what to buy?

Best bang for buck for me would have to be a twin cam. Very sorted bike, plenty of power, lighter than the 1150 and a fair bit cheaper than a WC
 
Toast a Bandit... have you been on one?.. mind you, mine is 118 at the rear wheel :)

Not great with finance.. rather buy TBH.. the though of paying each month X£ and the thing in the garage depreciating every month by X£...

I get enough of that with my Land Rover....
 
I did try... but didn't work ... although it did take the £12 (now re-funded).. will give it another bash...
 
Yes.. thanks for that summary.. having had a go on a 1150, I was very dispointed... I'm sure the R100RS i had years ago was quicker?
I guess I have come to a similar conclusion and I'm now looking a 2010 twin cams up to the WC...
Are there any issues with these at all to check out... looks like you can get a low miles one for £5500 ish

got to say, the can-bus and other gizmo's still don't float my boat??
 
Ooops.. that should say £6500 before you all get upset :)
 
I wouldn't discount pre-TC bikes. Plenty of 08/09 bikes about and definitely within your budget.
 
I just get the impression they are a bit lacking?.. but still 105 HP I think?.. what are the TC's.. 110 HP.. in the real world can you tell the diferance?
 
In the real world, no. I have had an 08 and a 12. Both have been on the dyno at Hilltop for a remap. Before and after graphs were pretty much the same as each other. In some ways the older bike was nicer to ride. Although in principle I would agree that the latest bike you can afford is the way to go, you might find a better bike if you are prepared to be flexible. Lots of bikes out there, and now is a good time to buy!
 
Okay. thanks for that.. May be worth getting something like a garage queen 2008 if there is not much in it.. and can you then tune it with chips / injectors etc to make it a bit better?..
 
Okay. thanks for that.. May be worth getting something like a garage queen 2008 if there is not much in it.. and can you then tune it with chips / injectors etc to make it a bit better?..

Just my opinion but..........
If you're looking for a fast exciting bike then don't bother buying a GS and spending a load of money trying to make it into something it's not.
A GS is not a fast bike it is however, a bike that can be ridden fast. It is a bike that is more than the sum of its parts but it takes a little time to find this out so patience is the key.

My initial thoughts are.........buy a decent 1100 with a good after market exhaust and panniers for around 2.5, then fit a gsjohn chip. Ride it for a year and see how you feel, then if you're hit by the GS bug you will know what GS you want. If you want to sell the 1100 (you may not want to ;)) you'll probably get what you paid for it.
Good luck :thumby:
 
yes.. get your point... but I have had R100rs's before... for many years and many miles having done a lot of touring all over Europe and into Asis when I was a few years younger... the old RS was great and you could tour on it easy doing 500 miles a day... put a tall tank bag on there and you can't get much more confort... in fact, once when I had man-flu, I was going to Le Manns on the RS.. and I actualy fell asleep for a few seconds... one minute the bus in front was 100 mtrs away, next thing I know, I'm 6' off the back ans swerving left (in France) to miss it... now that sure wakes you up LOL..... needless to say, I stopped and had a rest / coffee...
But having tried a 1150gs the other day.. I was not impressed at all?... maybe it was not working right or something.. but my 1979 RS would have had more poke?... is this correct??

I know they are not sports bikes, and its the roll-on / roll-off aspect of the boxer I like... but that said, I don't think I could get on with them anything like the one I tried... I'm guessing there must have been a problem with it. With a few years on my clock now, even my 1200 Bandit and its sit up position is giving me a bit of greaf... so I do need the more relaxed boxer ride... just wish I knew someone local who would let me have a go.. i could go to a dealers and have a ride on a LC... but how much better are they than the hex head or TC?
 
I don't think I could get on with them anything like the one I tried... I'm guessing there must have been a problem with it.

Possibly, that doesnt sound like an oilhead usually plenty of grunt from 2k, should definately feel faster than the R100.

