How BMW created a new kind of motorcycle

[@mr.carguy654]

It's crazy how much this channel has grown since I've first started watching! You deserve every last subscriber Bart. The knowledge, presentation and general good vibes your channel has is absolutely fantastic! Keep at it man, you're one of the best on the platform!

[@bartmotorcycle]

Wow thanks!

[@dillonjames-so5cz]

100%

[@noelyoungman3353]

I found my R80 G/S by accident in Zambia in 1992. It is a 1984 and only had about 4,000km on the odo. It has the huge South African tank and I took off on a 25,000km ride. Great experience as a 30 year old. I still have her in the garage. I don’t ride it anymore but I can’t bear the thought of selling her.

[@oldoldbikebiker]

Great video as always ... bought one of these 'on a whim' in 1984 after a series of UJM's. All my mates laughed at me. I spent two weeks with 'buyer's remorse' wondering what the 'eck I'd done .... until I got used to this new kind of motorcycling. What a blast! had it for three years and loved every minute. Wish I still had it now! Unlike it's modern decedents, it was light and simple. you really could fix most things at the side of the road if you needed to. from the way it balanced on the centre stand with either wheel removed to the way it could slide up an icy road without grinding anything critical. I know ... I tested that one out personally....

[@paulshort1174]

I know exactly where your coming from, I bought an R80st the same bike made just for the road, they dropped it right in the 550 class and I was hated for it cos it would humiliate all even larger Japanese, were my nutcase days how I survived I don’t know just glad I had one, taught me how to ride on the limit!

[@paulELLARD-w4s]

Great vid'. Very well done. I got my 80GS at 17yrs old. There were none in Australia at the time, so I rang (pay phone) BMW Germany and a Hamburg ship captain and managed to get one. My baby never let me down. Caught fire a few times, washed down a few rivers, but it kept going. Desert, jungle or Mountains. Even handled Sydney roads OK. Got nearly a Million Km on the same engine, gearbox and drive train. 40 yrs later; looking like it belongs in Mad Max, it's still strong.

[@stevevanleeuwen8815]

I'm an Old Guy and a Dad with nothing to prove to anyone. I ride an '89 R100 GS, I ride slow, mellow, and dignified. I love my old airhead. I have my sights on an '85 K100 I will get and bring back to life.

[@GaryT1952]

100K Bart...Congratulations! Well deserved, I always enjoy your content

[@bartmotorcycle]

Thanks!!

[@mbj1163]

As the owner of a Kawasaki Versys 650 LT, I love that you just came out and called these adventure style street-focused motorcycles "dad bikes". Existing in the middle zone between sport bikes and big American cruisers, I've referred to my bike a dad bike for years with no shame. While it might not be as comfortable for hundreds of miles of highway riding (though it will do it without complaint), it's just wonderful for 5 hours in the saddle exploring. And, if a curiosity turn throws a gravel or old logging road at you, "yeah buddy", go for it. Thanks!

[@jfu5222]

I remember the first time I saw a GS. It was 1986 on the army base I was stationed at in Bavaria, a Paris-Dakar with the HUGE tank. It was equal parts perplexing and alluring. I also vividly remember hearing then seeing a Honda NS400R tearing through the cobblestone streets in Rothenberg.

[@basilwatson1]

Have a lifetime of motorbikes ( in the trade) Had a Bm r 650 (loved it SOOOOOOOO practical ) Then got a gs totally LOVED it ... then fell in love with enfields

[@neilouellette3004]

Reminds me going back to the 80's "in my 20's" owning a 1982 Kawasaki LTD 750 and then a 1987 Honda CBR1000F Hurricane w/the rarer Black/Monza Red color scheme. Started in the 70's w/a 1975 Honda Elsinore 125.

[@PatrickLeFloch]

You're absolutely right about the impact of the Paris-Dakar. When you mentioned BMW GS I immediately thought of Hubert Auriol.

