Greetings all from a London newbie.

Let's face it, K bikes are an aquired taste and without wishing to offend, you need advice from those who know and love them before taking ownership.

As flying brick http://www.flyingbrick.de/ says, the K is a 'modern and classic', just what I'm looking for - an affordable classic for occassional 100mile trips and short commuting, which has that essential quality, character.

But just how 'characterful' is it? Can anything called an appliance which sounds like a black and decker, has barge like handling and a buzz inducing inline 4 be enough to sustain interest in more than its engineering quality? (said I didn't mean to offend!)

The ones for sale in these parts seem to by owners who advertise their bomb proof reliability rather than desirability.

I'm not in the fortunate positon of inhereting a well cared for example, but would appreciate any thoughts from the K cognoscenti on how easy they are to live with.

After being a despatch rider in the 80s I have fond memories of the cx500 and now have a Triumph Thruxton. The pre '86 smoke red 100rs boxer is a thing of real beauty, but the narrow bars, agricultural feel and inflated proces are offputting. Somehow an 86 K100rs makes more sense.

Without coming over all Oprah, it feels like a life changing event. For the blissfully unaware fiance also!

They are addictive and you will probably end up with a bad case of Kpox but go ahead you will hate you will love it but you will always want to ride it.
They aren't the best bike on the market but the best 20 year old bike you will ever get. Under no circumstances go to the dealer they are waiting for you and will rob you. To be really worth while owning one you need to be able to do most of the work on it your self using parts sourced from those who don't have a vested interest in becoming millionairs solely at your expence.

welcome arboi

...the k 100 is a tourer not a scooter

if you have other ideas , you better be prepared to, strip it down (throw the fairings away ) ...grow longer and stronger legs, be a magician with electrics and be prepared to do some of your own work (to save money ) or look for another bike .

having said that, there is tons of power, not at all ever in a compromising situation on the highway and capable of gobbling up enormous distances comfortably and predictably .

our loves are 20 plus years old and unfortunatly suffer from corrosion in the electrics (inherant in any modern design electronically controlled ignition system - without all the latest sealed connectors that manufactureres have had to resort to implementing )

given that you dont ride like a maniac (even if you do ) things last well with the right kind of maintenance and care .

(still cant believe the low killometers covered by most folks tyres ...mine seem to last really well )

our old girls instill a group comeraderie and appreciation of some of the finer things i have experienced to date and the forum members contributions here, prove many think likewise ....(onya blokes ! one and all )

just a heads up ,,,,i'm "grandpa spec" ...but feel 19 again when i'm riding my K ,

good luck !

You can love it or hate it, but K is rare kind of bike which could be as new after 25 years. Any problem could be fixed

Trying one would really help you make your decison mate.

I would say it wouldn't be my first choice as a London short distance commuter; something smaller, lighter and more nimble would be perhaps? Like Charlie says, it's not a scooter. That said it does have presence and apparently were pretty popular with the despatch bikers? As you'll know you could do 100 miles on any almost bike, maybe you don't need a tourer for that?

Maybe a K75 - less vibes and a bit lighter- and you'd still be welcome here!

If you're not ever going to stretch a K100's legs on a longer run you might not see its best side?

Cheers
Dave

I have had a R1150RT & R1150RS, would not part from my K. They are no street racer/ plastic fantastic but there is plenty of power and they eat up the miles. I'm not "granda spec" (no offence Charlie ) but love my K. We also have thick skins so no worries

GMcQ

Welcome to the K-World - or at least dabbling with the idea of getting an older K-bike. I was one of the few journalists that BMW invited to the World Press Introduction of the K-100, at La Napoule, France, in September 1983. I rode the first prototypes in France for just one day, and wrote that up as an article that appeared in the January, 1984 issue of Road Rider Magazine.

