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Beemer R1100GS or R1100S?

trickywoo

trickywoo

War Hero
#1
#1
I've been abroad for few months and bikeless after flogging a Busa back in October. Now back in Blighty and with spring beckoning I need a new bony. I also need to wind down a bit - the Busa was showing an indicated 160 every day and my reactions aren't what the were. So...BMW is the choice and I've got a self-imposed limit of £4,000. My local dealership's South London BMW Caterham and they have a good rep. I know both these bikes also have superb reputations and I'll be test riding some soon but what do Arrsers think? I did have an ex-job K1000 a few years back and loved it but that was a D-reg so I'm not up on all this Telelever / ABS malarkey either. Any good?

Cheers in advance,

Woo
 
PE4rocks

PE4rocks

LE
#2
#2
trickywoo said:
I've been abroad for few months and bikeless after flogging a Busa back in October. Now back in Blighty and with spring beckoning I need a new bony. I also need to wind down a bit - the Busa was showing an indicated 160 every day and my reactions aren't what the were. So...BMW is the choice and I've got a self-imposed limit of £4,000. My local dealership's South London BMW Caterham and they have a good rep. I know both these bikes also have superb reputations and I'll be test riding some soon but what do Arrsers think? I did have an ex-job K1000 a few years back and loved it but that was a D-reg so I'm not up on all this Telelever / ABS malarkey either. Any good?

Cheers in advance,

Woo
Click to expand...
The 1150 is reckoned to be pretty good.
Ask in here or search the forum

GS Forum

See this one on the 'mountain,' Isle of Man. The guy doesn't get into top!

Google Video

HTH
 
the_guru

the_guru

LE
#5
#5
GS is the way forwards mate. It is a bit lardy compared to the 1200 but if it was good enough for Boorman and McGregor.......
 
brettarider

brettarider

LE
#6
#6
Just read the book can see the lovie whinging coming out in it. if you get the chance to see it again on one of the sat channels watch Mondo enduro those lads done it twice! mind you don't fancy going were they went these days :thumbdown:
 
msr

msr

LE
#7
#7
trickywoo said:
I also need to wind down a bit - the Busa was showing an indicated 160 every day and my reactions aren't what the were. So...BMW is the choice
Click to expand...
You're getting old ;)

msr
 
the_guru

the_guru

LE
#8
#8
msr said:
trickywoo said:
I also need to wind down a bit - the Busa was showing an indicated 160 every day and my reactions aren't what the were. So...BMW is the choice
Click to expand...
You're getting old ;)

msr
Click to expand...
Tricky, are you getting the matching beard too, and membership with the BMF ?
 
Jorrocks

Jorrocks

LE
#9
#9
Don´t listen to all this anti-BMW stereotypical cocoa and slippers crap. Any of the big boxers will see off a crotch rocket in the right hands and will give you big thrills without risking your license. Rather than the 1100 GS, see if you can extend yourself for a 1150 GS. You´ll find a really good 2001 for about 5000 quid. Advantages over the 1100: extra gear = less vibs at cruising speed, more power, telelever suspension really does make a difference to handling. GS v S? better riding postion (particularly if you´re over 6ft), bags of road presence, looks the spuds with Touratec panniers. I´ve had mine since 2001 and been all over Europe in it. Check out "Ride" Jan 2007, the 1150 GS is rated best second-hand big traillie, also lots of useful info on spotting a good ´un. Mine has given me huge pleasure, my long term plan is to go overland to Pakistan via China on the KR Highway, hopefully in about two years when I´ve got the mortgage squared away etc. Meanwhile, I commute about 45 miles a day on it. Engine should be good for 100,000 miles plus. Good luck.
 
the_guru

the_guru

LE
#10
#10
Jorrocks said:
Don´t listen to all this anti-BMW stereotypical cocoa and slippers crap. Any of the big boxers will see off a crotch rocket in the right hands and will give you big thrills without risking your license. Rather than the 1100 GS, see if you can extend yourself for a 1150 GS. You´ll find a really good 2001 for about 5000 quid. Advantages over the 1100: extra gear = less vibs at cruising speed, more power, telelever suspension really does make a difference to handling. GS v S? better riding postion (particularly if you´re over 6ft), bags of road presence, looks the spuds with Touratec panniers. I´ve had mine since 2001 and been all over Europe in it. Check out "Ride" Jan 2007, the 1150 GS is rated best second-hand big traillie, also lots of useful info on spotting a good ´un. Mine has given me huge pleasure, my long term plan is to go overland to Pakistan via China on the KR Highway, hopefully in about two years when I´ve got the mortgage squared away etc. Meanwhile, I commute about 45 miles a day on it. Engine should be good for 100,000 miles plus. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Bet you've got a beard that you could hide a badger in.
 
the_guru

the_guru

LE
#13
#13
Jorrocks said:
the_guru said:
[Bet you've got a beard that you could hide a badger in.
Click to expand...
Are you sure you´re not confusing my face with the hanging gardens of Babylon between your Mrs´ legs?
Click to expand...
My wife is dead.
 
BEMA

BEMA

Clanker
#17
#17
Woo
Have a word with Nick at Force. All the fellas up there are 'kin stars, bikes are sorted and if you do have a problem then they cant do enough to help you.

PM me if you want, but then again I'm biased-my Armstrong gets all its bits off them. http://www.forcemotorcycles.com/

Tony
 
Ratcatcher

Ratcatcher

Old-Salt
#18
#18
Tricky - (BTW what a great predicament) the GS is a typical posers bike, get yourself some hard luggage for that Brighton trip just in case you come across collapsed bridges etc - that aside its said to be very comfy, but the poser factor possibly means they are overpriced (the newer 1200GS is reckoned by many to be the best bike around).

The S is a bit more like a proper bike, but needs a full fairing conversion to avoid it looking like a mong-bike. If you can stretch for an extra 2 grand, the new BMW F800ST is supposed to be better than the VFR800...

Ratcatcher
 
trickywoo

trickywoo

War Hero
#20
#20
Excellent advise as ever and thanks indeed gentlemen- that IOM vid's great too.

Forces motrocycles looks interesting. Some cracking bargains on there, no doubt.

I do think the big GS is the way forward and don't give a stuff what others may think. I still wear 10 yr old Hein Gherkin textiles (Voyager suit - most comfortable thing I've ever owned) and it's kept me cool in Mumbai and warm in Riga so no worries there. Power Ranger stuff's all nonsense.

I was looking at a KTM Adventure earlier but I just want to try a GS. Did the ZX10 / FZR1000 / ZZR11 / Busa track and need something different. Never done a track day in me life so speed's not that important to me per se and I reckon ABS could be interesting too. I'll post a piccie when I've bagged one.

Cheers gents,

Richard

Edited to add- cheers for Boxertrix FC :thumright:
 
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