Hi Folks,

I thought I was completely satisfied with the bikes I had (00 KTM 640 Adventure, 05 Husqvarna TC250, 10 KTM690 Duke, and 15 Moto Guzzi Stelvio) then I watched the FortNine video about the K75.

Truth be told, I wanted an old bike to putz around with but not an antique.  Came close to buying an old Guzzi but I couldn't get the K75 out of my head.  After a great deal of time obsessing spent educating myself and trying to buy one, I bought a 92 K75RT from Dave Clark's Forever Endeavor in Pacific, MO last month.  

Dave is a great guy and really knows his stuff.  While I wanted more of a project, it's nice to not have to do anything to the bike for a long time.

This is my 5th BMW.  I thought I'd never own another after my 96 GS.  I was fed up the company's we're always right attitude and sold it with a rear main leak around 05.  I spent most of the last 20 years on a Speed Triple, Futura, Dorsoduro, and a few Guzzi's.

But I've always liked K's.  Living in Los Angeles, we'd always go to the big Cycle World show and sit on them.  Tested a K1100RS at Marty's but bought one of the first Oilheads instead (number 608).  

Back when I was 27, the RT was just too old man for me.  I'm not sure what's happened since, but I cannot believe how much I like this thing.

hi DC950

to the club
the K75 is a fine bike indeed

I've been riding a Speed Triple 955i for the last 20 years as well
and a Dorsoduro 1200 for a short time - 'a mountain goat on steroids'
my Ecomobile, propelled by a brick engine, only came in 2009.

Wos wrong with old Guzzis?? I got three of them!!  

Dai wrote:Wos wrong with old Guzzis?? I got three of them!!  

No swearing, please.  This a family friendly forum, I'll have you know.  

K75s Rule.  Okay ......

Akshually, if you count the boxes of parts in the roof, it's probably FOUR of them. YAY!!!!!!

nothing at all wrong with old Guzzis.  I had an SPII and used to roadrace an SPII frame with a LeMans big valve engine.

But honestly, the 8 valve motor is so sweet I just couldn't go back to the 2 valve and an Eldo was just a little too old for what I wanted to do.

When I was on the quest that ultimately resulted in my 1988 K75S, I looked at an old Guzzi.  The owner had put in a lot of effort for "show", including custom metallic blue paint*. But time had elapsed, the paint faded, and it became "just a tired old bike". Unfortunately, the price was fixed on the original cost to build, not the cost to rebuild into a good running example. I wonder if it ever got sold...

The K75S I did buy was known in the area, including that it had fallen off a trailer. I checked it carefully, including when I had it apart for detailed refresh and repaint (wanted green instead of red) and the only evidence was reinforcements inside the "S" fairing and a slight tweak on the handlebar. I think the faring took the brunt of the fall. It's been a nice bike since, admitting I've only ridden very few miles.  Just what I was looking for, and the first vehicle I've put 'historic' plates on.  It is hard for me to really think of K-bikes as that 'vintage', though, since it is ten years younger than me in high school.

*One of those color choices that seemed like a cool idea at the time, but by the time the paint fully hardens, "what was I thinking?"