Later, I did a long-term test for Cycle News Magazine: over 10,000 miles. At the time, I was unimpressed by the K-100. Profound engine buzz through the handlebars and foot pegs, and overall lack of performance and power compared to other emerging Jap bikes at the time. At the time, I owned a 1984 Kawasaki Ninja 900, and a 1978 Ducati 900SS... so that is where my head was at, at the time. The Ducati was wildly uncomfortable to ride, but had character, and was just amazing in the corners. The Ninja? Stunning in all regards. Incredible power (for the time), smooth engine, great suspension, and effective anti-dive brakes. The K-100 offered none of that, yet at about 50% more in retail price.

In the Cycle News article, I panned the K-100. Why? All the above. This was supposed to be the 'next generation' BMW, yet offered none of the latest technology of the other brands of bikes, and had a footpeg buzz that would put your feet to sleep. And limited power. And on and on. BMW was very pissed off with that article, yet ultimately quoted me in a 2-page ad that they ran in all the cycle magazines: "In the words of Cycle News: A Gentleman's Motorcycle, just like the BMWs that preceded it."

Flash forward to now: 2 years ago, I happened across a 1985 K-100RT, full service records, mint condition. I remembered all the things the K-Bike did Right, and how it might be right for me, now at age 55. About 60K miles on the clock. I took the bike for a ride. Wow.

Modern brake pads, good tires, meticulous tune-up and maintenance, and... there was none of the vibration buzz that I remembered. Power was more than adequate, now that I was no longer a young canyon-carving Kamikaze in search of that ultra-last-bit of performance. I bought the bike.

What do I have now? When introduced as a 1985 model, I thought the K-100RT was german-frumpy in its styling. Yet in 27 years, it has aged very well, and looks contemporary to those who don't read cycle magazines every month. (Like when the Porsche 928 was first introduced, most hated the styling, but now it looks very modern.)

I have a 27 yr old motorcycle with full service records, and all faults are known (thanks to this forum). Except for bodywork, all parts are available as new (maybe through eBay), and most are on the shelf at my local dealer (unless I need something stupid like a piston). Yes, I still have some work to do to overcome some initial design faults on that first-year K-Bike (like gas tank gets too hot in summer weather).

My total investment? Less than $3,000 USD. And this, for a (I consider) a stone-reliable touring bike that me and the wife can take for a ride any time. IF there's a problem on the road, BMW dealers will look at this with a nod and a smile, and probably have the parts to fix it. That alone takes the value far beyond the purchase price.

So ask yourself: Classic styling that transcends time. Great reliability. Simple maintenance. Parts available everywhere, at reasonable prices (compared to modern bikes). Great support network, via this forum (Instant response from Inge, and great spares available from RJTrucker and others). Modern tires and brake pads available now, that truly show the capabilities of the original frame and suspension design.

If none of this matters to you... please go buy a brand new motorcycle that suits your needs. But don't be at all surprised when even the most basic parts are hard to find, or not available in 5 years.

Wouldn't be without mine still looks great and it is surprising how many people are impressed by it's appearance when they either see it or a photo, it is a true design classic that is fun to ride. Also for a 20+ year old bike they are incredibly reliable.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Until 2 months ago, I was the proud owner of 2 K bikes (K100 and K75).
The K75 has over 265K on the clock, the K100 110k.
What did I do? I bought another K100. This latest one has an EML sidecar.
I was in the market for a chair for almost a year. Being flexible, I even looked at Japanese bike like Gold Wings.
When I found the K100-EML, this was exactly the bike that I was looking for.
The first reason was that the frame of the K100 had been re-engineered and it is a very secure design (Some will say overbuilt)
The second reason was because of the performances and ease (and affordability) to maintain or repair a K100.
The performance is not about row power as the K100 is only 90bhp. It's about the torque available at a wide range of RPM. Even with the sidecar weighing over 300lbs, I can ride at 2,500rpm in 5th gears and when I open the throttle, the engine will start to pull again without the need to shift down. (I call the bike 'da beast' or 'the ox')
Vibration and buzzing is minimal on the foot pegs and non existent on the handle bar. The simple addition of bar weights will solve most of the problems.
The K100 has modern features like electronic fuel injection and electronic ignition without the need of all the sensors and computers installed on more modern bikes.
As Jim said, parts are available everywhere.
To relate to Jim post, when he was testing the K100, it was the very first ones (1984 models) and BMW implemented modifications to correct the early problems.

