As BMW’s entire line-up adopted the bigger 1130cc version of the oil-cooled flat-twin, so did the GS, the 1150 launched in 1998. It offered slightly more power and torque than the 1100, with 85bhp and 72lb/ft, thought this was offset by another weight increase to 249kg. Admittedly that was with a full tank of fuel, but this was the heaviest GS yet. The motorcycle press weren’t impressed by that, or that the GS wasn’t as quick as 100bhp machines, or that the gearchange still wasn’t up to chain-drive standards. But everyone agreed that despite its weight and size, the latest GS handled better than ever. The wide handlebars gave fine control and the bike had plenty of ground clearance, gaining a following among hard riders who found it as fast on twisty roads as many sports bikes.

The standard 1150 was joined in 2001 by the GS Adventure, capitalising on the fact that the GS was still the most capable adventure tourer off-road, even if most owners rarely ventured off tarmac. The changes were small, but included 20mm extra suspension travel, to 210mm front, 220mm rear, giving even more ground clearance and bump-swallowing ability than before. There was also progressive rear damping, a taller and wider screen, a bigger front mudguard, and crashbars to protect the fairing. One option was the Overland pack, which added a bigger 30-litre tank, knobbly tyres and, for picking ones way along boulder-strewn tracks, a lower first gear.

Opinions are mixed about the 1150 GS. It has all the same plus points as the 1100, making a superb long-distance tourer, as well as being very capable along twisty roads. And even if most owners wouldn’t take it off-road, the bike certainly could do in the right hands. There’s a very wide choice of 1150 GSs available secondhand, many of them with the expensive options of ABS and fitted luggage, but this was, and is, the heaviest GS ever, so it’s not the easiest bike to manoeuvre. Although some have covered high mileage, others have been truly cosseted since new. There’s little to recommend the Adventure, except for its rarity value, unless you really are planning on some serious off-road use.