Zack reviews his dad’s 1981 BMW R 80 G/S in Vermont | Daily Rider 

Find the right mount for your phone with Quad Lock! rvz.la/3NL3baQ Check out Zack’s article on his dad’s G/S on Common Tread! rvz.la/3yKRMTX

Loved the emotion that was displayed on this ride. Isn't that what riding is all about? Thanks for the insight into your life, specifically your childhood. Great video Zach!!

No wonder Zack is so happy all the time. Imagine having that childhood, living in that area, with a dad like that? (Also being 6 foot 2)

On the one hand, that area is so beautiful that I wonder why anyone would ever want to leave. On the other, I could see getting on that great old bike for a short hop and accidentally riding to Tierra del Fuego. And those features! Tons of fuel range, adaptive lighting (I.e. fog lights), and rider moods (you can drag the boxes or back it in when you feel like it).

Honestly…. That was my favourite daily rider. Thanks Zac. What else does dad have in the stable? Maybe something next year for Father’s Day

Loved this, great to see Zack head back to his roots. Traffic looks hell in rural Vermont. Cherish your folks while they're around, lost my bike-loving Dad earlier this year and it hurts.

I couldn't take my eyes off that Speedo. The needle kept bobbing between the actual speed and a few above and below. Love it! My uncles old 1965 Royal Enfield Bullet used to do that!

That was fantastic! Thank you for taking us along for the ride! And thank you for what you guys bring to the motorcycle community!!!!

Great to see someone for whom bikes are an enduring and big part of life. You and your dad, childhood in the country, the tinkering, the thrills and spills. All that stuff that can’t be bought, has to be lived. No wonder you put out such solid content and this one is absolutely right up there.

I believe that this is why Zack could appreciate the Himalayan. Simple and functional. I enjoyed seeing where you came from. Reminds me of my hometown except mine became a sprawling bedroom community. Thanks for sharing.

Killer bike. Vermont looks beautiful. Old airheads are the best. Simple, reliable. Maintain them and they’ll outlast us all. Great video.

I learned to love motorcycling while riding on the back of my dad's 1981 Honda Goldwing. And because of that, owning my own Goldwing has always been a dream for me!

This was brilliant Zack. Must have been an amazing place to grow up, especially riding bikes.

Yes modern Moto Guzzi’s are very reminiscent of air cooled BMW boxers - that’s why I bought one. My V7III is just like the R65 I rode in the eighties and I like it....

Thank you Zack for this journey through your personal history; many great memories of my time in upstate NY not too far from your stomping grounds.🌎

I have a 79 R45 I just rode to the BMW MOA in Springfield Missouri. Great bike and easy to work on. I'm lucky a BMW airhead specialist lives down the road and helps me out. He's taught me a ton!

Very fond of the R80 GS and where it's taken so many. Great journey Zack thanks for taking us home with you, very endearing getting to know you more over the years.

I was lucky to meet your dad and ride that bike while passing through Chelsea doing the Puppy Dog Route. Great bike and very hospitable gentleman. I love Vermont rural roads and get down there from Montreal whenever I can. Thanks for showing us around your hometown.

One of these found its way to my workplace. In Dakar colours and pretty good condition. They look amazing.

Thanks for this special ride. Motorcycle history, personal history and what motorcycling is all about. Lovely.

Well done Zack. This makes me remember my rips around my rural Ca hometown on my (now long gone) XL175.

I think this is my new favorite episode ever. You need to revisit and put at the top of the classics.

Just bought my first GS bike a few days ago. It’s really cool to be able to see the O.G.

I've seen many of your Daily Rider episodes, and with all sincerity, this is one of your best. I appreciate the ride with you down your personal Memory Lane; Chelsea appears charming, endearing even, and that is without my natural anti-LA bias. This DR episode is special, and I know it was special for you. Thanks, Zack. Very well done.

Talk about beautiful intersectionality: a home town, a parent who also rides, and the bike he seriously rode far-and-wide with. Stirring up some dirt, and maybe a few emotions as well. More of this? I say hell-to-the-yeah, Zack. (Plus…Vermont. Haven't been there in two dogs' ages. Way too long, methinks.)

