VOLUME ISSUE SEPTEMBER , P105
RIDING ON
THE SHOULDER
OF A GIANT
F
orty-three years. That's how
long it's been since BMW
released the first R 80 G/S to
the public. In doing some research
for this article, there weren't many
other models I could find that have
enjoyed a longer lifespan. Harley-
Davidson's Sportster line and the
Honda Gold Wing spring to mind
as having inherited the earth
sooner, but the GS is the one that
changed the face of all-terrain
riding even more than the afore
-
mentioned two models did for
their respective categories.
The GS has built its reputa-
tion on years of hard labor and
hard miles. World travelers love
it, café riding warriors who wish
they were world travelers love it,
as does pretty much everyone
in between. As the big-bore ADV
market has become more com
-
petitive than ever with myriad
machines worthy of your hard-
earned dollars, the GS stands
tall as the big daddy of the class,
and this looks set to continue
with the advent of the GS 1300
later this year.
THE BMW R 1250 GS IS THE LAST OF ITS KIND
BEFORE THE FULL REVAMP INTO 1300cc
TERRITORY LATER THIS YEAR. WE WENT FOR
ONE LAST RIDE ON A LEGEND
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK I PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN NITZEN
