Double loop tubular frame with bolt on rear section
Front Suspension
Telescopic
hydraulic forks
Front Wheel Travel
200 mm / 7.8 in
Rear Suspension
Monolever swinging arm
Rear Wheel Travel
170 mm / 6.6 in
Front Brakes
Single ∅260mm disc
Rear Brakes
200mm Drum
Front Tyre
3.00 - 21
Rear Tyre
4.00 - 18
Dimensions
Length 2230 mm / 87.7 in
Width 820 mm / 32.3 in
Height 1150 mm / 45.2 in
Wheelbase
1465 mm / 67.6 in
Ground Clearance
175 mm / 6.88 in
Seat Height
860 mm / 33.9 in
Wet Weight
186 kg / 409 lbs
Fuel Capacity
19.5 Litres / 5.1 US gal
Consumption Average
5.2 L/100 km / 19.1 km/l / 45 US mpg
Standing
¼ Mile
13.8 sec
Top Speed
167 km/h / 104 mph
.
The R80GS earns its place as being one of the world's
biggest and fastest off-road bikes. It is very good on the road but
not so good on the dirt. The GS stands for Gelanden Strasse or street
scrambler. BMW call it 'a hobby bike, a two-wheeled Range Rover' and the
comparison is appropriate. It is not a serious dirt bike but it is one of
the best all-purpose bikes ever built. Suitably beefed-up factory versions
have won the gruelling Paris to Dakar rally on three occasions. In stock
production form, the GS80 has proved a popular choice for riders exploring
the world on long distance trips across continents with all types of
terrain. It is a 100 mph road bike that can cope with the rough stuff.
The
machine is an imaginative mix of parts that were already available on other
BMW bikes, spiced with some adventurous engineering. An example is BMW's
patented 'mono-lever' rear suspension, a one sided swing-arm with a single
gas shock unit. In effect, it is half a swing-arm, but BMW's engineers made
it both lighter and 50 per cent stronger than a conventional assembly. The
rear wheel is held on by three bolts, there is nothing you could call an
axle. The wheel bearing is big, the crown wheel housing is internally
stressed since it has to carry the full loads of the back wheel with 6.7in
of travel available, and the whole rear suspension works admirably. Quick
wheel changing is obviously a bonus. The front suspension consists of
leading axle forks offering a luxurious 7.9in of travel. The bike is tall
and needs to be for reasonable ground clearance (8.58in).
The steering is
quick and the throttle response lively. The whole machine is light and
nimble with plenty of power and very good brakes. Like all flat twin BMWs,
it has a low centre of gravity, so the bike can be chucked around with
abandon. The dual-purpose, knobbly tyres are S-rated and give wonderful
grip.
The engine is an updated variant of the R80 road bike endowed with
typical BMW performance - bags of torque and a wide spread of power - plus
some dual-purpose innovations. The bike has a light-weight clutch and
flywheel for quicker throttle response, and some low gearing; necessary for
a dirt bike but lots of fun anywhere since it helps the GS to wheelie
easily. On the open road it will hold 100 mph for as long as the rider can
face sitting up so high and exposed against the wind. Unfortunately what
makes it good on the tarmac tells against it on the dirt. The bike is just
too big and too powerful. Fully gassed (4.3gal) it weighs
4101b, fine for a road bike but a little heavy for serious off-road use. In
addition there is the long wheelbase, the unsprung weight of the driveshaft
and two horizontal cylinders that stick out a long way, all factors that
conspire against its dirt ability. These are not problems when traction is
positive on firm ground but in mud and real rough stuff, the bike bogs down
far too easily. The R80GS is best used as a cross-country bike,
sticking mainly to proper roads but taking the odd short cut and back road
where necessary. Above all else, the bike is a lot of fun to ride; it is a
functional, practical, rugged and reliable all-rounder. Recently, various
BMW importers have released Paris-Dakar replica versions of the bike as a
tribute to one of the world's most successful desert racers.
Source of review : The Worlds Fastest Motorcycles by
Michael Scott & John Cutts