Hi all, I'd like to make a make a quick introduction and say hello to all the members on the forum. I ride a '91 K75S and live in Dublin, Ireland.  I've owned and enjoyed the bike for a couple of years.  I use the bike every day and this I've started to give the bike some much needed TLC, jobs that had been on the long finger for too long! I have enjoyed the bike so much that I picked up a second one earlier this year as a refurb project! Pics and plans to follow..

I'm hoping to use the forum to get some much needed advice as it arises and perhaps meet up and go for a spin or two with some like-minded K bikers.

Here's a picture of my first bike the Red 75.

I've also added a pic of it's new stablemate, and a family photo!

Greetings and welcome.  What a lovely pair!!!     I started off on a K75s and had several over the years.  I've only recently returned to the fold with a K100.

Welkome!

That's a nice couple in white and red, enjoy your rides.

Cheers

Thanks guys, multiple K bike ownership does seem to be a common theme here! Excuse my poor photographs, the second bike is actually Brilliantsilber while the first is Marrakesh Red, although it could do with a repaint.

Welcome from another Dublin K owner, in case you have not noticed we will be meeting up over Christmas in Stradbally.

I am sure Olaf will be along shortly with all details.

Hi Ya Red75, welcome aboard.  Now don't let those other Irish guys lead you astray, they will ply you with Guiness and Olaf's Christmas Pudding till you cant move then you're hooked and thats it, you're addicted.

RicK G wrote:Hi Ya Red75, welcome aboard.  Now don't let those other Irish guys lead you astray, they will ply you with Guiness and Olaf's Christmas Pudding till you cant move then you're hooked and thats it, you're addicted.

Kpox tends to be rapid here. So far Curley has been one of the fastest.

Anyway welcome too, as RickG has said we will ply you with Guinness and Christmas pudding,

Christmas Brunch at Stradbally Co Laois, Tuesday 29th December, 11am to about 1pm to allow everyone to travel in daylight. Simon [Ringfad] has said he will be down so maybe a few link up at Red Cow or somewhere, its easy to find Stradbally Fayre, down the M8 then head for Carlow, its about 10km down, is on the left park straight after the pedestrian crossing.

Yes, Christmas pudding will be served. It has become a tradition that we passed on down under too. The Guinness is used to make the pudding, its about 25% by weight.......he he. The breakfast is excellent too.

If weather is not great use the car rather than skip it, we had to do that last year due to frost.

Espresso wrote:Welkome!

That's a nice couple in white and red, enjoy your rides.

Cheers

A few of us have three. Will your next one be blue?

Welcome Red,

For an unbiased opinion, two very good choices. 

If you punch in the VIN numbers in the realoem.com website you will find the correct age and fit of your bikes. 

I hope they bring you many years of enjoyment. 

Dave.

Thanks guys for the lovely warm welcome.  Stradbally on the 29th sounds great, a spin to Laois will be well needed after four days of turkey and ham sambos! Weather permitting I'll do my best to pop down and join you guys. Guinness and Christmas pud' -two of my favourite things!

Dave -I've checked the VIN numbers and already found out some interesting stuff.  My '93 Registered red bike is actually a UK import manufactured in Nov' 1990 and used to have ABS -anyone need a spare ABS computer? It's redundant to me so I've taken it out and made more room for sandwiches in the rear compartment!

Steven

from Up North. Unfortunately I'll miss the 29th as I'm going to be sitting in a nice warm office. Or on standby. The powers-that-be haven't quite decided yet where I'm going to be stationed...

a red and a white, or maybe silver - nonetheless , smooth ,like a couple of fine wines . 
welcome to the Knut haus Red . hope you enjoy the Kamraderie and spirit that is this forum.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:
Yes, Christmas pudding will be served. It has become a tradition that we passed on down under too. The Guinness is used to make the pudding, its about 25% by weight.......he he. The breakfast is excellent too.

If weather is not great use the car rather than skip it, we had to do that last year due to frost.

If I remember correctly it was the girls blouses from Limerick who turned up on four wheels. Myself and you turned up on our bikes.  Though I do remember driving across the forecourt in Mother Hubbards before realizing it was a sheet of ice.

God bless heated handlebars.
Fintan

Corkboy wrote:

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:
Yes, Christmas pudding will be served. It has become a tradition that we passed on down under too. The Guinness is used to make the pudding, its about 25% by weight.......he he. The breakfast is excellent too.

If weather is not great use the car rather than skip it, we had to do that last year due to frost.

If I remember correctly it was the girls blouses from Limerick who turned up on four wheels. Myself and you turned up on our bikes.  Though I do remember driving across the forecourt in Mother Hubbards before realizing it was a sheet of ice.

