Both pretty big bikes
In 20 years the 1300 has moved the game on, significantly
In 20 years the 1300 has moved the game on, significantly
1300 GSA v 1150 GSA
- Thread starter JohnnyBoxer
- Start date
Both fantastic machine's 
but will the 1300 still be working in 20 years time ?
Martin GSA UK
Registered user
Yes, no doubt about that.
Interesting how the 1300 carries its bulk lower. Even the side cases.
Interesting how the 1300 carries its bulk lower. Even the side cases.
Topbox looks higher
That's a very good point
Yes it certainly feels lighter than the 1150
I swapped my Norton 961 for JimG's 1150 when out on a run yesterday. My distance bike now the 1300RT, which I like very much, but being back on the 1150 put a smile on my face. I could have filled up the tank, put the sheepskin seat on it, dropped the footrests to suit my legs and headed off to Italy and the Dolomites as we did for years. Great bikes them 1150's.
I’m sure the 1300 is a superb bit of kit in every way and a huge advance over the 1150 BUT all the electronics will go wrong at some stage and you ain’t gonna be able to fix it very easily or cheaply.
The likes of people like Steptoe and Mikeyboy won’t be able to access the bikes brains to diagnose faults. Well possibly but at what outlay on electronic kit? I really can’t see them spending tens of thousands of pounds to buy it then an annual fee to subscribe to the BMW database etc…. It won’t happen. Main dealers only. Maybe one or two specialists will do it but not many.
While they’re still under warranty they’ll be great, but 5 or 10 years down the line they’ll start to get too expensive to fix. How much would it cost to replace all that uppy, downy clever suspension? Thousands.
A bit like buying a second hand EV it’ll be a massive gamble on the 2nd, 3rd owners as to copping a massive repair bill.
No, not for me I’m afraid.
The 1150 was never a pretty bike but the 1300 is fugly!
The likes of people like Steptoe and Mikeyboy won’t be able to access the bikes brains to diagnose faults. Well possibly but at what outlay on electronic kit? I really can’t see them spending tens of thousands of pounds to buy it then an annual fee to subscribe to the BMW database etc…. It won’t happen. Main dealers only. Maybe one or two specialists will do it but not many.
While they’re still under warranty they’ll be great, but 5 or 10 years down the line they’ll start to get too expensive to fix. How much would it cost to replace all that uppy, downy clever suspension? Thousands.
A bit like buying a second hand EV it’ll be a massive gamble on the 2nd, 3rd owners as to copping a massive repair bill.
No, not for me I’m afraid.
The 1150 was never a pretty bike but the 1300 is fugly!
Just been away to the top of Scotland for a few days
Bikes:
BMW K1600GT
BMW R1300RS
BMW S1000XR
Kawasaki 1100SX
All nearly new
And - an early R1150GS
Which at no point had any issues at all keeping up or leading the way on Scotland's finest roads.
Legend of a bike.
One small caveat. It was running a bit rich so if you followed it for a few miles you could feel a bit
Bikes:
BMW K1600GT
BMW R1300RS
BMW S1000XR
Kawasaki 1100SX
All nearly new
And - an early R1150GS
Which at no point had any issues at all keeping up or leading the way on Scotland's finest roads.
Legend of a bike.
One small caveat. It was running a bit rich so if you followed it for a few miles you could feel a bit
Was it running a Y Piece by chance ?One small caveat. It was running a bit rich so if you followed it for a few miles you could feel a bit
The 1300 GSA is noticeably better quality and better screwed together than the 1200 for not a whole lot more than my 1200 cost me 8 years ago. I never had the 1250, but I imagine it was similar to the 1200 as far as dressing went. There's very little plastic on it, it's all steel and aluminium (tank).
My 1200 never gave me any issues in the 8 years I had it and it had plenty of electronics. Having said that, it never saw a pressure washer or salt and it lived in a dry underground garage all it's life, albeit on the coast. It's also true that mine was one of the last of the 1200s and very sorted.
In Spain these now come with a 5 year full BMW warranty because it's one of the few ways they can compete with the TEMU machines. I don't know if it's the same in the UK. If there's anything inherently wrong with the electronics or the hardware, then there will either be a recall (which makes a warranty academic), or it will likely show in that time. If not, well, yeah, it's a few grand for something big like the Adaptive Ride Height (ARH) or the suspension as a whole. But do you know what? It'll be worth fixing.
The simple fact is you cannot buy a new machine without a full suite of electronics these days. It wouldn't get past emissions controls for a start. You don't have to have the ARH either.
However, I think if I'm really honest, if I were to take any one of the two into a desert or across continents, or around the world, I'd take a an 1150.
My 1200 never gave me any issues in the 8 years I had it and it had plenty of electronics. Having said that, it never saw a pressure washer or salt and it lived in a dry underground garage all it's life, albeit on the coast. It's also true that mine was one of the last of the 1200s and very sorted.
In Spain these now come with a 5 year full BMW warranty because it's one of the few ways they can compete with the TEMU machines. I don't know if it's the same in the UK. If there's anything inherently wrong with the electronics or the hardware, then there will either be a recall (which makes a warranty academic), or it will likely show in that time. If not, well, yeah, it's a few grand for something big like the Adaptive Ride Height (ARH) or the suspension as a whole. But do you know what? It'll be worth fixing.
The simple fact is you cannot buy a new machine without a full suite of electronics these days. It wouldn't get past emissions controls for a start. You don't have to have the ARH either.
However, I think if I'm really honest, if I were to take any one of the two into a desert or across continents, or around the world, I'd take a an 1150.
Yes !
No cat
Classic
Moto Bikemad
Registered user
With the complex nature of any GS after the 1150,
it would be the only one to take too far of the beaten track.
As with electric cars best to lease and give back before it gets very expensive to fix.
it would be the only one to take too far of the beaten track.
As with electric cars best to lease and give back before it gets very expensive to fix.
..........yes but BMW had already reached the pinacol of large tank adventure bikes 35+ years ago
Not in terms of chassis/suspension and brakes..........yes but BMW had already reached the pinacol of large tank adventure bikes 35+ years ago
View attachment 504749
They didn’t
Oil heads in 1994 were a massive leap forwards in terms of power and chassis performance and braking, over all the previous airheads
Had them all - 1150's way too heavy and complicated 
Out on the PD this morning
Out on the PD this morning
Not really complicated compared to your KTM ‘sHad them all - 1150's way too heavy and complicated
Out on the PD this morning
View attachment 504773
The 100 PD is a dinosaur without brakes or handling
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