The GS Trophy

“The Adventure Bike scene is exploding, and a big part of that is other manufacturers coming on board with their own Adventure models. But a bigger part of this is the belief that anyone can ride an adventure bike. When Adventure Riding first took hold in the US, there was an impression that only skilled racers and dirt bike riders could really take a ‘big’ bike off-road. Thanks to the upswing of training opportunities and community events like the GS Trophy, people are starting to understand that just about anyone can ride an adventure bike.” – Shawn Thomas, BMW GS Brand Ambassador USA.

This weekend sees the 6th edition of the famous BMW based challenge make its way to Mongolia where teams from around the globe will participate in the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy 2018. The competition stretches for eight days from the 3rd of June and culminates on the 10th. The event was first held in 2008 and has been every two years since then. The challenge has grown incrementally, only five teams competed in the first edition in Tunisia, whereas the 2016 event in Thailand saw 19 teams competing for the trophy. That year also saw the participation of the first all women’s team. This coming weekend will see participants start a 2485 mi / 4000 km journey across Mongolia’s rugged terrain while building up points as they complete challenges and tasks along the way.

“There are two things that stand out in the 2018 GS Trophy,” says Edgar Kleinbergen, General Manager of BMW Motorrad South Africa commenting on the recent SA GS Trophy held in Montagu, South Africa. “We have seen a marked increase in the number of female participants, both on the rides and in the skills challenges, which is encouraging to us and is backed up by more interest from ladies in our learner rider courses. It’s also notable that the overall winners of the men’s Skills Challenge are aged between 19 and 34, which points to a lower average age of participants in the national GS Trophy qualifiers.”

The challenges that competitors will face may range from easier tasks like answering questions about the GS or changing a tire while being timed. More formidable ones may include driving through a riverbed, maneuvering the 520 lbs / 240 kg motorcycles over a broken bridge or navigating challenging terrain that could see the rider jumping logs and fording deep mud pools. It’s no surprise then that when BMW Motorrad went in search of a perfect destination for this year’s event. With all considerations weighed in, Mongolia was the victor. Steeped in history and lore, the parallels to world conquerors and formidable warriors on horseback is undeniable.

The combination of the Gobi desert lying to the south of the country and the infamous steppes makes Mongolia uniquely suited to hold an overland adventure event of this caliber. With terrain varying from deep sand, gravel tracks and even high mountain roads participants can expect to have themselves tested every step of the way. “Imagine riding your motorcycle to the farthest corner of the earth. You’ll cross paths with wolves, wildcats and wild horses that interrupt the solitude. Buzzards and steppe eagles circle in the sky. Wild beauty in a vast country, bordered by Russia in the north and by China in the south. Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on earth. A world of wide open spaces. The perfect territory for GS riders.” But don’t expect to be fully alone in this vast place. The legacy of Ghengis Khan is still clearly visible on the faces of the people you’ll inevitably meet, riding horses, Bactrian camels or sitting astride one of the many BMW replicas, like the Ural, that travel the sparse roads. “Motorcycles are always breaking down on the country’s bumpy roads. But the Mongolians are masters of improvisation. They always find solutions and bring old bikes back to life.”

BMW supplies all the machines for the challenge. And of course, they are the latest model R1200 GS’s available. “The twin-cylinder boxer engine is efficient and has very high torque, for noticeable riding enjoyment in any situation. And yet the boxer is not only legendary for its reliability. It is also extremely good-natured. The wet clutch with anti-hopping function and the electric throttle facilitate a fine dosage of power.” The powerplant providing the horsepower during the Mongolian challenge is the famous Bayerische Motoren Werke’s Air/Liquid-cooled 71 cu in / 1,170 ccs four stroke flat twin engine with its’ double overhead camshafts and single balancer shaft. This beast produces 125hp /92 kW at 7750rpm with 125nm of torque at 6500 rpm. Power is delivered to the rear wheel via the well known Bavarian shaft drive through a constant mesh six-speed gearbox and an oil-lubricated clutch that is hydraulically operated.

Byron Coetsee, a member of the 2016 South African team, sums up what it takes to get ones team to victory. “I think three main things helped us. Teamwork, riding skill and Big Match Temperament. Our team worked so well together, from conflict resolution to be able to comfortably say ‘no you’re better than I am at this, you do it’ without letting one’s ego get in the way. We never pressured each other or made anyone feel bad if they made a mistake. As for riding skill, there was an international enduro racer (Charl Moolman), ex-motocross and enduro racer (me) and ex-professional stuntman (John Harris). We had some experience on two wheels you could say. Lastly was our ability to think and remain calm under pressure. When the stopwatch is out and every second counts, being able to focus on the riding instead of the time is vital. Knowing to go slower, despite the negative impact it will have on your time, to save yourself from putting your foot down, is the difference between a win or lose. A foot down might cost you 5 seconds but just going a little slower costs you two. So you’re still up 3!” And as for the best advice for the teams competing in the 2018 challenge: “Thinking through the exercise is the biggest thing. Walk the course, discuss every piece of it with your teammates, get creative. If you all start next to each other and there’s a turn ahead, discuss who’s going in first, so you don’t bunch up and waste time.”

Byron’s favorite ride is the BMW R1200 GS Rallye. “The main things that stand out for me are the stability and the suspension. BMW increased the rake angle on the Rallye, making it nice and stable compared to it predecessors. Stability was something I’ve always had a problem with on previous GS models, but with the Rallye, you can immediately feel the difference. Suspension wise, who wouldn’t want extra travel! That and the electronics controlling the shocks are unbelievable. From scraping footpegs with knobbly tires on the tar while feeling planted and fully in control, to jumping full motocross table tops and not bottoming out while landing correctly… Buttery… Oh and also the little screen; I don’t break ribs anymore when I go over the handlebars, which happens more than it should!”

Shawn Thomas, BMW GS Brand Ambassador USA, is hopeful about the Team USA’s competitive edge in this year’s Trophy. “One of the USA’s largest assets is also one of it’s most formidable challenges; Size. The country is big, so much that it is unrealistic to choose our team members via a single event. So, we host a total of 3 events. East, Central, and West, and choose top contenders from each. Each region is free to create challenges based on their particular environments, and then to create a final test based on criteria provided by BMW.” Training for the event is also a tricky point. “It’s very challenging since we are spread so far apart. Members of the International Women’s team congregated in South Africa for a week of dedicated training at the Country Trax BMW Off-Road Academy located there. Members of Team USA met this May at the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina where they conducted their own training weekend. Both teams are very competitive and of course, want to win. But there is a prevailing desire to enjoy this incredible opportunity. In both instances, the strategy is to simply take each element of each day one step at a time. Communication, teamwork, and fun!”

“Riding skill is key to success in the Trophy, of course, and everyone attending has proven their riding prowess. But there is more to it than talent on a motorcycle. In the past, teamwork, communication, and even some elements that have nothing to do with motorcycles have historically been key to winning. I believe that this Trophy will prove challenging in ways no one expects. Who will win is anyone’s guess.”

Follow the action on BMW Motorrad’s Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter (#gstrophy)

All images supplied by BMW Motorrad. 2016 GS Trophy / Mongolia pre GS Trophy 2018.