God bless heated handlebars.
Fintan

Yes, I remember tootling along on the K and no one stopping us riding into that forecourt. A very hasty decision to keep the bike moving and back out onto the road. The difference between bitumen macadam and hot rolled asphalt becomes critical at those times.

In fairness the road down from Pallasgreen was like that, we were lucky because we had an ice free motorway.

God bless the RT and no need for heated handlebars. Oh, leave the bike gear on the Aga the night before........

Am looking at a parked K, a brand new fuel pump and fuel filter on the desk and a need to get them all together in the one place. The choice is do that or make more puddings......some buggers just ate the ones I made for Stradbally Fayre. I should go in the business, about 20 gone already.

Welcome.  I like both of them - especially the red one.

Hi welcome to forum, I enjoyed reading your introduction, I am sure you will find lots fo help and support here, looking forward to reading your posts.

Hi red75
Welcome from a k1 keeper from Dublin. May see you at strdbally.

Hi guys, thanks again for the welcomes.  I've got stradbally in on the calendar, looking forward to the spin.  Hopefully will get a chance to do a few small jobs on the bikes over the christmas break too.  One thing that is really bugging me is a 'loose' feeling from rear end on the bike.  Planning on changing the shock when I can (could be original with 49k miles!) but reading through the posts it seems the Metzeler Lasertec tyres aren't regarded very highly either.  Anyone else got any experience with them, specially in cold(ish) wet weather like we are having a the moment? I've got them front and back, stock sizes.

That's exactly how mine was with the Lasertec tyres before I put the BT45s on. At this time of year the Lasertec behaved exactly as you describe.

Olaf, I'm actually quite concerned with this tyre.  It was good during the Summer but I have very little confidence in the wet with this.  It's hard to describe the feeling, like it keeps running into oil and like maybe a wheel nut is loose.  I don't trust the tyre to really lean into the corners or brake hard.  I'm quite miffed to think that I need to replace a tyre with less than 1500 miles on it, but for safety sake I think I'll pop a BT45 on.  I've had good experience with the BT45's on an old Honda I had.  The front seems ok but it was always going to be an improvement over the previous setup (previous owner had stuck a Michelin rear tyre on the front wheel!)

Just make sure the tyre is seated correctly on the rim. Maybe over inflate up to about 50psi but for solo go back to about 38psi and see how it feels. However my experience with the Lasertec was a real loss of confidence as the temperatures dropped to the point where cold wet riding was like there was grease on them.


How old is the Lastertec? Look for a 4 digit code on the sidewall. First pair of digits will be 01 to 52 for the week of the year, second pair will be last 2 of the year and should really be no older than 11. One habit I now have is to check the date on a tyre when I get it new in case its very old stock.

Anyone near you that you could do a quick wheel swap with? Rear only take a few minutes to swap.

# Olaf and Red75 I had the same issue with the Lasertec on my second K75 bike, I'm always happy with the BT45 front 110/2.5 pressure and real 140/2.9 pressure, especially in wet and cold.

I have tried the very cheap Maxxis, a pair Maxxis cost as much as one BT45!
Maxxis 100/90-18 56H ProMaxx M-6102 Street 
Maxxis 130/90-17 68H ProMaxx M-6103 Street
http://international.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-214-216-promaxx
Drives nice and is really "cheap"

Cheers

For those who know hem I would compare my experience with the Lasertec as similar to Dunlop K70 Gold Seal or the old Yokohamas...........only worse. They came as stock tyres and you organised a set of replacements before you took the bike out of the showroom.

I suppose too, going by the first photos, that you might be joining some Kamping trips next year........!!

 to the forum Red75. 

I will not make it to the meet up as i am away till new years.

Welcome to our little Eccentric corner of the Wibbly Wobbly Web. Take a seat in the corner and the nurse will be around with the meds...This Knuthaus is run by the Inmates. I have recently moved to the mid west from the east coast but that's of no consequence on a K.

And also have acquired a second K. Yours are looking good. You'll get all the help you need on the forum. Why not stick up a resto thread. We like those! 

Hope you can make it to our Christmas gathering. 

Will aka 88

Thanks again guys.  Lovely warm welcome and some really useful info about the tyres here.  This type of advice is invaluable, very much appreciated!  After another wobbly commute home yesterday evening the decision is made to spring for a new BT45 for the rear. I checked the dates -1012 on the back and 2414 on the front, not too bad but what did it for me was that horrible feeling of grease on the tyre again -even driving straight and level!

Olaf- very much into kamping, would love to do some more once the weather warms up a few degrees! Here's a pic of the bike loaded up earlier in the year

This was us in France in June.....beside the river...you can see it just under the tarp. Tarp was for sunshade.

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