I'm original owner of an '81 G/S. Purchased in Germany while in the Air Force. Mine is much more stock than your Dad's. I have the Krauser bags for it & at one time mounted a top box on the rear rack. I have to say I prefer the bike naked. In later years I stripped it right down, removing the rear rack & bag mounts. Also fitted the Siebenrock 1000 cc kit. This machine is very light for its size/displacement, even by today's standard. Loading it down with huge tank & bags is counterproductive IMHO, but to each their own. I guess for long range round the world or continent rides it's appropriate but I'm not an Iron Butt kinda guy lol. I like the way it handles stripped down. I reckon the reason the newer GS models are overweight monsters is for the round the world crowd. I never found the stock fender an issue with respect to throwing stuff on the tank. I would argue the low fender would be a liability on a muddy road getting clogged up. Question, is that a voltmeter mounted on the bar brace? Why mount it there when there are brackets on either side of the headlight cover? My G/S has optional tachometer which is mounted on the right side of the headlight cover. It's the same form factor as what's mounted on your Dad's bar brace. I think a clock was available as an option for the left side. Don't recall seeing a voltmeter like that if that's what it is.

Right on! I was one of those guys who looked down on the original GS's. Now I have owned five of 'em.. enjoyed the trip around your old stomping grounds ax well. A new 800 boxer really would be the coolest eh?

you are a great guy Zack! always love your vids.... your hometown is awesome.

Door yard!! My FIL is from the Mascoma Valley area! Thank you for sharing a piece of your life! Great part of the country!

I too would love to see BMW make a smaller boxer again and put one in something styled similar to the R nine T. There’s something enjoyable about getting to regularly use more of a bike’s motor. Well, without going to jail anyways.

This was wonderful! I could feel your emotional reaction and felt emotional myself when you talked about “Cherry Garcia!” It reminded me of a family reunion in Maine when we stopped at an outlet shopping center that included a Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream stand! .. I find motorcycle videos much more engaging than car videos because they get much more personal for the presenter and are therefore unique. I think it’s the commitment that it takes to ride motorcycles, immediately and into the future. Thanks for your contributions to the motorcycle culture!

Schön, eine alte BMW R80 in den Staaten zu sehen. Ein liebevoller Bericht. Danke. Grüße aus Deutschland.

Thanks for taking us for a trip down memory lane, Zack! LOVE the history (and memories) of your Dad's bike. I'm hoping to make a trip up to New England here in a few weeks. I'll certainly be looking for VT 110 when I get up there!

Freaking awesome video. Loved going on this little trip with you

I love all the daily riders, but this was the best one!

God I love Vermont, my gf and I have vacationed there a few times from from where we live in rural NY and we’re seriously considering moving there. 5 Walmarts for the whole state, barely any fast food, farmers markets in place of big chain grocery stores, no people and beautiful scenery, what more could you want.

My favorite Daily Rider so far, and I've seen them all! Great job, Zack!

These airheads GS's are the best all around bikes in my opinion ..I have a 1993 R 100 GSPD and I love it..Jesse bags, fun bike very enjoyable to ride

Beautiful..Thanks Zack,,,,ie only recently come across the channel and its hands down the best bike stuff on the internet...well done to all the guys involved.

Thank You Thank You Thank You ,I have been waiting for this ride basically from the beginning of these clips ... I would pay through the nose to have a 2022 BMW R80 with a modern Earlse fork and great breaks .Under used motor for going on and on and on with low test .. Ah well . Chelsey looks grand .. Loved the whole ride .Thank your father for us all lending his stead to the Daily Ride .It is at the top of my list .. What a joyful place to grow up .You come by your laugh honestly . Yours warmly from Litchfield county Connecticut ...

Can't believe how sweet it sounds ! That's amazing! Love it 👏🏼

Wow what a charming little town and area you grew up in. Thanks for another epic daily ride.

What a joyful video. Thanks Zack

Cool bike. Love those original GS’s

Cool ride - nice to see your home town

This is gold. great video!

So great to see this episode on your dad's bike where you grew up in beautiful Vermont! This is what its all about and this further inspires me to get a dirt capable bike up in VT!

What an amazing episode of Daily Rider. Thank you for sharing such a personal and nostalgic overview of your Dad’s bike

This was great. Very relatable ride and story! Thanks for this ride.

