Hi,

I bought a 1984 K100 off a chap who turns out to be a member of this forum.

I commute 110 miles a day and was getting tired of modern sports bikes. i wanted something a little safer (slower), a bit more classic but also able to handle that sort of regular distance.

Hence the K100.

It's generally pretty good. 

I've sorted out the boxful of neutrals after remembering that this isn't a silky smooth modern box, it's 30 years old and needs a bit more of a firm hand. or foot, rather.

The one slightly worrying thing is that it sounds like a tin of spanners when it's cold. It goes away once the engine has been running for a few minutes. I'm happy to be proved wrong, but I'm pretty sure it isn't supposed to sound like that.

The bike came with a humongous after market fairing that was identified by someone on here as being made by Schurgers Tourenverkleidung. 

It's currently for sale on eBay at the moment if anyone is interested as it's not really my kind of thing.

Welcome to the forum Greenhorn. Tin full of spanners, that's OK but if it keeps it up hot then time to act.  It is a known issue with pre 1990 models or around that time but often never gets any worse. Getting it idling nice and smooth will help.
The box of neutrals is nothing to do with age but it being a BMW gearbox. I have one here that I believe has done 300000km and its the same and always has been and is in top condition inside. You need to preload the lever a bit and as soon as the clutch is coming in click it up or down and don't be too gentle as it needs a firm foot.

I used to have an F650 Dakar and I don't remember that having a particularly agricultural gearchange. Although those engines were Rotax if I remember correcty, so maybe they don't count....

The gear change on the K100 has certainly taken a bit of adjusting to. I'm used to Jap sports bikes which only need the merest graze on the lever, with or without clutch.

Good to know that the engine noises might not be as serious as I thought. I'll be keeping a close ear out though.

thanks.

It's the 5 speed that Getrag make for BMW that is a clunker but they are a dam good box and not prone to any particular failures but as with anything Getrag make you could use them as a rock crusher for 12 months then change the grit and keep using them in a bike without any problems.