1100/1150 vs 1200

[pip001]

After selling the gs1200 earlier this year and going back to a cbr 600 i think its not worked out how i thought it would.the 1200 was sold due to lack of time and money.the 1200 was superb.having a limited budget all i can afford is the 1100/ cheap1150.ive not ridden the earlier bikes,how do they compare
regards riding,reliability and such.im vertically challenged too so how do they compare hieght wise.can you lower them?thanks for the help.

pip

 

[fatbaldbob]

Personally Pip I think the 1150 is a better bike, I rented a 1200 for a week last year on a holiday to Austria and rode the alpine routes in Austria, Italy and Switzerland, by comparison to my 1150GSA it felt like it lacked torque and low down grunt, yes the 1200 was quicker but but you had to work harder at it, the 1150 is an easier lazier ride. Can't comment on 1100s, never had one. A well maintained 1150 is a good buy at the right price.

That said I've just switched to an F800GS

 

[STUBBS]

go for an 850 or an 1100 if you must

 

[Kenny]

Cough..may have a nice 1100 ( black engined 26,800 miler faster model with panniers for sale next week )

 

[Ash]

Cough..may have a nice 1100 ( black engined 26,800 miler faster model with panniers for sale next week )

and a very nice one it is too.
a real nice un.

 

[D6]

1150/1100, nearly the same, except ones got 5 gears, ones got 6,
if u want more performance, get a 12, personally i think they lack that bmv character
if u want decent performance, and the security of knowing u will get there, the 11xx series is hard to beat

 

[Bryn]

Started with an 1150, then went to an 1100, then an 1150 ADV and then a standard 1200

sold that yesterday and bought a very nice 1150 ADV


It has more.... prescence.......

I'd have considered a nice 1100 as well.... I just think the 11** 's have more character and will do everything the 12's will do

 

[Thunder]

Came into the GS range with a 1200, had 2 and when the Airhead bug bit moved to an 1150 GSA which I liked a lot, just recently picked up an 1100 and just think it's the dogs danglies, does exactly what I want, bags of character and the 5 speed gearbox I prefer to the 6 speed of the 1150.

As for seat height and lowering the 1100 is pretty low so you may not need to.

Good luck anyway

 

[sproggy]

Had an 1150 and a Blackbird, sold both to buy a 1200 (new) which I hated every day I rode it for 6 months (although the 2 test rides I did had seemed OK) and then had to be shot of it. Went to an 1100S then a Bandit 1250 and now I'm back with an 1150. I should never have sold that original one. As others have said, a far more rewarding bike to own and ride than a 1200 and with far more character. And, for me, the 1150 is far more comfortable - the 1200 gave me back pain after 20 minutes.

 

[techno]

Interesting...I am considering trading up (down?!) my '05 1150 ADV for a 1200 ADV - am I mad?

 

[Packer]

Interesting...I am considering trading up (down?!) my '05 1150 ADV for a 1200 ADV - am I mad?

From some of the posts above it would seem so. Then again I am slightly biassed.

 

[sproggy]

Interesting...I am considering trading up (down?!) my '05 1150 ADV for a 1200 ADV - am I mad?

In my personal opinion yes, you are mad to be trading down in that way. But that's just personal opinion like all the other opinions above. Plenty of people love their 1200s (crazy fools....) and the 1200 is undoubtedly a good bike as long as it's in warranty........

If you want efficiency go for a 1200. If you want a rewarding ownership experience stick with the 1150. Ride a 1200 for several hours, not just around the block. The best way is to hire one for a day and do a decent trip - it's money well spent. Only then will get you a real idea of what it's like. I did two 45 minute test rides and they weren't enough to prevent me making what turned out to be a very expensive mistake.

 

[luckylucian]

Had an 1150 for 3 years and have now run a 1200 for almost 3 years, mate still has an 1150. Rode them back to back and the 1200 does feel more flighty and light, the 1150 does feel more solid and less flickable tho' changing shocks would change that quite a bit for both bikes.

I'd have to say if you can find a good one, go for a 1200 - some are really cheap too

 

[GS TRV]

Interesting...I am considering trading up (down?!) my '05 1150 ADV for a 1200 ADV - am I mad?

yip - without a doubt

 

[John Armstrong]

Interesting...I am considering trading up (down?!) my '05 1150 ADV for a 1200 ADV - am I mad?

If you've had it more than a couple of years, then probably

 

[Onwalkabout]

Love my 1150 and having taken a 1200 for a test ride a couple of weeks back I love it twice as much. I was determined to like the 1200 but it did nothing for me.

That said I've just switched to an F800GS

The F800GS I also tried on the same day was a revelation. What a cracking bike. I had always written then off as the GS's little brother, but it is a completely different bike that deserves it's own label. It would need some mods for touring (a decent screen for a start), but brilliant fun.

I can see many more years of pleasure from my trusty 1150 (and if I can sneak one into the back shed without SHMBO noticing, an F800).

 

[pip001]

thanks for the replies.looks like a winter swop may be on the cards,just have to move the cbr on.would an 1100/1150 with the low seat be ok with a 28inch inside leg?. Bryn mate.it was my 1200 you brought

 

[FLASH]

Biased, moi? Never!
My 1100 can show a clean pair of heels to most everything down here on the roads what we rides, innit. I found the 1150 a tad sluggish by comparison and the 1200 is quick enough but a bit "flighty" as has already been said. OK, the 1100 doesn't have the legs down long straights but then again, I don't have any long straights Had some VERY quick riders down here last weekend of whom 2 were on 1200s, the 1100 could stay with them without any problem when they were leading and I could pull away if I were leading (to be fair I know the roads). The R1100GS? Fastest Machine in the Universe. And built like a brick errr... brick

 

[smartbear]

mistake

Biased, moi? Never!
My 1100 can show a clean pair of heels to most everything down here on the roads what we rides, innit. I found the 1150 a tad sluggish by comparison and the 1200 is quick enough but a bit "flighty" as has already been said. OK, the 1100 doesn't have the legs down long straights but then again, I don't have any long straights Had some VERY quick riders down here last weekend of whom 2 were on 1200s, the 1100 could stay with them without any problem when they were leading and I could pull away if I were leading (to be fair I know the roads). The R1100GS? Fastest Machine in the Universe. And built like a brick errr... brick

sounds like you are talking just about your riding skills to me,there is no argument at all-the 1200 is a faster bike,more hp,more torque,lower weight
it might not be better but its faster.

 

[John Armstrong]

,there is no argument at all-the 1200 is a faster bike,more hp,more torque,lower weight, it might not be better but its faster.

Faster, where?

On a trials circuit I bet a 100cc trials bike would thrash a 1200, easily, most of the time

On a bumpy road where having 100bhp is a hinderance compared to 60 that can all be used, the 1200 might not be faster there too.

99% of the time it's the size of the gonads or number of brain cells (ie lack of) that dictates which bike is "faster".