We all seem to be a bunch of passionate on this forum, and there is a good reason for it. We really enjoy the bike.

I come back from visiting a friend who has a K100rt and just bought a brand new r1200rt fully loaded. He loves the new bike but he also told me that he's missing the character of the K100.

Oh, by the way, if you have the opportunity to watch cycling races like 'the tour de France', you will notice that the bike of choice for the media and course marshals is still the K100. These people can afford newer motorcycles, but why do they prefer a 27 years old one?

Summed up just right CF

Maybe it's as simple as you reach a point in life when you just don't give a rap about what other people think.
I went out today on my 28 year old RT for a quick 60 mile trip. The roads were greasy, temperature 4 or 5C and didn't see any other bikes. But I really enjoyed myself and found it so satisfying.
Gave it a quick wash and back in the shed.
It's not a trailer queen but it's not tatty either. It's just so all round practical.
In the past, I have just got on it and done a 500 mile day without a thought.
They aren't especially good at any one thing and it does take a while to grow on you.
I sold my 89 LT this time last year because I thought it was time to go modern. Tried all types of newer bikes including Harley and the R1200RT. All great bikes but ended up with my 84 RT with 30k miles for moped money and now I'm a happy bunny again.
Everyone has their own reasons, but, you have been warned, they can be addictive.

The answer lies in many places.

ComberJohn will remember our weekend trip to Antrim in September...My tally from Friday morning to Sunday evening was 880 miles in total. I got home feeling fresh and deeply satisfied after a great weekend. Whether it was motorway running or back roads the K just keeps going. comfortable, effortless, torque in abundance. I put almost 4,000 miles on it in two months......

Its not about performance, its about the balance of power, handling and power delivery.The handling is actually surprising. Most certainly it is not barge like....a lot more nimble than would appear.

Its addictive, I looked at many bikes before it and happy I made the right choice. Yes, you need to know something about bikes/engines etc but this website is so helpful and the bikes are like meccano, they come apart easily. We guys in Ireland have it turned into something of a social thing as we meet up from time to time.

My son likes his bikes, he was looking at a Fireblade some months back, then he sat up on the K. Up to then he had seconded my brothers comment 'a pipe and slippers bike' [he has an S1000RR] but when he tried the K he said 'I could like this'. I thought to myself...'get your own'!!!

The K will not be worth so much that SWMBO will make you sell it! It needs a few things from time to time, so she will know where you are. They dont turn loads of heads so she wont be worried about young ones chasing you. If you introduce your K buddies she will conjure up images of Irish Eccentrics of varying shapes and sizes and happily leave you alone in peace.

But she will always end up wondering where you got that smug smile on your face when you get home after a 250 mile run.

92KK

G'day ArbOI , quite simply , having owned my thing since new would I do it over again ? , the answer would be yes , the one kicker would be that I would buy a 16V version , not for the engine but for the other bits , wider rims ( better tyre choice ) better brakes , handling ( paralever rear and upgraded forks )

Good Luck with it !

JR

Melbourne Australia

I'm hooked...

Jump on.
Go for a ride.
Ride around with a big grin on your face.
I love my bike!

I have been riding since 1974 and had a dozen different bikes and this is the only one I tinker with because I want to...every single nut screw and washer is viewable on the net and purchaseable as well....and not as expensive as you would think....as a matter of fact it is a forum sport of getting the job done as innovatively and inexpensively as possible...and then sharing that knowledge...I could not imagine any other bike being so worshipped.

Slowly but surely I am getting to know the ole girl and so far nothing has been insurmountable.....

I rode my '87 K100RS right round the edge of Australia for nine weeks in Winter '10 and didn't so much as have a flat tyre or burn any oil. Otherwise it is my daily ride as I do not own four wheels...well, I do, I have six wheels, but that's three motorbikes.

They may not be 'cool' to some but they're alright by me. My tonque-in-cheek quote to people who ask...and some who don't...They're as reliable as a fridge but not nearly as cool.

