Way back in January, 2021, BMW Motorrad announced that its upcoming 2022 International GS Trophy would take place in the beautiful land of Albania. That was 2021, though—and January, to boot. Full details weren’t available yet, but as we head to the end of June, 2022, all the important things are coming into focus.
The BMW International GS Trophy will touch down in Albania from September 4 through 10, 2022. That’s when the teams from each participating country, who are some of the best amateur enduro riders in the world, will gather to experience the teamwork and camaraderie that make up the GS Trophy every two years.
What about the terrain? According to BMW Motorrad’s Christian Pingitzer, who’s shepherded the GS Trophy since its inception, Albania is an enduro rider’s dream. Riders will face many well-maintained gravel roads, along with rivers, forests, mountains, and very rarely encounter asphalt. In such a ruggedly beautiful place, GS Trophy competitors will have to work together to make the most out of the experience.
What about the bikes they’ll be riding? Pingitzer officially unveiled the 2022 BMW R 1250 GS Trophy Competition-spec machine—and it looks well-suited to the task at hand. For a start, there are cross-spoke wheels outfitted with hardy Metzeler Karoo 4 rubber. These should give great off-road performance, in addition to also looking the part.
Good bike protection is also the order of the day, since this is the type of event where the bikes will definitely take a beating. That’s why BMW is outfitting the GS Trophy Competition bikes with a whole range of protection, from headlight to tail. There’s a headlight protector up front, as well as some protection for the TFT dash.
A full complement of engine protection is also fitted snugly into place, including a skid plate and upper engine guards. Handguards are also fitted to protect the clutch and brake levers, should a bike go down. The GS Trophy rally seat features a stainless-steel luggage bridge to stand up to the abuse inevitably meted out by serious enduro riding.
Riders will also be outfitted with a two-piece BMW adventure suit, the GS Karakum GTX. It’s a multi-season bit of kit, meant to suit hot climates, cold climates, and everything in between thanks to its multiple layers. Finally, riders will also receive a BMW Adventure Collection tank bag, which can also pull double duty as a tail pack.
