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  #1  
Old 11 Oct 2010
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Much difference between 1100gs and 1150gs

Hi all, i have had an 1100gs. To be honest i was not impressed. High first gear, clunky gearbox. I know they all do. Bit of surging as it got hotter, and that was after being serviced. Perhaps i should have given it more time.
The question is, was the 1150 a gig improvement over the 1100. I am tempted to try another one on your advice people. Price has dropped on all bikes so i may be able to afford one. I remember the 1150 adventure had a different first gear not sure on just the 1150.
Help appreciated
atb Floyd
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  #2  
Old 11 Oct 2010
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1150's are 6-speed rather than the 1100's 5 speed.

Most 1150's have the overdrive 6th gear (approx 20mph per 1,000rpm or 80mph @ 4,000rpm). Some, like mine, have the lower Adventure 6th gear (18mph per 1,000rom or 72mph @ 4,000rpm). Closer ratio overall than the 1100 regardless.

Adventures have low 1st & 6th gears. There's a code on the outside of the gearboxes that corresponds to the internal gearing. Gearboxes can come in black or silver to match the engine paint.

The subframe mount to the top of the gearbox is a lot stronger on the 1150 than the 1100, it's incorporates the peg mounts but they can still break if landed hard enough after a jump.

Final drives are interchangeable but gearboxes are not due to spline & subframe mount differences.

Instrumentation & switchgear are improved on the 1150, headlights are still not great, easily remedied with a HID kit.

Later 1150's with ABS have servo brakes, personally I can't stand them. Avoid if venturing on an RTW trip as you'll be left with residual (40%?) braking if the servo fails. With regular ABS, the brakes work fine if the ABS fails. On an RTW trip or similar, I'd opt for a non-ABS bike & use the space beneath the tank that housed the ABS pump to locate the HID ballasts etc (as I've already done).

Panniers & rails are interchangeable between the two models, as the seats & wheels (check ABS ring compaability, they varied between 1150's).
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Old 16 Oct 2010
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A big difference is the righthand gearbox mounting lug on the 1100 is at 90 degrees to the one on the left and if the bike is heavily loaded on rough roads can break. I have only met one person who this has happened to and stiffening plates are available from touratech which should alleviate the problem.
You can also buy an engine fault code reader for the 1100 which is not expensive but I believe does not work on the 1150.
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Old 20 Oct 2010
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I currently ride a 1995 R1100gs and find it very good overall: Durable, economical and very reliable.
I like the gearing for Thailand roads. I've gotten used to the slight surging.

The only 1150 I'd go for might be a 2004 GSA with the twin spark heads.
The 6 speed trans might be nice if you ride 4 lane hwy much.

If someone offered me the choice between a 1999 r1100GS(the last year of production) and a 2000 R1150GS(the first year of production) I'd likely choose the R1100gs.
With the TT hard part and regular spline lubes the 1100gs is a very reliable machine.
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Old 28 Oct 2010
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everyone bangs on about the surging on the 1100- fit Brisc plugs from Czech; end of problem. And if you still have the standard exhaust, bin it and fit a Remus- the difference is unbelievable
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Old 28 Oct 2010
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50. Right? Momma didn't raise no dummy.
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Old 19 Nov 2010
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I have a 2000 R1150GS,

They only fault I can say it has is that the first gear is too high and you have to ride the clutch off on uphill starts, especially loaded up (which is pretty much always with us). The throttle seems to need a considerable twist as you take off, wind it on to where you think it should be and it will stall and probably spit you off if you are not paying attention (haooended to me the other night as I was creeping up a hill with wife, trailer and a big load, trying to catch the lights before I had to stop. Coughed and spat us off!

My bike before the GS was a ZRX1200R. Engine size was about the same, but chalk and cheese! The ZRX didn't give a stuff what gear you were in, twist the throttle and you were away! The 1150 demands that you are in the right gear all the time. ZRX? turn the throttle on about 1cm, let clutch out, drive away, GS? Wind throttle on, let clutch out gradually whicle applying power and twist the throttle about three times as far as the ZRX. The big Kwaka is so much easier to ride, especially in traffic. Now, if I could get the luggage, etc of the BM with the grunt and no fuss engine of the ZRX, man that would be a bike. After the ZRX, the BM feels like a 600cc bike. Rides nice, handles well, etc, etc, but I sure miss that easy going always available grunt.

There are a lot of 1100 and 1150GS bikes in the BMW club I belong to, they are one of the most popular model/s there. Some have done incredible mileage. Mine at 146,000 Kms is pretty junior.
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  #8  
Old 18 Dec 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snowymountainsmick View Post
They only fault I can say it has is that the first gear is too high and you have to ride the clutch off on uphill starts, especially loaded up (which is pretty much always with us). The throttle seems to need a considerable twist as you take off, wind it on to where you think it should be and it will stall and probably spit you off if you are not paying attention (haooended to me the other night as I was creeping up a hill with wife, trailer and a big load, trying to catch the lights before I had to stop. Coughed and spat us off!

My bike before the GS was a ZRX1200R. Engine size was about the same, but chalk and cheese! The ZRX didn't give a stuff what gear you were in, twist the throttle and you were away! The 1150 demands that you are in the right gear all the time. ZRX? turn the throttle on about 1cm, let clutch out, drive away, GS? Wind throttle on, let clutch out gradually whicle applying power and twist the throttle about three times as far as the ZRX. The big Kwaka is so much easier to ride, especially in traffic. Now, if I could get the luggage, etc of the BM with the grunt and no fuss engine of the ZRX, man that would be a bike. After the ZRX, the BM feels like a 600cc bike. Rides nice, handles well, etc, etc, but I sure miss that easy going always available grunt.

There are a lot of 1100 and 1150GS bikes in the BMW club I belong to, they are one of the most popular model/s there. Some have done incredible mileage. Mine at 146,000 Kms is pretty junior.
I can't believe we have the same bike!, Mine is a 2001 1150 and has more grunt than I can shake a stick at. Having owned a few 600's beforehand I cant accept this comparison. Two up, fully loaded, mine pulls like a train, regardless of what gear I'm in, (though the correct gear is better) but the point is.... It Pulls.. and some.
My son has a 1100, and the only difference in the real world is the extra gear mine has (overdrive on my bike) which makes for more relaxed cruising on very long journeys.
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  #9  
Old 6 Aug 2013
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drive

im on a gs1150 ,2001, love it ! but to do green laning is geared too highly , coming down big hills , and hill starting can be funny ". im planning on a set ofn big bad knobbly tyres at some point in the future !!!. after much deliberation . im planning a gs 1100 diff, as it gives 3 revaluations to one back wheel that's down by two, should bring it down to a manageable slow speed f0or off road. but being in 6th should be fine as it was to high gearing anyway, so mpg should still be good.

I will keep you posted guys , jim swanmsea
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