Potential purchase advice sought please for a 2003 1150GS

Elmer Fudd

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Apologies if I have posted this in the wrong section, but I am a newbie to GS's who is considering purchasing an 1150GS/GSA and am after some advice please concerning a private sale I have come across. As above, the bike is a 2003 1150GS which appears to have done a genuine 6500 miles and has had 2 owners from new, the current guy having bought it at 3 months old. It appears to be in very good condition, as you might expect, and is all standard apart from engine bars and luggage rack and side rails. It has heated grips, twin plugs and (unfortunately) the dreaded ABS. There is a tiny little bit of corrosion on the engine in a few tucked away places, but generally its pretty good.

The thing that most concerns me (apart from it being the light yellow colour - why couldn't it have been silver or grey!) is that although the current owner claims that the oil was changed at 3,000 & 6,000 miles, it has not yet been near a BMW dealer either franchised or independent for any kind of a service despite being 11 years old..... So would I be right in thinking it definitely needs a full service including changing all fluids etc? Assuming this is the case, what might this be likely to cost please from a good independent dealer?

Price is £3750 but I am confident that he will take a bit of an offer so maybe I can pick it up for £3500 - £3600 - what do you experts think please, I'd really appreciate any opinions/advice - thanks!
 
Sounds like a good buy at that price. They really are not hard to service yourself but a good independent would probably charge about £250 ish but a Motorrad dealer would be closer to £500 if they did it by the book.
Also worth while ringing a Motorrad dealer with your reg number and ask if there are any outstanding recalls to be done. If there are they will still be done even if the bike hasn't been serviced or is out of warranty.
 
I dont think BMW ever produced a yellow 1150 Adventure. So thats a question you need to get answered. Also having owned a 2003 Adventure with 1,900 KM's on it I have been told (by a BMW tech) that the most important thing is to get the brake fluid and servo maintained "every year". So if you buy it make sure to get that done properly, if not done it impacts on the servo life expectancy. As for the "dreaded" abs :nenau I'm on my sixth 1150 Adventure with abs and only had one servo issue while in warranty. Lets see pictures.
 
Thanks for the replies Gents, I think its probably quite a good price for such genuine low mileage.. Luke, sorry don't know where you got the idea its an Adventure, its just a plain old cooking 1150GS! IMHO the yellow of the 2003 model is a bit light and not as nice as the earlier deeper yellow, but I guess it is what it is! Sorry no pictures available - I haven't bought it yet!
 
luke scott said:
I dont think BMW ever produced a yellow 1150 Adventure. So thats a question you need to get answered. Also having owned a 2003 Adventure with 1,900 KM's on it I have been told (by a BMW tech) that the most important thing is to get the brake fluid and servo maintained "every year". So if you buy it make sure to get that done properly, if not done it impacts on the servo life expectancy. As for the "dreaded" abs :nenau I'm on my sixth 1150 Adventure with abs and only had one servo issue while in warranty. Lets see pictures.
Click to expand...

Err, re-read the OP Luke. He says it's a 1150GS. ;)
 
I know what you mean, I liked to early 1150 yellow but not the later custard yellow. But I'd take condition and mileage over colour every time. Sounds like a good buy to me, hope it works out for you.
 
Take the advice and buy it, I guarantee you'll not regret it, ive only had my Gsa two years but never had a problem and never looked back from what I had, :thumb2
 
I'd be inclined to buy it, and take it up to Brian Giles of BGM up at Pembury. Get him to give it a thorough service. He's not cheap for an independent, but he is very good. Get all fluids changes, and the fuel filter, which has doubtless not been done. If the battery's original it will be shagged at that age with low mileage - budget for a new one fairly soon. I'd guess with that mileage the tyres are original or at least old. Check them carefully - even if they have good tread depth they might be beginning to crack a bit by now. The ABS is nothing to be worried about. I've had both ABS and non-ABS GSs and I wouldn't let its presence or absence sway me from buying an otherwise good bike.
 
I too have the Custard yellow picked it up two weeks ago from Worcester 18000 miles two owners lovely bike and just booked Ferry to Spain 28th September from Plymouth and back on 11th Santander Portsmouth circular tour of Spain and Portugal planned.
 
Gents, many thanks for all of your replies which thankfully are all pretty positive. I have the bike reserved (a little problem with the kill switch meant it wouldn't start the other day when I went to view it, so couldn't try her out) and will hopefully be giving it a test next week and will let you know how I get on - thanks again!
 
