Hello everyone!  My Name is Justin and on Sunday I purchased my first motorcycle ever, 85 K100 (actually, I have never drove a motorcycle, so this will be a first also).  The fun part of this bike will be its a project that does not start and has been left in the weather for a very long time!  I wanted a project and something to make my own, so why not start with a K100?

I will be on here a lot to learn the bike and I plan to document the build.  This will be a very slow process as I will only get a couple hours a week.  I am in Orlando area, so don't be shy to say hello .

Justin

Welcome and looking forward to seeing your rebuild, great info here

Thanks Scotts!

jmccrary wrote:Hello everyone!  My Name is Justin and on Sunday I purchased my first motorcycle ever, 85 K100 . . ..  The fun part of this bike will be its a project that does not start . . .

Welcome, Justin. Yours is a good approach. The project should be fun for a long time.  Start a thread about it here in the Your Own Renovation/Customization section and post up some pictures of it as it looks now and as you work on it. I hope the bike continues to be fun even after it starts. 

In the meantime, you should take a couple of Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses as soon as you are able. Maybe you already have done that, but it doesn't seem like it from what you've written. Anyway, find them at this link.

Good luck!

Laitch, you are right that I have not! That is on the list as it is manditory in Fl to take one before getting a license. Thank you for the link btw.

jmccrary wrote:... I purchased my first motorcycle ever, 85 K100 (actually, I have never drove a motorcycle, so this will be a first also).  The fun part of this bike will be its a project that does not start and has been left in the weather for a very long time!  I wanted a project and something to make my own, so why not start with a K100?

I will be on here a lot to learn the bike and I plan to document the build.  This will be a very slow process as I will only get a couple hours a week.

Justin

Hi Justin,

Welcome along. Once heck of a first bike, but a great project. All the info you need and more hereabouts.

My only worry is that you will spend many hours (and $) on the project and get her beautifully restored only to then take her out for a ride and and drop her and spoil all that effort. Even experienced riders that are new to the K100 can get caught out initially by the high centre of gravity and weight - often ending in an unwanted lie down when manoeuvring at low speeds. 

Best bet is to find another K100 (one that is running) and ride that, learn about it, build up your experience (whole heartedly agree with Laitch re foundation courses) and then, when your project is ready - you'll be ready too. Bonus is, you can then take down the other K and, hey presto, another instant project bike (if it needs it). Round these forum parts we call an accumulation of K's "KPox" - there is no known cure, it can only be treated by buying more unloved K's and riding them all.

BAE,
I agree that it will be interesting to learn on. If ever dropped, as long as I can walk away then all is well. I am going to take my time on the project and also learning how to ride.

Like the term KPox, as there is an odd beauty with the bike.

As for starting the project, as soon as I have time to clean the garage, I will make the first lost and go with it!

Hi Justin welKome to our little corner of the Knuthaus
I hope you are restoring and not doing a "cafe job" on it.
One word of advice from a long time rider is to do an advanced rider training course, your insurance company might like you more and we also like to have enthusiastic members here for a long time and telling stories true and tall of the wonderful adventurers you will have on a K.

Rick,
Thanks for the kind words. I have ideas, but I like the naked look better than how well someone can craft fiberglass. So, we will see.

As for the courses, I do desire to take a few, but as we know years of experience takes just that, years to develop those skills and knowledge. In other words, don’t be stupid!

Welcome to the forum too.

I hope you have a big shed. Ks are strange things, you just got a love them. The first time I ever rode a BMW was back in 2010, it was a K100LT that was for sale. I ended up buying it. There are now 4 Ks in the shed, 2 on the road and one sort of on the road.

They fall over some times, but you pick em up and ride on. The bright side is that Ks seem to get more damage from those that let them fall over rather than those that fall off them.

However no substitute for experience and some training. I had my first motorbike in 1972 and it was on the road. Cant beat them for adventure and you meet nice knowledgeable folks on Ks rather than just folk with fat check books and no bike savvy.

As said make a new thread for yours and as you ask questions you will get answers and have them all in the one place. If you don't have one, get a Clymer manual so you can read and explore it. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The one you were afraid to ask will bite you.