A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations.

jscwerve · 1 A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 11:52 am

jscwerve

active member

Number of posts : 13

So, I've had my 85 K100 for a whole week now. I've ridden every day and have a pretty good feel for the bike now. Throughout the last week I've developed a few questions.

1. There is a hesitation while accelerating/cruising in between 3600-4000RPM. This is in all gears. Once above 4kRPM the bike takes off like a rocket. This is also about the only time the bike has any noticable vibration, albeit a minimal amount. Is this normal for these bikes?

2. Fuel lights. Are they normally this wonky? I live in an area with a lot of hills. The 7L light came on this morning and was just going off and on randomly. Then the 4L light came on and the 7L light turned off, then they were both on, then both off, and random combinations of the same on my 30 mile commute this morning. I plan on calibrating the lights properly when I get the time, but I was wondering if this behavior was typical. If this is the norm I am going to add a self latching relay to the circuit so that when it comes on the first time it just stays on until the bike is turned off. The flashing bright-assed amber and red light was not a pleasure at 4:30 this morning.

3. A couple of times when really getting on it from a stop the transmission has slipped out of second back into neutral. Is this a problem? I still need to see this a few more times because honestly it could be a problem with my giant foot and the tiny shift lever. Has this been heard of before or is it me not engaging the gear hard enough?

4. Throttle cables. The throttle on this bike will ALMOST simply hold itself open and it is difficult to turn. Quick fix with cable lubrication, or the normal? I have had bikes in the past with both easy and hard to move throttles, wondering which category the K-bike falls into.

5. Panniers. I have not been able to find a writeup of rebuilding the generation 2 latches. These things are garbage (on mine) and I don't want to spend 30 bucks a piece to replace them. Can they be rebuilt/refurbished? I've already ordered hinges because both boxes are missing one of them. If I cannot find a writeup, I will make one.

Now observations:

1. This bike will easily do 110mph+ at over 6000ft altitude. It's a refreshing change from the v-twin bike I got rid of for this bike.

2. I've had this bike for just a week now and I think I like it more than any other bike I've owned in the last 5 years, perhaps ever. I am now a BMW fan.

3. I think I'm going to be able to ride this bike for endless hours without pain. This is the reason I got rid of my cruiser. The riding outlook is much improved for me.

I know that is a hell of a first tech question post, but hey, why not just get it all out there right? Any input is appreciated!

J.C.

Dai

Dai

Life time member

Number of posts : 5700

I can possibly help with (2) and (4):

(2). They're not accurate but they're not usually that bad. Rough roads will probably do it but what I find with mine is that the 7L light starts flashing at about 130 miles and finally goes solid just about the point that the 3L light starts flashing. I sometimes get the disco show but it's not worth worrying about. If you're not always caning the a$$ off the bike you should get about 200 miles to a tankful: if you get a series of major hesitations and then everything kicks in, you've got about ten miles to find gas - or else.

(4). Could be the cable but my money is on the bevel drive in the throttle housing, especially if it feels sort-of stop-go-stop-go when you open the throttle.

a. Take the bar-end weight out and unscrew the big cheesehead in the middle of the switch cluster.
b. Lift the casting and pivot it backward to release it.
c. Slide out the throttle tube, clean the teeth and inspect them. If they look like vampire teeth then you need to be showing the bevel assembly to the nearest bin. If you see any spalling in there (i.e. ridging in the aluminium casting) you might get away with cleaning the teeth with a fine file, but it won't last long before it happens again.
d. Lift the crown wheel off its pivot and inspect its teeth. You can do this without taking off the master cylinder but it's fiddly.
e. Pull the crown wheel towards the end of the handlebars. It should open the throttle reasonably easily. Don't let the cable jump out of the end of the chain drive because if you do , it's a real pain to replace it.
f. If it doesn't, put the end of a screwdriver under the throttle bar on the leftside of the engine and open the throttles.
g. Pull the crownwheel again. If it doesn't move very easily then the cable itself is duff. Try pumping a shedload of WD40 or similar down it.

Personally, I hate that bevel drive assembly on the throttle. Although BMW have been using it right back almost to the start of the airhead boxers, I think it was style over function. My last new one only lasted 15,000 miles before it was shown the bin. I'm now using Japanese switchgear but that is a major modification.

VashonK100 · 3 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 1:19 pm

VashonK100

active member

Number of posts : 27

4) I received an 85 K100 recently and also had a sticky throttle. I found out there was an update to the throttle cable on the 85. Picked up a the new one at the dealer and it's smooth now.

