Hello all!

New member and first build. A friend and I bought and collected a K100RS (possibly 85, possibly 89...yet to confirm ) yesterday. Someone else got part way through a tear down and café racer build before giving up and wanting it out of their garage. So we've taken it off their hands, loaded the bike and a whole load of parts into a van and will be starting the project in earnest this week. 

Our first task is to do a full inventory so we know what we have. Each time we open a box, we're surprised by something. So far, we've found parts for another K100 engine, 8 brake callipers (definitely not from a K100), 2 Americana style wing mirrors and a Kawasaki wind shield.

Looking forward to sharing our progress with you.

Cheers,
Mark

Welcome to the forum. That'll keep you busy during a long winter. Post the VIN from the frame and we'll get the exact production date/model info for you. Another quick way to tell what year it is is the design of the footpeg plates which mount to the gearbox, assuming they're there somewhere. If they're rubber mounted it's a pre-86 model. Looks as though the frame's been looped so the seat and rear cowl might not be a part of the packaqe, but if the handles are built into the seat rather than the seat cowl, it's an early one. 1983 thru '85 had the passenger grab handles on the seat itself. As for what the UK will call it when it's been rego'd, who knows. I never did get a grasp on what magic formula the officials use for year/model identification, whilst living there two decades ago. Cheers.

I think you're going to need to MSVA that one because of the frame mod.

TWB: If you think you were confused back then, look up MSVA. Basically, if it needs an MSVA test, you can call it whatever you want (subject to the naughty words rule).

Dai wrote: I think you're going to need to MSVA that one because of the frame mod.

TWB: If you think you were confused back then, look up MSVA. Basically, if it needs an MSVA test, you can call it whatever you want (subject to the naughty words rule).

The first thing I noticed when reading the bureaucrat's requirements was:

"Eligibility for MSVA

You can use the MSVA scheme for vehicles that:

~are under ten years old"

That would exclude this one, but I s'pose they done got themselves another requirement that'll lighten your wallet sufficiently. They always do. I do love the 'wild west' here in Washington state. No one even glanced at the Big Block when I went to rego it at the DMV. They only wanted my tax dollars, high enough, but not a look-see at the not-insignificant mods I'd made. Granted, there are heaps o' sh*tboxes running round on the roads.

Welcome
Looks like you lucked out with a post '85 K100 (petrol tank mounts)
Good luck with your build
some links for the future
Check parts compatibility with "BMW MAX Microfiche", BOBS BMW, REAL OEM

https://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/PartsFiche.aspx

https://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/PartsSearch.aspx

https://www.bobsbmw.com/store/microfiche/BrowseSeries.aspx

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?kind=M&arch=1

Cross reference parts like Bosch pn#'s, etc....  http://partsplusecat.com/
No spaces in the part number

Top 3 vendors for your parts needs plus Capital Cycle

https://www.beemerboneyard.com/

https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/

https://www.tills.de/

Headlight relay stuff if you chose to add one

https://www.motobrick.com/index.php?topic=268.0

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,4962.msg30932.html

http://culayer.com/product/matchbox-headlight-relay/

http://easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html
 Eastern Beaver site is a great reference for electrical connectors,plugs, etc... somethings are cheaper on ebay


http://www.kforum-tech.com/Tech-page.html

http://www.kforum-tech.com/electrical/EFI/bike-wont-start-EN.htm

http://www.kforum-tech.com/Downloads/electrical/diagrams/interactive_diagrams.htm

http://dws.x10host.com/K100.Tshoot.Start.pdf


duck forum member

http://kbikeparts.com/index.htm

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/ckb.new2k.htm

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/ckb.tech.toc.htm


http://www.eilenberger.net/K75S/IgnitionSwitch/

http://www.verrill.com/moto/moto.shtml

this site has a lot of good info and breakdown pictures in the tech and tech resources sections thou for K1100 alot of the parts are on K75 & K100

http://www.k11og.org/forum/index.php?sid=2df953dde5715fd9001fbe69edec5ad0

https://ibmwr.org/index.php/k-bike-tech-articles/

This site has all kinds of technical specifications on all the BMW models    http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/mechanicalpages/kseriesmechanical.htm

http://largiader.com

Thanks for the warm welcome! I've been chatting with people working on K projects on Instagram too and have been amazed by just how helpful everyone has been.

