R100GS vs R11x0GS

Sgt Pepper

Sgt Pepper

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I currently own a R1100GS 75th Anniversary which I love riding, the amazing handling and power delivery just make for such a complete bike.....BUT...its reliability has been very poor. 1 base and 3 head gaskets, a new differential, new fork seals and final drive shaft seals on a bike with less than 13,000 miles is not funny, especially as most of the work was done outside of warrenty, although BMW did cover about 40% of cost of differential.

Anyway, the main reason for this thread is that I'm currently seriously considering doing an RTW in the next year/18 months and want to decide which bike to use in the next month or so. As you can see, I love the 1100GS for drivability but am not confident of its reliability, and I understand it to be particulary heavy in the sand and mud. Like most people, I need to consider my budget carefully and don't necessarily want to buy a new Adventure for example, if an R100GS suitably attired will do the job as well, or better. My main question, ...finally getting there, what experience have any of you of the two bikes in comparison please ? I would be looking at a paralever. The partiulcar areas of interest are handling, power, ease of repair and parts availability. Although any other considerations gratefully received.
Thanks.:banghead:
 
hello there and welcome to the club...

i also am toying with the idea of doing the same thing... with the same question marks over bikes, and bought an r1150gs. i really love the machine but frankly i personally think i made a mistake and should've gone down the airhead route for a RTW. at the end of the day it's entirely up to you - both bikes will easily do it, but the oilhead will be much more of a pain-in-the-arse (read: wallet) if things go wrong. not only that but i like my 1150 so much that i'm frightened to damage it in any way while travelling which i wouldn't be with an older airhead!!

the other thing that you must consider is carnets. for a RTW trip you'll need one big fat mother of a 'Carnet de Passages en Douane', which will cost you up to 600% of the value of your bike. if that bike is a spanking new BM, you're looking at re-mortgage/national lottery -type money.

here's a couple of links that you may find useful

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tripplan/paper/index.shtml#CarnetExplain

top-notch biker-round-the-world site

http://www.gooseontheloose.com/

and a couple who did it on a 1100gs, great site too.

hope some of this helps,

pr0ne
 
Yes it does help-Thanks. It's again reminded me of the financial considerations which I'm still preferring to brush under the carnet. The main thing I'm still trying to get my mind around is the change of perspective that will happen when living on the road, ...... and trying to embrace it now. I can relate to your comment about dropping your bike, you "know" it's going to happen !!
 
R100 vs R11xx

I had in the past for 5 years a R100PD. 70k, no problems, took me anywere any weather, any conditions. Including daily conmuting into the jungle (C.London) and back home (Surrey)
Europe, off road etc.

Now I ride a 1100 identical to yours (75th Ann). 35k no problems, took me anywere any weather, any conditions. Including daily conmuting into the jungle (C.London) and back home (Surrey)
Surprised about lack of reliability on yours. Mine never let me down.

Which one I would take? Uhmmm. Dificult question. Probably the eleven if not because of the superior handling, brakes, power.
But then the 100 is smaller, lighter (?) Cheaper.
But the eleven is simpler. yes it is. No carbs, proper alternator, better electrics.

Also, since the last 100 left production many years ago, is no easy to find a good one for the job.
 
r100gs

hi chaps
if your going r100 gs route there are things which go change the driveshaft to ecric dermant one the gearbox start with new bearing, learn how to change gearbox output seal yourself their always going change the wire between dieode board and starter motor with a thicker one .
I have just rebuilt mine from the ground upwards if you need any more advice drop us a line or come to enysford for a pint

cheers nobby
 
Re: r100gs

nobby said:
hi chaps
if your going r100 gs route there are things which go change the driveshaft to ecric dermant one the gearbox start with new bearing, learn how to change gearbox output seal yourself their always going change the wire between dieode board and starter motor with a thicker one .
I have just rebuilt mine from the ground upwards if you need any more advice drop us a line or come to enysford for a pint

cheers nobby
Click to expand...

