1994 - K1100LT ~64K miles on it
This is my First BMW Bike. Since I have had her, Ive worked primarily on mechanical issues and she is running quite well!!
I got my wife on it a few days ago and had a good time riding. Buuuut, My wife is not really a fan of the color or the sorta the "aged look" this bike shows.
After awhile I got to thinking, yeah it kinda looks a bit dull. 
When I first got it I wasnt paying attention to the color. In fact I was strongly considering to go Project bike/ cafe racer but have held off as as my wife was all for riding with me. 
So I have some things to consider and rather than jumble them all in my head I thought I will get this out to some folks and see what ideas may come.
Here is my plans
I'd like to make it look a little more updated maybe new zippy color and painted rims? or new rims? 
If I do those things and wifer still wants to be a "bike snob"  Im going cafe racer in the fall. This will give me time to learn and plan how to build a cafe bike.
but what Im juggling in my head is why put effort and cost in a bike upgrades that may never make it on a cafe racer. I hope that if I update the rims I can keep those for the cafe build.


Basically Im curious what other people have done and recommend doing for upgrades.
anything simple to advance Im curious just no hack and slash to the frame..yet

We.....ell, this is going to sound odd coming from someone who goes the non-standard route and then some.
But that bike looks complete, smart, and is always going to go up in value and desirability if you keep on with your maintenance.
...whereas cafe-racering a K has just got to be the absolute best way of destroying its value. It'll be your cup of tea all right, but it won't have a shadow of the practicality (especially two up) as it was when it was an RT. You'll get bored with it and end up giving it away or breaking it for spares.
It's only my opinion, but you sound like you're after a project, which is a great thing, but I think that your smart looking RT is not a great place to start. Why not buy a basket case, or even just a frame and go from there. I'd suggest that you'll get a lot more satisfaction from going that route. That's my honest, well-meant advice pal.
I bought a low miles, mint naked K100 over 30 years ago. Okay I crashed it a few times, but I needed no encouragement to start 'improving' it - expensive brakes, shock, exhaust, aftermarket fairing, rearsets - I never really left it alone once I'd started, and yes I enjoyed myself along the way. But, I lust after that original naked silver K now, and experience has taught me that the real way to go is make your own stuff from scratch - it's much more satisfying and if it's crap, then it doesn't matter at all!

Thanks Chris846!
I agree I think I can have just as much satisfaction maintaining and tinkering with this one for now.
but...maybe a new paint job?? seems like that wouldn't kill the value in it.

wow. that is an interesting bike!
That "seat" has me baffled !

Confirmation (that wasn't really needed) that I am an old giffer - I actually really like that colour 

Welll... the recommendation round here is to paint 'em red because that makes them go faster.

"Welll... the recommendation round here is to paint 'em red because that makes them go faster."

 Its true!

The K bike RT/LT models are the Buick Park Avenues of the motorcycle world.  Not the sportiest looking machines, but very capable and supremely comfortable for long trips.  If you can, take your wife on a weekend trip somewhere about 300 miles away.  She may come to actually like the way it looks and feels to ride all day.

The color isn't all that bad, and may grow on her.  I always thought the BMW grays were very classy. understated colors, albeit a bit invisible in heavy traffic.  My touring bike is an RT model, and the tri-coat Mystic Red is really nice, especially in the evening in the light of the setting sun.  You might consider that color if you do decide to do a repaint.  Being red it will make the bike faster, but doesn't antagonize law enforcment as much as the Italian shades of red.



If you haven't already done it, get some Mother's Back to Black trim restorer and put it on all the black rubber and plastic bits on the bike.  Makes the black really pop. 

+1 on the cafe conversion.  Once the conversion is done, the builders usually find them not very nice to ride, and they end up out behind the shed under a tarp.  Your LT will be a faithful ride for many more years with a little TLC and will inspire a lot of strangers to comment on how good it looks.

I agree on the Mystic Red too!!!

Yeah, red looks pretty sweet!
So, I think I'm going to detail and clean. Look for some of that mother's black stuff and see how she looks.
After thinking about it, cafe looks cool but not sure I'm ready.
Maybe upgrade rims.

I agree with Chris846. You need a project but don’t molest those old LT. Don’t draw a mustache on the Mona Lisa! I had my ‘87 RT (with over 180,000 miles) painted and that did the trick.

I have been satisfying my need for projects by bring an old CBX and Yamaha XT200 back to life, yet when I want to go for a ride, I never waiver from the RT.

Just a thought Why not WRAP the fairing and panels Super jAZZY Colors with wicked patterns,Cost effective cos if you change your mind peel it of back to 
original.To further immpress HRH Mrs,LOADS of throttle HEAPS of revs.
Now that does impress