I didn't really like my K75 for a couple of years and had only bought it 'cos it was cheap . Then i did a couple of longer trips and it started to come together . 800 to 1000 km days including 4 consecutive last year had me hooked , get on and ride, get off at the end of the day feeling good , look back at the bike and think Wow ! Did we just do that ?
Character comes in many forms , Swiss watch like precision is not usually seen as character however it gets my vote now that we've done some big days . Of course i still do short trips but if they were all i did i'd get something smaller and lighter .
Good luck with your decision .

Ps "barge like handling " quote . I do take exception to ...... wrong wrong wrong.!
"pipe and slippers bike " ...yeah , sort of but only if the rider is that too . witness Two Wheels Better account on this forum around OZ, or Charlie99's epic overnighter in the rain just recently ! To give just two examples .

When I look at the new BMW's I start to get all sorts of ideas but the moment I get back on my old K that I have been riding since 12th December 1984 those ideas just all go away !

That is one nice K bike. Why would anyone part with it...!!!!

+1 on that it certainly a credit to you Ronnie.

Brilliant, thanks all, esp Badjer, CrazyF. Tour de France camera bike riding behaviour I now understand must be due to sheer 'brick joie de vivre', who cares if a few two wheeled, barbed wire hungry athletes get in the way!

(a dedicated cyclist myself btw)

Have just seen a 60k mile 16v nearby for all of £1,000 (but no MOT).

Question - is the ABS a liability? Apparently this ones abs is 'now fixed' and 'just needs fork seals replaced' to pass the test.

The alternative is an r1150r.

Was out in 5 degree early winter sunshine today, crossing Tower Bridge - motorcycling just seems to get better with every 40 something wrinkle.

I don't think the ABS is a liability, my unit needed sending away to be repaired (thats the controller) which at the end of the day use's 1980's technology so think of real transistors resistors etc. Modern versions which are now found on bikes have a mini computer built into them which runs specific software.

I haven't done many miles since having the ABS sorted out and the principle behind it is simple. There are quite a few people on here who believe that it has assisted them.

I picked my bike up for £500 for 65K 2valve '88 LT all be it in a rather shabby condition and wallowed when shown a bend! changed the fork oil and it sorted that out. She has now had a full strip and is looking more like a proper bike. I use it to commute to work which is 70 miles each way. I also happily jump on her to nip into town or short trips beats using the car and has plenty of space on board for whatever I am doing.

In real world riding I pretty much kept up with a fireblade a couple of months back. That was twisty roads lots of traffic in both directions. Short quick overtakes and filtering...If the roads were clear he would have been able to shoot off. It's about knowing what your bike can and cant do. Saying that I was running late for work today so pushed it a bit made up a lot of time and had a good ride in that I enjoyed.

I've never really regarded a bike as a toy. I wanted something I could use most of the time rather than have to get the car out. I came to BMW fairly early and got my first K in '86 I think. A K75SS. I've ridden K's more or less ever since. I do look at other bikes, even try them occasionally but nothing matches the sheer range of capabilities of the K. I like the ability to fit or remove hard luggage in a minute or so. The cruising range of the fuel tank, The spread of torque. The comfort of the suspension and riding position. The power of the brakes. The ABS. The ability to resist crosswinds. The cornering balance. Its presence on the road. The sound the exhaust makes. The gear indicator. I could go on...

I've owned my current K1100LT for 13 years and in that time its only broken down once. I've replaced the rear master cylinder, the alternator and the rear ABS modulator and had the ABS controller repaired.

Enough. As ever it depends on what you want in a bike. If you want a commuter, a big K is not the best though it will do it and give you somewhere to stow your gear when you arrive.

