1100 v 1150

~Stef~

Registered user
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
2,916
Reaction score
0
Location
Scotland
About 4 years ago I owned a R1100GS had it 6 years, but I stupidly sold it.
Now I've got a notion to get another, prices appear to have went up rather than down.

I've read the 1150 has a better gearbox, and a higher top gear.

Question is their any significant advantage in getting an 1150 over an 1100 ?
 
day to day riding no on high mileage trips a slight advantage in saying that i go touring on my 850 alongside 1150 & 1200 with no problem
 
If you never go on motorways etc then the 1100 is great.
But if you do lots of long journeys on motorways / highways then the 1150's gearbox with the 6th gear or Edrive on early versions is far better lmho
:beerjug:

I really enjoyed my 2002 1150GS for motorway work,but enjoyed my 1100 for non motorways.
 
Most of my riding is A and B roads with about 15 minutes of m-way eachway to get to the interesting roads :D
 
Get another 1100. Put a good set of adventure wheels on it. The originals were crap, but the rest of the bike is infinitely better quality (in my opinion) than an 1150, and the original design is 'how it was meant to be'.
Maybe I'd go so far as putting the forks and brakes from a late 1150 on it ..... and the beak. Its a bit less 'beaky', and the hard part bits.
 
As den said

I've had 2 1150's and neither felt as good as my 1100.
 
Get another 1100. Put a good set of adventure wheels on it. The originals were crap, but the rest of the bike is infinitely better quality (in my opinion) than an 1150, and the original design is 'how it was meant to be'.
Maybe I'd go so far as putting the forks and brakes from a late 1150 on it ..... and the beak. Its a bit less 'beaky', and the hard part bits.

No what you mean about quality, I used to run my GS all year and rarely washed it but when I did it always cleaned up like new(ish) Seen a stripped down R1150RT sat outside the BMW dealership and it was shocking the condition it was in and it was only showing 30,000 miles.
 
I have had both, currently have a lovely 1100GS. I think it has a better build quality than the 1150GS and I prefer the longer beak, almost retro cool now.Also you don't see so many 1100GS's these days. I did have to sort the seating position out on the 1100 as it feels more cramped than the 1150. Don't use motorways much so can't comment there. If you gave me a straight choice between the two, I would, without hesitation keep the 1100GS.
 
.

I've had both and wouldn't go back to the 1100, but then a lot of my miles are on big journeys where I appreciate the longer top gear. Also find the motor spins up nicer on the 1150. The 1100 had over 80,000 miles on it when I chopped it for the 1150 I still have now with 85000 on it. I do agree with the build quality on the 1100 taking some beating though, but having said that I haven't had much bother with the 'new' bike. Lots of little details on them like the big jubillee screw on the shaft boot on the 1100 replaced by a cable tie on the 1150. Captive nut on the petrol tank mount replaced by a loose nut on the 1150 which I usually end up dropping doon the battery compartment.
I don't think there's as much of a jump from the 1100 to the 1150 as there was from the 1150 to the early 1200.
My preference for the 1150 is mainly cos of the Adventure with the bigger tank and nicer seating position and improved suspension.

Whichever one you get, I'm sure you'll love it.
 
No what you mean about quality, I used to run my GS all year and rarely washed it but when I did it always cleaned up like new(ish) Seen a stripped down R1150RT sat outside the BMW dealership and it was shocking the condition it was in and it was only showing 30,000 miles.

But the stripped down RT had probably never been stripped down before for cleaning.
 
Gone Retro

Just under 18 months ago I bought a very tidy 99 1100GS with low mileage

Had an 03 1150 since 06 which had served me very well and ran them back to back until very recently

I bonded very quickly with the 1100 every time I climbed onto the 1150 although it felt like a comfy pair of sea boots I ended up thinking is this really progress ie servo brakes and twin spark

The 1100 gearing is nicely spaced and it will lift its skirts and get a shimmy on
Most of my riding is A B and C roads and its no slower than the 1150
Motorway riding is not that buzzy ive found a sweet spot under indicated 80
Up against the satnav it reads 5mph fast

Fuel consumption is about 5mpg better

Another bonus is that there is nothing on the 1100 I cannot spanner myself
Bleeding the ABS brakes for instance is a doddle