[@G58]

The original GS was awesome. There’s no doubting that. But the latest models are definitely not suitable for real adventure riding. There are countless electronic issues that can shut the things down completely, requiring recovery to an official dealer. Even something as simple as adding a passenger (having first set the suspension for a set amount of luggage weight), can cause them to go into limp mode! That’s not a motorcycle. It’s an appliance status symbol with the temperament of a nun with a crack habit. I genuinely would not have one as a gift. The early air cooled ones though are on my list. Or I may just watch Harry Metcalf vids of his. Thank you for sharing this story. Great taste.

[@777Patriot]

I think a key point was that they worked pretty well off road. That holds true for the adventure bikes of today. If you are a professional Dacar Ralley Racer and have skill sets mere mortals only dream of, adventure bikes work pretty off well off road. I put many miles on a barrowed BSA 500 chopped for the dirt. When It was time to put down my hard earned cash, I opted for a 1970 Yamaha 360 Enduro. I was in High school.

[@BornAGoon]

Congrats on 100K subs Amazing achievement. 200K on deck

[@jfess1911]

I remember thinking how odd the R80 G/S was when it came out. I thought of it as mainly an overweight off road bike. I really couldn't imagine taking anything bigger than a 350 off road. Then again, I was young and (more) stupid and fully expected to need pick the thing up after frequent off-road mishaps. It was also expensive, at least for me at the time.

[@jfess1911]

@@cowmath77 At that point in time (late 70's, very early 1980's), on/off road motorcycles were called enduros and were more offroad based, like many current dual sports. IIRC, they were still mostly wore dual rear shocks and were just OK for short highway distances. The speed limit was only 55mph, which makes a big difference on what would be considered acceptable for general transport. It is important to note that road bikes were not yet as specialized so there was no feeling that you would need a special "adventure" motorcycle just to go down a dirt road. Many motorcycles were "standards" that allowed you easily to stand on the pegs and had deeply treaded tires that could deal with dirt or gravel roads fairly well. In my mind, this BMW was more of a throwback to the old scramblers, although, in retrospect, it was better thought-out and actually had much better suspension. It was also tall for its time and I am short. When the RS80 GS came out, I was still in college and the mere idea of flogging an expensive BMW off road seemed ludicrous. I had no interest in touring, which was this motorcycles strong suit. Short, broke and not interested in touring: I clearly was not the target demographic!

[@aitorhombre]

My uncle had one back on the early 80's. Very popular in Spain after Franco's death (1981, 1982, 1983, etc...). Good fun. You should also investigate Spain's huge tradition on motorbike's manufacturing. Bultaco, Montesa, Derbi, Sanglas. Also great GP pilots...

[@tsoliot5913]

And firearms

[@Texmotodad]

Thank you for mentioning the Laverda connection.

[@m.i.andersen8167]

Thank you for the video! Far too many "Jim Kar" clip in far too poor quality, so bad that it's actually matters.

[@nightcrawleroriginal]

Amazing how quickly technology has advanced over the years, the biggest advantage BMW had back then was reliability (so they say) and people liked that, but that's about all it had as it was a very heavy awkward bike in every other aspect especially on trails and dirt biking, I was a Honda guy myself but did have a 360 Enduro for awhile, heavy bike but powerful up steep grades and the compression release was great on it going down steep grades, thanks for the BMW rundown Bart, brings back memories back in the day. :)

[@depechemoto]

Moto version of Hagerty Bart. By far one of the best deep dive Moto channels around!

[@therwfer]

The amazing thing about the G/S is, I would jump on it and ride it for thousands of KMs even in current year without hesitation and I'd arrive in a relaxed state.

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

Excellent research and work Bart. I decided back then on the road going version in 1984 as a despatch rider in London, R80St. My buddy had the R80Gs and we used to swap regularly when going out on rides. Big difference! Best greets from Düsseldorf 😉

[@errinundra9798]

11:12 is the McKillops Bridge Crossing over the Snowy River in Eastern Victoria. The Road goes from Wulgulmerang to Bonang, and it's notable for its spectacular drops from the side of what is a very basic dirt road. Perfect country for this sort of bike.