The K felt very ungainly and not very confidence inspiring when I test rode my first K100, however within just a few miles I was starting to quite like it. After about half an hour being followed by its owner in/on his BMW C12 scooter thingy, I was starting to quite like it and even getting the hang of the strange indicator switch arrangement (very odd to me after many years on japanese and british bikes). At this point the K was still up for sale on eBay UK with about 72 hours left to run. I made the vendor an offer for the bike there and then (around the price it was currently on eBay) - he said it would be unfair not to let the auction run to its completion and to add my bids according to how much I had enjoyed the test ride etc. The end result? I bid up to my £800 offer and then someone outbid me with about 2 minutes to go. The bike was eventually knocked down to me for £1000 - within a few minutes of the auction ending, the seller phoned me and said that although I had bid up to £1000 for the bike he would let me have it for the original offer of £800 (including all the spare parts he had in his garage for it) because we had both worked as piano tuners and he really wanted me to have the bike ! He threw in quite a lot of spare bits and a very full service record and I made a new friend that day ! Since then I have covered most of Europe on the old K100 and she is still my preferred ride for bike training and general fun etc. (I am a certified motorcycle instructor here in the UK). Whilst I love my K1100 and my Kawasaki KZ1100 Spectre, the sad truth is that they most often miss out on a ride and I take my trusty K100 every time (nearly). 108,000 miles on the clock as of today and the love affair shows no sign of ending

On this long US ride I'm just now finishing I took my R1150RT (if for no other reason than the K100RS is back down in OZ), and quite often found myself inside my helmet on the longer days comparing the two bike's highlights and idiosyncrasies as I crossed the vast Western plains, rode through crowded stop 'n' go city traffic, compared their luggage carrying capacity, suspension, brakes, smoothness, throttle response, fuel mileage, vibration (the Oilhead RT throbs, the K-RS buzzes, as befitting a multi compared to a twin). In the end I reckon with a few trade-offs, as compared to the refined RT, the Mighty K woulda been perty dern alright doing the same ride, albeit, solo. It passed with flying colours on a nine week OZ perimetre ride two years ago. I'm grateful to have a choice and I do miss my K. Ten months to go, unless I find one here for not much dosh (a reasonable prospect in the Land o' Cheap Bike Prices).

@ Lazyboy...is that a fuel cooler in front of your radiator?

Hi Blakey , I have sent you a PM with photos , but you can also look under my older posts and you will find a detailed discription of how I did fitted the cooler. It is well worth doing!!

Thanks Lazyboy!

K is LEGO for adults

go ahead with it

If I have ever seen a name which belies the truth that is Lazyboy because that bike is magnificent a lot of hard work has gone into that to keep it looking so superb!
Regards,
K-BIKE

ArbOl wrote:Brilliant, thanks all, esp Badjer, CrazyF. Tour de France camera bike riding behaviour I now understand must be due to sheer 'brick joie de vivre', who cares if a few two wheeled, barbed wire hungry athletes get in the way!

(a dedicated cyclist myself btw)

Have just seen a 60k mile 16v nearby for all of £1,000 (but no MOT).

Question - is the ABS a liability? Apparently this ones abs is 'now fixed' and 'just needs fork seals replaced' to pass the test.

The alternative is an r1150r.

Was out in 5 degree early winter sunshine today, crossing Tower Bridge - motorcycling just seems to get better with every 40 something wrinkle.

For comparisson I paid £950 for an 85K 16 valve with with ABS (and a fresh MoT) 12 months ago. Bike needed some work to bring up to standard.
The ABS is not a liabilty in my limited experience - it's not needed for the MoT; mine just passed without functioning ABS. Remove the blue ABS relay beneath the seat and unplug the 'brain' and no error lights come on. It will sail through an MoT in this condition and you can fix at your leisure. Normal braking is unnaffected.
Good Luck
Dave

Lazyboy.
Nice ride. That's pleasing to look at.
Welcome.

Others...What is the MOT that you speak of?
Pretty sure that I might have a good idea.

Inspection of roadworthiness by a gov official who has no reason to excel because they have no competition in their work and might look for the littlest thing to fail an inspection so they can show those above them that they have failed more people and thus are "more valuable" than their peers ?

Excuse me....was going on a rant about worthless government employees..but now will hold my water.

Ow! Who threw that!

