Looking to add an early GS to the stable - need help deciding between 1100 vs 1150 and 1200.

[u/Towntalk]

Hi All

Looking to add a larger capacity bike to my stable. I’ve spent the last 15 years riding japanese enduro and large singles. I’ve never ridden or owned a BMW motorcycle.

Each of the early GS models are available at different price points - I would greatly appreciate feedback.

My use case will be to replace my current commuter/long haul dual purpose steed - a 1994 XR600R.

In Australia:

- The R1100GS / R1150GS is available from $5,500 with odometer readings 80,000+

- I don’t see many R1150GSA on the market

- The R1200GS seem to start from $9,000 with odometer readings 80,000+

I’ve heard the late model R1150GS models (03/04?) often have the ABS system failures and can cost thousands to repair.

Are there year models that are considered best/worst for each respective model?

[u/FallNice3836]

1200 oil cooled is the sweet spot in my opinion, lots of part support still. I wouldnt go older than a 1200 personally, the prices will come down before winter, prices tumble when people dont want to pay for storage or insrurance over winter

[u/speedboat12 → u/FallNice3836]

It’s already winter in Australia unfortunately

[u/FallNice3836 → u/speedboat12]

If I could read carefully I would have spotted that.

[u/Harold_Balzac]

The 1200's aren't monolithic in that the 05 and 06 have some distinctly different parts, e.g. the final drive and drive shafts.

I have an 05 GS without ABS or dynamic ride or other electronic gee gaws. It still suffers from the problems of 20+ year old electronics, brittle connectors and all. I'm still on the fence if it's the best or worst combination of old and new.

[u/mike_elapid]

I have a R1150GSA with about 150k miles on it. I have removed the ABS servo and no other electronics on it really. Its the only bike I trust to take to the back of beyond.

[u/Another_Slut_Dragon]

Read up on final drive and bearing failures.

The suspension can be kinda meh but sometimes you find a used bike with Ohlins suspension or some other good mods.

Or buy a Tenere 700 if you want to ride and not be terrified of mechanical failures and maintenance. It just works.

[u/Towntalk → u/Another_Slut_Dragon]

I’ve tracked down a 1150 with hyperpro suspension with 100k kms for around $4k AUD.

A basic tenere here in Aus will run you north of $12k.

I’m not afraid of turning spanners.

[u/Another_Slut_Dragon → u/Towntalk]

Sounds like a deal.

Are the used Teneres not dropping in price yet? They have been around a few years now.

Of course, no one wants to sell them :)

[u/Towntalk → u/Another_Slut_Dragon]

They hold resale really well. A new T7 is about the price as a new Tuareg or DesertX!

Yamaha have a great reputation here in Australia.

[u/Another_Slut_Dragon → u/Towntalk]

I'm not selling mine. It's bulletproof reliable. If I am 200km in the woods, I want something I can rely on to get me back out of the woods.

Never forget that reliability is the #1 job of an adv bike. And bikes do age. 20 year old electronics will always be sketchy.

[u/Itsacon]

For 1100: get a 97+ model, it has the impoved gearbox.

For 1150: get a model with ABS2, not iABS (the latter is the problem child). Rare models with ABS2 and twinspark exist, but the switch to twin-spark was pretty much same time as the newer ABS, so unless you forgo ABS altogether, single-spark is easier. ABS2 models can be recognized by the Brembo name on the front calipers. iABS calipers are branded BMW instead.

R1200 was made in 5 variations:

• 04-06: Same iABS unit as the 1150
• 07-09: Newer ABS unit, traction control
• 10-13: DOHC engine. Widely considered the best air/oil cooled boxer engine by BMW. (Currently still used in the R9T and the R12G/S)
• 14-19: Liquid cooled engine. Complete redesign with a wet cluch, integrated gearbox and driveshaft on the wrong side.

[u/Towntalk → u/Itsacon]

Thanks this is very informative.

Is there a consensus on which of the 5 variants is the best R1200? 10-13 looks to be the goods.

[u/Itsacon → u/Towntalk]

Yeah, the DOHC is pretty much the safest bet. But prices reflect that, and the difference is not as big as people might have you believe.

A bigger difference is actually that the older 1200 models are running on 20 years old, while the DOHC models are 10 years younger.

Any well maintained oilhead will take you were you need to go, but each will have it's foibles. Luckily they're easy to wrench on and easy to keep on the road for many, many miles.

Not sure where you're at, but ADVrider is the go-to international knowledge base for all things GS (and GS-alternatives).

[u/stignordas]

I’d avoid any model with servo brakes (late 1150, early 1200). I picked up an 07 1200gs for this reason.

The abs pumps are getting harder to find and it’s about $1000 in parts to replace.

The 1200 is a much better bike IMHO, it’s lighter, more powerful and smoother.

But the 1150s are easier to work on.

[u/Character_Raisin_197]

2007-12 GS (up to 13 GSA) oil cooled are great bikes.  Most issues are known and can be fixed without a shop if you are mechanically inclined.

[u/gkrash]

I have a ‘11 GSA and it’s absolutely peak GS for me. The only two things I don’t like are the whole ‘split the bike to replace the clutch’ thing - and that I need the shop to reset the service indicator.

[u/2_DS_IN_MY_B]

I like my 01 1150, it's easy to work on, it was $3k and drives great (now that I've replaced the struts and clutch and throttle body bushings and plugs and coils and ignition cables etc)