Which Engine??

[Packer]

A big advantage of the 1150 is that it doesn't have canbus wiring. This means that adding accessories, upgrading lights and troubleshooting when something goes wrong is a whole lot simpler.

I ran a late 2003 standard 1150GS for 96,000 miles. Only major issue was final drive which can be troublesome. Finally sorted by having Scriminger engineering do a full rebuild on it. That cost a few hundred pounds but less than the cost of a service on a 1600 BM.

1150 headlights are inadequate for night riding on unlit roads and definitely need upgrading to HID's or additional lights.

Lastly the late 1150GS (not GSA) had an overdrive 6th gear so it runs about 20mph/1,000 revs making long distance cruising very relaxed.

 

[tadhgocuilleain]

The big twins will return massive mileages if ridden with just a little mechanical sympathy and regular routine maintenance. I had an airhead RS100, it was replaced by my 1150 Adv - it had 337,000 miles on it when I sold it and it still fetched £1500. The heads had never been off, just routine maintenance.

The Adv has now got 105,000 miles on it - still on original suspension and clutch. Others fry their clutch at under 40,000 and knacker their suspension in the same sort of mileage. A couple of months ago I managed to ride from home to the top of Denmark in one hit, bar fuel stops, just under 1200 miles. Lashing with rain and blowing a gale all across Germany and the full length of of Denmark. From the Peak District to the ferry and the first part of the continent was fine.

Things that go wrong:
Wiring loom at the headstock. It gets over tightened at the factory. Most owners have cut the ties and retidied with slightly looser routing to avoid the wires breaking (the result if it isn't done)
Fuel pipe quick detatch couplings. If they are plasdtic, replace them with the metal ones. A later 1150 should have them done, apparently the factory did use metal ones in the later runs.
Stick coils - they corrode in the cylinder head. New ones easy enough to obtain, just bloody expensive (bit someone is bound to have found an alternative source at a more realistic price by now). If / when you replace them - treat the new ones to something to prevent them corroding. Paint with Hammerite or something - there has to be a treatment / idea out there that will help extend the life.
Fuel tank overflow - keep it cleared out by blowing up it GENTLY, to keep the crud and corruption out. Too much air pressure when doing it apprently blows the pipe off inside the tank. I have never suffered this, presumably because with my mechanical sympathy hat on again, I have not used excessive air pressure.

There are loads of smart fixes for the small niggles - you will find them in THE FONT OF ALL WISDOM section, or by trawling the 1150 Oilhead section.

I wouldn't get a 1200 if I were you - unless you wear orange trousers.....

King Rat covered nearly everything there about the 1150. Just to add to that, only the twin-spark has the stick-coils that fail and cause trouble. I've read/heard that a common reason they fail is from people trying to pull the plug lead (which contains the stick-coil) off the plug without the proper tool. This strains and cracks the coil. I have read about someone that replaced the stick coil with a standard coil (of the correct spec) and a standard plug lead. He mounted the coil somewhere under the tank to keep it protected.

ABS was optional on the 1150. The ones with ABS came in two versions: ABS II and EVO ABS. The single spark (99-02) had ABS II. The twin-spark (02-05) had EVO ABS, which was servo assisted. The EVO ABS servo is known to fail for no known reason. Some say annual brake fluid change helps prevent it, some say it's a lottery whether it fails or not. I'm not 100% sure if there was a crossover period where some of the single sparks had EVO ABS or twin-sparks had ABS II, but I don't think so.

You can tell a single spark from a twin spark by looking at the plastic cover over the spark plug. The single spark has an almost-straight cover on the cylinder head, like this:

Whereas the twin-spark has a spoon-shaped cover that doesn't go all the way across the cylinder head:

If you want to do your own maintenance, then I'd definitely be looking at an 1150. That was one of the things that attracted me to the 1150 over the 1200. The 1200 has a CAN bus, which makes messing with the electronics much harder. It's generally considered that 2002 was the best year for the 1150 because it was the last of single-spark, ABS II versions. Of course, there's nothing wrong with an older one than 2002, it's just older. Having said that, I still bought myself a 2005 GS Adventure with stick-coils and servo brakes.

I hope that helps.

Tim.

 

[DeuceBG]

Thanks again everyone, this Subscription is already proving its Worth.
The particular Bike I'm going to look at later today is an 03 Twin Spark with the ABS already disconnected.
It has a provable 34k Miles and has a few Extras to boot.
Hoping it's going to be a good one.
What should I be paying does everyone think?