Hope that helps!

jscwerve · 4 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 1:40 pm

jscwerve

active member

Number of posts : 13

Excellent. I was unaware of there being gears in the throttle grip assembly, I've not seen that on other bikes. Now I have my Monday project (riding and working this weekend). I'll disassemble and evaluate it then.

I figured as much on the fuel lights. I guess I'll be wiring up a fix for that. Like I said, I live/commute in a very hilly terrain on the foothills of the Rockies. I will write up what I do when I add a fix for this, it will be a winter project when the snow hits. I will add latching relays to the light circuits and at the same time calibrate the lights properly with the fuel light fix found on ibmwr by adding potentiometers to the circuit.

Ahh, a place to start. Excellent.

charlie99 · 5 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 2:23 pm

charlie99

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Number of posts : 11701

re pannier latches

3 things I have noticed
the metal on the latches wears quickly with vibration ,and allows them to pop open once wear has set in
the weather seals should have a little force during compression of the two pieces together else they will rattle causing more wear of the latches
make sure the frame latch works properly and is firm to the frame

many here have stories of suicidal panniers and they don't seam to land well when full , often run over before recovery can be made or not worth stopping to worry about, if it does happen except to recover the contents..... if you notice them disappear quickly .

I use neoprene type rubber as frame to pannier buffers which helps stop rattling on the frame and gives them less chance to lift off the brackets over potholes etc see note above

good luck

Kyle10 · 6 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 2:55 pm

Kyle10

Life time member

Number of posts : 442

VashonK100 wrote:4) I received an 85 K100 recently and also had a sticky throttle. I found out there was an update to the throttle cable on the 85. Picked up a the new one at the dealer and it's smooth now.

Hope that helps!

Beat me to it. Yep, definitely.

Don't bother lubing the old one, too. It has a nylon sleeve and it will just gum it up. Suppose you could use graphite or a 'dry' lube, but a new cable is the likely answer.

Also, dismantle, clean and relube the whole chain/cam/grip gear assembly thingy at the handlebar terminus. Prob a mess of aged grease and whatnot.

Rick G · 7 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 8:59 pm

Rick G

admin

Number of posts : 12055

jscwerve wrote:So, I've had my 85 K100 for a whole week now. I've ridden every day and have a pretty good feel for the bike now. Throughout the last week I've developed a few questions.

1. There is a hesitation while accelerating/cruising in between 3600-4000RPM. Quite likely an air leak in the intake tract. there are a number of threads about this so have a hunt around and a search. This is in all gears. Once above 4kRPM the bike takes off like a rocket. This is also about the only time the bike has any noticeable vibration, albeit a minimal amount. Is this normal for these bikes? This is quite usual and can be largely removed by careful tuning but most of us have learned to live with it and you do get used to it

2. Fuel lights. Are they normally this wonky? Yes I live in an area with a lot of hills. The 7L light came on this morning and was just going off and on randomly. Then the 4L light came on and the 7L light turned off, then they were both on, then both off, and random combinations of the same on my 30 mile commute this morning. I plan on calibrating the lights properly when I get the time, but I was wondering if this behaviour was typical. If this is the norm I am going to add a self latching relay to the circuit so that when it comes on the first time it just stays on until the bike is turned off. The flashing bright-assed amber and red light was not a pleasure at 4:30 this morning.

3. A couple of times when really getting on it from a stop the transmission has slipped out of second back into neutral. Is this a problem? I still need to see this a few more times because honestly it could be a problem with my giant foot and the tiny shift lever. Has this been heard of before or is it me not engaging the gear hard enough?
You need to have a very positive attitude to shifting and cannot be a bit casual. Also a dry spline on the gearbox input shaft will cause you to find lots of neutrals. If it has been jumping out a lot the selector fork may be damaged and need fixing.

4. Throttle cables. The throttle on this bike will ALMOST simply hold itself open and it is difficult to turn. Quick fix with cable lubrication, or the normal? I have had bikes in the past with both easy and hard to move throttles, wondering which category the K-bike falls into. To add to what all have said the grip sometimes works its way up against the switch block and causes it to drag and not return

5. Panniers. I have not been able to find a writeup of rebuilding the generation 2 latches. These things are garbage (on mine) and I don't want to spend 30 bucks a piece to replace them. Can they be rebuilt/refurbished? I've already ordered hinges because both boxes are missing one of them. If I cannot find a writeup, I will make one. My opinion and others will differ but the OEM Panniers are rubbish. Difficult to open and close and are suicidal.

