1150 V 1200 ?

mitch9

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Recently had my much loved 1150gs 03 stolen {see Scotland area} Had it years and enjoyed riding it but need a replacement .
Thought opportunity to upgrade to 1200 ! Like the thought of a lighter gs but dont want to spend a fortune so looking at early 1200.
I have been told they had lots of problems but surly they have been recalled and fixed by now ?or do i need to save up and get newer ?
Thanks
Sorry i might have posted this in wrong section thats because i only ever go to this one as a rule
 
Get another 1150 If you don't mind fettling

Get a 1200 if you don;t mind paying bills to have that stupid bastardin POS final drive rebuilt every X thousand miles

I was left mine by a good friend I am still undecided if the big fecker's wicked sense of humour was engaged for this !!
 
Not as many 1150's at the last Leenane meet as past events, numbers are dwindling.
The ones that were there ran like a Swiss watch, were immaculately turned out and were as spirited as the LC's
 
You want an upgrade you say.................well that'll be an 04 1150GSA then :D
 
I would love to own another 1150 or gsa but found the gs was at times a big lump so gsa is going to be even worse for me ! loaded with pillion as well !
Was hoping the much lighter 1200 had been sorted
 
mitch9 said:
I would love to own another 1150 or gsa but found the gs was at times a big lump so gsa is going to be even worse for me ! loaded with pillion as well !
Was hoping the much lighter 1200 had been sorted
Click to expand...
Howdo mate saw yer pics on fb ..sad ☹ they really need to get somethin done about the bike thefts up in Edinburgh...grr anyhoo there's a 1150 on Scotland only bikes for sale fb page..looks quite tidy fr £2900 if I remember ..hope you get sumat..
 
This is what I wrote a few months back when someone else asked the same question:

tadhgocuilleain said:
I rode a 1200 LC over 4,500km in three weeks in South Africa in 2014. I bought an 1150 in September 2015 and I've put about 4,000km on it since then (including riding it home from Germany).

The LC is a fantastic bike. It's definitely more refined than the 1150. I really enjoyed playing with the "toys" on the LC. Putting it into dynamic mode and throwing the bike around on twisty tarmac, then later putting it into enduro mode and taking it on to rough, rocky gravel roads. The different modes make it feel like a completely different bike. It's not just a gimmick. The whole bike gets soft and bouncy when the suspension is put into enduro mode, and it's rock hard in road mode. The engine tone completely changes when changing engine modes. It sounds growly and sputtery in enduro mode, and it's smooth and refined in road mode.

I loved the LC so much, it almost seduced me. I seriously considered buying one. However, I'm the kind of guy that buys a bike with his heart, rather than his head. I don't care what the specifications say. I don't care if the 1150 is so many kilos heavier than the 1200, or it's got so much less power. The 1150 just attracted me. I did my research, so it was an educated choice. I know what the common faults are etc on the bike, so I know what I may need to deal with in the future. The first time I rode an 1150 was when I was test-riding my own before I bought it. Coming from a V-twin Honda Deauville that ticks over like a mouse's heart, the 1150 felt like riding a diesel generator. There were no fancy read-outs or buttons to change modes, but it made me grin. I loved it immediately. On the 1700km ride home, as I learnt its ways, I loved it more.

If you're the type of person that buys a bike on PCP, changes it every three years, likes to have the very latest technology, and just want a smooth, comfortable bike to get you around, the LC would be a perfect choice.

If, however, you're like me and like to have a bike you can bond with - a bike with character, if you like to work on your bike, dismantle it, rebuild it, get to know it and keep it for a long time, I think you'll fall for an 1100/1150.
Click to expand...


I know you're talking about an oilhead 1200, rather than a liquid cooled one, but the principle is the same. An early 1200 will be lighter, more powerful and more refined than an 1150, but the 1150 has more charm and character and I honestly believe they are a more robust, reliable bike than the 1200. As with everything, they don't make them like they used to.
 
1150 for me all the way its a no bullshit motorcycle goes out in all weathers ive got 3x 1150 bikes gsa se , gs , rt . the engine is fantastic, just basic fuel injection and a easy engine to work on .less gubbing the less things to go wrong . only one down side on all oil heads no kick start. plus I tried the 1200 gsa just abit to tall for me then again my gsa1150 is tall as well , 1150 are the tiger tanks lol go any where bikes.
 
Better the devil you know.

I faced the same dilemma not too long ago. Went with an 1150GSA. The adventure tweaks make it mostly a much better bike than a standard GS.
On paper the 1200 hexhead is a better machine...the reality seems to be different though.
 
I did 50,000 miles plus on my 1150gs, and I've done about 7k on my 1200gs. My preference would be a nice 1150 if you can find one.
 
Like plenty of the others here I've had both.

If I was younger/stronger I would have another 1150 tomorrow.....A really lovely well made thing, probably the very last of the high quality BMW's

I don't want another 1200.....It's a quality thing. NOTHING like as well made as the 1150.
 
Bugger if I could only have my much loved 03 blue and white tank one back. It was spotless and did everything I asked of it no problems over the ten years I had it .
 
Must admit my thoughts often wander to the same thinking, especially since selling my 1150.
My last trip on it was to the Alsace, as part of a group, including my mate on his recently acquired 55plate standard 12GS. Both bikes had similar mileage, both owned previously by other club members, both garaged.
Parking them next to each other, I was shocked how bad the corrosion was on the 12, especially being 5 years newer:eek:

But, I may still try one, should a suitably cheap tidyish one turn up.
 
Cant find the 1150gs on fb ? Maybe i shouldn't ask in case im tempted 😊
 
After freighting my 02 1150GSA back from the middle east in 2010, it had sheltered in the garage for nigh on 6yrs..................until now :beerjug:
On my second DVLA application, I have been able to get a logbook which arrived yesterday. So, without more ado, I was off out to get a plate made and today hit the road today for a ride. Memories started coming back to me (no tears), that 6gallon tank full of unleaded and hitting the highway. Mind you, it is not all plain sailing. My feet don't go naturally to the pegs after riding my electra glide since 2010, the seat is hard and a bit slippy aggrevating my arthritic hip and forgetting the turn signals that don't auto-cancel.

Still the amount of money spent to airfreight, UK spec changes, customs and transport authority fees is on par with the price of it but, it is a bike worth keeping, same with my old airhead.
Yes; PCP has put more bikes on the road but, it is only cosmetic. Nobody will risk putting a sticker on one in-case it renders the resale value at the end payment less that its true value.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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