This is the best. Love the vintage daily rides and especially the lineage of Zach! Thank you for sharing.

Zack the vintage daily riders are so good. This one especially because of how special this machine is.

R80gs with Jesse bags. Where adv began.

Gotta love Vermont! Cheers Zach!

That's awesome seeing you ride where you grew up on roads I've been on many times myself. I live in Topsham and work in Barre Vt.

This is seriously one of the coolest videos you've ever made!!! The location, the history, the bike, the relationship to your childhood, the ride, the weather......all of it!! Really made me smile!! And yes, Cherry Garcia, perfect!!! TY!!!

That was a delightful look at some New England countryside. Perfect bike for those roads, perfect roads for that bike.

it's winter ... this gives me an idea for this summer ride. From Minnesota to Vermont - I have never been there. I live in Europe but have a Road King in MN.

I really enjoyed this video. I have been catching up on the Highside-Lowside podcast and I heard you talking about this episode. The area reminds me a whole lot of the area in Northwest Pennsylvania where I grew up. Thanks.

Loved this format, hopefully more like this to come.

Would love to see you and Ari do a new england cruise, especially through the white mtns in NH.

I loved this episode. I couldn’t really care less about an old bmw gs. But not only do I love a nostalgic motorcycle story. I love that it’s something you grew up riding and on those roads. I love this story. It really makes me think of what got me into motorcycles with my late uncles 73’ shovel head custom. It’s still safely in our family and I get to see it all the time and reflect. While I don’t ride Harley’s as much even though I still own one. That bike and it’s stories will always be something I hold close to me. So thank you Zach for this glimpse into your history and your story. I truly enjoyed and appreciated it.

Great episode. Loved seeing your home town, and understanding a little bit more about the freedom motorbikes gave you growing up. Personally, I would love to watch a whole series of videos entitled 'rides down memory lane' from all of you at revzilla. I bet Lance, Jen, Spurge and Ary would have a story or two to tell about the influence motorbike had on their upbringing, which would translate well into a number of episodes. Keep up the 1st class content as usual - you are a very affable presenter, with an insightful way of thinking. Cheers. Andy from Bath in the UK, with a Yamaha Niken GT, and a broken ankle.

I’m agreeing with lots of other comments - my absolute fave. Fabulous 👍🏻

Love your Dad's OG GS! I think this is one of my Favorite episodes ever.

I absolutely loved this episode. The destination ride and the m memories. Thank you so much for sharing a part of your life with us. I kinda got a bit choked up a time or 2. Awesome content as always!

Probably the best motorbike review I have ever watched! What is right for LA just might not be what is needed for the other 95% of the country called "rural America".

What a cool old ride. The tank looks odd but it'd beat carrying jerry cans. Looks like the kind of ride you could just go explore anywhere with

The best Daily Rider I have seen, hands down.

Pretty good jaunt to the bus stop…! 😜👍🏻 Love the old BMW’s for sure. You where lucky in my opinion to grow up in a rural area such as this….WOW Thanks for sharing Zack!

I’ve driven that bike in the past, and in my opinion, at 75-80 mph, the engine feels totally relaxed. I’d say, even up to 85+, one could cruise all day no problem. The top speed of the bike is around 108. It’s the European model I’m talking about, navy blue with the BMW red and lighter blue stripes on the tank, a beauty. It came originally without an rpm gauge, so I always felt curious about engine speed, but again, it being a BMW, if it feels right, then it is right. Enough said.

Learned to work on a 1976 R90/6, taught me a lot about general vehicle maintenance

Whoa, that bike is older when myself. And I'm already starting to feel pretty old. Really nice to see this thing running.

Best episode of Daily Rider ever. Wonderful places to ride.

Awesome video, bike, and scenery! Thank you for sharing a bit of your history. Man, I bet those trees are really beautiful in the Fall. Looks like a great place to grow up and ride.

I agree with the others, best DR yet. There’s a lot more appeal to a review on a bike that’s not brand new and has a cool history like your dads. Plus it was super cool to see you reminisce in your home town. Maybe you and Ari find a viewer with a well set up track day bike and review it at a track day in the future?

