Pros and cons.....
- Thread starter Timolgra
- Start date
QuickNick
Registered user
Has to be the 1100, in the best colour too. Are those 1150 handguards on there, are they better and do they fit easily?
They were already on when I got it but will fit straight on
The colour which I've always disliked is growing on me
I'm honestly in doubt both are better bikes than a £15k new GSA, the 1100 won't get any bling other than what's already fitted and that's part of it's attraction, smaller/easier to chuck around, pretty fast, 5th gear is a peach although the gearbox generally isn't and needs slightly slower/differently timed changes.
Then there's the build quality and paint, this 1100s not been particularly pampered but at 13 years old is in better condition than many 3yr old 1200s
, and I never liked the 5 speed box, much prefer the 6 speed on the 1150.
Ravenbyrne
Registered user
Got to be the 1150 for me, purely because the yellow one would clash with the colour of my eyes
Didn't know you were the proprietor of the much better 1200
Didn't know you were the proprietor of the much better 1200
Well if I could only keep one it's the 1150 hands down BUT for shorter days and smaller roads the 1100 comes out tops.
Lighter and lower I never felt intimidated about where I take it.
As easy to ride as an Africa Twin but better in every department
Guess I'm lucky, some folks work vehicle is a Transit or Mondeo this just my work tool, as a bonus it's great fun to ride and a serious contender for our Iceland trip
As for the colour....if it was my main bike, it'd have to be changed, as it is, it puts me in touch with my feminine side
but on the other hand I find it so easy to chuck around that I'm riding a tad too hard at times
Great iconic bike
Lighter and lower I never felt intimidated about where I take it.
As easy to ride as an Africa Twin but better in every department
Guess I'm lucky, some folks work vehicle is a Transit or Mondeo this just my work tool, as a bonus it's great fun to ride and a serious contender for our Iceland trip
As for the colour....if it was my main bike, it'd have to be changed, as it is, it puts me in touch with my feminine side
but on the other hand I find it so easy to chuck around that I'm riding a tad too hard at timesGreat iconic bike
Haven't you got a 1200 you can ride? ...............
Ha ha, they're just a joke of a bike to me
Your's is looking good GaryNice one Tim
All you need to do now is ditch the injection
so you have throttle control when you need it
I'm going to sweet talk Kenny into letting me have whiz on his, everything I've heard so far has been very positive.
In my opinion, the looks of the 1100 was just about perfect.
The exhaust and standard silencer, lovely. They spoiled it with the bland looking 1150 version.
The paralever, Chunky and functional looking. Spoiled it on the 1150 by making it shorter and contoured.
Footrest plates look right. I know they had their faults, but the 1150 ones look foreign to the design.
Screen, once again, black and designed for the bike, and personally I found it better than that slab of perspex on the 1150.
Seats, adventure seat is a joke. 1100, adjustable but lacking in comfort for the long run, but looks 'right'.
Only the beak (in my opinion) looks better on the 1150. 1100 beak was to long and skinny. Oh ... and the 1150 forks look better.
Best improvement, and what made me get the 1150, is the six speed box.
Look at the first photo with the two bikes. The 1100 looks 'right'. The 1150 adv looks 'busy and unflowing.
Then they totally fecked it up !!!!
The exhaust and standard silencer, lovely. They spoiled it with the bland looking 1150 version.
The paralever, Chunky and functional looking. Spoiled it on the 1150 by making it shorter and contoured.
Footrest plates look right. I know they had their faults, but the 1150 ones look foreign to the design.
Screen, once again, black and designed for the bike, and personally I found it better than that slab of perspex on the 1150.
Seats, adventure seat is a joke. 1100, adjustable but lacking in comfort for the long run, but looks 'right'.
Only the beak (in my opinion) looks better on the 1150. 1100 beak was to long and skinny. Oh ... and the 1150 forks look better.
Best improvement, and what made me get the 1150, is the six speed box.
Look at the first photo with the two bikes. The 1100 looks 'right'. The 1150 adv looks 'busy and unflowing.
Then they totally fecked it up !!!!
Spot on Den
12 years ago I thought the 1100 an ugly bike so bought my first 1150. It was the forks and beak which put me off.
I had always preferred the contoured 1150 paralever but now I have the 1100which looks more solid so doesn't bother me.
Even the old beak is ok, almost symbolic of the 1100, the 1100 on sale here with modified 1150 beak doesn't look right....but the jury's out on that.
So unless 'someone' puts a big red, plastic mudflap on the front it looks alright
It's hard to decide for me with the gearbox, 1100 seems to have more drive out of corners but is a bit clunky when rushed, my first 1150 had 'E' as 6th gear which was an overdrive so pretty useless 2 up with luggage unless you're over 80mph on a motorway.
The 1150SE gearbox is perfect with a low first gear.
Switch gear on the 1100 is shite with smaller buttons. A Jag was shifting into the fast lane the other day, where I was! I went for the horn but missed it! Luckily it was a hot day, his window was down and he heard me with about 2 foot to spare
The older style ribbed hand grips a bit like condoms give a much better feel than the skinny later ones.. Q grip puppies.
Both have bags of character, both great bikes
Everything Den says..................
I totally agree, I've had 3 1100's and really enjoyed them
The first one, I bought new in 1997 and did my first 35,000 miles of BMW motorcycling
I did zero mods, for me it was great straight from the crate - all i had was system panniers (metal boxes were just a speck on the horizon - TouraTech hadn't even been born, I don't think)
The 1100 was the best bike, just as you describe
I like the 1150Adv's, only because they are nearest to the power delivery and gearbox ratio's of the 1100's
I should have kept the 1100's, I guess
Lemon yellow - didn't work on Friday, so must be the 1150...
Well me not having the choice makes it easy but my 1100 does the job for me. I've ridden 1150's and 1200's which undoubtedly feel more pokey and have some refinements which could make the 11 feel dated but every time I ride my 1100, whether it's solo squirting around or two up fully loaded touring, it makes me smile and I stop wanting anything else.
Chrizm
Registered user
Here is my 1100 and I love it, had to do the beak job though, only thing I disliked about the look
Untitled by Chrizm2011, on Flickr
Untitled by Chrizm2011, on Flickr
Nice one Tim
All you need to do now is ditch the injection
so you have throttle control when you need it
Bimble along at less than 2 grand
1150 is perfectly comfy doing that too
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