The fifth BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Southeast Asia 2016 edition, will be held in two weeks’ time. Some 57 riders in 19 teams will be representing 25 nations from around the world, together with 21 embedded journalists.
They will compete in a week of adventure riding, special tests and teamwork challenges. Starting February 28, BMW say it’s a week that will also be about experiencing life in the rain forests of the hilly ‘Golden Triangle’ region in Thailand´s Chiang Mai province. This is the first time the GS Trophy has visited the Asian continent and so the event will engage an altogether different terrain. Past editions have typically featured long trails through wilderness or mountainous regions. This time, says Chief Organizer and Route Designer, Tomm Wolf, the competitors can expect a slower pace but far more technical challenge.
“The GS Trophy is a truly international event for amateurs from around the world, very much following the principle of the Olympics,” explains BMW Motorrad’s organiser Mathias Horn. “The riders are everyday enthusiasts who through regional qualifiers have won their place in what will be an experience so rich and so exciting. With every GS Trophy the event evolves. This time we will find ourselves in the Asian continent and so the experience and the riding will be all-new. And we have three new teams as well, from China, from Southeast Asia and an International Female Team."
The competitors will ride a fleet of identical specially-prepared 2016 BMW R 1200 GS motorcycles. The number of GSs will be a staggering 114 in total. 100 of which will be R 1200 GS versions for the competitors, journalists, organisers and special guests, with 14 R 1200 GS Adventures for the marshals.
Preparing the machines for a competition environment has required only a small number of modifications. All the GS bikes are equipped with an aluminium enduro engine guard, steel crash bars, valve cover guards, headlight guard, wider endure footrests, adjustable footbrake lever and a safety screw for the oil filler neck. All bikes will run on Metzeler Karoo 2 tyres.