TWB: We've searched the frame and can't find anything that could be a VIN. Bit worried that's going to cause an issue when we try to register it. We got a V5 when we picked everything up but can't see anything to connect the document with the bike. Will need to get in touch with the previous owner again to dig deeper. Is there any chance the VIN would have been on the part of the frame that's been chopped for the rear hoop?

Dai: We're in the UK - so we'll see what the DVLA say...

Volador: Amazing! So many useful links. Will be giving all of them a good look - thanks!

We took everything out of the boxes today and laid everything out. Bit of a mixed bag. 3 sets of injectors, 1 and 7/8's of an engine, no radiator. We're considering sending the 7/8's of an engine off to a specialist to rebuild for us while we work on the engine that's on the bike to see if we can get it started. The second engine's had a lot more care put into it. All the internals are labeled up in separate plastic bags and the covers have been cleaned and prepped for painting but it's well outside our level of knowledge. Although the one on the bike is in one piece, it hasn't outwardly had any attention.

What do you guys reckon would be the best approach?

Cheers,
Mark

Welcome Markjwarman

Unless you are building a cafe "racer" I would consider the frame to be junk.  I would contact the bike breakers to see if they can provide you a good titled frame.  Maybe you can unload your frame on someone building a unique cafe bike.  Already having the frame hacked up might actually make it more valuable to a builder.

When I built a K75 "from scratch" I started with just a block and bellhousing getting everything mounted on the engine (throttle bosies and air system)  Then I put the wiring harness in place before putting the frame and then radiator on.  I think it's easier that way - but that's just my opinion.

Ref post #4 "under ten years old".
That confused me a lot when I put a 1994 K engine and old running gear in a newly-built frame. The UK rules and regs aren't clearly thought out and seem to leave this type of venture falling between two stools: the MSVA stuff is intended to be there for safety and conformity - to make sure a home-built contraption is fit for use. MSVA is 'owned' by VOSA, the vehicle and operators standards agency, they're the helpful, nice guys. Then, in the blue corner, you've got the DVLA, which is concerned with vehicle licencing, and their interest is in collecting revenue (road tax and anything else they can think up) from folks who want to exercise their ancient right to travel our highways by powered methods. They also like to have a record of every single vehicle, 'cos it helps them track down and fine miscreants who don't follow the rules they've imposed on those highways (more revenue) To this end they insist on a system of registration - a number on the frame, and a corresponding number on the back. That's not hard to do, and I've found that you can keep them quite happy, whilst still retaining plenty of your own sense of creativity...
Of course, introducing stolen parts into this process will always, rightly, invite attention. Don't do it, pay the road tax and insurance and you and your bike will live an untroubled life. This is what all the specials builders do - those who actually take their stuff on the road, that is. How many truly wacky specials have you seen that have Q plates?

Not sure if this helps. Oh well, not many of my posts do.

Edit. I should add that, when/if you approach the DVLA for one of their hallowed registrations, they will offer you one of two routes: if you reckon you can trace your cobbled-together pride and joy back to a previously-registered vehicle, then they will inspect it and apply their points system to various major components to see if there is 'enough' of the claimed original vehicle in there. If so, then they will consider it to be that original vehicle and it will be registered accordingly. If not, they will send you down the MSVA route. This applies even if your pride and joy is a totally original looking, factory standard effort i.e. not a wacky chopped-up, dubious work of supreme originality.

Arlina: Hi!

Point Seven Five: Café Racer's the plan. The fact that the front forks had already been professionally changed and the rear frame cut down was part of why we were attracted to this bike. In that way, we've got a bit of a head start. On the other hand, not starting with a complete bike means a lot of referencing the maintenance manual and the exploded views of each part to understand how everything should fit together!