Then again Jim he has no vested interest in that he gets paid regardless of you passing or not. Whereas a private inspector may find that if he does not turn a blind eye to some things he doesn't get any more business and doesn't get any pay especially in a small town like the one where I live.
There also must be a way to easily and quick appeal against an unfair decision that is made by a government inspector.
Sometimes I think that an inspection by someone who does not stand to gain or lose by the decision is a good way to have the cars on the road in a safest condition possible.
Where I live we only need to have an inspection when we change ownership of a vehicle but other states have a yearly inspection and one state has no inspections and that state has the worst cars of all. there are some cars that have so much rust that you are in danger of dying of tetanus if you have a crash. No states have a government inspection in Australia it is all done by private accredited inspectors, some are honest and some just take 10 minutes to do the paperwork and collect the $65.
Ultimately we are responsible for our own safety but when factors that are not within my control have an effect on my safety then those people who chose not to maintain their vehicles properly must be forced to do so under threat of law.

MoT is UK Ministry of Transport test Guys. It is an annual vehicle inspection for cars and bikes over 3 years old.
Cheers
Dave

"Excuse me....was going on a rant about worthless government employees..but now will hold my water.

Ow! Who threw that! "

I did...a worthless Queensland Government worker!

LOL...Blakey, we know your value. :joker:

MT350Explorer wrote:MoT is UK Ministry of Transport test Guys. It is an annual vehicle inspection for cars and bikes over 3 years old.
Cheers
Dave

But if it was registered before 1960, it doesn't need to be inspected at all (from Nov 12).

Paul.

Just to mix things about the MOT.
In mainland UK, the MOT test is carried out by garages who may have a vested interest in failing a bike or car to get a bit of business from simple folk.
In this corner of the UK, N Ireland, the test is carried out by the afore mentioned 'worthless government employees'.
They have no reason to pass or fail the vehicle and would seem to be quite thorough when checking cars and commercial vehicles.
However, bikes only get a cursory going over. If the lights work, the horn beeps and it doesn't leave a puddle of any fluids on the floor, its a quick pass and out the door.
Great if you are trying to get a pass to get some old nail shifted on but if I'm keeping it, I would like to know if something nasty is developing.
But then, it is a K. Lego for adults, I like that.

...now just a minute on worthless gov. employees.
I wasn't calling anyone on here..that.

Did have an unfortunate time with one last week which obviously colored my comments here.

That was resolved quickly with a call to a pal, attorney who made a call to her boss, who made a call to her and the problem went away quickly. Never should have been an issue to begin with. I have no problem with anyone in the gov doing their job if in a professional manner.

Alright...
Jim

...and thanks for the MOT info.
I guess we all have to jump through some hoops, and I understand what you said and agree with, Rick.

No harm done Jim...it's all said in jest!

The reputation doesn't come from nowhere but most are very good and efficient, unfortunately its the bad ones we remember and make jokes about.

I know Blakey and he's no John Kennedy , but he does have a tough hide like an old Rhino, the longarm reach of the Queensland gubmint :king: behind him , and a powderhorn a metre long that he'll use on anyone what gets within a yard of his sensitive side. :geek:

Interesting BMW owner survey from Vintage Mortorcyles online here confirming our feelings about the K bikes.

Crazy Frog wrote:Interesting BMW owner survey from Vintage Mortorcyles online here confirming our feelings about the K bikes.

Common problems: Faulty fuel lights, engine heat, low speed vibration and sub-standard rear brake disc performance. Poor resale value in common market.

Common strengths: Engine power, reliability and fuel mileage, comfort, parts availability and support, styling, durability and handling

Even though only 26 folk surveyed I imagine the results would be the same with thousands surveyed.

I see many K's racing around and whether babied or Rat bikes they just seem unstoppable!!!

Hmmmm that's one nice RS.

Thanks Rick, the sellers pics, you couldn'tve met a nicer bloke. Had to let it go due to redundancy. Four owners since new the one before since 1997.

I need to ride her back 70miles with a weeping fork seal, better keep it below 50mph. If anyone thinks that's just too unsafe on a K please advise!

Just take it easy and keep a watch if the oil really starts to come out quickly it could get on the caliper and disc. I had one leak realy badly last year and it got to the caliper but not to the disc or pads.