Every year, a group of BMW GS owners gather in Australia for one of the world’s greatest adventure rides. The route location and duration changes annually, but not the essence of the BMW GS Enduro, a touring style event that tracks far-flung routes through some of the most inspiring and inhospitable terrain on this planet — the Australian Outback.

The multi-day odyssey is run over 2,500 km, taking in some of the wildest and woolliest parts of Australia. The BMW GS Safari ‘Enduro’ is a tough event, and considerably more demanding than the standard BMW GS Safari adventure ride that explores less treacherous routes.

With a day in the saddle taking up to nine hours, GS Safari Enduro participants better have accumulated some experience and a reasonable degree of fitness. While it is a fully supported ride, the BMW GS Safari Enduro has no guide and riders go at their own pace according to the route maps and GPS tracks.

The camaraderie is tangible, whether on the ride or while having a beer under the stars. A sprinkling of foreign riders is enthusiastically welcomed in a charming manifestation of open-hearted Aussie hospitality.

It’s a unique gathering and almost certainly representative of a sub-culture; entries are limited to BMW GSs and experienced riders only.

But the real draw card is the remote Australian Outback, beyond the reach of modern civilization, where strange and unfamiliar wildlife still roam. It’s the kind of landscape that strikes at the heart of the human psyche, being able to experience this slice of earthly heaven is a rare privilege. To do so astride a motorbike surely is the dream of any adventure rider, never mind the wheels.