BMW R100GS Paris Dakar
BMW R100GS Paris Dakar | |
Manufacturer | |
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Production | 1988 -89 |
Engine | Four stroke, two cylinder horizontally opposed Boxer, 2 valves per cylinder |
Compression ratio | 8.5:1 |
Top Speed | 176 km/h / 109 mph |
Ignition | Electronic ignition, Bosch |
Transmission | 5 Speed |
Frame | Double loop tubular frame with bolt on rear section |
Suspension | Front: Telescopic fork with hydraulic shock absorber. Rear: Paralever adjustable preload, rebound damping compression |
Brakes | Front: Single ∅285mm disc, 2 piston caliper Rear: ∅200 Drum |
Front Tire | 90/90-21 |
Rear Tire | 130/80-17 |
Wheelbase | 1514 mm / 59.6 in |
Seat Height | 850 mm / 33.5 in |
Weight | 236 kg / 519 lbs (wet) |
Fuel Capacity | 35 L / 8.1 US gal |
Manuals | Service Manual |
It could reach a top speed of 176 km/h / 109 mph.
Engine
The engine was a Air cooled cooled Four stroke, two cylinder horizontally opposed Boxer, 2 valves per cylinder. The engine featured a 8.5:1 compression ratio.
Drive
Power was moderated via the Dry single plate, with diaphragm spring.
Chassis
It came with a 90/90-21 front tire and a 130/80-17 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single ∅285mm disc, 2 piston caliper in the front and a ∅200 Drum in the rear. The front suspension was a Telescopic fork with hydraulic shock absorber. while the rear was equipped with a Paralever adjustable preload, rebound damping compression. The R100GS Paris Dakar was fitted with a 35 L / 8.1 US gal fuel tank. The wheelbase was 1514 mm / 59.6 in long.
Photos
Overview
BMW R 100GS Paris Dakar
In the 1980, BMW began an unlikely assosiation
with the Paris Dakar Rally. At that time, the then 2 year old rally had been
dominated by some rather uncommon machines: hand prepared BMW Airhead boxers.
The demands of the Sahara were too great for the average dirt bike of the time.
What was needed to win was a stone reliable machine with great range. To answer
that question, teams prepared motorcycles that were largely stock, right down to
their factory Bing or Dellorto carburetors. Yes, they ran more efficient air
cleaners and open exhausts but power does not win Dakar, reliability and
consistent performance does. The frames were reinforced, swingarms were
lengthened and long travel shocks installed. The best forks and brakes of the
day were pulled from KTM motocross bikes and installed on the BMW desert sleds.
To finish the machine off, huge fuel tanks were fitted. Some of these hand
hammered aluminum tanks held more than 11 gallons (US) of fuel. Of course the
well known BMW shaft drive was largely impervious to the 5000+ miles of sand
each machine would face. Yes, it was heavy but it was stone reliable and easy to
maintain and that's what it took to win Dakar. Gaston Rahier and others rode
these beasts to win after win. Yes, other bikes were faster or lighter but in
the end, the reliability and the comfortable pace maintained by the BMW's
eventually dominated.
BMW Accidentally Creates a New Genre of Motorcycling
To celebrate this achievement, BMW built Paris Dakar commemoritave bikes beginning in 1981. Labled the BMW R80GS, the bike featured white paint and a color scheme strangely reminescent of the rally bikes. It was basically a doctored R80 with longer travel suspension and high fenders. It also featured an uncommon feature for the day: a single sided swingarm. Labled the "MonoLever" it housed the ring & pinion in the right side of the swingarm. On the opposite side of the wheel, three lug bolts secured the wheel to the ring gear. The GS didn't really offer more fuel capacity or serious off-road capability but just as the 1975 GL1000 Gold Wing accidentally became the touring standard, the little GS invented a new segment of the market previously ignored: Adventure Touring. Imagine touring for days on paved roads, only to see a gravel road meanering off into the mountains--a gravel road you don't dare take your plastic wrapped touring barge onto. That's the market the R80GS was destined to dominate.
