Australasian Dirt Bike — June 2017

http://www.adbmag.com.au JUNE 2017 | 75

C

an you think of the

last big thing an

Australian invented?

Sure we’ve had our

moments with the

Hills Hoist, polymer

banknotes, the

winged keel and, more importantly,

cask wine but it’s been hard to deny

that Australia lacked engineering

prowess. Until now.

We’re going on record to say that

the BMW R 1200 GS Rallye X is

proudly Australian made. Sure,

Germany may have had some

influence but the Rallye X is derived

from years of BMW GS Safaris and

Safari Enduros. Pretty cool, huh?

The latest offering in the BMW R

1200 GS range, is a carbon copy of a

Frankenstein bike built by enduro

legend Geoff Ballard. Sitting at BMW

HQ in Mulgrave, Vic, marketing boss

Miles Davis explained how Ballard

had asked for a heavier flywheel for

his early model GS.

Miles requested one from Germany

but BMW did not make one at the

time. However, only a year or so later

it announced that the R 1200 GS

would come with a heavier crank.

A little further down the track

Geoff got bored again. He had both a

GS and a GS Adventure and

preferred the slimness of the GS but

the suspension of GSA, so he pulled

the bikes apart and built a hybrid. He

sent Miles photos of his work and

Miles sent them to Germany. You can

guess what happened next. The

Rallye X was born.

To launch the Rallye X we headed

for the Victorian High Country. Snow

in the lead up meant conditions were

icy, but a warm spell swept over

Victoria making conditions perfect!

HOW’S IT LOOK?

You can’t miss the Rallye X version

of the R 1200 GS. This is thanks to a

BMW M Sport-inspired livery that

wraps the giant. The Lupine Blue

fairing, (BMW’s name not mine. I’d

just call it aqua), Cordoba Blue frame,

black drivetrain and gold-finished

brake calipers make the Rallye X

stand out like a Mr Whippy van, only

less creepy.

Everything from the knobby tyres

(Conti TKC80) to the taller ‘Rallye’

seat (890mm instead of the 870mm of

the standard R 1200 GS, $200 extra

and an option), and wide, aggressive

footpegs contribute to this bikes

off-road prowess. And then there

were the less noticeable features like

more ground clearance (20mm more

than standard R 1200 GS), a radiator

guard and a frame guard to protect a

section of the powder-coated

12 3

in OZ

GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE ON DIRECTION FOR THE GS

WORDS // MITCH LEES

PHOTOS // iKAPTURE