BMW Motorrad Portugal partnered with Duarte to jointly build a bike for his journey. “We decided to let our imaginations go wild and produce a very special 2017 F800GS to celebrate the last production year of this iconic GS model,” explained Duarte. The result? A globetrotting bike that weighs 456 pounds (207 kg) wet, puts out 100 horsepower, carries 6.3 gallons (24 liters) of fuel and is able to cover 310 miles (500 kilometers) between gas stops. It was a lofty goal, considering that the stock F800GS puts out 85 horsepower and weighs 478 pounds wet carrying the standard 4.2 gallons (16 liters) of fuel.

One thing that helped Duarte meet his weight goal was the idea behind the bike itself: a less-complicated machine with ties to the original mile-crushing dual sports. That made his decision to shed the ABS, traction control and electronically adjustable suspension components easy. He’s not opposed to electronic aids, but as he puts it, “It’s another part that can fail. Also, it’s OK to turn off all aids every time one goes off-road, but it’s not OK to do so daily, or multiple times a day, especially when you have a one-year journey ahead. You’ll eventually forget about it and get scared out of your mind when the bike does not react as you are expecting.”

Rear brake left-hand system with rear brake reservoir on the handlebar (rear brake is usable on the handlebar or on the foot).

His GS now sports 48mm WP forks with 10.6 inches (270 mm) of travel up front, and a Mupo AB shock in the back. Other cockpit mods include Renthal Twinwall handlebars, a Scotts steering damper, a left-hand supplemental rear brake system with the master cylinder mounted on the handlebar, and a custom instrument tower integrating a lightweight LED headlight with a BMW R1200GS windscreen.

Duarte put on a Rekluse auto clutch to reduce fatigue on big-mile days and for when the going gets rough. To bump the power, he modified the bike’s air box, installed a complete exhaust system from Italian manufacturer QD, and remapped the bike’s fuel injection.

Out back he modified the F800GS’s subframe, including small, easily removable footpegs that weigh less than the stock units and allow him to carry a passenger if the situation calls for it. (Duarte is traveling with his girlfriend who is relatively new to riding. She’s on her own Yamaha XT660R, which he also helped prep for the trip.) He also beefed up the frame at the upper shock mounting point and installed a stronger mounting bolt.

For Duarte, his bike will be more than a means of transportation. “On the road, the motorcycle will be my house, my garage and my support truck for the next year, and that forces some special and dedicated changes.” Some long-distance-riding touches throughout the bike include:

• Splicing into the fuel line to easily access gas directly from the bike’s tank. All he has to do is open a tap mounted on the frame of the bike, turn the key and the bike’s fuel pump will do the rest, providing gas for camp stoves or stranded travelers, and it’s an easy way to drain the tank should he get bad fuel somewhere on the journey.
• Outside plug to quickly jump-start the bike or give a battery push to anyone in need without having to take plastics off.
• Dedicated fusebox for heated gear and other accessories.
• Cooling fan bypass so he can switch the fan on and off manually if he thinks the bike needs additional cooling capacity.
• External plug for the onboard air compressor.

Finally, the bike is as pretty as it is functional. Duarte stripped the F800GS down, powder coated bits like the frame and swingarm, and put it back together with custom decals for a one-off look. It’s now got a purposeful, clean look that’s half adventure bike, half Dakar Rally racer.

Photo credit: João Krull,
Credits: Tea2Wine, BMW Motorrad Portugal, BMW Motorrad Motomil, José "Zé" Duarte head instructor of BN-EnduroCamp.

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