Which Yellow 1200 GS?

[Pie Man]

Guys

New here looking to buy a GS, BUT my friend who has one and is selling it (1150) and has given me horror stories about the 1200's

So can someone tell me all about the pros and cons of the 1200, and the electrical and brake problems, when and what the changes were in what year and which the best one to go for is.

OK post 1.. totally random.. But hello anyway

 

[D6]

hello,i got the 1150,iv heard horror stories of the 1200,s but for every bad un you hear about, theres probably a 100 good uns you dont hear about!must say tho,i kept my 1150 cos i do my own maint an recon i got a better chance or repairing the elelctrics if owt goes wrong,im a big lad so the xtra wieght dnt bother me,plus i think the 12,s look a bit japanese?(thatl cause an argument)

 

[Pie Man]

Thanks, it is what I thought

.......look a bit japanese?(thatl cause an argument)

I got an Italian bike, so style is not missing from the stable

 

[Bryn]

Guys

New here looking to buy a GS, BUT my friend who has one and is selling it (1150) and has given me horror stories about the 1200's

So can someone tell me all about the pros and cons of the 1200, and the electrical and brake problems, when and what the changes were in what year and which the best one to go for is.

OK post 1.. totally random.. But hello anyway

Hi Pie Man Welcome to the site... You'll find on here lots of friendly banter extolling the virtues of one model over the other, but the overriding fact is that the 1100,1150 and 1200 in all versions are very accomplished machines...

You'll find faults with all of them.. If its a 1200 you want go do it.. The problem is that sites like ukgser may emphasise a particular problem however small due the number of enthusiasts making comment...

There's just as many happy and content 1200 owners as there are older models...

sit down with a cup of tea (or something stronger) and browse the different sections to get a feel for the place...You should find all the info you need doing this

Bryn

 

[John Armstrong]

New here looking to buy a GS, BUT my friend who has one and is selling it (1150) and has given me horror stories about the 1200's

He isn't a salesman by any chance

Buy the best you can afford, and the 1150 has plenty of technology that you wouldn't be able to get fixed in outer mongolia. IMHO the dinosaurs aka 80 and 100GS's can be fixed by your local blacksmith, the 1100 and 1150 by a very clever blacksmith, and the 1200 by a blacksmith with specialist test equipment. Also, the older the bike, the easier to bodge a get you home fix.

All the above IMHO.

 

[Yellow Peril]

Best thing is go and test ride them and then make your own mind up which you prefer, 1100, 1150 & 1200 have there own particular problems.

 

[Big Lee]

I`ve had a yellow 12 from new for the past 3 & a bit years and its great IMO buy a 1 owner bike thats been loved for a couple of years & you probably won`t get a lemon then
Try a 1150 before buying a 12 then you can be sure you`ve done the right thing as some on here could even make a saint think twice about his decision if he hadn`t seen the light and knew what path to take

Be sure to factor in an extra £1k at least for buying farkles

 

[luckylucian]

Yup, same here. Go out and ride them, preferably back to back, my 1150 had more warranty problems than my 1200 so I'm a bit blase about the 1200 horror stories

 

[Hawk]

Thanks, it is what I thought

I got an Italian bike, so style is not missing from the stable

You'll be used to unreliability issues then

For me two big things stood out, 230 or 199 kgs and 85 or 100bhp.
As I'm only 5'7" these were major deciding factors rather then any relaibility issues (you'll always hear about the horror stories but hardly ever about the reverse).

Pain in the ar$e owning my 12 as it's always wanting to go out

 

[GSmonkey]

They both break down, corrode and cost a lot of money to run. The 1200GS is however more powerful and lighter. Take a test ride and make up your mind.