Hello to everyone. I have just purchased a 1986 K100 rs with 40000 miles on the clock. I am new to BMW as I have had mainly Honda and yamaha over the years.
Looking forward to joining the BMW community.

Welcome to the forum.

You will enjoy the K and its only a matter of time before it gets a mate!

Don't be afraid to ask any questions, someone will have answers for you and everyone is very good at passing on suggestions/help etc.

On the home page there is a section on what to do if you have just got a K. Have a look at that and follow it through. Don't be afraid to ask why might seem a small question and don't be put off by something that seems big. The K is very user friendly and great for long trips too.....suppose you will be heading to south west or Wales and there are quite a few forum members around.

Feel free to travel over this way too......we already have a few coming over for a weeks camping on Saturday 1st August. Plan for some is to do some of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Welcome Bigpapa

Hope you get addikted to your new K. There's a few of us scattered around, always up for a meet up if you are every heading over in the sou'westerly direction. A trip o'er the sea to Ireland is also a must to meet up with the Irish Eccentrics and explore some of their neighbourhood.

As Olaf says, plenty of advice and tips already on the forum, try the search function to home in on any particular issue you may have, but lots of helpful folk all around the globe ready and willing to answer any specific question you may have.

Thanks ever so much. Went out today for first trial and very impressed. Need a couple of things sorting. New rear pads and to replace rocker cover gaskets as noticed a bit of oil. Otherwise I really am liking it.

Great start...and beautiful day for getting out and about today. 

There's always a few jobs to do, but mostly they are pretty straight forward and the beauty of the K is that the more you do the better you know the bike and the more you feel you can do...and then really enjoy it when she's running well.

I just did my engine oil & filter change, replaced front and rear brake pads and sorted out the hazard light switch (which had decided to stop working) today and, whilst I'd rather have been out riding in the sunshine, they are all easy jobs that needed doing. Much better and cheaper to do the jobs yourself than going to the dealer to haemorrhage money!

A hearty welcome from the other side of the pond, BigPapa!

Hi Bigpapa. WelKome to K-world.
40k... that's a great find. While its probably in good condition you'll need to check/replace rubber components. Old tyres can be dangerous. There's a date code on the tyre wall.
Also learn to use the 'Google Forum' search box on the Forum and Portal tabs.

As KH said, check the tyres. Dates on the sidewalls. I reckon Ks are the most sensitive bike I have ridden when it comes to old tyres, they HATE them. But on new and good tyres they really inspire confidence.

Rubber perishes badly too, fuel hoses are a potential risk as they harden and can crack as you take the tank on and off. Replace them with longer ones and you can get enough wriggle room to access the electrical relay box and the rad cap under the tank without disconnecting them or having to take the tank off. Its a cheap fix.

Also, get hold a spare clutch cable and a nipple [lever end] and the felt insert. The nipple and felt insert do not come with the cable so must be got separately. Use the genuine BMW cable. Its easy to be carrying just the cable and not have the nipple which falls out as soon as the cable breaks.

Have a look at the home [Portal]  page and the section on what to do if you just bought a K.

Have a good read of what we all get up to, we love to meet other K owners and Born Again Eccentric is becoming a regular visitor over here....

welcome aboard ...
have fun !
they are an impressive bike to own and ride

Welcome bigpapa,
The valve cover gasket is a rubber One,it May be sufficient to clean it and give it a smear of oil resistant gasket sealer, especially around the camshaft bores,

Happy riding 

K-rider

A trick I learned from Chris Harris on Youtube is to clean all surfaces very well making sure you remove all traces of oil even to the point of wiping out the inside where oil pools and may get on the gasket. The slightest bit of oil on the surfaces will cause the gasket to leak.