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==Four Victories in Paris-Dakar== | ==Four Victories in Paris-Dakar== | ||
After some private entries had demonstrated the efficacy of big engines in the wide-open spaces, the BMW factory participated in the classic Paris-Dakar rally usually dominated by Japanese singles. Victories soon followed: in 1981 and 1983 for Hubert Auriol, followed by Gaston Rahier in 1984-85. | After some private entries had demonstrated the efficacy of big engines in the wide-open spaces, the BMW factory participated in the classic [[Paris-Dakar]] rally usually dominated by Japanese singles. Victories soon followed: in 1981 and 1983 for Hubert Auriol, followed by Gaston Rahier in 1984-85. | ||
==Enter the Paralever== | ==Enter the Paralever== | ||
It was a dramatic lesson for the Japanese and Italians. Profiting from this show of strength, in 1985 BMW launched the [[BMW R80GS|R80GS]]. (GS is for "Gelande Sport" -"cross-country sport.") It was the biggest trail bike of its day. The R80GS became the R100GS in 1988, with the addition of a major innovation: Paralever. The single-arm rear suspension of R80GS received an upper arm and a reaction bar, creating a deformable girder fork. "Freezing" of the rear suspension due to the action of the driveshaft during acceleration was suppressed. | It was a dramatic lesson for the Japanese and Italians. Profiting from this show of strength, in 1985 BMW launched the [[BMW R80GS|R80GS]]. (GS is for "Gelande Sport" -"cross-country sport.") It was the biggest trail bike of its day. The R80GS became the R100GS in 1988, with the addition of a major innovation: Paralever. The single-arm rear suspension of R80GS received an upper arm and a reaction bar, creating a deformable girder fork. "Freezing" of the rear suspension due to the action of the driveshaft during acceleration was suppressed. |