 

[Colm Cummins]

'At 6'4" Tall and 19st, I need a big Bike'.


you need an Adventure, IMHO

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Get an Adv
You'll only regret if you buy the normal GS

 

[DeuceBG]

Get an Adv
You'll only regret if you buy the normal GS

There's not much difference physically is there?

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

There's not much difference physically is there?

I'm 6'4' I'm 16 stone.

I've had both a Gs and a gsa. I prefer the Gs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DeuceBG]

I'm 6'4' I'm 16 stone.

I've had both a Gs and a gsa. I prefer the Gs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Interesting, why is that?

 

[DeuceBG]

Looks very interesting, is it now back in Ireland?
What's involved in transferring to UK Plate, or can it be used over here as is?

 

[luke scott]

Looks very interesting, is it now back in Ireland?
What's involved in transferring to UK Plate, or can it be used over here as is?

Yes its here in Dublin, 20 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the ferry port for the return journey. You would need to change to a UK reg, apparently not a big deal according to previous buyers of my bikes. Others here will tell you how.

 

[tadhgocuilleain]

There's not much difference physically is there?

The Adventure is a slightly taller bike and a little heavier. It also has a few extras over the GS, including braided brake and clutch lines, crash bars and a sump guard. Even if you don't intend to off-road the bike at all, I think these things will help keep the bike in good fettle for longer, especially the braided hoses as the rubber ones perish with time.

I'd only chose a GS over a GS Adventure if the height and weight was an issue for you, which it wouldn't be at your height and you don't intend to off-road, so the weight shouldn't be an issue either.

It's all opinion, of course.

 

[Grim Rider]

Only thing i would add is that if you are going to ride an 1150GS for the first time and have been used to newer bikes be prepared for it to feel bloody awful to start with - it will vibrate and clatter like a cement mixer compared to more modern machines. You will need a good test ride before the very real charms of an 1150 become apparent. I say this having got back on mine after a three month lay off when I have been riding a 2014 Honda - the GS felt strange at first, and I have done 100,000 miles on it!

Otherwise, over the past seven years I have ridden lots of other similar but new bikes including 1200GSs, Stevio, Explorer etc.as always been glad to get back on my 1150.

 

[Steptoe]

Just to add to that, only the twin-spark has the stick-coils that fail and cause trouble. I've read/heard that a common reason they fail is from people trying to pull the plug lead (which contains the stick-coil) off the plug without the proper tool. This strains and cracks the coil. .

Rubbish. They fail because they're a crap design. Hence why BMW has changed supplier and re-designed them three time over the years.


The latest type seem to be more robust and i haven't seen any failures of those type since they've been out.

 

[DutchBryn]

Rubbish. They fail because they're a crap design. Hence why BMW has changed supplier and re-designed them three time over the years.


The latest type seem to be more robust and i haven't seen any failures of those type since they've been out.

Bah Humbug!!

 

[DeuceBG]

Only thing i would add is that if you are going to ride an 1150GS for the first time and have been used to newer bikes be prepared for it to feel bloody awful to start with - it will vibrate and clatter like a cement mixer compared to more modern machines. You will need a good test ride before the very real charms of an 1150 become apparent. I say this having got back on mine after a three month lay off when I have been riding a 2014 Honda - the GS felt strange at first, and I have done 100,000 miles on it!

Otherwise, over the past seven years I have ridden lots of other similar but new bikes including 1200GSs, Stevio, Explorer etc.as always been glad to get back on my 1150.

Thanks for your Input, I'm expecting something of "An Experience" first time out!!

 

[DeuceBG]

Can anyone tell me anything about this particular Bike please?
Obviously formerly owned by a Member on here somewhere....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151876206161?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[DeuceBG]

Does anyone know if a Mag Alloy Front Wheel from a 2002-2003 1150 RT will slot straight into a 2003 1150 GS please?

 

[tadhgocuilleain]

As far as I know, it's not a straight swap. I think there's a bit of bodging to the brake calipers required. Do a search. I've seen at least one thread by someone who has done it.

 

[DeuceBG]

As far as I know, it's not a straight swap. I think there's a bit of bodging to the brake calipers required. Do a search. I've seen at least one thread by someone who has done it.

Thanks I'll take a look through the various Threads, see what they throw up.

 

[King Rat]

Can anyone tell me anything about this particular Bike please?
Obviously formerly owned by a Member on here somewhere....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151876206161?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Looks very nicely prepared. I think it is the same one they were offering at £6500 a few months ago........Used to use Church Stretton Motorcycles for some classic bikes for Classic Bike Guide, back in the days when it was owned/published by Myatt McFarlane Publishing. Good guys and good roads on the doorstep.