That's gonna be the plan I think Jay take one of those out then the 390 adv still keep looking at that one as its a similar hp to my rd350lc that I love from a road bike perspective. Read that the 390 has quite a tight standing up position though guessing bar risers an different bars could fix that.

My dad keeps quoting all the things I whinged about when I was running my 1200gsa te haha! At the lower end of my budget though it is between an 1150 an a himmy. With the ktms being up near 5.5k then needing a screen etc could quickly be at 6k. If im honest with myself I never speed total stickler for it just nice to have a bit of poke between the bends.

The 1150 is capable of "technical stuff". Just don't expect it to keep up with a KTM single, unless you reaaaally know what you're doing.

In an effort, not to sway your choice, but rather give you a clear idea of what is possible, I rode loose gravel and stones, sand, a bit of mud and lots of corrugated dirt, two-up and and it only low-sided, at low speeds, twice. Both on sand.

This was on TKC80s, the whole time.

And I am crap at off-road!

My point, is it will do all of those things and will be very pleasant on paved roads, with all the torque you could need.

Thanks warthog I was saying to dad last night the 1150 seems to tick every box of what I fancy in a bike found myself looking at the old airheads to although I think they might be outta my price range.

good to hear what you managed to do on yours I'm rubbish off road also so tend to just cruise an take in the scenery a bit more :) with some light off road as I'd love to be able to learn to do it like some of the gravel roads I've been seeing in Iceland on videos an grow from there in my adv riding.

Pretty sure I've ruled the Ktm out now.

I got bored last night an did a few comparisons last night know spec isn't the be all an end all but was interesting.

Did you have a single spark or twin spark warthog?

R1150gsa
Wet weight 258 kg
Hp 85 torque 98nm
0-60 4.9sec
0.149 hp/lb

R80 G/S
Wet weight kg 186 wet
Hp 50 hp 56nm
0-60 5.6sec
0.122 hp/lb

RE Himalayan
Wet weight kg 194 wet
Hp 24.5 torque 32nm
0-60 12.27 sec
0.057 hp/lb

Ktm 390 adventure
Wet weight 172 kg
HP 44 torque 47nm
0-60 6.01 secs
0.116 hp/lb

Mine was 2001, non-ABS, single-spark.

Without wanting to throw a spanner in the works, which other bikes have you considered?

Was the OP the only list or a short list?

There are V-strom 650s, Vstrom 1000s, Transalp 700s, Varaderos to mention a few: all sorts. Then there are the Tenere 660s, the 700s, the BMW 650 Rotax bikes.

Many may be newer than the 1150, and cheaper too. Not to mention lighter whilst still suiting a taller rider.

Open to all suggestions tbh mate :)

I guess the op was my initial jumping off list I did have the800gs which is something I don't quite fancy revisiting same with the vstrom 1000 great bikes but Ive had them.

Would love the t7 but its outta my price range ideally thinking under 4.5k seen a few 1150gsa's with full bm luggage 60k on the clock an mint go for 3k repeatedly over the past few weeks including one with a clutch an clutch slave done factory none abs for 3.5k i think it was from memory with full bmw luggage. All around the 50-60k miles mark. Then I could always buy new gs shocks to lower a gsa that way I'm gaining the fuel range but gaining the lower height as well

I'd love an r80 but am aware of going a little to old bike wise saw a few 1989 r80s an r100gs just outta my price range. Nothing seems as sweet as the r80's hp weight engine configuration an a shaft drive thats made modern

I guess thats why the Himalayan came into thought with those old school looks but being new an a simple design as well. Grown really used to my Norton's an light weight rd250lcs over the past year or so although ive been on a few bigger bikes still blade etc.

1150 rcommendation
 

Hi
I thought I might be able to give some insight to the 1150. I had a 2003 1150 (without ABS). I rode the bike from Southern California to Alaska and back (no reliability problems at all). Then I traveled to Central and South America. I was solo for most of the trips and I traveled quite a bit on gravel roads although it was not the plan. The bike is quite heavy and for me a least was a handful on bad roads.

The reliability issues I experienced are losing a front hydraulic brake line and a hall sensor in Honduras. The bike had about 93,000 miles on it at that time.

I did have a few other problems but they were the result of several crashes in the mountains of Honduras and Columbia. By and large they were not serious and I continued on until I could get skilled help. I took advantage of a BMW dealer in Costa Rica and a good mechanic Ecuador.