[@polychronisrempoulakis3588]

once again, splendid content! Well deserved 100 K and more to join for sure!

[@AutoCrete]

One point a lot of dual sport riders take into account is "It is better to have and not need than to need and not have.". In BC Canada many times I have seen an interesting over grown former logging road. With a street bike you get to wonder, with a dual sport you get to check it out.

[@YouMotorcycle]

Congrats on the 100K!🎉

[@David-om5fd]

I'm a dad. I ride a GS just to ride. Thank you for the shout out!

[@tenbear5]

Sad.

[@weedian710]

Congrats on 100k! Well deserved!

[@terryblack2219]

100 k Congratulations my friend well deserved

[@igneous85]

Really appreciate how you get into the philosophy of a given motorcycle and consider the marketing. ADVs and dualsports are opposite approaches to the on/off pavement problem with the ADV being more practical because gravel and dirt roads are pretty rare. ADVs are great for riding a long, long way just like big baggers and Goldwings did for generations of Dads prior.

[@tenbear5]

wtf has ‘marketing’ got to do with anything?

[@osimnod]

Are you sure you meant to say "ADV being more practical because gravel and dirt roads are pretty rare"? Looking at a map of the world, there are far more unpaved roads than paved, so that would seem to make the ADV bike more appealing as a rider would be less hesitant to go exploring an unpaved road than taking a pure street bike off-road. The riding posture is so neutral, too, that the ADV bike is pretty comfortable for long stretches and they weigh 200 pounds less than a GW or HD cruiser.

[@tenbear5]

@@osimnod And? What is your point?

[@igneous85]

@@osimnod nonpaved roads are exceptionally rare in North America and Europe. The rest of the world that has the majority of the nonpaved roads know any standard motorcycle or scooter is sufficient for a nonpaved road. Which market do you think buys more ADV bikes?

[@osimnod]

@igneous85 OK, let's agree to a challenge: we both determine how many miles of unpaved vs paved roads there are in just the USA, not all of North America. Unpaved roads include county maintained and unmaintained roads - any double track that can be found on a map.

[@soldat2501]

The GS had no appeal to me when it appeared as I was too young to appreciate it. And that’s what is really going on here. It was and still is a Dad bike. The cost alone puts it outside most younger budgets. More importantly than that though, it’s experience. Most older guys don’t need the blistering speed and acceleration of a sport bike anymore, but they do need something that can handle any terrain, any time, any weather. Practical, but with a kick. That doesn’t necessarily appeal to younger riders. What I can attest to is my GS now is a lot more capable than my skill level. But as I ride in Italy, where the roads are sometimes lines on the map in name only, you can be tooling along nicely and suddenly, collapsed asphalt, major pot holes and avalanche debris is right in front of you. In those moments, the GS, and the adventure bike concept, shines.

[@Pr0Lapz3r]

Congrats on 100k subs! Absolutely love this channel👍🏻

[@sooyster4033]

Congrats on 100k bart!!

[@richmorin424]

The R80ST, while not as popular as the G/S, is a fine "standard" bike. The gas tank isn't huge, and the shocks and such are even less suited to off-road use, but it's quite comfortable to ride (particularly with a Corbin seat). I still have mine and it serves me well, though I've considered moving down to something a bit lighter, nimbler, and more modern.

[@j.b.8767]

I have owned 30 bikes, or so, in my life, from a CL175 Honda Scrambler, to a 305 Scrambler, several RD350s, Secas, Honda and Suzuki dirt bikes, a 2002 "grey market" V-Strom, with no governor, that I was clocked at 162mph on...with lots of Beemer's in the mix, too, (I have an R1150RS, now, still), but my hands down all time favorite bike is the BMW R80G/S I bought new in 1985, which had sat on the lot in North Hollywood for a ridiculously long time, and though I'd ridden my friends R100RS's and R65's, and a few other Beemer's in between these models, all of which I loved....they were such different bikes, and you had to ride them differently, too, and so, it took me awhile for the R80G/S to grow on me, as it was so odd looking, I'd go to the dealership and sit on my Seca and just look at the G/S for hours, and talk to the salesmen as to what it's good points were? Until, finally, I took a test ride, and once I rode it, I was hooked. I'd give anything to have that bike back. But just like a few of the Ladies I once had, I didn't appreciate that bike fully, until it was gone... So it goes. Thanks for the great video, brother!