*lol* someone steal your punctuation? :D
 
I'll hopefully be doing an RTW in the next two years.only thing holding me back is money.However it doesnt matter how much I like my 1150,and how good it would be for 70% of the time,I want to go with an xt600.I dont want to sell the gs so if I cant afford an xt wen the time comes ,it might be the gs that does the trip.
 
Yosi, thanks for your insights.!? I would have thought the injection/electronics would have made the 1100 a greater risk, carbs being more mechnical etc and easier to make a temporary fix for in an emergency, or am I missing something here ?


Nobby, Thanks for your offer of advice should I go the R100 route.


At the moment, the 'Carnet de Passages en Douane' is more likely to be the deciding factor as it has such a huge impact on the amount of capital necessary to make the trip and it is a lot to lose if things go pear-shaped. i.e your bike is stolen and, presumeably, you can't prove it. I haven't got to the bottom of this particular barrel yet as there is so much advice flying around it is hard to see what is the best course for the Carnet. If anybody has recent experience of arranging one(s), I would be appreciative. I've looked at the Horizons Unlimited web site, and discovered that what looked to be the favoured method, through ADAC (German RAC/AA), has now apprently been stopped for non-nationals.:eyebrow
 
Did a RTW last year, on a Triumph Speed Triple!!
Anyway, Carnet, VERY simple at the end of the day, no need to let it get in your way.

Contact Sue Collins at the RAC, she will keep you straight, sjcollins@rac.co.uk

You need to provide a valuation for your bike, make it low as reasonably possible, I valued my Triumph at 3500 , it was probably really worth 5500 at the start of the trip.

Next the RAC require some sort of guarantee that they can get their money back in the event of a claim made on the carnet, eg your bike is stolen and you can't satisfy customs in some country that you haven't sold it and doing a runner without paying duty.

Guarantee can be one of 3 options, to the value of twice your bike value I think.

1. Lodge sum of money with RAC until your return, don't think anyone does this.
2. Get your bank to gaurantee the RAC that you have sufficient funds to cover any costs the RAC may incur. This is bascially free but you need the money in the bank!
3. Insurance policy, RAC will tell you who to arrange it through. Cost me 700 quid premium, half of which was refunded on my return. Easy!!

Cheers,
Matt
 
Have never done a RTW. But the R100GS is pretty simple and low cost, if you crash it it isn´t going to cost you lots of money and not even Kenny is going to nick it.

You do need to make sure some parts are new, and that some are modified (easy to find out which on this board) but it seems to be the bike of choice.

look at:

http://www.adventure-motorcycling.com

Chris Scott has looked at all the options. The only thing is finding one! They are cracking bikes though - mine now it has WP fork springs, new shcok,exhaust gearbox bearings, starter motor, bar raisers and peg lowers is really good. And they handle very well.

I suspect that you can do a RTW on whatever - you just adapt to what you have. good luck

bob
 
RTGLOBE said:
I currently own a R1100GS 75th Anniversary which I love riding, the amazing handling and power delivery just make for such a complete bike.....BUT...its reliability has been very poor. 1 base and 3 head gaskets, a new differential, new fork seals and final drive shaft seals on a bike with less than 13,000 miles is not funny,
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need to try a Triumph Tiger mate. Please refer to the GS verses 955i TIGER thread.
 
Personally I'd try to get hold of an "R80GS mono". although they're getting on a bit now, they do genuinely go on for ever. They were built when BMW built bikes to last. Not to a price. Spares shouldn't be a problem because a lot of 3rd world countries police forces use or used R80's in some form or other.
 
RTW bike

I personally would avoid the high tech bikes - they are very reliable but if they are going to go wrong they're bound do it somewhere remote where no one has ever seen one before.

A while back, we went from the UK to Cape Town two up with 90kg of luggage on an R100GS. Only modifications were to remove the oil cooler (bad idea - recommended by Bracken) and fit a WP shock. Only problems we had in Africa were a broken alternator in Namibia but still used the bike for 10 days whilst waiting for the new bit to arrive from SA.,and a wrecked rear tyre in Malawi - they don't have 17 inch tyres in Malawi so again had to get one flown in from SA. The bike now has tubed tyres which is better if you expect to be fixing punctures at the road side.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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