Now observations:

1. This bike will easily do 110mph+ at over 6000ft altitude. It's a refreshing change from the v-twin bike I got rid of for this bike.

2. I've had this bike for just a week now and I think I like it more than any other bike I've owned in the last 5 years, perhaps ever. I am now a BMW fan.

3. I think I'm going to be able to ride this bike for endless hours without pain. This is the reason I got rid of my cruiser. The riding outlook is much improved for me.

I know that is a hell of a first tech question post, but hey, why not just get it all out there right? Any input is appreciated!

J.C.

blaKey

blaKey

Life time member

Number of posts : 2756

"Also, dismantle, clean and relube the whole chain/cam/grip gear assembly thingy at the handlebar terminus. Prob a mess of aged grease and whatnot."

Some lube it with grease, WD40 and other similar sprays and liquids.
Then there are others that use a dry lubricant or a silicone spray.

Grease and oil can attract dirt and dust, while the silicone spray/dry lubricant less so. Take your pick!

The photo below shows you the two marks that line up when reassembling the gears and stuff.

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thrott11

Norbrat · 9 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:37 am

Norbrat

active member

Number of posts : 5

VashonK100 wrote:4) I received an 85 K100 recently and also had a sticky throttle. I found out there was an update to the throttle cable on the 85. Picked up a the new one at the dealer and it's smooth now.

Hope that helps!

Make sure it comes with a new bracket for the manifold end. I ordered the new cable for mine but of course the useless parts guy did not know about the bracket, so had to go back again to order that as well.

Remove the globe in the instrument cluster for the 7l warning light. It was always a PITA and BMW did away with it in '88, I think.

Some folks to Bubba'd it by cutting the cable under the tank; just make real sure you cut the correct one if you decide to do this (not recommended!!)

If you remove and disassemble your instrument cluster, I highly recommend you do the fixes as described in http://ibmwr.org/ktech.shtml Scroll down to "Instrument Cluster" particularly these:

http://ibmwr.org/ktech/speedo-repair1.shtml
http://ibmwr.org/ktech/speedo-moisture.shtml

My '85 did the flaky speedo trick and I fixed it for a number of years by following the above procedures. It started doing it again but by that time I rarely rode the bike and ended up selling it. I did tell the new owner about the problem.

About the 3k - 4k rpm hesitancy thing; yeah, this model seems to do that. From what I've gleaned over the years, folks reckon it's due to valve timing and fuel injection leanness at this particular rev range to help improve theoretical fuel consumption figures as the test specify certain vehicle speeds, so a fair bit of time in this rev range, so if the engine runs lean here, it makes the figures look better.

jscwerve

jscwerve

active member

Number of posts : 13

Great info everyone. Thanks. I'll be disassembling the throttle tonight and cleaning it up. Hopefully that does it, if not I'll replace it early in the week. I've got about a 300mi ride scheduled for tomorrow so I can't disassemble too much after I get off of work today!

Did my first true tank fill up yesterday and clocked a whopping 35MPG. I'm going to attribute that to me being in the throttle every second I can since I picked up the bike. I'm sure that will improve when the newness of the bike wears off (ha ha).

I got my GPS mounted to the handlebars last night and did a speedo comparison on my commute this morning. Very surprising! The speedo is only about 2-3mph off at most speeds. Just from my experience with other bikes, I have to say this is pretty damn good.

Anyways, thanks again for the knowledge! I'll be updating as I find things or have new questions.

Ghost who rides

Ghost who rides

Life time member

Number of posts : 670

I will second Rick G's comment re the gearshift, you have to be quite deliberate compared to

most other brands of bike. Even though I have been riding BMW s for 40+ years 1st to 2nd still

occasionally catches me out, totally my error, it's not dropping out of 2nd , I just didn't

quite get it into 2nd if that makes sense, due to the longer throw through neutral. Most often happens

with a passenger and my seating is slightly more forward ie: ankle at a different angle. Doubly embarrassing

when someone else knows Sad

No excuses tho', It's still MY fault.

AJ.Valente

AJ.Valente

Life time member

Number of posts : 440

RicK G wrote:

jscwerve wrote:
3. A couple of times when really getting on it from a stop the transmission has slipped out of second back into neutral. Is this a problem? I still need to see this a few more times because honestly it could be a problem with my giant foot and the tiny shift lever. Has this been heard of before or is it me not engaging the gear hard enough?
You need to have a very positive attitude to shifting and cannot be a bit casual. Also a dry spline on the gearbox input shaft will cause you to find lots of neutrals. If it has been jumping out a lot the selector fork may be damaged and need fixing.

