In 2010, my friend and former colleague, Ian Glynn, qualified for and competed in the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy as a member of Team USA. That same year, I was hired as marketing manager for Touratech-USA and knew little or nothing about this skill-based, off-road riding competition, except for the fact that a new co-worker of mine had just returned from South Africa, where he and Team USA had finished fifth.
2010 iteration of the GS Trophy The race covered a distance of approximately 2,000 kilometers across South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique, with riders undertaking extreme endurance challenges on BMW R 1200 GS motorcycles. And while I didn’t know much about the GS Trophy, or riding adventure motorcycles for that matter, I was attracted to a competition like the Camel Trophy.
The GS Trophy is an annual event organized by BMW Motorrad since 2008. It combines navigational skills, off-road riding skills and team-focused challenges that test riders’ ability to not only ride, but complete difficult tasks and collect points along the way. The competition typically pits riders on large, Gelände/Strasse motorcycles, which is the German word for “off-road/road”. In previous years, it was the R 1200 GS, R 1200 GS Rally, R 1250 GS Trophy Competition, and most recently, the R 1300 GS Trophy.
Photo by: BMW Motorrad
But later this year, when the GS Trophy returns to Europe, teams will face the stunning landscapes and rugged terrain of Romania, this time competing on something smaller.
BMW R 12 G/S GS Trophy Competition Bike It was designed specifically for the competition and is based on the BMW R 12 G/S motorcycle. To prepare the bike for the tough terrain that competitors will face in Romania, BMW outfitted the R 12 G/S with the company’s “Comfort Package”, which includes Hill Start Control, Gear Shift Assist Pro, heated grips, and cruise control. Additionally, the GS Trophy spec bike will include an adaptive cornering headlight, Riding Modes Pro and Enduro Package Pro, which fits the G/S with an 18-inch rear wheel and handlebar risers.
So many pro, so many packages…
The GS Trophy Competition bike will be equipped with an engine protection bar, cylinder head covers, a rally-style fairing, as well as an Akrapovic exhaust silencer, among other bits and pieces. And while you can’t buy this version of the R 12 G/S directly from your local BMW Motorrad dealer, you can replicate the build.
Photo by: BMW Motorrad
Starting with a standard R 12 G/S in the “Lightweight Uni” colorway, you can order the same catalog parts to match the GS Trophy machine, minus the special GS Trophy graphics and decals.
In the fifteen years since my friend Ian started competing in the GS Trophy, I have seen the competition grow in popularity. A lot of this has to do with the popularity of adventure motorcycles. For many riders, ADV machines have replaced traditional touring bikes, giving them the option to go further and explore places where a road-oriented machine could not safely reach.
But over the years, ADV bikes have increased in size. 1100s became 1200s became 1300s, with the wet weight of some adventure motorcycles exceeding 600-pounds. So, it’s good to see BMW Motorrad reminding us of simpler times, when an adventure motorcycle was just a motorcycle you were willing to ride off-road.