The 1150 is a heavy but very comfortable bike for long travels. It can carry a good load and has no problem with reasonable gravel roads. The gas mileage for mine at least was not too good, High 30s to low 40s mpg. (My mileage on my 2010 1200 GS runs in the high 40's to low 50s mpg.) I used Heidenau (sp) tires and think they are wonderful. Can get easily 15000 miles or more from a set.

I traveled with a friend (2 bikes) from Southern California to Honduras. He has a place there so I had a place to store the bike while getting the parts (which was a bit of an ordeal). I had planned to store the bike temporarily there anyway so I just left the bike at his place and after returning home came back with the necessary parts. I then traveled solo through Central America to Panama, shipped the bike via air freight to Bogota Columbia. From Bogota I traveled Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. I stored the bike again in Lima and returned home temporarily.

Upon returning with my wife and her sister, we spent time in Peru doing tourist things. When they left I picked up my bike and left going south.

About 1 1/2 days south of Lima I was hit from the rear at a stop light. I still have no memory of the accident. I remember waking up in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. I was in the hospital three days and spent a couple of weeks there in a hotel. I decided I did not want to try to continue as I had several broken ribs.

I made arrangements to ship the bike back and came home. After several very frustrating months it turned out that the shipping company could not get the biked released by customs. As it was going to cost almost what the bike was worth to ship it home, I decided to make a gift of the bike to the Peruvian police department and put the money toward a newer bike here.

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for taking the time to share your story an hope the ribs have healed up ok! That was a good idea gifting the bike to the police department bier

Thanks again for giving me the opinion on the bike really helps.

Tom

Traveling with 1150
 

Thanks
I returned and bought a used 2010 1200GS. Drove it from California across the US to Nova Scotia, stored it there for a while we traveled around, then drove it back across Canada and then back home so I am just fine.

For solid reliable transportation for a reasonable purchase price and good weight carrying capacity an 1150 is hard to beat. Watch the hall sensor however as they have a tendency for the wiring to go bad after 75000 or so miles. They cost a couple of hundred dollars, but you can get remanufactured ones that sport a lifetime guarantee. The problem is not the device but the wiring that degrades over time with temperature. You might want to consider changing it before leaving as the exact positioning supports the engine timing and for proper installation requires a computer. When it fails everything quits. It controls the spark and the fuel pump so you don't have spark or fuel pressure.

If they haven't been changed, you might also look at the rubber brake lines. Mine failed in Honduras and it was an adventure getting a replacement. The newer GS's have stainless steel covered brake lines.

I replaced my hall sensor in Honduras by placing it back in the same place and then traveling to a BMW dealer in Costa Rica to have the timing checked

Your trip sounds like a good one. I would like very much to ship my motorcycle to Europe and travel around for awhile. I might be able to do that in a year or so. Right now we are tied up remodeling our house.

Riding from where? UK? South Africa? Australia? :)

Norway and particularly Denmark are going to be pretty much all sealed roads. You can do it on a Gold Wing or a Super Cub.

5k GBP/EUR will get you a lot of Versys 650/V-Strom 650, and a very respectable CB500X. I'd also look at the NC750X - best for fuel economy, better wind protection than the CB.

As AnTyx points out a lot of bike can be had for 5k.

The likes of the Versys/V-strom/Transalp can be had.

Now for a pitch of my own: the Yamaha TDM 900 (or MT-09 if funds stretch that far).

I have no experience of the -09 triple but presently own a TDM900. It's an excellent bike, and a great tourer IMHO. Comfortable, upright, fun handling, decent range/economy, reliable.

No longer made but the last models were in 2012, I think, so newer than the 1150.

Thanks guys really appreciate the information had heard of the Hall sensors but wasn't fully aware of all that, really good point on doing it before I set off if I go the 1150 route.

Ruled the Ktm's out for now as they are just a smidge outta budget an weirdly the insurance was more than the 1150 an the himmy. Probably due to it being a new bike.

Actually in the UK pretty much near the Cat an Fiddle as that's my usual haunt.

Ended up looking at 1989 era 100GS bikes last night I've got a bit of a classic bike habbit trying to remind myself though that I've got enough classic bike projects at the moment. bier Absolutely love the look of the R80GS PD's although those are totally outta my budget.

