Hello,

My name's Rob. Hopefully buying a semi-complete K100RT cafe racer at the weekend and thought i'd get on the forum to try absorb as much info as I can.

I've attached some photos of the bike i'm looking to buy. My plans are to clean up the engine, shot/sand blast the frame and tank then powder coat the frame and spray the tank. Also the obvious things like install new mirrors and spedometers. The bike has just been MOT'd so it runs fine. I test drove it a few days back and loved it. 

Is there anything I should look out for when I go back to hopefully close the deal? Any common problems etc

Thanks guys, Hoping to become a active part of the community. 

Rob

whats for ya will no go by ya:)

while you are at the frame etc, check your splines, and rear drive, give them a good seeing too, expensive fix if they are damaged, pity you dont have the LT plastic, would be handy with your weather, since your further north than I am.
Plenty of info on this site.
Nice winter project, maybe see you over here in the west next year:)

Welcome Rob,

What a refreshing change - someone buying an already cafe'd RT and intent on making it better one, rather than stripping another K to the bones.

Not sure what effect cafe-ing has on the registration document - obviously the modifications need to be declared when you insure it, so you will need sufficient details from the previous (current) owner (PO). If it has passed the MoT, then that is a good start. Where is the speedo? I'm sure it would need one of them to satisfy the ever picky MoT people. Also, I can't see any mudguards (fenders) - don't know whether they are an on road requirement (passed MoT, so maybe not) but without them you are going to get a whole host of road rubbish and water hitting the engine block and possibly getting up into the electrics under the tank - you'll also get a road-water enema or at least a soaking at the rear. Whilst you may not be buying for all weather use - I suspect that there will be one or two times that the rain catches you out.

Common problems - electrical earth connection issues and old fuel causing fuel system issues are common, but if it ran OK during your test ride, you're probably are OK. You may find the electrics have been changed from the bog standard RT wiring loom- if the PO has details of what he has done, that will help you greatly with your trouble shooting if you have problems later on. Other things to look at - tyres (age is key - old tyres, even with ample tread, will affect the handling badly). If you can jack the front end off the ground (put on centre stand, block of wood and jack up under sump), turn the wheel from side to side and then try pulling the forks forwards to check the condition of the steering head bearings (they wear over a long time and will feel notchy or allow fork movement if the grease has gone hard or the bearing races have become excessively worn).

Plenty of Cafe fans on the forum, so lots of advice to be shared.
Good luck

It would be interesting to compare the handling of that bike to a standard K100 as the fork tubes have been pulled up through the triple clamps quite a long way to allow the clipons to be fitted.

You must loose ground clearance when cornering. I think standard would have to handle better or at least lean over further. But I have been wrong before.

Hi Rob,

Interesting project you have there, get it to your own liking and enjoy.

BIG D

Gaz wrote:It would be interesting to compare the handling of that bike to a standard K100 as the fork tubes have been pulled up through the triple clamps quite a long way to allow the clipons to be fitted.

Also makes the bike drop into corners. However my RT has standard forks and I would like a little more drop in effect. Beefing up the front tyre to 110/90 instead of 100/90 [a rise of 9mm] and dropping the rear from 130/90 to 140/80 [a drop of 5mm] along with slight lowering of the rear due to a rear shock change [I think another 15mm drop] I may be the cause of some of this. When I got the RT it was tip toes on the ground, now I can get both feet flat on the ground.