Chris: Super useful info - I'd assumed that MSVA was the US equivalent of the DVLA and you know what they say about assuming...! So thank you very much for that, well worth keeping that all in mind.

Duck: I can definitely see the attraction of doing it that way. I'm sourcing a radiator now. Keen to find second hand or refurbed where possible rather than buying new but will see what I can find. Everyone I've spoken to has said that electrics can be a sticking point - was that your experience?

Point-Seven-five wrote:Unless you are building a cafe "racer" I would consider the frame to be junk.

  I love that .75!

Very nice looking fork setup and front wheel. Do you know who makes the triple tree and forks?
Is the brown tank in the lorry pics of any use?
Many parts on the ebay.

You got these parts?
These are Bosch part numbers for the Bosch CDI 0227401001


The Bosch L-Jetronic ECU 0280000313

markjwarman wrote:Duck: Everyone I've spoken to has said that electrics can be a sticking point - was that your experience?

No, I had zero issues on that front but I was using known good K75 factory wiring harnesses (both main and FI), relays and other components.  I'd also messed with a lot of Ks before I did this so knew the electrical system pretty well before doing it.

The first time I started it everything worked!

markjwarman wrote:TWB: We've searched the frame and can't find anything that could be a VIN. Bit worried that's going to cause an issue when we try to register it. We got a V5 when we picked everything up but can't see anything to connect the document with the bike. Will need to get in touch with the previous owner again to dig deeper. Is there any chance the VIN would have been on the part of the frame that's been chopped for the rear hoop?
Cheers,
Mark

As pictured here, forward of the shockie and above the rear brake reservoir, the VIN is most often a riveted tag followed by an etched in series of corresponding numbers on the 'subframe' right hand side downrail. I can't tell clearly from your piccies whether your subframe, besides the obvious rear loop, has been altered to remove this tube. It wouldn't make sense that a previous 'builder' would do that unless fully customising...but there's no accounting for taste or skill in the world of grinder-grasping demigods.

"grinder-grasping demigods" - I quite like this turn of phrase TWB, well done! 


Markyjwarman wlecome and good luck with your project.  The K's are both logically engineered (for the most part) and extremely well documented.  Putting it all back together into a running assemblage of parts should be fairly straight forward.  My wife was not convinced that I could get a pile of parts like yours back into a working and rideable motorcycle but I managed it and nothing important has either detonated or fallen off for the last 25K kms.

duck wrote:

If she's got any hidden tats we could call them tramp stamps.
For blokes they're tough stickers.

Two Wheels Better wrote:

duck wrote:

If she's got any hidden tats we could call them tramp stamps.
For blokes they're tough stickers.

That was a new model adjustable comfort seat. They were discontinued because maintenance was too high.

Laitch wrote:

Two Wheels Better wrote:

duck wrote:

If she's got any hidden tats we could call them tramp stamps.
For blokes they're tough stickers.

That was a new model adjustable comfort seat. They were discontinued because maintenance was too high.

K100RS-SE...the only thing missing is X

Two Wheels Better wrote:K100RS-SE...the only thing missing is X

Tank dancers didn't catch on in New England—Puritanical roots, probably.

Well that escalated quickly!

Just a quick update. We've been plugging away at everything - radiator ordered and fitted, fuel pump and parts ordered, battery just delivered, handlebars on etc. It was all going swimmingly and then we stepped up to face the electrics. 

We've spent the last 3 days identifying each part so that we can isolate the ignition circuit and see if we can get the engine turning over. Looks like we've managed to identify pretty much everything but ran into a barrier in the shape of a missing fuel sender unit. Most of what we've needed so far has been easy to get our hands on either new or used but these seem to be pretty rare. 

In the meantime, we've been keeping busy. Cut down an old skateboard to give us something to sit on for the first time, dealt with an issue with the rear wheel where the brake disk bolts hadn't been put in correctly (but thankfully hadn't threaded anything) and we've been cleaning things up. Amazing what an ultrasonic cleaner and a Dremel can do. A friend is popping round this week some time with his sandblaster to strip down the petrol tank which should be a satisfying process.

More updates soon!

Cheers,
Mark