A rare piece of BMW history is set to go up for sale in February, 2021. Just feast your eyes upon this expertly restored 1985 BMW R 80 G / S Paris-Dakar. It’s one of only 200 ever officially made by BMW Motorrad. Plenty of enthusiasts have built replicas, but this gem is the real deal—and it has all the historic documentation and a BMW certificate of authenticity to prove it.
While it has incredibly low miles on the odometer for a bike of its vintage, that alone can’t account for its pristine condition. This bike underwent a full, frame-up restoration that started in 2016 after the current owner imported it to France. He sandblasted the frame and repainted it in Santorini blue instead of the original black. Then, he went over the engine and transmission and also changed the tires.
In 2020, this beautiful G / S underwent the next phase of its restoration. Brakes were completely redone, and the engine was fitted with a Siebenrock 1000cc kit and oil pan. Overall, around 17,000 € (or nearly $20,587) were spent in pursuit of the full restoration of this bike to its former glory. The result of all that hard work is what you now see before you.
The odometer shows about 21,000 kilometers (or nearly 13,049 miles), and this G / S had four owners prior to finding its way to its current caretaker and restorer. There’s ample documentation for this bike’s history, which makes it an even more exquisite example. That’s Dakar winner Gaston Rahier’s signature on the tank, which you can see in some of the photos.
Gallery: 1985 BMW R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar
It’s being offered for auction by Artcurial on February 5, 2021, with no reserve. Current expectations are that it will fetch around 30,000 to 50,000 €, or about $36,828 to $61,380. You can visit the auction house listing to find out more, or if you’re interested in bidding.
Your Bike Looks Lonely:
Sources: Artcurial, Silodrome