3-23-16 Update: Reader Kendall notes that this Speedbrain G450RR is still up for sale here on ADVRider (registration required) in El Paso, Texas, but now there’s better photos and the asking price is down to $18,995. Who feels like buying me an early Christmas present?
The HP2 Sport, the R100RS Motorsport, and the R80G/S I recently featured were all produced with some implied motorsports pedigree by BMW. This, on the other hand, is a completely different animal. This is an extremely rare BMW because it’s really hardly a BMW at all.
You’d be forgiven for not knowing that BMW last raced in Dakar in 2014. I lost track too. KTM has won every year since 2001 except for 2008 including the 2016 race that just finished a few days ago. Who won in 2008 you ask? Nobody, there was no race due to security concerns. That’s 15 straight victories. I don’t know a lot about the Dakar rally, but I’m pretty sure they’d call that a dynasty. I’d love to see BMW be competitive in Dakar again, but when their competition has won 15 straight contests, why bother? That obviously doesn’t mean that other manufacturers aren’t trying. A BMW last entered in 2014 on a bike very similar to this, the BMW/Speedbrain G450R. This bike started out as the short lived BMW G450 and then got a very extensive upgrade from Speedbrain, a company dedicated to rallying. Those changes were: speedbrain rally tank, rally seat, rally rear fender, rally exhaust, carbon rally guard with included water tank, rally fairing incl. alloy stem, head light and wiring loom, front fender, Graphics Sticker Kit G 450 RR.
I was lucky enough to find a video the seller made:
I’ll be honest and admit I know nothing about the world of 450cc Dakar race bikes, but I’m sure you probably already guessed that. This just isn’t something I have a lot of experience with. I’m also sure that there are many more differences between this bike and an actual Dakar rally bike. However, when the factory replica of the KTM costs €24,000, and used Speedbrain race bikes cost around €30,000, I know these are expensive bikes to build from scratch. And while you could make the argument that you could build something comparable out of a Honda 450 for less, it also must be one of a very few in the US, and buying a finished one like this is a rare opportunity.
Find this bike in El Paso, Texas for $20,000 here on ADVRider (registration required).