Hi all, just joined this great forum as I'm on the hunt for my first K, a K100rs.
Having had a few Harley's in the recent past, I now fancy a classic and useable K Series.
Look forward to learning and sharing the experience!
Cheers
Mike

 

Hi Mike welcome to the forum, all the info on here will help you decide on a K and how to keep them going.

BIG D

Hi Mike, welcome to our THE forum.

Good choice, the RS, and just to make our Ozzie friends jealous I've spotted this special edition RS with only 21,000 miles for a mere £1995.

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-K100RS-K-100-RS-WHITE-1990-/271304452236

Pity I don't really need another one!

Hope you find a good one.
Paul.

Thanks guys
Paul, that's one I'm interested in!
It has very low mileage but not much paperwork to substantiate it. What makes it the special edition, just the paint?

Basically, yes, it's the paint scheme, one of the best IMO.

Paul.

That is a 90 bhp 8 valve model and not a 99 bhp 16 valve. I would be suspicious of the year of manufacture and the mileage.

It's 1990 registered. production ended in 89, plenty were kicking about for a couple of years after the introduction of the (better) 16 valve bike.

As for mileage? Well the K1100LT I've pointed out has less than 6,000 and then there's this 1991 K1:



Yup, that's less than one thousand six hundred miles.

Really low mileage bikes exist. My K1 only has 22,000 on it and the K75S I did earlier this year less than 17,000.

Oh, well I've already learned something. I didn't realise it was an 8v, just assumed 16v due to regret year. How desireable are the SE models? Reg year is genuine but most of the service history and old MOTs are lost, making me suspicious. The other bike I'm interested in is a late 1981 bike with a genuine 26k mileage and every MoTto back it up. It's more money but is in excellent condition and nearly a one owner bike.

Welcome Mike the transition to a good touring K doesn't take long to adjust to. Enjoy!

You might also look at this one, eBay No. 121198992541.


Fairly close to you and a good plate too

Indeed but I had dismissed that one due to its high mileage of 55k. Should I not be bothered about that? I've actually just arranged to go and see it today.

Welcome too.

55k would not be regarded as a high mileage and the engines seem to just go on.

One thing to be aware of is that if the bike is put on sidestand and then engine powered off it will puff blue smoke on start up. This is quite normal but does not necessarily indicate a problem. Its due to the engine design with the 'head down' engine position.

A regularly used bike is a good buy and less likely to have some issues that can arise when they are laid up for a long time. Most of us would probably go on the condition/maintenance rather than absolute acceptance of mileage.

The forum is absolutely great for technical things and also for arranging some meet ups.

92KK

Woulda thought that at 55k miles, that engine is not even close to halfway along it's lifespan. A teenager by a lot of yardsticks.

As long as the tupperware is in reasonable nick, the bike looks like a steal to me. Wish I had the space!

Welcome and good luck in finding/buying your brick.

Cheers all, the warm welcome and advice is much appreciated. I'll update you once I've seen it.

Culminator wrote:Cheers all, the warm welcome and advice is much appreciated. I'll update you once I've seen it.

I would certainly take a look at that one on ebay. Looks like it may need a bit of love and attention, but the mileage would not worry me in the least. The damage to the fairing above the mirror is very easy to repair, mine was the same when I bought it, check the thickness of the front discs, if they are near 4.5 mm (the limit) then that is a bargaining point as they are £230 for a new set.

55 k , ho ho ho merry christmas! I got mine at 160,000kms and it now needs everything done
but ive had 40,000 dollar free, I could cut and run, get more than i paid for it but why?
I'm in love! Oil pump seal, cam chain inspect, fuel tank "bubble in the paint", monkey nuts?
But guess what? Till that tank leaks I'm riding this lil' B.

55K is "just broken in" for a K bike.  Probably only two or three hundred thousand miles left in it.

What Duck said .

Ok, so having seen the bike now, here's my assessment. Firstly, the owner's a nice guy and simply wants to sell as he's now bought a smaller bike. For those that don't know, Seaford, where the bike's for sale, is a coastal town and the bike is left outside, albeit back from the sea front by quite a way. The bike is scruffy and has signs of a hard life. Front forks are pitted at the top but looked ok under the protective gaiters. Discs on front and rear felt a bit worn and had no movement in them. Are floating discs meant to move? The one I had a look at the other day had discs that you could rattle.
There's no ignition, just a hidden switch! Fairing is cracked and paint is a bit tired but not that bad overall. Rear tyre was square! All metal work was scruffy with flaky or very pitted paint. Seat cover is cracked. It has a long MOt and tax and actually rode ok, apart from the rear tyre! Frame powder coating is chipped in quite a few places and surface rusting has appeared. Engine sounded very sweet and gearbox and brakes worked well, so did ABS. Very little history apart from original service book. I think it would take far too much to get it to the standard that I'd like, so probably going to give it a miss.

At around £800 I would buy it for a running restoration. That is what I did last year. The pictures are here on this forum https://www.k100-forum.com/t4943-what-have-i-gone-and-bought.
The front discs should move a little on a 16v bike, my new EBC discs do, but the important thing about them is that the minimum thickness is 4.5mm - hence my new ones.
I bought mine to play with as much as ride, and I had quite a bit of work to do to it. I wanted a 16v K100 to remind me of the K1200GT that I bought new in 2004 (the one in my avatar parked at the M11 services).

G'day Culminator , I'd steer away from the sea monster , apart from that long list that you have already noted who knows if the corrosion has got into the electrics , if the SE KRS is legit I'd check it out , my KRS has 256k km's on it and going strong , start your K experience on the right foot , don't buy a basket case

IMHO

JR

There are good ones to be had.

Seaside means salt, outside near seaside means salt getting in electrics.....not good. Apart from the inevitable corrosion. Get under it and look at the 8 nuts on the exhaust manifold. If those nuts are completely rotten then you cant get them off easily, risk of stud breaking. Add that to potentially dodgy electrics and a general feeling of being on a tatty bike then you don't get a great riding experience. While they can be money pits that is more the case if you cant do stuff yourself. You can do your own oil changes and a lot of other things. The forum will also help you.

Buy one in someway decent condition, nothing wrong with a dealer and a guarantee either. But buy one that at least looks good too.

Hi, I have got to agree with the guys up above the sea salt is a big downside because it will have got into everything, as a free or nearly free giveaway it would be OK but as a serious price I would not pay 800.. Welcome aboard anyway and good luch with your search.
Regards,
K-BIKE