So 1150 has gone and no regrets As far as I am concerned you can keep all the ESA Track control and many modes of electrickery which tie you expensively to your dealership with a new machine

I will bow to the advantages of abs on a couple of occasions its saved me from going crunchy Most of my riding pleasure comes from my own input rather than pre programmed modes

Out where I live the Power Rangers have caused heavy targeting of the A roads Fortunately the B and C roads provide the perfect playground for the GS

Luddite or not I,m a Happy Bunny
 
Get another 1100. Put a good set of adventure wheels on it. The originals were crap, but the rest of the bike is infinitely better quality (in my opinion) than an 1150, and the original design is 'how it was meant to be'.
Maybe I'd go so far as putting the forks and brakes from a late 1150 on it ..... and the beak. Its a bit less 'beaky', and the hard part bits.

So..... Buy a 1150 then? ;)
 
If it was me, I would take either and decide purely on the "deal":thumb

Welcome back, froma now vara dildo rider

I know it's an old thread, but new lads keep coming on board the GS bandwagon, eh?

Is (was?) it the case that once the 1150GS came along, the 1100GS was resigned to 2nd place in terms of desirability?

I'm seeing comments across www that 1100 might actually be preferrable to some folk, for various reasons. My thinking was that the 1100GS would tick my boxes primarily because - due to it being older / "last-gen" - it would probably be cheaper. There are other factors too - cable clutch over hydraulic, for example (maybe a null factor if the 1150GS never/rarely has clutch issues). Brakes are hydraulic, right? :nenau

And in the last half year or so I'm seeing prices of 1100GSs equal or even surpass 1150GS prices. Is there some sort of movement to inflate prices? :rolleyes: Of course, those 1100GSs may not actually sell for the asking price.

After the success and popularity of Ewan & Charley's adventures and the subsequent resulting dominance of the 1150GS on sales charts, coupled with the huge sales of the 1200GS models (and the inevitable used examples of those coming to market), might there now be a glut of 1150GSs coming up for sale? Might the amount of 1150s vs 1100s be affecting prices?

If decent 1100GSs are now commanding more money than 1150s (of equivalent mileage & condition & bling), then given that lower price (or "value") is my primary factor when shopping, I might now be inclined to go for an 1150. I prefer its looks, but not the point of excluding a decent 1100 if it was cheaper.

But with a European trip in the early aspirational stages for a mate & myself, the 1150 might make more sense?

Some lovely 1100s and 1150s out there at the moment. Frustrating that I'm probably realistically 6 months away from being in a position to buy. :blast
 
If you never go on motorways etc then the 1100 is great.
But if you do lots of long journeys on motorways / highways then the 1150's gearbox with the 6th gear or Edrive on early versions is far better lmho
:beerjug:

I really enjoyed my 2002 1150GS for motorway work,but enjoyed my 1100 for non motorways.

Nearly 3 yrs on and after a few more BMW's 650 twin, 1200, XC & a Z1000 LTD.
Another 1150 graces my garage albeit a GSA...

It's an illness I tell thee :blast
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1453831057511.jpg
    FB_IMG_1453831057511.jpg
    109.4 KB · Views: 1,047
Get another 1100. Put a good set of adventure wheels on it. The originals were crap, but the rest of the bike is infinitely better quality (in my opinion) than an 1150, and the original design is 'how it was meant to be'.
Maybe I'd go so far as putting the forks and brakes from a late 1150 on it ..... and the beak. Its a bit less 'beaky', and the hard part bits.


How can it be a better bike if your suggesting stripping parts off it and replacing with 1150 stuff ?

I've had a from new GS1150 2002, and I've got an 03 GSA 1150 both great bikes.

Never ridden the 1100 though..
 
I prefer the 6 speed box of the 1150, but there is very little difference between 1100 and 1150 as they have similar underpinnings. The build quality on both is better than the 1200.
Both are an excellent choice (dont ignore the 850 either, they are lovely)
 
My ideal oilhead would be a late 1100 (99/2000) with a late 1150 front end on it. I always preferred the fuelling on the 1100 and of course the later 1150 came with the pain in the arse twin plugs (lost count of how many of those fecking things I had to buy).
 


Back
Top Bottom