Need a £3k do it all fun commuter - thinking 1150GS!

Nando654321

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Hi All

Looking for (UK based) advice, might be a long ish one so strap yourself in!

- Currently own a Yamaha TDM 900 (2010 ABS) for a 110mile commute twice a week. My bike needs to do all year commute, back road fun with friends on a weekend, 3 day away trip etc, be ultra reliable, cheap to fix & buy & insure, no one wants to steal it due to London parking daytime etc. All rounder and cheap, adventure sit up position for £3k ish. Loved my Yam 2nd Gen FZ1 previous bike but for all year travel it wasn’t quite there (I’m 6 foot and prefer adv sitting position)
- Problem with the current TDM is the cornering, I find it terrible to corner on fast A-B roads. I mean really terrible. But great for the motorway straight line bits
- Hence thinking of a swap, but a £3k “do everything comfortably” on an Adv riding position while being a fun bike to ride & own is difficult to find. I don’t want some bland 50hp generic bike as I enjoy my fun weekend rides and some decent Torque
- AND hence why I’m here! Started looking at FleaBay and for £3k ish we seem to get a heck of a lot of 1150GS bike for the money buying privately! Even at £2.5k and I would then spend £500 on preventive servicing (rear hub etc?)

- I can get an 1150GS around 2002, 40-60k miles, lots of extras, long ish ownership (2-7 years), normally some recent work done, one even had new clutch, some have ABS some don’t as we know the Servo issue, etc. I would have to buy very carefully and know it’s history or I understand that the £3k could become £5k quickly with fix bills!!!

My question to all of you 1150GS owners is
- am I going mad? Is it too old now? Will it start giving me no end of issues considering my mileage? The TDM 900 is ultra reliable even at 12 years old but is a 20 year old replacement a bit too much? I work in Financial Services and cannot afford to be late or be riding an unreliable bike, hence the TDM has been a dream for the job. Shame it’s fast cornering is soooooo bad.

Always liked the 1150GS hence the thinking of owning it as potentially a “forever bike” alongside my old Honda XR 400 (2005 with kick start only, no ignition key or radiator). I cannot afford more bikes than my Honda Enduro plus an ultra reliable do it all commuter

Thanks for staying till the end, advice from current and very recent 1150GS owners welcome! I know people will have owned them a decade ago, but need experience of those with recent ownership… Looking to buy when I return from holiday in mid April

Thanks
Nando
 
Thanks Jags but it’s not the suspension - the bike is fine day2day and commuting, it’s just when I’m on the move with friends on the weekend, I find it a bit top heavy for my liking

I know the 1150GS is super heavy, but from memory the telever suspension does a great job. Hopefully off to try one tomorrow.


Thanks
 
Regarding your questions, no, no, no, and no.

With basic maintenance and treated with respect an 1150GS will probably outlast you :thumb2
 
A good friend of mine runs an 1100 GS as his only bike, regularly commutes to Clermont Ferrand which is about 130 km each way and also uses it for weekends away 2 up

He’s had it about 10 years
 
Thanks Adv

Sorry I should have added that as a question!!!

On various forums it confirms people obtained their CoC Certificate of Conformity for their 2001-2003 1150GS from BMW and it’s all good

So that would be my plan to do the same

Has anyone obtained a CoC already for one of these?

BMW Motorrad has a special email address that I can use which is great news for getting the CoC
 
Hi Paul

Thanks and good to hear! That’s the plan
 
Thanks Farmer

The 1100 is probably a bit too old and I wouldn’t be able to get the ULEZ exemption for it… from memory, bike needs to be 2001 ish onwards
 
Has anyone obtained a CoC already for one of these?

BMW Motorrad has a special email address that I can use which is great news for getting the CoC

Not for a GS, but for my HP2.
50 quid (if I remember correctly) does the trick and the CoC arrives in the post in a few days.

Easy.
 
Perfect Minio!

I’m comfortable to get the 1150GS as there has been a couple of people with them who obtained one and it’s great news - their readings were circa 75% below allowed limit so it looks like I’ll just wait and then get my CoC for your same £50 smackers!

Supposedly

But I’m fairly confident
 
Sounds like steering head bearings need changing on your TDM; otherwise they are pretty bulletproof.

I's easy to talk yourself into an old GS, but they are getting on a bit, so provenance will be vital.

If you are fixed on changing to BMW, then you might take a look at the F650/700/800 twins - light to handle, economical for the commute, there are still a few nice specimens around.
 
Perfect Minio!

I’m comfortable to get the 1150GS as there has been a couple of people with them who obtained one and it’s great news - their readings were circa 75% below allowed limit so it looks like I’ll just wait and then get my CoC for your same £50 smackers!

Supposedly

But I’m fairly confident

my 02 1150r is ulez free. And it took me 3 days to get my Coc, free. Easy as
 
Great to hear of another one - definitely think I would be ok 👍
 
Sounds like steering head bearings need changing on your TDM; otherwise they are pretty bulletproof.

I's easy to talk yourself into an old GS, but they are getting on a bit, so provenance will be vital.

If you are fixed on changing to BMW, then you might take a look at the F650/700/800 twins - light to handle, economical for the commute, there are still a few nice specimens around.


Thanks

I have previously owned BMW 650s and F800s… did enjoy the 800 in particular but felt a bit too vibey and small ish for me. Now prefer the Adv sitting up position and the 800GS are a bit dear for my £3k budget…
 
Not for a GS, but for my HP2.
50 quid (if I remember correctly) does the trick and the CoC arrives in the post in a few days.

Easy.

The CoC from BMW is free, has been since a couple of months of the ULEZ being introduced in April 2019..
 


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