KIWI RIDER SEPTEMBER 2020 VOL1 | Page 60

SOARING POPULARITY The evolution into the GS effectively doubled the G/S-GSs popularity. The original R80G/S sold 21,864 units in its seven year lifespan (say BMW’s records) but the R100GS would shift over 45,000 in its nine years. What the R80G/S had begun the R100GS-PD more than continued. Yes, it was less of an off-roader, but it was much more of a tourer, and when we consider tourers at that point in time looked rather staid, middle-aged perhaps, then here was touring made sexy. With the GS-PD touring became adventuring. It was exactly the same game but was just that little more ‘down with the kids’. And the amazing thing is how BMW, so often the, err, square peg, got this so right. The Japanese came after them, that’s for sure, most seriously with Super Teneres and Africa Twins, but the threat from the East faded as the German adventure legend only grew and grew. While R100GS made 45,000 units in nine years, its successor the R1100GS sold another 45,000 in six years before the R1150GS added a further 70,000 plus sales in another five years. All of which were the precursor to the big bang that few could have anticipated – the R1200GS, which sold a whopping 100,000 units in its first three years alone. The GS bike became a brand became a lifestyle. It’s an amazing success story. And this R100GS-PD is as significant part of it as any of the variants – and so is still desirable today as it was then, for reasons we’ll explain shortly… 60 KIWI RIDER