1 Greetings...and a sanity check request. ***Warning--Long first post!*** Sun Aug 12, 2012 12:26 pm
zaubertuba
Silver member
Hello All!
I'm a long-time R-Bike rider, having owned a 1974 R75 /6 and bringing it back to health to serve as my daily ride/commuter here in Southwest Idaho. I've always enjoyed the camaraderie among BMW owners--irrespective of model. Got a real good dose of that at the Northwest Passage rally in Spokane a while ago.
A long time ago (before I bought my /6), I took a used K75RT for a test drive and was utterly impressed at its power and handling (I owned a 400cc UJM at the time). I've never forgotten that ride, and have always been enamoured of the technology in the K-bikes.
Now I have a party interested in trading his '87 K100RT from my bike. I've done a lot of major work to my bike (including upgrading to 900cc, dual-plugs, etc...), and it's been a faithful steed, but I'm not so emotionally attached to it that I'm scared of letting it go. It's in "good" condition, but definitely not mint or perfect.
Neither of us has the wherewithall to have much extra cash on hand, so we're looking at a straight-across trade.
The fellow sent me detailed pictures and video clips. The bike is on its third owner...and has obviously been down before he got it, perhaps a couple of times:
He also sent me video of the engine running--pics of starting, hard acceleration/deceleration, and there doesn't seem to be any dreaded tell-tale "this motor is shot" blue smoke. The motor starts reliably, and he also reports that he hasn't had to add any oil between oil changes. He says he *has* added 3 qts. of gear oil in the last two years, though, and it's due for new brake rotors. He's put 6,000 miles on it in the two years he's owned it. It's got just over 100K on the odometer (still working). My bike has at least that--the Odo stopped working several years ago, I estimate it's easily got 115K on it.
I'm eager for another "project-bike/restoration," and am fairly handy with a wrench, but don't want to spend a bunch of money on deep-engine work like I did on on the old airhead (that project started with a $2K overhaul at Bobs BMW when I was still in Maryland--and that was just getting started).
Cosmetic work doesn't scare me. Nor does anything I can do in my own garage with standard tools and modestly-priced gaskets/replacement parts. I've been reading up on spline-lube procedures and told myself.."O.K., no problem."
When I asked my lovely, understanding wife for a gut-check she reminded me how bad a shape the R-bike was when I started on it, and...didn't I have fun getting it back into good shape, after-all?
Darn, that woman knows me too well.
So...to bring this lengthy post to the question....am I crazy wanting to trade my mostly-restored (but admittedly long-of-tooth) R-bike for what looks to be a "project-K?"
I'm a long-time R-Bike rider, having owned a 1974 R75 /6 and bringing it back to health to serve as my daily ride/commuter here in Southwest Idaho. I've always enjoyed the camaraderie among BMW owners--irrespective of model. Got a real good dose of that at the Northwest Passage rally in Spokane a while ago.
A long time ago (before I bought my /6), I took a used K75RT for a test drive and was utterly impressed at its power and handling (I owned a 400cc UJM at the time). I've never forgotten that ride, and have always been enamoured of the technology in the K-bikes.
Now I have a party interested in trading his '87 K100RT from my bike. I've done a lot of major work to my bike (including upgrading to 900cc, dual-plugs, etc...), and it's been a faithful steed, but I'm not so emotionally attached to it that I'm scared of letting it go. It's in "good" condition, but definitely not mint or perfect.
Neither of us has the wherewithall to have much extra cash on hand, so we're looking at a straight-across trade.
The fellow sent me detailed pictures and video clips. The bike is on its third owner...and has obviously been down before he got it, perhaps a couple of times:
He also sent me video of the engine running--pics of starting, hard acceleration/deceleration, and there doesn't seem to be any dreaded tell-tale "this motor is shot" blue smoke. The motor starts reliably, and he also reports that he hasn't had to add any oil between oil changes. He says he *has* added 3 qts. of gear oil in the last two years, though, and it's due for new brake rotors. He's put 6,000 miles on it in the two years he's owned it. It's got just over 100K on the odometer (still working). My bike has at least that--the Odo stopped working several years ago, I estimate it's easily got 115K on it.
I'm eager for another "project-bike/restoration," and am fairly handy with a wrench, but don't want to spend a bunch of money on deep-engine work like I did on on the old airhead (that project started with a $2K overhaul at Bobs BMW when I was still in Maryland--and that was just getting started).
Cosmetic work doesn't scare me. Nor does anything I can do in my own garage with standard tools and modestly-priced gaskets/replacement parts. I've been reading up on spline-lube procedures and told myself.."O.K., no problem."
When I asked my lovely, understanding wife for a gut-check she reminded me how bad a shape the R-bike was when I started on it, and...didn't I have fun getting it back into good shape, after-all?
Darn, that woman knows me too well.
So...to bring this lengthy post to the question....am I crazy wanting to trade my mostly-restored (but admittedly long-of-tooth) R-bike for what looks to be a "project-K?"
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1985 K100RS