Hey everyone! Bought my first K bike.

Honestly wasn't really planning on buying a K, I remember probable 5 years ago when I was just starting college and bought a different bike my Uncle told me I should have bought a K but really didn't know much about them. Anyways about a week ago I was searching craigslist for another toy and saw a k100rt. It has been sitting the last 9 years? Was able to get the bike going after a bit and shifted through gears... seemed to do alright so I bought it for 800!


Ive done a ton of research the last couple of days. I know I want to switch all the fluids for free fluids. I have new injectors that are on order, I am thinking I am going to wait till winter to do the drive shaft spline and final drive spline unless someone thinks I need to do that now. I will probably end up replacing the clutch during that time also. Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance, Exicted to learn!

Welcome goalie - intersted to hear about your find as I'm in the states at the moment  (MN) and I've been looking at a similar age machine on Craigslist near the Twin Cities.
If I were in your positions I'd do the drive shaft spline check ASAP and leave the clutch splines till winter unless you're having  trouble downshifting....
Keep us posted.

goalie94 wrote:.... It has been sitting the last 9 years? Was able to get the bike going after a bit and shifted through gears... seemed to do alright so I bought it for 800!

It's not often that a goalie scores...but great result.

I would change all the fluids (engine oil, gear oil, final drive and coolant) as they are pretty easy jobs to do and, while the tank is off (to do the coolant), clean up the earth connector to the frame and any other connectors in the vicinity (deOxit is you friend). DeOxit into the handlebar switch gear is good too - you may find the contacts have gained a nasty layer of corrosion on them through lack of use. If the tank has been left with fuel in it, then you may have problems with the fuel system - get rid of any old fuel as it won't do you any favours. 

You'll definitely need a fresh pair of tyres - the old ones will have gone hard and K's don't handle well on aged rubber.

When those basic jobs are done, resist the urge to tear her apart to do splines, clutch etc. and get out for a good ride instead - you will soon find out if there are any other jobs that need doing.

Enjoy

Thanks everyone for the replies! I am hoping to get the fluids all changed out this week as well as a new battery and new airfilter and stuff. I recently took a 1987 KLR 650 and rebuilt it and got it running. I'm pretty comfortable around bikes and I've grown up with them. 

One thing I really haven't been able to find an answer for has to do with the splines. Can I assume if the final gear splines are good that the splines near the clutch are good? 

Another thing the tires seem to be fine. Must have been replaced not to long ago. There are not any cracks on them. Am I safe to use them or no? If I'm getting new tires I'm going to powerder coat the rims. And start my build.

The rear splines are easy to do compared to the clutch ones, so expect that the clutch may have not been done at the same time the rear was done last.

Tires are good for 7 years I think it is. So check the manufactured date on the tyre and see how old it is. They can appear clean and fine but may lose grip and flex and wear will appear to not happen if you use them well past their use by date. They become useless in the wet.

People have just kept on with the tyre's no matter the age though so it's summer over there, may be an advantage for you.

Some places have a age related date they must come off the road, over here its 7 years.

Welcome to the K-bike club, from a fellow Michigander!

Soon question.....Is it worth it for me to pay a local shop to do the clutch and rear splines ($400 U.S.) or Is it an easy enough job to do by myself? Im pretty handy on my own just not sure about doing to clutch splines... seems as though center stand, exhaust and stuff has to come out?

goalie94 wrote:Soon question.....Is it worth it for me to pay a local shop to do the clutch and rear splines ($400 U.S.) or Is it an easy enough job to do by myself? Im pretty handy on my own just not sure about doing to clutch splines... seems as though center stand, exhaust and stuff has to come out?

Rear splines are a breeze to clean and check.  I am pretty sure Chris Harris has clutch spline videos on YouTube (five or six part series). Doesn't look like a terribly daunting task, from a mechanical perspective. I'm inclined to do mine in the off season, but the satisfaction of doing my own wrenching is half the fun (for me). Only you know what your time is worth...

Yes doing the clutch splines is relatively easy, a little more involved but not anything a practically minded person cant do.

Welcome!  Good advice so far.  I would add that I have a spray bottle of S-100 motorcycle cleaner(I get it at the Hardley Fergusen dealer.  It is amazing for cleaning road dirt and grease.  When you have the tank off give the wiring a couple shots of the S-100 followed by a little bit of water.  Work it around with a paint brush and rinse thoroughly with a good stream of water.  After everything dries you can do the DeOxit on the connections.

By cleaning everything, the dirt that holds moisture is prevented from causing more corrosion.

If I was doing the fluids I would also flush and bleed the brakes and do the drive shaft splines.  These jobs can be done in an afternoon and will prevent any further wear from old fluid and dry splines. 

The clutch splines is more of a whole day job the first time you do it, and is probably only necessary if down shifting is hard.  That is one job I would say could easily wait until winter.

I too would say do the final drive splines, they are a doddle to do.

I would leave the clutch splines until winter BUT what I would do then is also replace the rear main seal and the O ring on the flywheel. They will go and if you are at the clutch you are almost all the way in there.

Meantime enjoy the K.....and put some WD 40 on the swing arm bolts and also on the exhaust nuts/headers well before you go doing the clutch splines. Plenty of advice in the forum.