Restored 1981 BMW R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar Is a Collector’s Dream Come True

BMW really struck gold with this release, because the public loved it and ate it up like hot cakes. By the time production ceased in 1987, nearly 22,000 units had been assembled and sent off on their merry way. At its core, the R 80 G/S carries an air-cooled 797cc boxer-twin coupled with a five-speed gearbox and a shaft final drive. Fed by dual constant-depression Bing carbs, the engine has a compression ratio of 9.2:1.

It can spawn up to 50 Bavarian ponies at 6,500 rpm, along with 41 pound-feet (56 Nm) of torque lower down the rev range. Technical specs aside, the G/S quickly proved its worth in motorsport, propelling Frenchman Hubert Auriol to victory at the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1981. A second win came in ‘83, then it was Gaston Rahier’s turn to take the top spot on the podium for two consecutive years.

Following Auriol’s initial success, BMW sought to capitalize on the occasion by creating a street-going version of his race-prepped titan. Enter the R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar, similar to the standard production variant under the hood but sporting some major structural upgrades. The most notable among them is, of course, the massive 8.5-gallon (32-liter) fuel tank, storing enough juice to take you far off the beaten path.

As the highly sought-after collectibles they are, Paris-Dakar models can fetch eye-watering sums at auction in our day and age. That’s especially true when they're as neat as the specimen shown in these photos, hailing from the model-year 1981 and looking as if it just rolled off the assembly line. Its mint condition is the result of a meticulous restoration performed by one of Germany’s finest craftsmen.

We’re referring to none other than Normen Senger, who operates near Frankfurt and is responsible for some truly outstanding projects. As a second-generation BMW mechanic, Normen has decades of experience working with Bavarian boxers. His technical know-how helped Andy Hofmann win the BoxerCup back in 2003, sprinkling a nice bit of motorsport success onto his resume.

Meister Senger spent approximately 250 hours restoring this R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar, leaving no stone unturned along the way. The result is nothing short of magnificent by every metric, with all its bits and pieces looking as clean as ever. A complete engine refurbishment has been performed as part of the restoration process, too, so this precious Beemer is sure to run like a charm.

The exact details of this overhaul are too extensive to list here, but what we can tell you is that Normen spared no expense whatsoever. Displaying 23,840 kilometers (14,800 miles) on the clock, the two-wheeled gem comes with a BMW Classic certificate and many cool extras, such as a smaller, interchangeable gas tank and a two-up saddle. In addition, a pair of period BMW helmets will also be given to the bike's future owner.

Right then, that brings us to the main reason why we wanted to bring this collectible beauty to your attention. Normen Senger’s impeccable G/S is currently up for grabs in New York City, proudly offered by Moto Borgotaro. Shop owner Peter Boggia is no stranger to dealing with legendary European classics, so he's the perfect guy to help this German marvel find a new home.

Among the vintage icons to cross Peter’s doorstep in the past, we’ve seen top-tier collectibles like a 1978 Ducati 900 NCR TT1. He either gets them restored or sold on to eager customers as they came, and there was certainly no need for the Paris-Dakar to undergo any additional upgrades. Normen has documented his makeover with a whopping 450 photos, which will be provided to the future owner in digital format.

Pricing details haven’t been publicly revealed, but feel free to get in touch with Peter on the Moto Borgotaro website for more information. In case it wasn’t already obvious, keep in mind that motorcycling goodness at this level is sure to demand a pretty penny. If you reckon your bank account can handle this purchase, then you ought to reach out to Peter sooner rather than later.

The chance to own an immaculate cult classic isn’t something you’ll run into on a daily basis, and most of us will just have to make do with admiring this head-turner from afar. It might’ve hit the road all the way back in 1981 and racked up nearly 15k miles since then, but it looks like it left the factory yesterday! That’s a solid testament to Normen Senger’s skillset to say the least.