This past Wednesday was a historic day for BMW Motorrad as the 500,000th boxer-powered GS rolled off the line at BMW’s Berlin plant.
BMW first combined the qualities of off-road and street in its R80G/S of 1980, a bike that displaced 798 cc and pumped out 50 horsepower. The design has evolved through time, with today’s R1200GS producing 125 horses from its 1,170 cc air/liquid-cooled engine, and incorporating modern amenities like ABS, traction control and semi-active suspension.
Stephan Schaller, president of BMW Motorrad, commented: “By combining street, off-road and everyday qualities, BMW Motorrad created the new travel enduro species with the R80G/S. The flat-twin GS became the synonym for this segment.”
“As a plant,” added Marc Sielemann, head of the Berlin factory, “it is a privilege for us to continue building on the successful history of the legendary flat-twin GS. Manufacturing half a million units underlines the fact that the boxer GS represents a cornerstone of our motorcycle production more than ever before.”