Lovely video and your sentimental journey was a voyeur’s delight in the sense of gaining insight into a “celebrity’s” coming of age journey and in celebration off his dad. I’m In your dad’s age cohort (nearly?) and I am heartened to believe that my sons will appreciate our shared adventures as you’ve shared your father’s and yours. I have a 2016 Versys 650. I’ve put 30k touring on the Kawasexy across the Western US and have no complaints (aside from a moment’s inattention recently resulting in a broken ankle and some ribs, that btw didn’t interrupt our short getaway as I rode for 3 days and camped busted up). I have been lusting for a V85 TT for some time. I blame my riding buddys’ Bonnie T120 and another’s MG Norge for inspiring siad lustful moto desires. Thanks for encouraging a (class of) bike that does nothing exceptionally except to eleven one’s spirits! Much appreciation. Cheers!

What a beautiful area to have grown up in! I can think of far worse places to from. Perfect place to enjoy this type of bike.

FWIW, this may be the best Daily Rider I've watched, definitely my favorite.

I love Vermont. Got to live out of a hotel for 6 months right across the border in West Lebanon. Spent a lot of time with my SRX and mountain bike out in those woods. Made a few trips up to Burlington too, walking the waterfront with the sun setting makes you feel pretty good about life.

My uncle has an R80/7 that I hope to inherit. It's a great Engine.

Love every bit of it. The bike. The land. The story. Thanks for sharing.

Daily Rider remote roads edition added an interesting dynamic! Your rides/reviews capture the motorcycle magic that drives us two-wheel types, and the show energizes the motorcycling community. Riders take your cues to better appreciate and enjoy the subtleties of their own motorcycling experiences. The remote roads edition of Daily Rider gives riders the cue to appreciate and enjoy the riding environment in addition to the motorcycle being ridden. The motorcycle matters, but where you ride is also important! DAILY RIDER - REMOTE ROADS EDITION!

A historic Daily Rider. Also, I want that jacket, but I don't Rev'it makes them anymore.

Wow! We got a review of an old and old Zack! Really liked it! There may be better daily riders, but how many do you consider family and how many do you see yourself still owning 30 years from now!

Top notch. Great. Love VT. You and Ari put together the best MC videos by far. Thanks for an entirely enjoyable break from the day-to-day.

Love this episode, thank you for sharing a bit of your family story. I'm digging the Classic leader board as well.

Enjoyed the retro look back when bikes were more basic, yet very functional and fewer things to quit working. The scenery of your home town was scenic and lends perspective on your formative years. Would love to see much more of that and other less populated areas. PS: Among my (10+) motorcycles, I still have my old 87 HD FLHS Evolution (similar to Road King) with 100k+ miles I put on since purchased new in So Cal. approx. $8,600 out the door. Still runs well, never been overhauled. So many fond memories of riding from So Cal to Sturgis, SD rally's with my Dad up until 2001 each summer.

What a fantastic video, ended too soon 😅. One of the best daily rider video by far !

Thanks for the tour of your home town on a classic bike

more vintage bike rides please!!!

Dirt paths like that and those in Bald Eagle at the Conserve the Ride are the type of stuff I love hitting on an Adv bike. I dont need to hit single track to have fun. Yeah the V85TT is my modern favorite simple ride and easy to maintain bike that can do it all everyday. I want one some day. I'm not ready to sell the Elefant yet though. If I sell the Elefant I have to get another Ducati DesmoDue to replace it so I would probably pick up something to replace the Brutale. Decisions. This is a great episode!

Thanks for the ride!

Depending on what year those Jesse bags were purchased, Al Jesse still had his shop in Storm Lake, Iowa until nearly the end of the 20th century.

hi im 64 in the old days we didn't need creature comforts cause we were tuff lols love to have a old gs now but i do have a 650 ls and a basket case 650 I'm in process of getting running and a few cosmetics haven't found much wrong with motor as yet amazing old bikes

I'm getting real Paris-Dakar rallyraid vibes. Cool bike!

What a ride. While it must've been nice to do it on your dad's old bike, I am imagining how good that route is for gavel bicycling.

Awesome video. Looks like a great place to grow up. Thanks for sharing.

What a great video. Thanks for sharing, Zack!

OMG that laugh when you backed it in and caught an edge haha

Great video, great story! Congratulations!