As I’ve already stated in my introduction, just bought my first motorbike since my last BMW some 27 years ago. My “new” steed is a 1986 K75S but I will be looking for a few more to add to that. My logic (others may call it extremely tight) is to purchase two or three for around £1200-£1500 and make one good one, rather than spend a similar amount on one which may appear good but will obviously need some tinkering. The plan states I will also end up with a shed full of spares.
This plan was hatched many years ago, but to start this venture required some sort of transport to drag these scrap, sorry project bikes back to the emporium. Now being a sort of squirrel I decided that I would build a motor cycle trailer from our old trailer tent which had seen better days, the plan called for it to be collapsible and fit into a boot of a small car.
Fast forward a few years and with the help of someone here i will add the pictures.

While I applaud your idea, I may have found a flaw in your approach.

Some parts of the Ks are extremely durable, while others are not, and will appear with regularity on these forums. Think oil/water pump, rivets on early alternators, and o ring on clutch, both main and gearbox ones.

The problem is that you could end up with a few bikes that all have the same good bits, and bad bits. 

The problems on the Ks are well documented, easily fixable, and pretty few in number.  I would do a lot of reading and research if I were you.  You might find that it doesn't take much to fix the problems, if there re any, on your new purchase.

Parts are also readily available, both new and secondhand, from motoworks, motobins, and james sherlock

The bikes are pretty bulletproof, with the main issue now being perishable seals/rubber etc.

Welcome, and you should find this a good resource with any questions you will have.

My advice after spending £1300 and then another £1500 to end up with a great bike is to wait, wait, wait for a minter - I saw a late k75 on ebay(£2000) last year with very low mileage, and loved by a retiring 80 year old biker.

The clutch alone will need changing on a 30 year old bike (factor £500). I uprated the suspension (£400), and the electrics will need revitalising. injector manifold rubers to renew (£200), and the water/oil pumps will need a good service.
I'd also be wary of the alternators rattle if the rubbers crack. Plus speedos can be dodgy!!

Save yourself all the grief, theres plenty of great examples if you wait. My 89 k100lt is great for 2 up touring and commuting, but I wish I'd bought a k1100rs minter...lovely bike...

Colin

Brynogwy wrote:
Fast forward a few years and with the help of someone here i will add the pictures.

Welcome to the forum and hopefully THIS link will help you out.

Welcome ... you've made a great purchase and will likely enjoy it for a long time. And, this forum is terrific.

I bought mine 3 years ago and followed the route suggested by colinijohnson. I bought a mint '90 K100RS with 14,600 km for a reasonable, but not cheap, price. Over the 3 years, I've had only two problems: 1) the gasket around the gas level sending unit was brittle, leaked and needed replacing; 2) now the battery needs to be replaced. If I had bought two or three Ks with more km but lower pricse I still would have probably had at least one leaky gasket and a battery that needs replacing eventually.

Buy the best you can afford and spend your time riding.

I agree with the sentiments expressed in post #2.

You can find a cheap bike and spend less sorting it out.

Thanks to all, on both posts for the welcome.

I understand your concerns and advice about buying the best possible bike available, but i've started with a reasonably good bike, within budget, that may turn out to be the last.

About a week ago my wife and i went for a jaunt of around 100 miles in the car and in passing one house i noticed a bike in the garden that had obviously not been used for some time, as it was a K75 i knocked the door and asked if it was for sale. We started talking and it turned out that it had not been used for around 5 years but had been started regularly, but now, without the battery i could not listen to it running. I was told that it had just been fitted with a new clutch at the dealers and had 2 new tyres fitted just before it was laid up, it also had 2 BMW Touring panniers. I agreed a price on the understanding he would call me when he was able to start it and everything was ok. After a few days i rang him to check out the situation but he was unable to organise a battery so i then made another offer to take it as it was. He accepted this offer and on collection he also supplied me with a Clymer manual, new clutch and throttle cables, oil filter and the oil filter removal tool. Someone up there is looking after me.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction re posting pics, but they are not showing up on my preview, any advice welcome as well as that for posting your location on the world map.

Aha sussed it, only the world map to conquer now.

Good job. Nice color as well.  

I've just finished an article on the K75S and they handle great and are much better "in-town" bikes than the K100. I wouldn't mind having one myself for a 2d bike.

And now a few questions for those who really know the BMW K series.

Is there any way I am able to find out what colour this bike left the factory in?

It seems this K75s was number 1292 off the production line in May 1986, but the colour is Caribik blue which was a 1987 colour, also it has no side panels, just a rubber protector between the seat and the tank. On line parts catalogues show nothing of this item, could it be a tank and seat of a police bike?

any help would be appreciated.

This R1100 I just bought has the colour code stamped on the fuse box. My 86 K100 had no indication of colour what so ever.

I'd paint it cherry red if I were you. Makes it go faster  

rossko is your man ....about the guard (wear protection ) between tank and "low seat option "? that's what it sorta looks like to me

there is usually a sticker on the rear cowl section under seat ...stating the colour scheme ....but if repainted this could be missing ?

like the trailer ....shweet !  is it intended for car towing ? or a bike version ?

Hi Charlie

The sticker under the seat shows 618 which is Caribik blue, a 1987 colour, which suggests to me is a replacement.

The trailer is only for towing motorcycles.

regards

The bike will have a build date that precedes the registration year. That's not uncommon. 

As for the lack of side panels, that's because your bike has the optional low seat. In the UK many early K75C models came with the low seat and it was a customer option on the rest of the range.

It's a lot more than simply a different seat and a lack of side panels; the under seat tray that houses the Jetronic is different as is the seat release catch mechanism.

