BMW R 1300 GS Trophy Revealed as the Sole Weapon for the 2024 GS Namibia Race

The GS Trophy dates back to 2008, and it's meant as a competition for dual-sport motorcycles, more specifically the GS range (it's in the name, really). The race had its first edition in Africa, then moved to cover all the continents of the world, and it now returns to the place where it all started.

Don't go thinking the GS Trophy, being a single-make event, is somewhat of marginal importance for riders. For the 2024 edition, no less than 22 national teams (six women's and 16 men's) will line up at the starting line.

This year the race will start on September 15, and it will unfold over a period of five days. At the time of writing, says BMW, the "exact routes for the Int. GS Trophy 2024 are still top secret," and they won't be revealed until the actual competition starts.

What is not a secret is the bike the 60 riders taking part will be using for their exploits. It's not just some bike in its normal production form, but something that has been specifically tweaked for the race: enter the BMW R 1300 GS Trophy Competition Bike.

Just like the initial bike that was used in the inaugural 2008 Trophy, the new one is, naturally, based on the R 1300 GS, only it has been equipped on purpose with an assortment of accessories meant to cover "all eventualities."

At the core of the motorcycle sits the standard boxer engine that BMW uses so successfully. In this application, the unit displaces 1,300cc  and it is rated at 145 hp and 149 Nm of torque, an amount that is more than enough for a ride that's 31 pounds (14 kg) lighter than its predecessor (the exact weight of the R 1300 GS Trophy was not disclosed).

The modifications made by BMW to adapt the motorcycle to the harsh conditions bikes and riders will encounter in Namibia include the fitting of a headlight protection guard, a protection bar for the engine, and a guard for the frame and underride. To top off all the protection gear, a radiator guard was installed to shield the critical components from unforeseen damage.

The ease of operation for the rider is ensured through a handlebar riser, GS Vario footrests, and enduro hand levers, including the adjustable ones used to control the gears and brakes.

There is a single seat on the back of the motorcycle, one that has been "designed to cope with the sometimes difficult terrain of the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy 2024 Namibia in East Africa" – and that't the only thing about the route the German bike maker let slip.

The GS was propped on tires meant to handle the rough terrain riders are expected to encounter, a type of coarse-tread off-road rubber that wraps around black cross-spoke wheels (a version of the wheels in gold is also available).

Visually speaking the bike sets itself apart from its civilian version through its color scheme, which is something called Racing Blue Metallic. It is adorned with red and white stripes, matt white metallic painted rear frame, lettering, and stickers, all of them positioned in such a way as to make it clear what the ride is to be used for.

To accompany the racing GS in the fields of Namibia, BMW also announced a so-called Trophy Marshal Bike. This one is based on the F 900 GS and it is of course meant to be used by race marshals, the people who will be en route to "guide the participants safely through Namibia's challenging terrain."

The German bike maker did not specify any changes to this bike when compared with its production version, and the engine, 895cc in displacement, is rated at the same 105 horsepower as the standard version. For the masses, the F 900 GS sells from $13,495.

BMW says the R 1300 GS Trophy is not publicly available for sale, but it does allow riders who would like to replicate it for the daily exploits to spec an R 1300 GS in almost the exact same form, "with the exception of a few details." It's unclear exactly what those details are.

In its standard form, the 2024 R 1300 GS sells in the U.S. from $18,895. The bike was introduced at the end of last year as the most powerful bike of its kind ever made by BMW. It was revised with a new and stiffer steel shell main frame, a diecast aluminum rear frame (replacing the steel one used until then), and upgraded looks.