The K's are a shaft drive with mechanical clutch controlled by a cable, so improper cable adjustment is the likely culprit IMO. I do not get false neutrals when the clutch is properly adjusted. A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. 112350

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. 112350

Not disagreeing JC, but the cable s/b attended to before blaming the splines. I had just lubed the splines this summer, and am finding a few more false neutrals now (than before the lube) due to clutch cable adjustment.

Clutch cables are prone to stretching, and need to be adjusted once or twice a year. Always recommend new owners replace the clutch cable before any serious riding since one never knows how the previous owner used (or abused) it. I recommend replacing clutch cable every 2 years (long story here, but take my word for it, an ounce of prevention, etc.). As an added incentive, if you like to take-off from the line in a blaze, the cable needs to be strong and properly adjusted. Twisted Evil

There are two adjustments, one at the clutch and one on the handlebar. It's important that the release point be in or about the middle of clutch lever travel. It's easy to adjust the clutch cable, check out the video: BMW Service - K75, K100, K1, K1100 Clutch Adjustment Procedure - YouTube made by my mechanic, Chris Harris. (P.S. Chris uses lots of "colorful" language, so keep the kids away while you watch. Rolling Eyes

)

AJ.Valente

AJ.Valente

Life time member

Number of posts : 440

More on transmissions and false neutrals;

Change the transmission fluid. Trans fluid s/b changed every year, no exceptions. New transmission fluid makes a big difference in shifting.

Consider Castrol 70-90. That's what's used on police bikes.

There are other brands of 70-90 on the market (Valvoline, Pensoil, etc.), but for some reason the Castrol is the only one that lasts. I originally tried Valvoline, and while it started out fine, after 500 miles or so the transmission began shifting poorly.

Two Wheels Better

Two Wheels Better

Moderator

Number of posts : 5491

Have your dealer order you 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6 to help in the sticky cable issue if the other methods don't help much. The dealer personnel will not know by looking at the catalogue that you also need the other components unless they a) were selling parts back in the day, or b) know about the old, paper service & parts bulletin pertaining to this modification by BMW.

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thrott10

Inge K.

Inge K.

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Number of posts : 4321

This link may also help I'll guess.

Two Wheels Better

Two Wheels Better

Moderator

Number of posts : 5491

Inge K. wrote:This link may also help I'll guess.

Trust our good man Inge-K-Pedia to have the answer, and not just the answer, but a detailed-packed answer! I can't heap praise enough on the sort of back catalogue of useful info from which he divulges the information, and correctly, too.

Now, in my mind's eye, because I only know the man (or is he?!) in this virtual world, I'm picturing a cauldron of sorts, and a wizened old bloke, hunched and aged, wearing a cap with a tall point, in a cramped and busy place which he perhaps inhabits in that far north frozen country, and of course a bubbling broth, rich and simmering on the wood-burning stove, of various K bikes of early and late vintage, stirred slowly and deliberately, giving us its fine soup flavour. Ingesoup, I'll call it. No book can teach the sort of stuff this man knows.
study

Drink up me hearties and be taken away to a very nice place where all of the K bikes run as though they are formed from the very magic of life, and they are.

jscwerve

jscwerve

active member

Number of posts : 13

Once again, thanks all for the info. I'm slowly getting deeper into the bike when I am able. Tough to find time sometimes with tons of work and school (no, I'm not a kid, I'm just going to college 20 years too late!).

I did disassemble the throttle mechanism the night before my ride on Sunday and it was all kinds of fudged up. Got it cleaned up and lubed properly so now it moves great. Found some of the splines bent though, so there is a new gear on the way.

Next step when I get a chance is to change the trans oil and and replace the clutch cable just for good measure.

I also just a few minutes ago found out about the "altitude plug" that I need to make sure is installed when I get home. I live at approximately 6,000 feet and regularly ride above 12,000.

I rode with my GPS on Sunday and at the 100 mile mark the odometer was within less than .1 mile of the GPS. With that margin of error my bike could in fact have a couple thousand more miles on it that indicated, but not that many more, so no worries.

