This is an original 1989 BMW R100GS finished in the legendary “Bumble Bee” livery of yellow over black. TheR100GS was one of the most important adventure motorcycles of its time, and the successor to the R80G/S, the origin of species for the entire adventure bike genre.
While modern adventure bikes are impressive feats of technical sophistication, there are a growing number of riders who seek out these earlier, far simpler bikes that can typically be repaired anywhere from New York to Nairobi to Norfolk.
This is an original 1989 BMW R100GS finished in the legendary “Bumble Bee” livery of yellow over black. TheR100GS was one of the most important adventure motorcycles of its time, and the successor to the R80G/S, the origin of species for the entire adventure bike genre.
History Speedrun: The BMW R 100GS
Producing a successful sequel is always hard work, be it in the world of films or motorcycles. The runaway success of the original always sets impossibly high standards for whatever will follow, and as a result the sequel often disappoints.
Of course there are sequels that are as good as the original and some that are better. Many believe that the The Empire Strikes Back is better than A New Hope, Rocky II is arguable better than Rocky, and some claim that The Godfather: Part II is better than its forebear.
One motorcycle sequel that had its work cut out for it was the R100GS, the motorcycle that succeeded the R80G/S – a motorcycle that won the Paris-Dakar Rally four times between 1981 and 1985, and is widely credited with creating the modern adventure motorcycle genre.
After significant studies into how R80G/S owners were actually using their motorcycles it became clear to BMW that they were used on road approximately 98% of the time. Of course this meant that they were only used off road 2% of the time, however this off road ability was very important to its owners.
The design of the new R100GS used a variation of the same boxer twin engine that had been enlarged from 797.5cc to 980cc, power subsequently increased from 50 bhp with 41 lb ft of torque to 60 bhp with 56 ft lbs of torque.
A new Paralever rear end was fitted to replace the earlier Monolever design, and the R100GS was given better aero protection, ample space for luggage/panniers, and the Paris Dakar (or PD) version gained a long range 25 liter fuel tank.
While modern adventure bikes are impressive feats of technical sophistication, there are a growing number of riders who seek out these earlier, far simpler bikes that can typically be repaired anywhere from New York to Nairobi to Norfolk.
The BMW R100GS proved wildly popular, its ability to sit on the highway at 80+ mph all day long made it perfect for cross-country touring and the fact that it could be taken off road to explore trails only added to its appeal.
BMW would keep the model in production from 1987 to 1996, and today they’re highly prized for their mechanical simplicity – there’s no complex electric system to fail and they’re fitted with a kickstarter should your battery happen to die on you while you’re out on the Serengeti.
The 1989 BMW R100GS Shown Here
This 1989 BMW R100GS was bought by the selling dealer on Bring a Trailer in August of 2022, at this time it had already been fitted with an aftermarket monoshock, a luggage rack, an oil cooler, a skid plate, a fork brace, an engine guard, a Thunder Child diode board, and Pelican hard-sided panniers by that point.
It’s finished in Avus Black with yellow graphics over a matching yellow, the classic “Bumble Bee” color scheme, with a black two-up seat, and a six-gallon fuel tank, an Acerbis front fender, a plastic front fairing, hand guards, and both center and side stands. The five-digit odometer shows 38k miles, 600 of which were added by the seller.
Wire-spoke wheels measuring 21″ up front and 17″ out back are fitted with edge-laced Akront alloy rims and were mounted with Continental Escape tires in 2022. Stopping power comes from a 285mm front disc with a Brembo caliper and a 200mm rear drum, while suspension consists of a braced 40mm Marzocchi leading-axle fork and the aforementioned aftermarket monoshock acting on the single-sided Paralever swingarm.
The fork was rebuilt in 2026, and instrumentation mounted ahead of the black cross-braced handlebar includes a 120 mph speedometer, an analog clock, a voltmeter, an ignition switch, and indicator lights.
The air-cooled 980cc opposed twin was rated at 58 bhp and 56 lb ft of torque when new, and it drives the rear wheel through a 5-speed transmission and an enclosed shaft with a 34/11 final drive ratio. The exhaust is a two-into-one system with a deleted center resonator and an aftermarket muffler, and the previously mentioned oil cooler, electric starter, and Thunder Child diode board round out the powertrain equipment.
This bike is finished in Avus Black with yellow graphics over a matching yellow, the classic “Bumble Bee” color scheme, with a black two-up seat, and a six-gallon fuel tank, an Acerbis front fender, a plastic front fairing, hand guards, and both center and side stands.
Servicing completed in 2026 included rebuilding and balancing the carburetors, changing the oil, and replacing the spark plugs and battery, while the transmission and final drive fluids were last changed in 2022.
The bike is now being offered for sale out of Seal Beach, California with a tool kit, an owner’s manual, and a clean Virginia title in the seller’s name. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer + BMW Motorrad
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
