Much as I'd love it to be the case that most of my miles would be long-distance touring around dry & sunny Europe, it'll be mostly be commuting, fun spins, and hopefully an annual spin around Europe.
So maybe the 1100's 5-speed would be fine.
I agree that the 1150GSA looks great (particularly the black/yellow and white/blue colours), and the 1150GS better than the 1100GS, but at 47, and with plenty of miles up on a variety of bikes, the looks now come after the functional suitability for my use.
So one additional aspect of the 1100 over the 1150 (in my own personal context) would be the 700w standard alternator vs the 1150's 560w standard unit. I wonder how many 1150GSs are out there that have the optional 700w upgrade alternator? How would a prospective buyer be able to tell which alternator an 1150 had fitted?
For me, I suspect my purchase will be dictated by what's available out there when my coffers have built up, rather than what I might prefer. In fairness, that's a unicorn - a non-servo ABS 1150 with a cable-operated clutch and a 700w alternator, with no transmission spline issues, an upgraded never-fail-again HES, fitted with engine bars, LED spots & fogs, Wunderlich seats, Zega Pro2 panniers,
MotorWorks final drive bevel bearing replacement... and... and... and...
With no hands-on experience of either model, this is all academic for me at this point - I'm sure I'll be happy with either an 1100 or an 1150.
The reason I'm so pedantic on one vs the other is that I typically keep my bikes (& cars) for a long time, often till their death. So I'd like to get the GS best suited for my preferences first time round. Of course, there'd be no harm if I did have to change, but I'd be getting the bike kitted out to my own preferences, and it'd be disappointing to dump cash into a bike that I'd end up moving on.
So frustrating to see good bikes up for sale when your funds just ain't sorted...