2026 BMW R12 G/S Stokes an Icon’s Enduring Spirit
- The 2026 BMW R12 G/S is a new motorcycle that continues the legacy of the original R80 G/S.
- BMW claims the 505-pound retro bike can hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of over 124 mph.
- Starting at $17,090, BMW says the R12 G/S will arrive in dealers in the third quarter of this year.
In the world of motorcycle adventures, few names carry as much weight as BMW GS. The nameplate, much like G-wagen and Land Cruiser, has become a byword for exploring the road unpaved, particularly the boxer-twin-powered R models. And the new 2026 BMW R12 G/S continues this legacy by harkening back to the bike that (quite literally) started it all: the R80 G/S.
"Trailblazer" is overused as much as "iconic" these days, but the BMW R80 G/S (Gelände/Straube, or “off-road/road”) deserves both appellations. In 1980, when the G/S debuted, the typical factory dirt-focused machine was a lightweight, modest-capacity, single-cylinder affair. To say the 400-plus-pound Beemer, with its 798cc boxer engine, was unconventional would be an understatement. There was nothing else like it on the market
