BMW R 80 G/S (1980-1980) Specs, Performance & Photos

At the end of the 1970s, when the motorcycle business went rough on BMW, with sales of the 1000cc boxer stagnating and the new smaller series not returning enough profit, the BMW Motorrad management department decided to manufacture an off-road boxer motorcycle that also handles the road.

After just one year and nine months of development, the result was the 1980 BMW R 80 G/S which entered the market as the Enduro motorcycle with the largest displacement engine and the biggest amount of horsepower.

For the G/S model, BMW combined proven components such as a well-balanced 800cc engine, the frame of the R 65 model, a robust cardan drive, and an off-road chassis, and for the first time on a production motorcycle, BMW used a single-sided swingarm to guide the rear wheel.

The momentum energy of the bike came from the 797cc flat-twin engine with a power output of 50 hp at 6,500 rpm and 57 Nm (42 lb-ft) of torque with a peak at 5,000 rpm. Combined with a five-speed manual transmission and a curb weight of 186 kg (410 lbs), the model reached a top speed of 168 kph (103 mph).

The bike came with standard features such as laced wheels, a dual seat, a small luggage rack on the rear, pillion grab rails, an analog instrument cluster, a blacked-out steel frame, and a side stand.