Keep wondering if I had the Himalayan would I be more adventurous in some of the routes I've been wanting to do lots to think about :mchappy:

Although as you guys are saying the roads in Norway an Denmark are sealed an most are in the UK so a GS/GSA can come into play well for what I'm after.

Thinking at the moment the choices are a 1150GSA an drop the suspension with GS Shocks so it's a bit more manageable or a low seat.

Himalayan

Or an outside possibility of an airhead gs although I'd have to do some more reading up.

Getting really excited though just been looking at Route 1 in Iceland as a jumping off point for some f roads.

If the Himalayan will put a grin on your face, then do it.

If you think the Himalayan will open your horizons as far as the places you're willing to consider visiting, then do it.

However, (and I say this without even having sat on one, let alone ridden one) it is a 25bhp motor in a 220-odd kg wet weight bike.

On your planned trip there will be a lot of more open roads to navigate: long sweeping bends, dual carriageway etc.

Just think about how the bike will make you feel when you are NOT following that lightly beaten trail who-knows where.

If none of that daunts you, then why not?

1150 gs
 

Just a thought, but $5K or so will also probably get you a good 1150GS with medium mileage (might not be enough for a 1150GSA however). Probably with enough left over to do some upgrades, maybe change the hall sensor (if it hasn't been done), and some other things.

If you feel you need to, I would get the lower seat rather than lowering the suspension. My 1150 felt tall as long as I had it, but my 1200 has the lowered seat and it is much nicer for me.

You will have a great trip no matter which way you go.

+1 for the TDM900.
My wife had one for 10 years - not one single problem, the original chain and Sprocket lasted for 30K miles with a Scott oiler.
Funnily enough after doing some easy off road trails such as The Parpallion she bought an F800gs with the view to do more adventure riding rather than just tarmac.
Well the TDM proved to be a better off road bike for her - even with road tyres.

Having said that it sounds like you’ve made your mind up - go for the 1150, I think you’d regret a Himmy for long road miles.

Thanks guys really appreciate all these replies an opinions its a huge help :)

Know I can comfortably get an 1150GSA in budget seen a few 60k mile bikes go on the uk club sites with metal bmw panniers history low owners for 2,850-3k gbp recently both twin spark an single sparkers in both colours in really nice condition the 2850 one was stunning in black.

Half the reason I was thinking about the standard height GS shocks on the GSA was for ease of putting feet down if I do go on gravel etc especially with the extra tank weight.

An seen a few 35k mile bikes go for 4k to which was good to see. All depends what I get for my Yamaha 250c but those sorta gsa's should deffo be in budget got her on at 4650 an a guy wanted to come this weekend gone till his works van let go so fingers crossed it sells soon.

Sometimes it's easy to get swept up in all the reviews but as you say Warthog the extra mpg is nice on the himmy but it's a darn heavy bike with not a ton of HP I never speed but I do enjoy as all of us do a lil bit of acceleration out of corners :)

One thing I thought of is that the Himalayan is twice as slow as my daily rider Norton 650ss.

In fact twice as slow as my RS125 two stroke I started riding on. If it was all off road I don't think I'd hesitate at the Himalayan though. Lets hope the next version just gives it that extra bit of hp for European highways As whatever I get I'd like to use after an before the trip to go from Manchester to the nc500 of Scotland an Cornwall a few times an thats a fair bit of motorway so very good point you raised.

I guess part of it as well is looking at the bike an feeling your pulse race wanting to ride it :) some bikes I love my dad hates an visa versa.

The 1150 an the himmy to a certain extent do that for me I think it's with them being sorta more metal an like my classics. Decided to rule the Ktm outta the running now

One other bike that's really caught my imagination over the past few days is the r100gs from 1989 era actually as old as me! An r80gs + r80g/s. Think my new dream bike is an r80g/s PD be a few years before I can get one of those though looking at the prices.

the 100gs might be doable though seen two around my budget although at the higher end but I'm really not familiar with the pricing on the paralever airheads or even the monolever ones.

Much difference in the 100gs an 80s? just starting to read up about them.

Any of you guys who have had 1150s had the older airheads, saw some clips on youtube of guys on the old r80g/s flying off road. Guessing the might be a bit more capable than the big 1150s?