In early 1980 two German riders and a support team of three, driver, photographer and local guide took on some of the Ecuadorian mountains as a test of the soon to be released R80 G/S.
The factory wished to se just how good they would be with all of the volcanic ash, extreme height and almost unbearable powdery dust that would be encountered.
The estimation was that the two machines that gave out 55 BHP on the factory dynomoter would only have about 15 HP left at the possible altitude attained.
In fact the bikes ran out of suds and so did the riders at approximately 4,700 metres (15,000')
I quote:- At 4,700m we're down to 1st gear and just barely going. Our rear wheels dig deeper into the ash. We've got hands full just to keep the machines upright as we scale grades of 35 - 40%: a sort of dance on the volcano. The rumoured cabin, put there as a shelter for mountain climbers, is actually there, just 150 feet above us. A ridge of lava and ash the last obstacle between us and our goal. Unquote.
They didn't make it as they only got to within 60' of the cabin!
What one has to remember is that they were working at -5ºC at this altitude and the machines weren't overheating but they weren't cold.
I can tell you one thing though, the rear wheel had an axle going through it and the rear setup was twin shock.
That should put into perspective, just what that girl did on her old Honda!
Mick.
Source:- BMW Journal 6/80 pages 6 to 15.