[@dillonjames-so5cz]

Ur channel rocks bro .... Can you do more sport bikes too also super moto and Ducati

[@werdnanotlad]

Wooooh 100k!!! Killin it bart, love the vids

[@girthquake9655]

I had to put on my grass stained New Balance 4E shoes before watching this.. I'm ready Champ!

[@LazyJacques]

Great story. Unfortunately, a lot of the the blocky low-res archival VHS footage made me feel like I was watching a Lego movie through a sieve...

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

“BMW R 80 G/S - The Range Rover of motorcycles” One of the headlines I remember from the introduction. And I guess they were pretty correct about that.

[@sylvainster30]

Congrats on 100k subscribers 🎉you deserve em all! Thanks for the awesome content! ✌🏼😎👍🏼

[@jofknoll]

i had the bmw r 80 gs in the early 1980's,sold it in 1985

[@davidrochow9382]

Imo the best thing about them is shaft drive. You can go bush and not have to worry about the chain maintenance.

[@tenbear5]

Yeah, been screaming out for a midweight shaft trailie for decades now. As they’re all going extinct in a few years this dream will never be realised.

[@someoneelse4492]

Thanks very much, love your work.

[@john-wq8kf]

In the 1960’s on holiday on a little slate island in the Scottish highlands I was walking through a quarry and I saw a guy on a Greeves 250 he was bunny hopping up and down cliffs, jumps

[@chrishill7583]

Hi Bart, Another great video! You mentioned that you read books to get the info for your videos, and in this one you gave the title. It would be great if you could give 30 seconds at the end of your videos and show the covers of the book(s) you used to research the subject. That way, I can dig into the areas I want to learn more. Thanks for your channel!!

[@jimurrata6785]

Congrats on 100k!

[@KVenturi]

I have the ultimate dadbike here in the Philippines Honda TMX 125a and I still daily it to work

[@ooHUNDMAToo]

100k subs! Congrats!

[@Patisaloser]

Congrats on 100k!!

[@hectorshouse7348]

Well done bart…what a great idea your channel turned out to be…100K subs…thank you👍

[@jonathannielsen3546]

i think we should learn from "dads". they have proberbly been riding a lot longer than we have , and therefor they have learned more lessosn and have more experience. the sum of their lessons is to buy a BMW GS, so i autimaticaly assume its a very capable allaround bike than can do everything from adventure, to communting as well as having fun. It's no sportbike on twisty roads, but i bet ya its fun anyways.

[@brianmorse8811]

I got a 1989 BMW R100GS back in 1993 and now I'm on my third GS and its been 30 years going strong touring the small back country roads. I've ridden plenty of other bikes but this is still my favorite. I grew up on dirt bikes mostly Hondas and Yamahas so this just made sense to me. my dirt bike now is a Husqvara which is still a dad bike so I've been told...😏

[@MrVijay0611]

congratulations on 100K subscribers.

[@jimtitt3571]

The history of the GS is more interesting than that. It started with Herbert Schek who became a BMW works rider in 1965 on the old 600 in the then ISDT (now ISDE). The thing was an unreliable dog but he won an international so in 69 he got a protoype R75/5 and he won the 1969 ISDT in Germany. He continued to build the factory machines for the ISDT winning again in 1970. BMW then got a rule change put through changing in 1977 the over 500 class into an 800cc class (had to stop the Triumphs) and Schek was commisioned to build ten bikes, unfortunately BMW wouldn't holomgate them so he became a manufacturer in his own name and the name plates on the machines was Schek-BMW GS800 and they were raced from 1978 onwards. In total he built 17 of them. I was a tester for a UK dirt-bike magazine back then and got to ride his factory bikes and raced an enduro on it as well, they were super-trick with magnesium everything and even a hollow titanium drive shaft, they weighed 128kg which was pretty good (I rode a custom-framed 500 Triumph back than). Schek won the 1980 European championship on it. Herbert still rocks up on one at the occasional historic enduro, he's 90 now but still a giant (he's like 6'8").

