Romania to host BMW’s 2026 GS Trophy competition
The location of BMW’s challenging and somewhat quixotic GS Trophy event has been revealed.
Romania has been named as host to next year’s BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy - an event aimed at pushing the brand’s GS bikes - and their riders - to their very limit.
“After much sand and steppe, the event returns to the mountains,” explains a BMW media release. “Dense forests, gravel roads, river crossings, and steep ascents and descents will characterise the upcoming International GS Trophy 2026 in Romania.”
The country is “deeply rooted in history and culture and is home to numerous medieval castles, fortresses and churches, including the famous Bran Castle, which is often associated with the Dracula legend,” continues the media release. “Overall, Romania offers a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness and adventure, making it an ideal destination for the International GS Trophy 2026 competitors.”
Taking place roughly every two years since 2008, the GS Trophy will celebrate its tenth running in 2026, with previous locations including Namibia in 2024, Albania in 2022, New Zealand in 2020, and Mongolia in 2018.
Some 15 teams will take part in next year’s event, formed of participants from around the world. To join those teams, riders are required to perform GPS navigation exercises, off-road special stages, and technical tests. BMW says there will be nine men's teams and six women's teams.
The GS Trophy has always struck me as having a cult-like “if you know you know” atmosphere, so it’s difficult for an outsider to fully grasp how teams are determined and who can compete. But those decisions are apparently made via a series of qualifying rounds in the months leading up to the event.
Earlier this year, we reported that the UK-based qualifying round had been cancelled because… reasons. BMW reports that qualifiers will instead be held in Australia, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, and Ukraine.
Ukraine. Hmm. Perhaps, much like Eurovision 2023, we’ll end up hosting a qualifying round anyway.
Exact dates for the 2026 GS Trophy have not yet been announced.
Meanwhile, the R 12 G/S has been named as the official competition bike for the event. The bike was unveiled earlier this year and pays homage to the original R 80 G/S, which started the whole G/S craze.
BMW describes the bike as “a classic enduro for pure off-road fun.”
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
