First Bmw Adventure Bike

Here's the history with a timeline of arguably the first full-size adventure bike: the iconic BMW GS. Learn about the bike's roots, generational updates, and more. RideApart looks at the history of the Adventure Touring bike.motorcycle.

BMW R 80 G/S was a bold new breed of motorcycles in the 1980s that kick-started adventure motorcycling, and saved BMW Motorrad from impending doom! Can you imagine a motorcycle universe without the Adventure Bike? But before the 1980 BMW R 80 G/S (Gelände/Strasse) there really wasn't such a thing. The R80 G/S is the ADV bike that ignited BMW's run in the segment, often being referred to as the first "adventure motorcycle." Originally introduced in 1980, the R80 was powered by a 797.5cc BMW type 247 engine-which is an air-cooled, flat-twin boxer engine, also known as an "airhead.".

In autumn 1980, BMW Motorrad presented the R 80 G/S, a motorcycle combining off- and on-road riding for the first time. Thanks to its unique combination of road, touring and off-road capability - without compromising on everyday use - the R 80 G/S became the conceptual forerunner of the new motorcycle category of touring enduros. We've all heard some version of the story: BMW brought the R80 G/S to market in the early 1980s and thus was born the adventure bike market! But was that really what happened? While the R80 G/S was certainly among the first big-bore dual sports that also offered long-haul riding capability, there was another bike that really kickstarted the scene, says moto designer/industry insider Michael.

BMW is known as the premier manufacturer of off-road capable adventure machines, starting with the R80 G/S. This adventure machine has quite the story. Can you imagine a motorcycle universe without the Adventure Bike? But before the 1980 BMW R 80 G/S (Gelände/Strasse) there really wasn't such a thing.

Now ADVs have spawned an entire culture of two. Now, 43 years later, BMW has built its millionth boxer-twin GS (no longer divided by a slash) model. The bike has changed just a little from its initial iteration.