For Sale: BMW R80GS “Rally Adventure” from Codex Moto…
Introduced in 1980, the BMW R80G/S is widely considered the world’s first “Adventure Bike.” While early naysayers questioned the use of a 400-lb multi-cylinder machine built for both Gelände (“Offroad”) and Straße (“Street”), the G/S soon proved itself in the world’s toughest off-road endurance race, the Paris-Dakar Rally.
In 1981, French rider Hubert Auriol raced his BMW R80G/S to victory — a bike previously considered “exotic and hopeless against established enduros” (BMW Group Classic). The win was no fluke, as Auriol prevailed again in 1983, while BMW rider Gaston Rahier took victory in ’84 and ’85. Yes, the BMW GS series had not only helped create a whole new category of “Adventure Bikes,” but inspired Honda, Yamaha, and others to build their own multi-cylinder on/off-roaders.
To prepare their machines for the Paris Dakar, BMW turned to German company HPN, run by Alfred Halbfeld and Klaus Pepperl, who modified stock BMW G/S models for extreme use and abuse with Marzocchi or WP forks, WP rear shocks, tuned 1043cc engines, and many other upgrades.
The bike you see here is an HPN-inspired BMW R80 from our new friend Nick Dame of Codex Moto, a hobby builder who rediscovered his love of bikes in his 30s after growing up on motorcycles, three-wheelers, BMX’s, and skateboards.
“I just build what I think looks awesome and sell it and move on. I wish I had the space to keep them all.”
Nick’s latest creation is one of the sweetest, baddest vintage G/S models we’ve seen. He started with an ’83 R80ST, sometimes known as the G/S’s younger sibling:
“When the G/S debuted in 1980, plenty of riders saw its potential as a street machine as well. Still, designers realized they could change a few things here, a few things there, and optimize it for paved road usage while keeping the bike’s desirable features. Thus, in 1983, we got … the BMW R80ST.” –ADV Rider
The differences between the two models didn’t matter much in this case, because nearly everything on the bike has been swapped out, upgraded, or modified with an eye toward the HPN-built “Desert Boeings” of the 80s Dakar era.
The bike is now riding on fully-adjustable WP50 front forks — widely known as some of the best off-road forks in the world — and a Wilbers rear shock. The swingarm was lengthened 100mm, and the wheels were swapped for a set of 21/18 Takasago Excel rims laced to Dubya hubs.
The tank was swapped for a big 24-liter (6.3-gallon) tank for long rides in remote areas, and the 800cc boxer-twin has been pumped up to 1000cc with a Siebenrock Power Kit. The frame was reinforced, and the bike is rocking a custom subframe, rally seat, exhaust, and more.
A desert air filter keeps the motor from inhaling too much dust and sand, heated grips keep the rider’s hands warm, and there’s an all-new electrical system with LED lighting to blaze a trail through the darkness.
Today, the highest-spec modern GS is the GS Adventure, or simply GSA, which has longer-travel suspension, a larger tank, better weather and crash protection, and various other enhancements. This Codex Moto “G/S Rally Adventure” build strikes as something of a vintage GSA, a resto-modded 1000cc Bavarian bullwhip that’s highly capable on and off road:
“It’s the perfect blend of vintage and modern. It’s light by today’s standard and the stiffened frame makes it very flickable. It equally feels at home around town as it does on dirt roads. But it can do much more. It’s very similar to the bikes that were raced in Dakar, so it’s the rider that will be the limit. The power delivery is smooth and it’s torquey in all the right ways — delivering a broad, usable powerband.” -Nick, Codex Moto
Best of all, Nick is selling this “G/S Rally Adventure” to make room for his next project. If you’re interested in a Dakar-inspired adventure machine that blends vintage character and modern performance, look no further. You can contact Nick here: r80adventure.carrd.co. If one of you ends up being the new owner of this build, make sure to let us know — we’ll be jealous!
Below is our full interview with Nick about the build, along with more photos. Enjoy!
BMW R80G/S Restomod: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I’ve been riding motorcycles and three-wheelers since I was 5 or 6 years old. I guess no one told Dad three-wheelers are a death trap, ha! At the same time I was also always remixing and rebuilding my things like BMX bikes and skateboards. I rediscovered those passions in my 30s and started a shed-building passion project @codexmoto. It isn’t a business. I just build what I think looks awesome and sell it and move on. I wish I had the space to keep them all.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
1983 BMW R80 ST.
• Why was this bike built?
I love cars and motorcycles. But the niche I love most is vintage, off-road machines. An example of that is all of the Paris-Dakar rally bikes that were built in the 1980s. This bike is an homage to those, and obviously BMW airheads that were specially built by HPN.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
- Siebenrock 1000cc Power Kit
- Reinforced frame
- Swingarm lengthened 100mm
- WP50 Extreme Front Suspension
- Wilbers Rear Shock
- 21/18 Takasago Excel Wheels and Dubya Hubs
- 24L Tank
- Rally Pegs
- Desert Air Filter
- Custom Exhaust
- Custom Subframe
- Custom Rally Seat
- New Electrical System: alternator, ignition, plugs, wires, lithium battery
- LED Lights
- Heated Grips
- Much more…
• Does the bike have a nickname?
G/S Rally Adventure.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It’s the perfect blend of vintage and modern. It’s light by today’s standard and the stiffened frame makes it very flickable. It equally feels at home around town as it does on dirt roads. But it can do much more. It’s very similar to the bikes that were raced in Dakar, so it’s the rider that will be the limit. The power delivery is smooth and its torquey in all the right ways — delivering a broad, usable powerband.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
My favorite piece is the lengthened swingarm with the shock of orange and the shock mount that utilizes the original G/S font.
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @codexmoto
Web: https://r80adventure.carrd.co
First line, it is a G/S, so why state GS then say G/S as originally written? The G/S is a monolever, the GS is a paralever!
Red swing arm ? Great bike however!
What’s with all the baby blue bikes lately? Well it’s better than all black motors and flat black body work , or worse dull grey , but this trend not very macho .