The BMW GS, short for Gelände/Straße or Off-road/Street, rolled out in 1980 amidst an air of skepticism; it was clearly too big to be navigable off-piste and apparently unsuitable for tarmac touring. Despite all the raised eyebrows, the GS quickly took hold as the definitive touring machine for the adventure-bound rider.
To celebrate 40 years of Gelände/Straße glory, BMW is rolling out a “40 Years GS Edition” that harkens back to the black and gold R 100 GS of 1988 and the F 800 GS of 2008. Beginning in 2021, the 40 Years Edition features a new set of colors and expanded standard equipment for the F 750 GS, BMW F 850 GS, and BMW F 850 GS.
Stylistic changes to BMW’s middleweight models include new tape designs and styling on the fairing side panels, yellow hand protectors, and black and yellow seats. Furthermore, all models now have new LED turn indicators as a standard and a USB charging device at the front right of the cockpit. ABS Pro and DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) are now also standard, for even better braking and accelerating safety.
The GS has come a long way since 1980, but the one thing that has never changed is the way this bike inspires adventure. In 1981 Hubert Auriol won the Paris-Dakar on the R80G/S and a year later, Helge Pederson took off on a 1982 G/S for his epic 250,000 mile journey through 77 countries. Now, it’s up to us to continue that legacy of incredible adventuring with precision German engineering.
Photo Credit: BMW Group
Motorcycle Industry News by Eva Rupert. Follow Eva @augusteva.
