used k75rt bike worth the risk to buy?

[motor4]

been sitting many years, someone came to give it a 'tune-up' (aka get the bike running I believe). Tires past 5 years old. Might be 2nd owner that needs to sell due to health reasons. Low miles. No power screen though price, all things considered, might be hard to pass up. Would have liked a powered screen but for the price this will be the least expensive way to get a K75RT, excluding tire and their installation plus probably having dealer change fluids plus lube rear end gear.

Have a K75T back in the day (just a naked 75 with windscreen), as I recall it was interesting. Wanted another top gear to reduce rpms though outside of that plus having to add side rubber sheets to deflect heat from (I figure) the gas tank, it was sort of fun.

Maybe I am just walking down memory lane in my retired old years.

 

[rbourey]

Depends on how much you enjoy wrenching over riding.

(I mean, the closer I get to retirement, the more I enjoy new technology and a team of supporting mechanics to keep me on the road.)

Encouraging comments on the power plant from Ryan Kluftinger - a younger Canadian rider (with majors in art history and physics).

 

[motor4]

Yes, saw that video, it is a classic vid

 

[orforester]

I have owned three K100's two RS and one RT. Great bike, but the K100 is hot, lots of heat on feet. I heard that the K75 is much different. And I heard that from friends of mine. The K75 is a solid engine, should be good.

Now having said that all the rubber parts are more likely toast, so that means replacing a lot of rubber pieces for an older K75, not hard to do, but a chore and time consuming. It would also need all the fluids changed and you would be best off lubing the transmission splines. All of this is basic mechanic work, but its time and money outlay for parts and you need a shop to get it done in, along with tools. All of this should be figured into the price of the bike. I would do the work yourself if you can.

 

[lee]

I have owned three K100's two RS and one RT. Great bike, but the K100 is hot, lots of heat on feet. I heard that the K75 is much different

We had K75T and K75S. No problems with heat on those models but heard the K75RT was hot.

 

[robsryder]

Here is a picture of my 88 K75S as it has just passed 100k miles. It had 90k + when purchased about a dozen years ago and it had not run for a few years. I had the seller take it to the nearest BMW dealer (Iron Horse BMW in Tucson, AZ) and I instructed the service tech to make certain that it would be safe and reliable as the wife and I intended to fly from Ohio to Az and ride the bike back.

Iron Horse did a great job. I still have that bike (and the first K75S, purchased about 15 years ago for a fly and ride from Calif. to OH).

 

[gregfeeler]

been sitting many years, someone came to give it a 'tune-up' (aka get the bike running I believe). Tires past 5 years old. Might be 2nd owner that needs to sell due to health reasons. Low miles. No power screen though price, all things considered, might be hard to pass up. Would have liked a powered screen but for the price this will be the least expensive way to get a K75RT, excluding tire and their installation plus probably having dealer change fluids plus lube rear end gear.

Have a K75T back in the day (just a naked 75 with windscreen), as I recall it was interesting. Wanted another top gear to reduce rpms though outside of that plus having to add side rubber sheets to deflect heat from (I figure) the gas tank, it was sort of fun.

Maybe I am just walking down memory lane in my retired old years.

These are as close to "eternal" motorcycles as I think have ever been or ever will be built. But, they can be hurt by neglect. If you are somewhat handy with tools you can do most or all of which might need attention:

1. It's been sitting, so you will need to check all the rubber parts of the fuel system: lines in the tank, and lines feeding the fuel injectors. Look at the rubber mount for the fuel pump. Old gas, and especially ethanol will eat them up.

2. Check the rear drive shaft splines *before* your buy the bike. If kept lubed with a mix of moly grease and SIG 3000 they will last the life of the bike, but are getting very expensive to repair.

3. Find out when the clutch splines were last lubed. My guide is to do them every 40k or so, or when the transmission wants to stick when down shifting.

4. A small but important thing it to check the crank case breather hose at the back left corner of the engine. It's visible just above the throttle position sensor on the left side and in about eight inches. These are cheap and easy to replace but if not done will leak air through cracks and cause lean engine running.

Other than that, just check it out like any other used bike. If it were me, I would plan on going through it end to end: lube cable ends, adjust the clutch lever at the transmission, change brake fluid, flush the coolant, and so on. Get the bike back into spec and it will repay you with many thousands of stone reliable miles.