First ride with any distance this weekend, the only thing that bothered me was the riders on cruiser style bikes slowing me down through the mountain roads!!!

charlie99

charlie99

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Number of posts : 11701

jscwerve wrote:
First ride with any distance this weekend, the only thing that bothered me was the riders on cruiser style bikes slowing me down through the mountain roads!!!

yep, your not on your own .....

but after you get past them , that smile of knowing that an old unappreciated machine does the job well

enjoy !!

Dai

Dai

Life time member

Number of posts : 5700

jscwerve wrote: Tough to find time sometimes with tons of work and school (no, I'm not a kid, I'm just going to college 20 years too late!).

Been there, done that some ten years ago - was at college in Northern Ireland and won a scholarship to study at a school in east Kentucky. The one thing about returning to school later in life is that is concentrates your mind wonderfully - you know this is your last chance. Based on my experience and the experience of seeing other returners in Kentucky, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to hear that you'd completed school with one award or another. I really wish you good luck with this.

jscwerve · 20 An update Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:14 pm

jscwerve

active member

Number of posts : 13

Just an update on my old K-bike. It's been a few months since I've been here. Mainly because there was much grinding, lurching, and danger while cruising about 60mph and the 1st to 2nd shifting problems got worse. The bike has been just sitting since November unridable.

As I had suspected, the shifting fork for 1-N-2 had taken a dump. The weather and time have finally cooperated today so I could tear the bike down. I had to make the angle-iron brackets I read about here to lift the bike, and then got to work. Here are some pictures of the carnage. Definitely out of commission until I find a new transmission and the time to reassemble.

At least I'll have the chance to do a REALLY deep cleaning of everything.Second pic is the nice aluminum slurry that was in the trans. Third is the broken fork.

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. XiwFqJS

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. XiwFqJS

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. IasX1zB

A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. WWHIdVh

1990k75

1990k75

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Number of posts : 149

Somebody please tell me about the 'angle iron brackets' mentioned here... Smile

Rick G

Rick G

admin

Number of posts : 12055

The centre and side stand bolt onto the transmission so when you remove the transmission you need a sky hook to keep the back of the bike of the ground or a some here do make a bracket of some sort to fit onto the engine where the crash bars mount and that take the place of a centre stand for the duration.

jscwerve

jscwerve

active member

Number of posts : 13

1990k75 wrote:Somebody please tell me about the 'angle iron brackets' mentioned here...

Ya, they can be seen in the first picture of my last post in this thread (Expand the picture, it's HUGE). The pieces are sitting directly on the jack and you can see the bold heads where they mount to the engine. It's just angle iron I picked up from the hardware store with a couple of holes drilled into it. About as simple as you can get.

1990k75

1990k75

Silver member

Number of posts : 149

Simple, effective & cheap - I love it! Excuse me while I go out and kick myself... Laughing

A few days ago I tried wood blocks & ratchet straps with same kind of lift. Result - it slipped & fell on me, or should I say I managed to keep it from hitting the ground. Yeah, that sounds better.

Did take a nice chunk of fairing out though... Mad

So I guess bodywork will be a new skill to learn...

Anyway, just finished returning the lift as I thought I'd have to convince Joanie of the absolute NEED for the $1000 shop lift. Store will be be amused to see me back for another one...

Super work for a guy who hadn't had the bike very long, Congrats! Do I feel clever?

Cheers, Lorne & Joanie

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1 A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 11:52 am

jscwerve

2 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 12:55 pm

Dai

3 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 1:19 pm

VashonK100

4 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 1:40 pm

jscwerve

5 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 2:23 pm

charlie99

6 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 2:55 pm

Kyle10

7 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 8:59 pm

Rick G

8 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:28 pm

blaKey

9 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:37 am

Norbrat

10 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sat Sep 27, 2014 5:48 pm

jscwerve

11 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sun Sep 28, 2014 2:26 am

Ghost who rides

12 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:45 am

AJ.Valente

13 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sun Sep 28, 2014 5:12 pm

AJ.Valente

14 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sun Sep 28, 2014 5:52 pm

Two Wheels Better

15 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:20 pm

Inge K.

16 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:20 am

Two Wheels Better

17 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:57 pm

jscwerve

18 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:29 pm

charlie99

19 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Sat Oct 04, 2014 11:03 am

Dai

20 An update Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:14 pm

jscwerve

21 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:38 am

1990k75

22 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:12 am

Rick G

23 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thu Nov 12, 2015 12:41 pm

jscwerve

24 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations. Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:40 pm

1990k75

25 Re: A few Noob to k-bikes questions and observations.

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