The BMW R80 GS enjoyed a small but rabidly enthusiastic and growing market. It
continued largely unaltered from 1981 through 1987. In 1988, the machine
recieved its first major revamp becoming the R100GS. We have a "Bumblebeemer"
example of the 1988 model year here. The 1988 upgrade included a displacement
bump from 800 to a full 1000cc's. The 800cc displacement was still available
outside the United States albeit, with the newer chassis and styling. The new
bike featured longer travel, stiffer front forks and another upgrade to the rear
suspension, becoming the Paralever. This new system floated the ring & pinion
housing with a torque arm, virtually eliminating the characteristic shaft drive
pogo-effect while transitioning the throttle. This bike inched closer still to
the BMW rally bikes that had also enjoyed continued success over in Africa.
1990 was to see the introduction of an official "Paris Dakar" conversion kit. This kit included a 9.0 gallon nylon fuel tank, a steel 'roo-bar' around a new fixed headlight assembly and instrument cluster with tachometer. Underneath, larger, vented skid plates attached to both the engine and the centerstand. A plastic fender extension--looking every bit like a childs sand shovel--added length to the front fender. Later in 1990, BMW began offering the 'kit' on factory motorcycles and labled it the R100GS/Paris Dakar. The factory bikes also included the factory BMW hard bags as standard equpment, as well as heated grips.
I vividly remember reading Bill Stermer's article in 1990 reviewing the new machine, as well as Clement Salvadori's awesome trip through Engineer Pass in Colorado. You didn't have to be a fan of the Paris Dakar Rally to see why this bike was so alluring. With its plush, long travel suspension, honest 300 mile range (before you start LOOKING for gas) and factory hard luggage, the big boxer quickly became a favorite among street-going BMW fanatics. Never mind taking it off road, this was a GREAT road bike. It quickly became one of BMW's best selling models and to this day, it is often argued to be the very best all-around Airhead BMW ever made. In later years, the Paris Dakar name had to be dropped due to licensing issues with the rally organizers so it was simply shortened to PD.
Source
Make Model | BMW R 100GS Paris Dakar |
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Year | 1988 -89 |
Engine Type | Four stroke, two cylinder horizontally opposed Boxer, 2 valves per cylinder |
Displacement | 980 cc / 59.8 cu in. |
Bore X Stroke | 94 x 70.6 mm |
Cooling System | Air cooled |
Compression | 8.5:1 |
Induction | 2 x Bing carburetors |
Ignition | Electronic ignition, Bosch |
Alternator | Bosch 12V/280 W |
Starting | Electric |
Max Power | 44 kW / 60 hp @ 6500 rpm |
Max Power Rear Tire | 41.7 kW / 56 hp @ 6500 rpm |
Max Torque | 76 Nm / 7.75 kgf-m / 56 ft-lb @ 3750 rpm |
Clutch | Dry single plate, with diaphragm spring |
Transmission | 5 Speed |
Gear Ratio | 1st 4.40 / 2nd 2.86 / 3rd 2.07 / 4th 1.67 / 5th 1.50:1 |
Rear Wheel Ratio | 1:3.09 |
Bevel / Crown Wheel | 11/34 teeth |
Final Drive | Shaft |
Frame | Double loop tubular frame with bolt on rear section |
Front Suspension | Telescopic fork with hydraulic shock absorber. |
Front Wheel Travel | 225 mm / 8.8 in |
Rear Suspension | Paralever adjustable preload, rebound damping compression |
Rear Wheel Travel | 180 mm / 7.0 in |
Front Brakes | Single ∅285mm disc, 2 piston caliper |
Rear Brakes | ∅200 Drum |
Front Wheel | 1.85 - 21 MTH 2 |
Rear Wheel | 2.50 - 17 MTH 2 |
Front Tire | 90/90-21 |
Rear Tire | 130/80-17 |
Dimensions | Length 2290 mm / 90.1 in Width 1000 mm / 39.3 in Height 1165 mm / 45.8 in |
Wheelbase | 1514 mm / 59.6 in |
Seat Height | 850 mm / 33.5 in |
Ground Clearance | 200 mm / 7.9 in |
Wet Weight | 236 kg / 519 lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 35 L / 8.1 US gal |
Average Consumption | 7.1 L/100 km / 14 km/l / 33 US mpg |
Braking 60 Km/h - 0 | 15.3 m / 50.2 ft |
Braking 100 Km/h - 0 | 44.8 m / 147 ft |
Standing ¼ Mile | 13.1 sec / 158 km/h / 98 mph |
Top Speed | 176 km/h / 109 mph |
Road Test | Adventure Group Test Motosprint 1989 Adventure Group test Motosprint 1990 |