I picked up this little beauty yesterday - a bog standard 2003 R1150GS with a genuine 6500miles and in pretty good condition (little bit of corrosion in I guess the usual places) for what I consider a pretty good price. I rode her the 15 or so miles home and for the first time in ages on a bike, I genuinely did not want to get off! At first I wasn't keen on the colour (sunshine yellow), but I have to say its really growing on me....

First impressions are really good and I'm thinking this is the bike I should've bought years ago, but are there any mods I should make which will improve her? She is the twin spark, ABS model with engine bars and heated grips, luggage and top box rails (but no luggage). I did notice a bit of wind noise at speeds above about 60mph (I suffer from tinnitus) so was wondering whether a higher screen would help? If anyone has any useful bits they might want to get shot of please do let me know. I will endeavour to add a few pictures in the next few days - any input appreciated - thanks!
 
You have only done 15 miles on the bike, and you are already looking at Modifications!?:nenau

Well you have come to the right place for opinions and suggestions.

Why don't you just ride the bike for a while, get some miles under your belt, and then come back and ask those questions. At least then you will have clear idea of where you want to make improovements/modifications.

Ian:nenau
 
Bigger screens ...

... don't always help; it's the lack of adjustment that's the basic problem and can be solved in different ways. MRA is ok but I think look crap, Tobinators allow adjustment on standard screens, the choice is fairly endless and quite personal because what suits you won't suit the next bloke.

As a quick test, remove the screen completely and ride the bike; that'll give you a benchmark to aim for as it's the cleanest airflow. Helmets make a difference too !
 
oblertone said:
... don't always help; it's the lack of adjustment that's the basic problem and can be solved in different ways. MRA is ok but I think look crap, Tobinators allow adjustment on standard screens, the choice is fairly endless and quite personal because what suits you won't suit the next bloke.

As a quick test, remove the screen completely and ride the bike; that'll give you a benchmark to aim for as it's the cleanest airflow. Helmets make a difference too !
Click to expand...


All good advice, we're all different
 
I agree with JB, we certainly are all different. I tried a wide variety of combinations of different screens, tobinators, bar risers, seats and helmets before finding something that worked best for me.

For what it is worth I settled on MRA screen, Tobinators, bar risers, Sargent seat and Shoei Qwest but I doubt anyone else uses that combination. :nenau
 
They are great bikes, I did almost 100,000 miles on my '03 bike.

The headlights are poor if you ride at night, especially if it's wet. Upgrade to HID's for both units but don't fit the ballasts in the instrument pod as it plays havoc with the LCD rider info display. I fitted one either side of the headstock under the front of the tank. Perfect. You can get top quality kit from Les Wassall on this forum. (This was the first mod I did to my current bike as well.

I dumped the rear can and fitted a stubby tail pipe. Search stubby on the forum. Saves about 6½kgs in weight and means that you can use a full size left pannier without an exhaust recess. It also makes the bike a bit more flexible at low speeds and improves fuel economy a little. A bit crisper sound but not really much extra noise. This only applies if you have the original catalyst in place below the gearbox.

I removed the servo abs system before it could be a problem. You end up with better brakes (more feel and less grabby), it can cost nothing and you reduce the weight by another 7 or 8kgs. On the subject of brakes, the hoses are probably original, change them for braided ones. Even though the mileage is low they are old and may be deteriorating. It's usually the inner layer that fails and causes a blockage whilst the outside looks fine.

Wilbers or Ohlins suspension at both ends make a great bike even better.

I used Tobinators with the standard screen but it was never great. At its best it wasn't as good as the standard screen on the Super Tenere that I now have. If I'd kept it I would have fitted a Calsci screen

Change the final drive oil every 6,000 miles when you do the engine oil and filter. It takes a just a few hundred mls of oil and a couple of crush washers and gives you early warning of any FD issues, it is one of the few weak points on the 1150.

Ride, lots, enjoy.
 
Thanks for your input gents and while it may be just a little early to consider mods, I am very keen to do anything to prevent the tinnitus getting worse, hence wanting to reduce wind noise as much as possible. I noticed this as a potential problem on the way home and ducking down just a couple of inches seemed to improve it considerably, hence the thinking behind the taller screen. If anyone has one they might want shot of please let me know.

Here she is!
 

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