BMW Manufactures 500,000th BMW GS With Boxer Engine

The 500,000th BMW motorcycle of the flat-twin-engined GS model series came off the production line today—a R 1200 GS. Since 1969, motorcycles have been manufactured for the world market in Berlin-Spandau, and since 1980 the BMW Motorrad GS models with boxer engine, too.

In the autumn of 1980, BMW Motorrad presented the R 80 G/S, a machine which combined the qualities for two very special fields of use: Offroad and street. What began with 798 cc of displacement and 50 horsepower of output has developed  into a high-tech travel enduro in the shape of the R 1200 GS with 125 horsepower and 1,170cc over a period of three decades. Furthermore  suspension technology and electronic regulation systems such ABS, traction control or semi-active suspension have been added. This ongoing and consistent development of the boxer-engined BMW GS models is a major reason why they are top-selling travel enduros.

500,000th BMW GS motorcycle
BMW plant Berlin manufactures 500,000th BMW GS motorcycle with boxer engine.

“By combining street, off-road and everyday qualities, BMW Motorrad created the new travel enduro species with the R 80 G/S,” said Stephan Schaller, President of BMW Motorrad. “The flat-twin GS became the synonym for this segment. The outstanding talents of the boxer-engined GS models—ride dynamics, offroad qualities, comfort and endurance—have been continuously nurtured, developed and transferred very successfully to other BMW Motorrad model series.”

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“As a plant, it is a privilege for us to continue building on the successful history of the legendary flat-twin GS,” said Marc Sielemann, Head of the BMW Motorrad Berlin Plant. “With the precision-cooled drive unit, a new evolutionary stage was reached last year. Manufacturing half a million units underlines the fact that the boxer GS represents a cornerstone of our motorcycle production more than ever before.”

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