Hi guys, 

My name is Gábor, I'm 35 and I'm from the region of Transylvania in Romania (but I'm a Hungarian native as many of us here are).

Let me just start off by saying that I don't have my bike license yet, nor do I own a K bike. HOWEVER:)) I've always had a passion for old BMWs, I'm a huge petrolhead and have only owned E30s since I was 22, currently on my 3rd and final one. Never had a particular interest in bikes as such, but recently went on holiday in Mallorca, where - as it turns out - you can drive a 125cc bike on your regular car license (as opposed to 50cc here). Wanted to rent a Vespa like any self-respecting tourist would, but as it happens, there were none left. All they had was a little 125cc Aprilia enduro, which was of course a manual. Call it fate. I technically knew how to drive a manual, I did drive my neighbor's bikes up and down our street a couple times (anything with an engine attracts me) so I knew how to shift, but never had any real traffic experience other than those couple 100 meters. I also had to google the shift pattern because all I could remember was that 1st was one way and all the other gears were the other way:)) So the guy was like, can you drive this? I'm like yeah mate, no worries. Challenge accepted. So I got the bike, went for a ride in the area (thankfully it was a small town in Mallorca with hardly any traffic) and got the hang of it really quickly. When I went back to the hotel to pick up my girlfriend she was a tad surprised, but loved the upgrade:)) It was SO much fun to learn how to shift, downshift, do hill starts, negotiate roundabouts, indicate, lean etc in real world conditions. We ended up spending 3 glorious days on that little bike, riding a total of almost 400 km (250 miles)(some of it in rain and at night on our first day), visiting different beaches every day that would not have been accessible by car, all this on the stunningly beautiful landscapes and roads of Mallorca -  aaaand I was hooked:))

Currently I'm about to get my A license and looking to get a bike in the spring. An older BMW was an obvious choice and also, I've been looking at cafe racers for years now. Just in terms of design and aesthetics I resonate with them somehow and I've always said that if I ever get into bikes, I'll have a BMW cafe racer. Well, I feel like the time has come. I've been looking at different options, doing some research, and I've come to the conclusion that the K100 is the one for me, especially the RS model due to its more cafe-ish rider posture (as I've read - correct me if I'm wrong). I love the way it looks converted, it just has the all the right lines and proportions, and that side valve cover looks almost like the one on my E30 <3 So cool. 

Many say that one should start with something smaller, gain experience and then upgrade, but I'm 186 cm (6.1 ft) tall and weigh about 105 kg (230 lbs) so a smaller bike would probably not be a great fit for me. Plus, since it's a project, I'd rather build the bike that I want directly and drive it extra carefully in the beginning than to spend money on something I don't really like. Another option would be the K75, which - as I've read - basically looks the same and is the same size, only less horsepower, it that true? In any case, I don't really see the point, as they cost about the same or even more than the K100 as far as I've seen. 

I'll never be a full on biker like probably most of you guys here are - my "thing" will always be cars. But I definitely have a connection with this world now, and I feel like a new and exciting chapter is coming:)

Loved Mallorca, albeit I was only there once for two weeks, it was in 1974.
I wasn't as brave as you as I rented a SEAT and not a two wheeler and I had a motorcycle license.
Europeans have such easy access to many southern paradises.
Welcome.

Szia Gábor

  to this forum

to buy a bricK is a good choice!

Welcome!  You have come to the right place.  K75 models are very similar to the K100's and both bikes share a lot of parts.  I have owned both and can say they're very similar in handling. 

The difference lies in the engine.  The K75 weighs about 10kg less, and the power delivery is a bit softer than the K100 which accelerates with more urgency when you twist the throttle.  Top speed is about 30km/hr higher with the K100, but both bikes will cruise nicely at 140km/hr.  The K75 excels at smoothness, there is a noticeable reduction in vibration compared to the K100 that makes long days in the saddle a lot more comfortable.  This is due to the K75's counter balance shaft which the K100 doesn't have.

Since both models are so similar, there is little to make the price different between them.  In fact, there is little difference between model years as well.  The main impact on price seems to be mileage and condition.  The best deals are often for low mileage, non-running bikes that have been idle for several years.  Many of us have brought back one of these machines to their former glory.

In many cases, unfinished custom bikes can be had very cheaply, and can make a good starting point for your project.  The only problem is that these bikes often end up languishing in less than ideal conditions and suffer greatly from neglect.

It lived 17 years in a boat shed.... had to do lots but I love it.

Welcome Gábor

Point-Seven-five wrote:Welcome!  You have come to the right place.  K75 models are very similar to the K100's and both bikes share a lot of parts.  I have owned both and can say they're very similar in handling. 

The difference lies in the engine.  The K75 weighs about 10kg less, and the power delivery is a bit softer than the K100 which accelerates with more urgency when you twist the throttle.  Top speed is about 30km/hr higher with the K100, but both bikes will cruise nicely at 140km/hr.  The K75 excels at smoothness, there is a noticeable reduction in vibration compared to the K100 that makes long days in the saddle a lot more comfortable.  This is due to the K75's counter balance shaft which the K100 doesn't have.

Since both models are so similar, there is little to make the price different between them.  In fact, there is little difference between model years as well.  The main impact on price seems to be mileage and condition.  The best deals are often for low mileage, non-running bikes that have been idle for several years.  Many of us have brought back one of these machines to their former glory.

In many cases, unfinished custom bikes can be had very cheaply, and can make a good starting point for your project.  The only problem is that these bikes often end up languishing in less than ideal conditions and suffer greatly from neglect.

 
Thanks for the insight! If the looks are about the same, the power of the K75 would definitely be enough for me, not to mention the advantage of the smoothness.
- What about the heat issue of the K100? Does the K75 give off similar amounts of heat?
- What about riding position? I understand that the K100RS has a more "cafe-ish" riding position compared to the K100 and therefore might be an a more natural basis for a cafe conversion. So I'm guessing the riding position of the K75 is roughly the same as the regular K100? Would this difference in riding position be enough of a reason to choose a K100RS instead of a K100/K75, do you think?

the k75s has a short handlebar, like the k100rs. the k75 is better in many, many ways i think.

daveyson wrote:the k75s has a short handlebar, like the k100rs. the k75 is better in many, many ways i think.

 
Ah, okay. Did not know that. In that case I might need to shift my attention to the K75S. They do seem a bit more rare tho. Thanks!

Ive had my K100 Café Sport (my moniker) for about 6 years. Love it.
Full build pictures,  https://www.facebook.com/garagecustonsinc/