Hindsight has shown that the introduction of the GS model line was one of the best things BMW did for their Motorrad business. But at the press launch in 1980, journalists (and the public) shared a general sentiment of “what’s the point of a large, heavy dual-purpose bike?” Modern cynics still have the same complaint as the bike seems to grow a bit with every generation, but riders now see the point of a bike that you can take on the highway for hours and still feel OK when you get to the start of your off-road exploration.
21,864 examples of the R80GS were sold before BMW upped displacement to one liter and created the R100. The airhead 797.5cc engine produced 50 horsepower and 41 pound-feet of torque, good for a top speed of 104 miles per hour. Gaston Rahier won the Paris-Dakar rally a few times with a (heavily modified, obviously) R80GS and adventure riders around the world noticed. BMW responded by offering optional extras like a 8.5 gallon fuel tank, bigger battery, and solo seat/rear rack to help with long distance traveling. For more on the R80G/S and how it was initially received by the press, check out this story on Cycle World.
This example (VIN: 6362142) has 22,641 miles and it’s being offered by MAX BMW Motorcycles who took it in on trade and then gave it a full service with a new battery, plugs, mirrors, tires/tubes, master cylinder, neutral light switch, oil pressure switch, and grips. They also flushed all the fluids, rebuild the carbs, resealed the final drive, and did a few other things that are detailed in the listing.
Find this GS for sale in New Milford, Connecticut with a Buy It Now of $15,900 or best offer here on eBay.