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Purely from the point of view of occasionally carrying a pillion, I would definitely recommend fitting a rear shock that has a remote/hydraulic preload adjuster.
I fitted a Nitron (with remote preload adjuster) to my 750 years ago and to be perfectly honest I haven't noticed any great difference in the way the bike performs solo under normal conditions.
However the ability to increase the rear preload easily and quickly has made a world of difference to the way the bike handles when laden with either a pillion or a significant amount of luggage (eg full camping kit for the TT last year).
In my opinion a rear preload adjuster is essential on any bike used in this way. Without it you end up riding a bike which (when two-up or laden) steers as slowly as a chopper (due to the reduced steering head angle) and risks bottoming out at the rear.
... unless of course you're prepared to get the c-spanner out and laboriously adjust the preload by hand ... and then adjust it back again afterwards ... skinning your knuckles each time. I'm guessing you wouldn't bother.
In fairness, for solo riding the limiting factor on my bike is probably the particularly harsh compression damping on the front suspension, and this probably masks the effect of the rear shock.
For solo riding I reckon my bike would have benefited much more from an upgrade at the front by the likes of Maxton.
Dunno what the forks are like on the 1100.
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