If the tappets and throttle balance havent been done for a while that could explain the flat performance.
 
.................. i could go to a dealers and have a ride on a LC... but how much better are they than the hex head or TC?

When the LC was introduced in 2013 I knew (ha ha) that was what I wanted to replace my 1150 GS which had done 96,000 miles without so much as a new clutch. (It had however had the final drive rebuilt at 26,000miles; 60,000 miles; 69,000 miles but was still good when sold. That being the benefit of sending it to an independent specialist for a complete rebuild and not just bearing replacements. The shimming was suspect on many bikes from the factory.)

I went and rode an LC, so disappointed, the worst transmission I had ever had the misfortune to use, worse than the 1958 Triumph Tiger Cub I built from spares for my then girlfriend. Many upgrades later they still aren't brilliant and now get a quick-shifter which is supposed to mask some of the inadequacies.

As part of his job my son had a brand new LC to evaluate over a weekend a few weeks ago. He summarised by saying that the fuelling was pretty poor, the gearbox was horrible and he wouldn't spend his own money on one. But go ride one and make your own judgement. Just make sure you check out all the issues that are documented on this forum.

A lot of folk say that they would only run a BMW whist under warranty.
 
that does not sound good then.. I was thinking twin cam but may start a post asking Hex v TC... some say no differance, some say lots?

And I'm guessing the 1150 I tried must have been duff... I can't see how 22 years of development and 150cc more could ever make them worst?...
 
that does not sound good then.. I was thinking twin cam but may start a post asking Hex v TC... some say no differance, some say lots?

And I'm guessing the 1150 I tried must have been duff... I can't see how 22 years of development and 150cc more could ever make them worst?...

You need to try a watercooled one, they are in a different league for performance. Read the reviews too. Early ones could have crap gearboxes but YOU need to test ride. The 1150 is a charming bike but an old chugger. You pays your u makes your choice. You won't get any definitive answers on here as everyone is riding a different GS. Me I've had 1150x2, 1200 twin cam, and 2x1200 watercooled and the watercooled is the one to go for I ride mine daily. But that's my take on it. I certainly wouldn't run owt older than a twin cam , but the newest bikes are so much more than a few extra bhp.
 
Having just sold my TC GSA - and seeing the prices they fetch (don't fetch :blast). - If I was looking for a GSA - a 5-7yr old one with 25K-ish miles on it - would by my choice.

At the prices - it is a lot cheaper riding than a rapidly-depreciating Liq-cooled jobby.

Sure - it isn't as powerful as the LC, or have all the electronic doo-hickies that the LC has, but - they are still impressive bikes.

Al
 
You need to try a watercooled one, they are in a different league for performance. Read the reviews too. Early ones could have crap gearboxes but YOU need to test ride. The 1150 is a charming bike but an old chugger. You pays your u makes your choice. You won't get any definitive answers on here as everyone is riding a different GS. Me I've had 1150x2, 1200 twin cam, and 2x1200 watercooled and the watercooled is the one to go for I ride mine daily. But that's my take on it. I certainly wouldn't run owt older than a twin cam , but the newest bikes are so much more than a few extra bhp.

Yes.. thanks for that... Its not that I can't afford a LC.. its maybe more I don't want that amount of dosh tied up in a bike that in reality, I'll not use a great deal. The idea of getting a GS is so I do use it more than the bikes I already have as its more of an all weather beast.... But I'll not go to work on it (much), so its a weekend toy... So hex or TC is where I need to be I guess....

Al.. your GSA sounded nice.. dare I ask what it went for (if you don't mind?)... I'd like to spend up to £5k (maybe push £6k but don't tell the wife)... but for the use I'll give it in reality.. I can't justify the depreciation... maybe best going for a £4K 2005 hex?.. one just sold for not a lot more in the 'for sales' with I think 28K on it...???... is it a Yorkshire thing being tight LOL
 


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