The standard seat hinges on the right whereas yours lifts off from the front and hooks into two lugs on the rear seat cowl.

It is possible to convert it to the standard seat but it means you'll need to remove the stick-on lugs that hold the rubber tank shroud without damaging the paint and obtain side panels.

The best way to do it is to find someone who wants a low seat and swap all the required parts.

Low seat:



Standard seat:

Hi MikeP, thanks for the explanation regarding the seats, i'm happy with the low seat as my age rolls on, the bike was registered in 86 so i'm more inclined to think it is a replacement.

Am i right in thinking the original colour cannot be traced by any other codes on the bike?

It can be traced. A dealer will tell you if you supply the VIN.

However, I think that you are mistaken about it being a replacement. The list of colours by year is notoriously unreliable as model years actually post-date the introduction. For example, it is now possible to buy a 2014 "model year" bike from BMW.

ok thanks MikeP

Thought I'd make a start and check the state of the fuel in the tank as its been standing so long, here we go, problem no1, fuel cap seized. Read a little on forums, lever, drill out lock etc I decided to remove tank and turn upside down and leave for 24 hrs. A little swearing along with the odd prayer and she's off.




Next drain fuel. A little for the mower and the rest?



Did I read somewhere on this site that you should just get on and ride your new acquisition?

For bikes that have stood for some time (especially out in the open), the usual consensus is not to immediately start the bike. This is to prevent crud/water being sucked up into the pump (the internal tank rubber can be reduced to mush). Drain the old fuel, check out the tank internals, and fit a new filter.

Mike

Finally got her running, sounds sweet apart from what sounds like a washing machine on spin with two rubbers rubbing together, it also sounds as if the starter dog drops out when switching off, is this normal?

Never heard a k bike running before let alone ridden one.

your input would be appreciated.

Running  , well done that man! 

There are plenty of youtube clips of k bikes starting and stopping. The whine is normal as is a noise fuel pump heard in the tank. Not sure what you mean by the comment on stopping but mine makes a few noises on shut down and always has.

88

Hi 88KE

Took your advice and listened to a few, sounds like this one is ok then, even though it sounds odd.
Tyres and brakes next.


many thanks

Just bought No2, K100RT




Born in Munich in February 87 she spent her first 22 months alone in a plush showroom with no one to care for her until she was finally adopted in December 88, when first registered in the UK. Overpriced or unwanted she finally took to the road and covered only 8500 miles in 7 years, then it was downhill all the way. Stored as a non runner,(at least in the dry this time) for the last six years and with wiring looking as if its been attacked by a four year old with wire cutters this is a long term project. I also hope that the jigsaw fairing kit that came with it is all there. Can anyone remember a post showing all items needed in its reconstruction?

probably best to go through all the parts fisches

try max bmw online parts fische

look like you have all the major bits ...but brackets ...rubbers etc  for fairing mountings ...and a rear mudguard ?
good luck

Interesting bike. It has the leg vents in the inner panels and in the fairing that were only on LT versions in the UK. Also it has the LT-spec "comfort seat".

It has been fitted with an RS belly-pan (I did the same to my first RT back in 88) and the additional fuel and temp gauges mounted in handlebar "pods" (again, I fitted the same to my 88 RT but I put them where the speakers would normally go).

The fairing all looks to be there.

The screen isn't original (and isn't exactly very nice - sorry).

Good luck with it, I hope you get it up and running soon.

Edit: I can't see from the photos properly. Either the belly-pan of the fairing lowers need to be modified by cutting some material away to make the belly-pan fit an RT/LT. I thought it easier to cut away the rubber of the belly-pan rather than the ABS plastic of the fairing.

Good idea Charlie, thanks,

Mike, would these have been factory options or have i bought a Heinz bike? as for the screen it seems ok for me, short legs long body.

Brynogwy wrote:
Mike, would these have been factory options or have i bought a Heinz bike? as for the screen it seems ok for me, short legs long body.

The seat, the vents and the slots in the inner fairing leg panels are factory mods. I don't know if they were offered as an option on RT models but they were standard on the higher spec LT. 

The additional instruments were an LT feature and a cost option on the RT. 

UK LT models at that time were only offered in a metallic gold/beige (I think it was called Bahama Bronze) with a contrasting brown (comfort) seat.

Obviously, the belly-pan was never offered on anything but the RS.

I bought so parts from a guy w/an '86 K100RS that had the 618 code also, so I think you're good...

Now I'm trying to decide between the Karibic Blau and the stock Polaris silver when I repaint...

I would recommend you remove the top box from the mount on the rear ducktail. My wife's K75 has just broken the fibreglass away because the big topbox was mounter there and I need to replace the whole unit.  I was fortunate to get one at a swap meet for $30 and at the same time came across a guy fron NSW north coast who has K parts "by the thousands" as he said.

Yes Rick, I agree with your comment and it has already been removed and will be ebay'ed at a later date along with the tank bag, belly pan and anything else i do not need.

Tank off for cleaning and i am greeted with this


Relay box cover off and the dreaded scotch locks appear.


Cut wires and insulating tape everywhere may account for why it has not run for 6 years.

just take your time and methodically ...make good and safe ... all the mods

some of these things are desirable after all ....just we may not have a need at the moment

good to see your getting stuck into it .

cheers !

Brynogwy wrote:Yes Rick, I agree with your comment and it has already been removed and will be ebay'ed at a later date along with the tank bag, belly pan and anything else i do not need.

 I've literally just bought one on ebay for my K1100R project (having been searching for quite a while).

I'm searching for the fuel and temp gauge mounting pods too (just in case you decide that you don't want them). 

Although dry stored for six years as a non runner it a wonder how it ever ran properly before that.