Museum-quality R100GS with only 1222 original miles!
The BMW R100GS was the next evolution of the legendary R80GS, the granddaddy of all adventure-touring machines. Displacement was bumped to 980cc, and the 60-hp airhead brute offered heavier-duty 40mm Marzocchi forks, Paralever suspension, rim-edge spokes for tubeless tires, and an oil-cooler mounted on the right-hand crash bar. Robert Smith of Motorcycling Classics:
“The compliant suspension throws the odd weave, but traction from the knobby tires is remarkable… I start to understand the appeal of the big brute. On bad tarmac, it would waltz around a regular sportbike.”
Enter Judd Blunk of California’s Blunk’s Garage — a man who’s no stranger to the air-cooled GS models, to say the least:
“I eat, sleep, and obsess about mid eighties BMW GS’s.”
So he was the perfect man to uncover this 1988 BMW R100GS, bought new in July of 1988, brought to a Montana ranch, and stayed with the original owner until the fall of 2017, accruing just 1222 miles — a bike so untouched it still has Cosmoline under the engine! Below, we get the full story on this “ranch find” from Judd himself.
1988 BMW R100GS: In the Owner’s Words
I first saw this bike in December of last year when I agreed to deliver a bike I sold to the previous owner. He was an e-commerce executive, I am retired, so it seemed the right thing to do.
The bike: According to BMW MOTORRAD, it was purchased July 7, 1988 at California BMW (I assume a now defunct dealer in LA), registered, and then taken to a Montana ranch — where it apparently sat idle for 29 years. In the fall of 2017, it was bought from the original owner’s estate and moved to Idaho. I have corresponded with the second owner and he validates the story and the miles to be true and correct. He didn’t like the size and weight of the bike.
I bought the bike after the initial encounter with the executive — I had sold a custom bike I built — feeling flush. The owner I bought it from had purchased it just prior to a dream trip to Baja. A crash on his KLR and subsequent injuries made the R100 too much to handle — hence the R80 purchase.
This R100 is a museum piece — every nut, bolt spacer and washer is exactly as it left the factory — sans the tank paint job. It still has cosmoline under the engine. The second owner stated there was a bit of corrosion in the tank, and the guy didn’t like the stock BMW graphics – so he had it cleaned, resealed, and painted in a more tasteful scheme. (I have some of the original decals). It is way too nice for me to keep, and I will probably end up selling it.
Update: Judd has sold the bike to a Brazilian collector!
I’m restoring one of these in my garage right now. That bike is gorgeous!!!!