BMW's 1200GS gets (very) serious!

The R 1150 GS was introduced into the market in autumn 1999 and the capacity was upped to 1170cc in 2004 with the upgrading to the 1200 GS and its 98 bhp motor – almost exactly double the power of the original R 80 G/S model (50 bhp). Since 1980 BMW Motorrad has sold approximately 170,000 units of the GS Boxer to customers the world over.

But the “GS” designation, which stands for “Gelände/Straße” or Off-road/Road has always been a perfect description of the machine’s orientation.

The machines offer a wide range of qualities and practical values and they are the ideal compromise for adventure touring. Riding the R 1200 GS in moderate terrain is easy and safe, and the experienced motorcyclist is also able to traverse tough off-road condi-tions.

On the road, the GS has always been a sweet handling machine on winding country roads and mountain passes. And with its effective windshield, the R 1200 GS enables the rider to cover even long stretches on the motorway without undue pressure.

But the HP2 offers way more and looks like the real deal off-road unrestricted riding pleasure off the beaten track. Until we’ve ridden it, we’ll stand shy of BMW’s claim the machine is “perfect as the basic machine for amateur enduro motorsport.”

But it may not be complete copywriter over-caffeination – in producing the HP2, BMW has used every trick available to reduce the wight from the portly 225 kilogram wet weight of the 1200 to an astonishing 196.5 kilograms for the HP2. Dry weight, in turn, is a mere 175 kilos – truly remarkable and although it’s not going to be easy hauling it over a log or pushing it the last 20 metres up a muddy hill, it won’t be downright impossible.

This brand-new model from BMW Motorcycles was developed by a small but highly dedicated team of specialists, engineers and mechanics fully committed to the Boxer and also dedicated in their private lives to off-road motorsport, working beyond the usual processes of series development under the simple and straightforward motto that "only an enthusiastic professional can offer another enthusiastic professional what he really wants".

In technical terms the BMW HP2 is based on the R 1200 GS, but tailored in every respect to the needs and preferences of the serious off-road rider. Gone is the telelever, replaced by upside down forks. The rear suspension is an even great departure from the norm, being claimed by BMW as a world first based on BMW’s experiences in marathon rallies such as the Dakar. It is an all-new lightweight air/spring/damper system on the rear wheel weighing just 2.3 kilograms and offering a number of advantages over existing metal-spring, oil-damped units.

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