BMW GS - Is there any love left ?

[coasty]

Im torn between the 1150 and the 1100 mainly to do with finances tbh

1100GS is nicer to ride than 1150GS, better gear ratios for riding on and offroad and no servo ABS - simple ABS on the 1100's

Avoid a GS/GSA from 2003-2005 with ABS, as it is Servo controlled

1150's pre 2003 have normal ABS like the 1100's

Any 1150 without ABS will fine, as it was optional (Both mine have no ABS)

1150 Adventures ride well too and their gearbox ratios are like the 1100's

The 1150 Adventure is my fav, it looks good too

Mines a 2003 with the servo .... I was aware this was not ideal but the whole package was unbeatable. I was speaking to someone at the motorworks the other day who said he has a servo one with 60000 miles and no issues if it has regular fluid changes. The brakes are amazing but I am concerned it is a bit of a timebomb

[Big Red]

I have an 1100gs, that Im more than happy with. When the 1200 adventure came out I lusted after one. I eventually took a 1200 out for a 1/2 day road test, and the only thing I preferred over my 1100 was the gearbox(smoother). THe 11 shakes and is rather agricultural but all the more pleasing to ride. The 1200 was to Japanese in comparison.

[bimota]

Had a 1150gsa for 7 years no problems at all, loved it and yes had it before charlie and ewan,s thing.
Regretted selling it and bikes for the next five years but always wanted another so bought my 1200gsa , new everybody slagged them new there were a few issues but bought one .

LOVE IT TO BITS.

[Womble]

What is the 1100 like to live with running cost, issues etc ?

Try one, later GS's (1100/1150/1200) are marmite bikes to ride - quirky etc

Reliability wise pretty good - main bearing in the FD is about £60 and you can fix at home

Clutches can go from 50,000 to 150,000 before replacement

All the rest are consumables, normal service stuff

Fi is proven and reliable

Best thing is no panels to remove, the engine is in front of you

Mpg is 50 mpg +/- 5mpg

Servicing every 6000 miles

+1

Same mpg and thoughts

1100's on UKGSER are starting to equal and better prices for early 1150's, some say better build quality. Depends what riding you do, 1150 has the 6th gear, but different rations, better for lots of motorway miles and also hydraulic clutch.

Happy with my 1100, barely run in at 37k

If you're after one post a wanted ad in UKGSER

[johnnyboxer]

Im torn between the 1150 and the 1100 mainly to do with finances tbh

1100GS is nicer to ride than 1150GS, better gear ratios for riding on and offroad and no servo ABS - simple ABS on the 1100's

Avoid a GS/GSA from 2003-2005 with ABS, as it is Servo controlled

1150's pre 2003 have normal ABS like the 1100's

Any 1150 without ABS will fine, as it was optional (Both mine have no ABS)

1150 Adventures ride well too and their gearbox ratios are like the 1100'sThe 1150 Adventure is my fav, it looks good too

Wasn't there optional ratios offered on the GSA? in loose terms road focused, off road focused?
So a potential buyer would need to know what box was fitted.
Anyway still one of the best bikes that I've owned.

Nearly all 1150GS's had a normal ratio first and o/d sixth, which drops the revs (say 90mph @ 5000 revs) by about 750 revs, but whilst some like it especially on m/ways I didn't as it always felt like 6th was too high on A&B roads

The Adventures have a lower 6th gear, closer to the 1100GS's (both 1100GS in 5th and 1150Adv in 6th show 90mph at the same 5000 rpm) and some Adv's came with a lower 1st gear (again, like the 1100GS)

Oilhead GS's (1100's and 1150's) as they are known are generally cheap to run and can be serviced/fixed at home by most (even clutch and gearbox fixes) and there are loads of indie BMW specialists to look after your bike too, together with specialist engineers like SED who know them inside out

There is loads of info in the UK and USA, on UKGSER and ADVRider

Oilhead GS's are pretty reliable and no worse/better than AT's/TDM's/early S10's/Tigers etc

Parts are cheap from ebay/secondhand are there are 2 specialsit cheap parts suppliers Motorworks and Motobins

[johnnyboxer]

Im torn between the 1150 and the 1100 mainly to do with finances tbh

1100GS is nicer to ride than 1150GS, better gear ratios for riding on and offroad and no servo ABS - simple ABS on the 1100's

Avoid a GS/GSA from 2003-2005 with ABS, as it is Servo controlled

1150's pre 2003 have normal ABS like the 1100's

Any 1150 without ABS will fine, as it was optional (Both mine have no ABS)

1150 Adventures ride well too and their gearbox ratios are like the 1100's

The 1150 Adventure is my fav, it looks good too

Mines a 2003 with the servo .... I was aware this was not ideal but the whole package was unbeatable. I was speaking to someone at the motorworks the other day who said he has a servo one with 60000 miles and no issues if it has regular fluid changes. The brakes are amazing but I am concerned it is a bit of a timebomb

Don't worry, they can last ok and if they play up they can be removed - Motorworks do a kit for about £100 (new brake lines and stuff) so you take off the Servo controller, re-plumb the brakes direct from Master Cylinder to Caliper, so you end up with normal brakes (but you lose ABS, of course)

[Don1960]

The Germans bombed countless chip shops in this country and we've never forgiven them :whistle: quote]
You must have forgiven ... otherwise you would'nt have let me on this site !?!

[IainD]

The snobbery extends to the model of GS you have!

The 1200 riders look down on the 800 riders who look down on the 650 / 700 twin riders, who look down on the 650 single riders. Very British Class system.

I bought a G650GS as a runabout after deciding I had had enough of 180mph bum in the air sports bikes. I was astonished how I was looked down on at BMW dealers by the 1200 owners and even the staff at some.

When I moved to an F650 after the G650 had had so many issues I sent it back, I found myself moving up the ladder, though a comment from an 800 rider that it wasn't s real GS did make me smile(there was so much Touratat on his, he would never lift it off the ground if he dropped it)

Funny though, I have a 700 Transalp too, which has panniers etc. for touring about and I have never had the same issues with any Honda owner. Then again "the nicest people ride a Honda"

It's not so much an outright hatred, but a subtle uneasiness that surrounds the big GS's. I did wonder reading the other posts as to what would have happened if the long way two had gone on KTM's. Would things be different?

[Don1960]

My first bike was a 1974 R75/6, bought in 1981, did all work on it myself from new pistons to a full engine overhaul.Had 320.000 km on the clock when I mothballed it, still in my parents garage in Germany now. Always had BMW's since. In 2009 my R1200RT had 82.500 miles on the clock when ... guess it .... the final drive went while on the way back home 3 hours away from Santander in Spain. Not bad concidering that I not have had any problems until then, apart from the swichgear failing under guarantee.
Yes, the quality has gone down but to me no other bike does it for me ... and the bits that I don't like can be changed ...

[dave j]

Regardless of which bike you ride - if you park up, get off and not look back and smile, you're on the wrong bike.

Pay your money takes your choice.