1
My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:48 pm
Two Wheels Better
![Two Wheels Better](https://2img.net/u/4211/29/48/93/avatars/1606-33.jpg)
Moderator
![Moderator Moderator](https://i.servimg.com/u/f80/11/71/56/74/bmw-5s10.gif)
Some years ago I rode a K75C. I had owned a black '02 K1200RS earlier, but this was my first 'original' Brick. I only had it for a summer, but what a long, hot, enjoyable summer it was. We rode all over Washington state together, with nary a problem, not even a velocity award from the coppers. It was a sweet-running machine, as smooth as you need, a tourer, sportsbike, and offroad companion. These photos recently popped up to me on the website known as Shutterfly. I had forgotten I was a member there. There's a motherlode of photos contained there from my other rides on various Beemers over the years in Australia, the UK, and in North America, which includes Mexico. A pictorial of memories.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_2010](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_2010.jpg)
K75C along Highway 12 near White Pass, Western Washington.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Mtrain10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/mtrain10.jpg)
The classic view of snow-covered Mt Rainier (Tahoma) from Highway 12, east of Packwood, WA.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_bu10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_bu10.jpg)
A coupla miles of unimproved gravel, off Highway 12 near Bear Canyon and the junction of 12/410. I came upon a park ranger in his 4WD out there who stopped to enquire if I was lost. "Yep", I told him. "Just as I intended."
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Hwy41010](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/hwy41010.jpg)
Americana. Near Naches, WA.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Doglak10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/doglak10.jpg)
Dog Lake, east of White Pass, on Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_hw10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_hw10.jpg)
Near Chinook Pass, Highway 410, Mt Rainier National Park.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Hwy12f10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/hwy12f10.jpg)
Clear Creek Falls, off Highway 12, east of White Pass.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_mt10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_mt10.jpg)
Snow in summer, Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Americ10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/americ10.jpg)
Almost glacial, Skate Creek swim. I'll spare you the nuddies.![Wink](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_wink.gif)
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_wa10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_wa10.jpg)
Bear Canyon, off Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Rimroc10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/rimroc10.jpg)
Man-made Rimrock Lake, Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_ri10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_ri10.jpg)
Rimrock Lake curves, Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_ch10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_ch10.jpg)
Chinook Pass, glacially scoured valley, Highway 410.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Mtrain11](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/mtrain11.jpg)
The classic Mt Rainier National Park entrance, near Crystal Mountain turn off, Highway 410.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Daz_k710](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/daz_k710.jpg)
The rider in his younger daze.
I might have to get me another K75 one day. Pop in a rack of three, 38mm K12 throttle bodies, a sweet-sounding slip-on exhaust, a paralever final drive & compatible gearbox, Marzocchi K11 forks, later wheels for running radial tyres, and four piston Brembos over larger diametre discs. Ah, a smooth, modern classic.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_2010](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_2010.jpg)
K75C along Highway 12 near White Pass, Western Washington.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Mtrain10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/mtrain10.jpg)
The classic view of snow-covered Mt Rainier (Tahoma) from Highway 12, east of Packwood, WA.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_bu10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_bu10.jpg)
A coupla miles of unimproved gravel, off Highway 12 near Bear Canyon and the junction of 12/410. I came upon a park ranger in his 4WD out there who stopped to enquire if I was lost. "Yep", I told him. "Just as I intended."
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Hwy41010](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/hwy41010.jpg)
Americana. Near Naches, WA.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Doglak10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/doglak10.jpg)
Dog Lake, east of White Pass, on Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_hw10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_hw10.jpg)
Near Chinook Pass, Highway 410, Mt Rainier National Park.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Hwy12f10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/hwy12f10.jpg)
Clear Creek Falls, off Highway 12, east of White Pass.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_mt10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_mt10.jpg)
Snow in summer, Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Americ10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/americ10.jpg)
Almost glacial, Skate Creek swim. I'll spare you the nuddies.
![Wink](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_wink.gif)
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_wa10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_wa10.jpg)
Bear Canyon, off Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Rimroc10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/rimroc10.jpg)
Man-made Rimrock Lake, Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_ri10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_ri10.jpg)
Rimrock Lake curves, Highway 12.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. K75_ch10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/k75_ch10.jpg)
Chinook Pass, glacially scoured valley, Highway 410.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Mtrain11](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/mtrain11.jpg)
The classic Mt Rainier National Park entrance, near Crystal Mountain turn off, Highway 410.
![My First (early) K Bike. A Retrospective. Daz_k710](https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/17/17/52/92/daz_k710.jpg)
The rider in his younger daze.
I might have to get me another K75 one day. Pop in a rack of three, 38mm K12 throttle bodies, a sweet-sounding slip-on exhaust, a paralever final drive & compatible gearbox, Marzocchi K11 forks, later wheels for running radial tyres, and four piston Brembos over larger diametre discs. Ah, a smooth, modern classic.
__________________________________________________
"Politics is the entertainment division of the military industrial complex."
- Frank Zappa
1977 R75/7-100, '93 K11/K12 Big Block, '93 K1100RS, '95 R100 Mystic, '96 K1100RS, 2 x '98 K1200RS, '06 K1200R & '09 K1300GT