[@kerm9807]

100k Well done mate 👏

[@browngreen933]

All older BMWs were all good offroad. I had an Earles fork 1966 R50/2 road bike that would go anywhere, through the woods, trails, you name it. 😅 Great handling bike.

[@Speedkore-hc3mo]

Congratulations bart brother on 100k ❤ from Pakistan

[@bartmotorcycle]

Thanks!

[@Speedkore-hc3mo]

@@bartmotorcycle your thx means alot sir ❤️❤️❤️

[@hughhendricks5868]

You have not been to South Africa, here our GS 's and other adventure bikes live offroad

[@bobritter7197]

Excellent stuff, as always.

[@kawajocb1685]

I Ride BMWR850R from 2001. A Good Bike. Happy like a Pig in Mud. Love my BMW.

[@oivd]

Can you do one about the yamaha XT500? also an Iconic Enduro!

[@chiragrai2574]

R80 is a true work horse 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@laupstad]

Most of these bikes are probably used in cities. I don't know if this goes for all of southern Europe, but in Greece at least a lot people daily their bikes in the cities. The vast majority of them being enduro bikes with storage boxes. For good reason too imho. The roads aren't always that great and these things will handle that just fine.

[@jimmiej3924]

Barfolomew, you’re my guy! 👊

[@Vozip]

Happy to see fluump still at it even if it’s not rocket league

[@StratfordWingRider]

Every bike I ride is a Dad bike. Because I got on Dad-ventures every weekend. Not the limber body it used to be.

[@seniorbarends]

It has to do with the riding position, upright with a wide handle bars. Suspension that evens out speed bumps and bad roads.

[@PooyanDoozandeh]

Yes, ADVs are selling a lot these days, but not for good reasons! They’re expensive, uncomfortable, and worst of all, tall and heavy at the same time which makes them very unapproachable. They also get a lot of road wind because they’re tall. I owned Yamaha Tenere 700 for a year, didn’t like it, sold it, and got a Kawasaki W800. Although the W800 is heavier than the Tenere, it’s MUCH more approachable and much better bike in almost all respects.

[@queenslander954]

GS was definitely a great bike ,but that old XT500 won the very first Paris - Dakar in 1979 , huge for a Japanese trail bike , But the GS would have to be the worlds first adventure bike.

[@MrDapperGent]

Fascinating

[@bytesandbikes]

SUVs of the bike world 🗺

[@htimmermans1938]

I owned one. Very easy to ride.

[@jamesslick4790]

This concept is similar to the rise of the SUV, Often the possibility of off road use is as important as the actual off-road function. I'm More of a "touring" guy, (Buick Lucerne VS Jeep Cherokee in the 4 wheel world), However I understand the appeal of these bikes.

[@RandallSoong-pp7ih]

Excellent

[@kevinarmstrong478]

Yeah the original GS did to motorcycles what landrover did to cars a true on and off road vehicle. Now we have SUV’s and Adventure bikes seldom if ever used off road.

[@louislopez55]

When one thinks about motorcycles with character, how much does the sound of the engine matter? Actually, what is the definition of character when it comes to motorcycles? Can a motorcycle with a four cylinder engine have character? How about an electric motorcycle?

[@gorkzop]

While I love these old GS bikes. They're nowhere near the old school simple bikes that where (fairly) on par with an Tenere for example.

[@MisterOcclusion]

In a world where Standard-style bikes assume you're 5'7" 150lbs or under, ADVs accommodate us big boys better, in comfort.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

The British motorcycle industry died in the 70s because of mismanagement, bureaucracy, and lack of support at government level, not because they were incapable of designing and manufacturing good motorbikes.

