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Message started by philthymike on 10/10/19 at 18:16:41

Title: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by philthymike on 10/10/19 at 18:16:41

I've for unknown reasons developed a strange fascination with the old K75 and K100 bikes. Anyone have any 1st hand experience with them?

There's several nice examples for very reasonable prices nearby and my curiosity is making me want to go check them out.

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by Dave on 10/11/19 at 02:59:33

I have some second hand information.

When I was looking for a sport touring bike big enough for my wife and I to ride on, a friend who is a very experienced rider kept recommending I go ride a K75. He and his wife had one and they took many long tours on it. He claims it is one of the best bikes he ever owned......and he has been riding a very long time. Currently they own a Triumph Bonneville and the just got back from a 3,000 mile trip.

There are some really nasty, abused, beat up bikes for sale, and also some very nice ones.
https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/mcy/d/ft-mitchell-1990-bmw-k75-low-miles/6973541964.html

https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/mcy/d/melbourne-bmw-k75t-1987-blue-hard-bags/6985803688.html

For some reason I just could not convince myself I needed a 30 year old motorcycle to take long rides on, and I bought a 2016 BMW F800GT instead. It is a great motorcycle so far, the only issue that is bothersome is the amount of wind noise in my helmet from the air coming off the stock windscreen. Several of us are trying aftermarket windshields, and I believe we have found the ones that work.

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by sjaskow - FSO on 10/11/19 at 10:20:19

One positive about the old BMWs is BMW still stocks OEM parts for them: https://www.shopbmwmotorcycles.com/BMW__K75.html. I remember reading one site that you could assemble a BMW from the as far back as the 70s from parts if you really wanted to.

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by philthymike on 10/11/19 at 12:41:46

Good point about the parts. That and the sheer numbers of these bikes surviving up to 300K miles is impressive. Not to mention you could tear down the entire engine without taking it out of the frame. It's reportedly one of the easiest bikes to work on.
From what I've gathered in my research is the trick is to find one that's been in constant use regardless of age or mileage. This bikes worst enemy is disuse.

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by Dave on 10/11/19 at 16:37:25

4B5352574F53425652505E3B0 wrote:

This bikes worst enemy is disuse.

I wondered why the K1200S is such an inexpensive bike used, and not very popular. I asked the mechanic at the BMW dealer in Charlotte, VA about them, and he says that time is not kind to them.....they hold up well for mileage but things age quickly on the bike. He didn't go into any more detail than that - and when I rode one and was considering buying it, I was worried about the complexity of doing even simple maintenance on it......it looks very hard to work on.

It may be a good motorcycle - but I chickened out.

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by Ruttly on 10/11/19 at 17:01:09

Friend of mine bought a K75 used with 49k on it and it now has close to 150k. He won't even wash it , only what it needs only what it needs he says. Oil , filters , brakes n tires thats it !

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by Dave on 10/12/19 at 04:47:26

Here is a thread from the F800 forum on the K100/K75 bikes.

https://f800riders.org/forum/showthread.php/25047-OK-here-is-a-Brick-story

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by philthymike on 10/14/19 at 06:27:06

Another attempt at the cruiser market...

https://www.visordown.com/news/new-bikes/spy-shots-2020-bmw-r18-cruiser-breaks-cover?amp

Apparently. But why? Isn't the millennial set uninterested in cruisers?

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by Dave on 10/14/19 at 09:07:17

I have no idea why BMW would want to make a cruiser......seems odd to put a 200,000 mile boxer engine in a bike that is likely to spend most of it's life on the sidestand.

BMW riders are mostly touring or sport touring riders.........I doubt they will ever win over the dyed in the wool cruiser fellows who believe a V-Twin is the only suitable engine layout.

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by MMRanch on 10/14/19 at 09:23:45

Allways have to be " BIGGER " to be better ??? sad,sad,sad :(

Title: Re: BMW Flying Bricks?
Post by philthymike on 10/14/19 at 17:26:55

Not to mention their last cruiser was a total flop. And hideously wrong in so many ways to boot.