Hello: I'm Claude Jones and recently started riding again after a hiatus of 40 years. I started back on a Yamaha cruiser but acquired an '85 K100 RT with very low mileage last fall. My first serious bike was a 1952 BMW R50 which I rode for six years as exclusive transportation back in the late 60's to early 70's. I live on the East Coast of the U.S. about an hour west of Washington, DC.

hiya claude ....welcome mate ....quite a few of us have "had that break " from our motor cycles .

Hi and welcome Claude, the RT is a fine bike lets have a picture sometime mate.

BIG D

Welcome aboard Claude! Always great to have more North American "Brickheads". Would luv to see a pic of your R50 if you've still got one!?

OG

Thanks for all the welcomes, folks. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stay with the K100 because I'm inseam challenged. I've had a custom reupholstering done to the Corbin seat that came with the bike, and they shaved a lot of foam off of it, but, I still can't get more than the front of my feet on the ground. I've dropped the machine several times because of this issue, which is really unfortunate because I got this machine in nearly perfect shape with only 25k miles on it last fall. It's got some scrapes and white plastic showing now in various places and the lower left fairing is destroyed (I already have a replacement)... I'm trying to figure out if the 3/4" shorter Progressive shock will help - anyone got any input on that?

claude ...it certainly couldnt hurt .... i dont think that the geometry changes that much if handling is a thought in the back of your mind.
recently we saw a k75 rt lowered to the max with the forks protruding through the tripple clamps by almost 2 inches which may change the handling somewhat ...but it would be sad to see that you couldnt keep going with the beast .......they are an excelent machine when all said and done ...

cheers mate

BIG D wrote:

Hi and welcome Claude, the RT is a fine bike lets have a picture sometime mate.

BIG D

For what it's worth, I could use your pic - our bikes look as though they are nearly identical, including the color (dolomite gray).

A cut down seat, a shorter rear shockie and dropping the fork triple clamps down the tubes a smidge work wonders for the inseam challenged. Amongst the drawbacks of reduced leaning ground clearance (minimal, really) are that the side stand lean gets shortened up, and centre stand effort is a bit higher since the wheel sits higher off the ground and the fulcrum point is changed a tad. But as Charlie said, it can be done and we have seen it recently. A 5' 2" (best guess) woman can get her booted feet almost planted astride that K75RT.

Two Wheels Better wrote:A cut down seat, a shorter rear shockie and dropping the fork triple clamps down the tubes a smidge work wonders for the inseam challenged. Amongst the drawbacks of reduced leaning ground clearance (minimal, really) are that the side stand lean gets shortened up, and centre stand effort is a bit higher since the wheel sits higher off the ground and the fulcrum point is changed a tad. But as Charlie said, it can be done and we have seen it recently. A 5' 2" (best guess) woman can get her booted feet almost planted astride that K75RT.

That K75 has low seat option from the factory. There are likely to be some of those conversions around. Actually I think I recall a person on another site wanting to swap a low seat for a standard one a few days ago, I will get back to you soon.

I have sent a PM with details

claudejones wrote:

For what it's worth, I could use your pic - our bikes look as though they are nearly identical, including the color (dolomite gray).

Here you are Claude bigger pic, but stay with it pal listen to TWB, Charlie, and K freak's advise lower her.

BIG D

Welcome aboard. Try the lower seat that was available they do come up for sale.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Welcome mate,
I,m thinking Gary Glitter has some boots he won't be wearing for a while, might help.
I'm about to cut some foam off my spare seat to see if I can get a better grip, I think we all have had an odd tilting issue that scared us.
Hope you cans tick with her
RT