In 1981, Hubert Auriol brought home BMW’s first Paris-Dakar rally win — in the event’s second year — aboard an R 80 G/S. It was a stunning and unexpected victory, as the bike was considered too big and heavy to take down other lighter enduros of the time.
Now, 44 years, six championships and 48 stage wins later, the spirit of that original Dakar-winning bike returns in the 2026 BMW R 12 G/S. And guess what? This enduro adventure bike is just as stunning and fun as ever.
Enjoy the ride
With its powerful 109-horsepower, 85 ft-lb torque, air/oil-cooled two-cylinder boxer engine, this beefy bike is ready for whatever you can throw at it. But it also has a swath of updates that make it more robust than ever before.
That includes a single-piece tubular spaceframe with a bolted rear frame, fully adjustable upside-down telescopic front forks and a Paralever rear swingarm with fully adjustable rear shocks. This is also the first-ever BMW off-road bike with the option for a beastly 18-inch rear wheel (part of the optional Enduro Package Pro).
With its powerful 109-horsepower, 85 ft-lb torque, air/oil-cooled two-cylinder boxer engine, this beefy bike is ready for whatever you can throw at it.