[@martonlerant5672]

Point of ADV bikes is two fold. 1 - you get to ride to nice offroading location instead of hauling dirtbike on a truck 2 - Its one bike. Even if its priced high that can often still be cheapermthan having anstable of bikes. 3 - anyone can find some place to put a bike. Havingngarage space for 2 or 3 bikes is much less common. And last but not least, plenty people are content with 80% of whats possible. In terms of motorcycle offroad speed. Not everyonenis offroading to win speed or jump height records. Pletny people are happy with hoggingnaround in the mud, and goingnto placesmwhere they have no business being in.

[@terrycavender]

The original GS was a groundbreaking motorcycle, it was truly an adventure bike, unlike the bloated, overly complicated, pig, the current GS is. Perhaps I'm a Luddite, but I think a return to simplicity would serve BMW well.

[@dantownsend4246]

I owned the original 800 gs back in the 80’s . I still regret selling it. Simple dash board. Reliable, the only thing that that was a problem was that It would only take a single Krauser bag on right side .

[@terrycavender]

@@dantownsend4246 that's why I bought an R80 in 86 instead, more luggage space.

[@themotorcyclemasswhole]

Stop exaggerating… the 2023 GS only as heavy as a small car. You make it seem like it’s the weight of a large car 😂

[@CharlesStettler-kp4ot]

exact...j'ai une G/S géniale à conduire..je ne fais que des petites avec que des virages, la roue de 21 " à l'avant fait merveille...je ne trouvais plus les Metzeler Enduro et le " Club 80 G/S" trés actif a choisi les Continental TKC 70....C'EST EXCEPTIONEL...❤ encore mieux qu'avant...salutations de Genéve et bonne route...😊

[@elemar5]

I was going to get a Triumph Tiger but couldn't because of my eyes. They are too close to the ground.

[@gymshoe8862]

Don't sniff at the KLR650--it may be the most bang for the buck in the moto-world. It is an improvement over the BMW is many ways-- KLRs are simple, BMW's are complex, over-engineered.

[@MotoHikes]

I ride a KLE, but that's because the KLR was never available here in the UK :(

[@tvr419]

Awesome bike! Sadly not the cheapest

[@dufus7396]

I used one for awhile..it did both things...jus not that well.

[@jcpr6542]

167 kg dry weight!!! 👌🏼

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

People were going around the world 🌍 long before on motorcycles. BMW and British motorcycles were going around the world lo ng before the GS.

[@john_barnett]

Enjoy that silver plaque, you deserve it

[@volvogt21]

Such a shame the lightweight ideal has been forgotton in the attempt to make a two wheel range rover

[@chadkline4268]

THAT IS MY FAVORITE BIKE OF ALL TIME!!! Sorry for the caps 😊

[@jamesslick4790]

Caps are FINE when used for emphasis.. No problem with them when you REALLY mean to express empathetic emotion. (Source: My kid is an English and Language arts teacher...

[@mikeisland7382]

If they brought it back today I think they'd sell.

[@cyrex686]

Weight was still less than a KLR

[@sickunit2096]

“Gentleman’s Scrambler” is what the designer called it.

[@bartmotorcycle]

Very fitting

[@tenbear5]

Sad thing is, people bought into that idea.

[@zac_in_ak]

I just want a 250 with a 6 gallon tank🤣

[@foxlake6750]

Look at Itchy Boots, she has been riding around the world mostly with a Honda 300 Rally. Light, fast enough and easily repaired in just about any third world motorcycle shop.

[@jameshisself9324]

Great! However... Please, it's ok to use old grainy film as your source but for the love of all that is holy please upscale your video! The pixelization is real 🤮🤮🤮

[@disaar3679]

Great video, sad it has such poor quality.

[@tommcl8548]

👍👊

[@solidsnake3861]

africa twin all day before any gs old or new

[@zweispurmopped]

Is it some kind of a diet choice that you stick to video clips in Potato-Vision?

[@aronANDtanner]

😂

[@bartmotorcycle]

yupp