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BMW Motorrad Concept Lac Rose Pays Tribute to the Paris-Dakar Rally Bike

The Concept Lac Rose synthesizes three crucial elements that represent BMW Motorrad's evolution: the iconic R1200GS adventure machine, the heritage-laden R nineT neo-retro model, and the epic Paris-Dakar Rally that remains one of the most grueling motorbike competitions in the world.
BMW Motorrad Concept Lac Rose 16 photos
Photo: BMW
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Introduced at the Wheels & Waves custom culture festival near Biarritz on the Atlantic sea, Lac Rose pays tribute to the GS that won the Paris-Dakar back in 1985. Still, far from trying to replicate the vibe of the old bike, Lac Rose emerges as an authentic descendant of those machines, a true heir that carries on the heritage into the modern era.

Lac Rose is the French name of Lake Retba near the actual Dakar, a place very close to the Atlantic coast of Senegal, one of the westernmost points of continental Africa, and the end of the epic rally.

In no way trying to come up with a rally bike, BMW preferred the laid-back attire of the R nineT roadster spiced up with some off-road attributes and showing off its racing heritage through color rather than technology.

Race-inspired parts, such as the front fairing, engine bash plate, or the oil cooler protector are also part of the build, but not in an ostentatious way. Bespoke valve covers and the 101 number plates add to the alpine white signal red color combination, whereas the knobby tires and steel wire spoked rims introduce the dirt-ready character.

The rider equipment is also a BMW special design, with the helmet derived from the stock Motorrad enduro lid. The racing number 101 belonged to Gaston Rahier, who won the Dakar for BWM for the third time in the '80s.

And in case the name of Gaston Rahier sounds a bit familiar, maybe it's because we also showed you his rally-prepped Suzuki Big we found at EICMA in 2014.
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