i am working on buying my first bmw as i have always owned jap bikes including a concours and an ST1100. I have my eye on an 85 K100 that is very rough. The fellow would probably take 900. 68K on odo: Needs: choke light stays on, Front tire. All body work reworked and a respray. Bags are rough as well. Probably needs new shock due to vague handling im figuring. Seat good. Speedo not working. Inside of fairing missing. The Good- its a BMW for under a 1000. Thoughts?

welcome jeff

a good project ...and not too difficult to get parts ....yes the rear shocks busted make the whole thing a bit less glorious .... but like all things, there are a few options for these bits .

once you get the suspension sorted ...they are an amazing bike to ride

good luck !!!

If you are going to do the work on it then yes it is worth getting but don't expect to get it done through a BMW shop for anything close to reasonable cost.
You will find all the parts you need through places like ebay and it is amazing just how much can still be sourced new but try not to buy new through a BMW dealer as they want an arm and a leg plus interest.

Welcome to the forum. Rick G's got it in one. If you can do the work yourself I say go for it. The forum here will debunk the mysteries of the mighty K. I bought mine in useable condition but expected the bike to be too complicated for my mechanical skills but not so. The vague Handling could be incorrect tyre pressure, the shock etc etc. You'll resolve that as you work through it. But as it says above make sure you want it first! Good luck if you do buy, we'll follow your progress with interest.
88

Hello mate ,welcome to the throng , you'll be fine , just check in here for your daily K100 knowledge update.

Welcome aboard Jeff. Sounds like a great project for you to enjoy. The foundation is the good seat, then work your way out from there.

Welcome to the forum Jeff - you have most certainly found the right place to find all the information you will ever need to get the bike running properly - enjoy the ride

Good to have you with us and as they say "And so it begins" There are some amazing restoration jobs done here, look at the posts from Old Goat he is putting togehter a bike that will look better than new!.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Welcome Jeff. First impression is of complexity. After you have done some tasks you will find they are simple and logical. Parts are readily available, www.motorworks.co.uk is a particularly good website selling new and used parts. Also of course eBay and other sites. Personally I find the K sensitive to tyre pressure, not a problem just to remember if you have a handling complaint just check tyres before anything else. Get yourself a Clymer manual, its essential, good reading and with the info from this site and reasonable tools you can do most tasks. the engines are good for high mileage, mine is just short of 100k miles and its fine.

I had to get under the petrol tank due to a connection issue. Discovered you can access the relay box under the gas tank just by lifting and propping rather than removing it. Getting at starter is also simple, battery and everything under the seat comes away easily. On the LT I had to remove the stroage boxes and steel frame and knee pads inside the fairing but its like a jig saw just takes a little time.

Biggest problem with the K? High centre of gravity and what are probably more mature riders meaning they are hard if not impossible to get them up on your own if you let it fall over.

Jeff,

Welcome to he forum.

I had the same experience as yours. I bought a neglected bike and rebuilt it.
It was not the most economical way to go. I paid $2,500 for a rat bike and put another $3,000 on it. The most expensive was the paint job at $1,500 + tires, battery and all consumables.
Yes I did the right choice. I now have a bike that I can trust, that looks like a new one and every pieces have been checked.
If you have a bit a mechanical skills, with the help of this forum you will get your dream bike.

CF

Hi Jeff,
You will not regret it. K100's are special bikes.

Maybe take a look at a few more, if you have time.
In UK there are still a quite number about for sale, and are priced very reasonably. The K100 being a distinct "type" of bike, attracted some very well heeled buyers who often did not use them and paid for garage services. Result; low milage and still there sitting in garages if your lucky.

Also K owner tend to love their bikes. They will look after them, keep then running, service them at the very least. So they will often pass their cherished bike on to a person that will follow on with that regime. Even if a bike looks well used, chat with the seller and your instinct will be the best judge. A bit of a tatty fairing does NOT mean the bike underneath is a dog.

Big plus (here in UK anyway) if your thinking of the restoration route, is that every little bit of the bike is still available from BMW (correct me if I'm wrong - just my experience). A HUGE difference from Japanese bikes and spares. Every bit can be ordered, from rubbers grommets to larger bits of anything. A warehouse, somewhere, full of bits waiting for us to order. The BMW way of doing things.

45 klicks on the clock...it's nothing for a K. Only just run in!
Expect to get a 150,000k and the rest out of a well kept one.

Best of all they are far more fun to ride! The RT will chew up miles and miles all day long at 125/140 kms an hour, 2 up and fully loaded. The RS with its longer gearing on the top cog is fast enough for most people, and its a fantastic bike to really "ride" rather than just twist an go.
Best of luck,
Boris the Bike

great words boris ....cheers

Wecome mate, I've enjoyed fettling a basically sound but high mielage bike - if that's a process you enjoy and you think you'll like the end product then go for it! Lots of choice on Ebay...

boristhebike wrote:
Big plus (here in UK anyway) if your thinking of the restoration route, is that every little bit of the bike is still available from BMW (correct me if I'm wrong - just my experience). A HUGE difference from Japanese bikes and spares. Every bit can be ordered, from rubbers grommets to larger bits of anything. A warehouse, somewhere, full of bits waiting for us to order. The BMW way of doing things.

I agree with Boris, the only new things I've been unable to get are the tail fairing 'RS' badge and a rubber hose elbow thing attached to the fairing for the air intake. Other than that everything else is available but not cheap.

Best
Dave