki Katana. His design for the G/S reportedly took just 20 minutes to sketch on paper, after he got the idea for the bike while driving a Range Rover.

Watch this brilliant video, made in 2020 to mark 40 years since the original R80 G/S, featuring an interview with Muth and a ride on a replica of the first prototype. It’s in German with English subtitles.

Falloon: The Classic View

Every so often a motorcycle appears that creates its own niche in the market, sometimes changing the marketplace forever. While BMW hasn’t produced landmark models in the vein of Triumph’s Speed Twin or Honda’s CB750 four, the the R80 G/S was their most unique and ground-breaking model.

It initiated a new category; that of the larger displacement dual-purpose motorcycle. Over the past thirty-eight years, BMW’s R80 G/S has evolved into the current R1200 GS adventure motorcycle and spawned dozens of competitors. The R1200 GS is the backbone of BMW’s line-up and the adventure motorcycle one of the most popular worldwide. And it all began with the R80 G/S.

Back in 1980, the largest dual-purpose motorcycles were 500 cc four-stroke singles, but as these were pigs to start, very tall, and blessed with intolerable vibration their appeal was limited. BMW had a long history of off-road involvement with their boxer twins and rewrote the rules with their R80 G/S. Continuing their usual path of evolutionary development; the R80 G/S took the R80/7 air-cooled boxer engine with the smaller R65 chassis. BMW then added a few individual ingredients and the result was an innovative machine that excelled in its intended role.

G/S is an abbreviation of Gelände Strasse, or woods/street, and the R80 G/S pioneered a new class of motorcycle; the all-purpose large capacity leisure machine. Aimed at the explorer or adventurer rider, it initiated a path that serves BMW well today. For a dirt bike the R80 G/S was big and heavy, but for a street motorcycle the weight and size were moderate. BMW figured most riders would use the G/S primarily for street duties and they were right. Owners liked the off-road look without necessarily testing their limits off road.

But for the high-rise two-into-one exhaust system, the R80 G/S engine specifications were similar to the R80/7. Developments extended to Nikasil cylinders, Bosch electronic ignition, a lighter clutch and flywheel and a plastic airbox with flat air filter.

The 84.4 x 70.6 mm overhead valve boxer twin displaced 797.5 cc. With a mild 8.2:1 compression ratio and fed by a pair of Bing 32 mm constant velocity carburettors it produced a moderate 50 horsepower (37kW) at 6500 rpm. The frame was similar to the R65, but new was the bolted-on rear subframe, and Monolever single sided swingarm. Also incorporating the driveshaft, the Monolever was claimed to provide 50 per cent greater torsional rigidity, while weighing two kg less than the normal double-sided type. Three 12 mm nuts retained the rear wheel automotive style, and the 1.85×21-inch front and 2.15×18-inch rear wheels were similar to the factory ISDT machines. Metzeler developed tyres specifically for this large and powerful dual-purpose motorcycle, the first universal tyres to be rated at speeds up to 170 km/h. The front brake was also unusual for an enduro machine, with a single front disc and Brembo caliper.

Although it was marketed as an enduro motorcycle, the R80 G/S quickly found favour as a competent all rounder. With less weight, superior ground clearance, and a more rigid chassis than other variants, the R80 G/S was widely accepted as the finest handling boxer yet. The 173 kg weight may have compromised off-road performance but the R80 G/S provided exceptional street capability. Even with the universal Metzeler tyres, the R80 G/S was so good on the street that it outshone many supposedly more sporting models. And it could embarrass a far more powerful motorcycle on a twisting mountain road.

Responding to the G/S’s success in the Paris-Dakar rallies, a special Paris-Dakar version of the R80 G/S became available during 1984. While the engine and chassis was unchanged, setting the Paris-Dakar apart was a large, 32 litre, steel fuel tank complete with Paris-Dakar rally winner Gaston Rahier’s signature. Also featured were red and blue Motorsport decals and foam kneepads. It had enough fuel capacity to allow for 300 miles between stops.

The R80 G/S was a brilliantly conceived motorcycle and its timing was perfect. Buoyed by the success in the Paris-Dakar rally, production numbered 21,864 from 1980-1987. With the R80 G/S BMW found a unique formula, one that suited many adventure riders around the world.

Although the replacement Paralever R100GS was also hugely popular, the lighter and smaller R80 G/S set the scene. It is now considered the classic BMW Gelände Strasse motorcycle and as such commands special collector status.

Five things you didn’t know about the BMW R80 G/S

1.  BMW has a long history of building off-road motorcycles, and the impetus for the R80 G/S lay in Herbert Schek’s three over-500 cc German off-road championships between 1970 and 1972 on a modified R75/5.

2.  The introduction of a 750 cc and above class in 1978 saw the creation of a specialised works competition model, the GS80, for 1979. This provided BMW with German and European enduro championships in 1979 and 1980.

3.  The introduction of the R80 G/S coincided with BMW’s participation in the Paris Dakar rally. For the 1981 event, HPN Motorradtechnik, a small tuning firm in southern Bavaria, prepared the machines and Hubert Auriol rode to an easy victory, three hours in front of the second-placed Yamaha.

4.  After a disappointing showing in 1982, Auriol won again in 1983. This year engines displaced 1015 cc, and produced 75 horsepower.

5.  The boxer twin’s final victory in the Paris Dakar was in 1984. Three-time world motocross champion Gaston Rahier rode the huge machine to victory, despite not being able to touch the ground while astride it.

What’s it worth? New (1981) $4,995; now (fair) $10,000 (mint) $20,000+ (even more in Europe!)

Ian Falloon, pictured above, is one of the world’s foremost motorcycle historians and authorities on classic and collectable models. He has written several books on BMW, including The BMW Boxer Twins Bible and The Complete Book of BMW Motorcycles, both of which are available here.