A Challenge to all Non-K75 Owners

kreinke said:

My Honda CB550k could easily balance a nickel on her gas cap. Smooth not buzzy

Click to expand...

Pictures? Show the tach? What RPM did it fall over on?

I knew it was smooth, but did not think this smooth (and no super glue).

KBasa said:

VFR - Nickel stands at idle, but by 2000rpm it starts to turn and then falls over. It's wierd. It rotates around the vertical axis.

Click to expand...

Same on K75, but at 2400-2600 RPM.



About the hair on the back of your neck standing up when you twist the throttle:

That bad? Maybe a heat shield is loose or something. I've heard of that happening on "HIGH MILAGE" (over 30,000 mile) Japanese bikes. I'd get that checked out.

Send more results on the rest of your fleet.

K75Swim said:

I knew it was smooth, but did not think this smooth (and no super glue).

Click to expand...

Look someone actually put the tach in the picture!

chfite said:

Well, it won't stay up forever. But there it is at idle. .

Click to expand...

Why not? Won't the bike keep idling?

Or are you saying that there IS enough vibration at idle to cause the nickel to fall?

I'm not saying that smoothness is necessarily high on everyones priority list. And its not even on some peoples list.

But so far we have only one other bike (the K1200) that challenges the smoothness. But if I am not mistaken, they do that with engine isolation and mounting rather than pure engine smoothness.

Is that correct? Or are K1200 motors solid bolted to the frame?

Also bar end weights are an indication of trying to control engine vibration.

woodnsteel said:

My regards to whoever referenced this on airheads. Personally, I wouldn't give you a nickel for a K bike. There, now go and boil your bottoms, you weenies.

Click to expand...

That's what makes the world interesting, "different strokes for different folks".
Some people prefer Brass era cars, some deuce coupes, others 57 Chevys, others single door Isettas, others twin turbo NOS boosted AWD rice burners. Personally late 60s american muscle floats my boat.

If I had a plane for fun, it wouldn't be a learjet or a Curtis Jenny, it would be a PBY.

Why?
No logical reason. Just think they're cool.

I've flown in Christian Eagle aerobatic planes, De Haviland float planes, I've been sixty feet away from an F-14 Tomcat being catapulted off the Carl Vinson.

But my most indelible aircraft experience was the 15 minutes that I spent in the left seat of a B-17G over central California about six years ago. The smile still hasn't left me.

Logic? No. Passion ? You Bet!!

Whose right? Everyone! Whose wrong? No one! It's being enthused that makes it right! (for you and everyone).

Love you're Airhead! I'll love my K.

Love your wife. (I'll love mine, thank you very much!)

Spare change

98lee said:

That's what makes the world interesting, "different strokes for different folks".
Some people prefer Brass era cars, some deuce coupes, others 57 Chevys, others single door Isettas, others twin turbo NOS boosted AWD rice burners. Personally late 60s american muscle floats my boat.

If I had a plane for fun, it wouldn't be a learjet or a Curtis Jenny, it would be a PBY.

Why?
No logical reason. Just think they're cool.

I've flown in Christian Eagle aerobatic planes, De Haviland float planes, I've been sixty feet away from an F-14 Tomcat being catapulted off the Carl Vinson.

But my most indelible aircraft experience was the 15 minutes that I spent in the left seat of a B-17G over central California about six years ago. The smile still hasn't left me.

Logic? No. Passion ? You Bet!!

Whose right? Everyone! Whose wrong? No one! It's being enthused that makes it right! (for you and everyone).

Love you're Airhead! I'll love my K.

Love your wife. (I'll love mine, thank you very much!)

Click to expand...

Cessna 185 on floats get me Bell JR 3
I'll try this nickel thing when I wake her up.
K75Rt 1990, looks like fun. I will introduce it at the August Trenton Rally to try for an award.
And Those mouth watering steaks, Can't wait... Bring your wife

i'll crazy glue a nickel to my F650 and show you just how high i can rev it without it falling off..............

A nickle's worth

My 1973 Ducati 750 GT could do that. I can't prove it, I no longer have the bike (wish I did). That used to be a selling ploy used by the Ducati dealers back in those days. I'm glad to see the K75 can match early 70's Ducati smoothness.

Ride Safe
Rideoften

98lee said:

Why not? Won't the bike keep idling?

Or are you saying that there IS enough vibration at idle to cause the nickel to fall?

I'm not saying that smoothness is necessarily high on everyones priority list. And its not even on some peoples list.

But so far we have only one other bike (the K1200) that challenges the smoothness. But if I am not mistaken, they do that with engine isolation and mounting rather than pure engine smoothness.

Is that correct? Or are K1200 motors solid bolted to the frame?

Also bar end weights are an indication of trying to control engine vibration.

Click to expand...

Last time I checked my 1200LT had the engine bolted to the frame. I do not believe there was any rubber dampening built in. Since my K100 is in pieces (rear main leak) and the LT is still in storage can't try this on either one.

Depending on where you check, some sites, this one (from the U.K.) say "bearings" "de-coupled from vibrations".



BMW K1200GT Specifications

Start of Production
2002


Type of Frame:

Bridging frame consisting of die cast aluminium, engine de-coupled from vibration through bearings





This one from IBMWR, says "rubber" to isolate vibrations



Engine Mounts
Rubber

Frame
Chill-cast aluminum load bearing welded aluminum/with honeycomb-cell-structure for greater strength, vibration quenching

Front Suspension
Telelever with leading link pivoted centrally on main frame; with gas-filled spring damper strut / Telelever factory adjusted for 90% removal of front-end-dive




From BMW Parts Fische:

Model: K1200GT Diagram #46_0003

No Part Number Description QtyThis is the recomended quantity. Price is for each one. Once you click on BUY, you will be able to specify how many items you want to add to your cart. Each
01 46512332713 frame BUY 1 $3,208.00
02 46512332260 crossover BUY 1 $337.00
03 33172312249 rubber mounting BUY 1 $14.00
04 07119901082 fillister-head screw (M10X40) BUY 6 $1.50
05 46512332704 stud bolt (M8X10 ZNS) BUY 2 $3.30
06 46512332863 left engine bracket BUY 1 $154.00
06 46512332268 right engine bracket BUY 1 $154.00
07 46512332110 rubber mounting (60 SHORE) BUY 2 $9.40
08 46512332114 hex bolt (M10X22) BUY 4 $2.00
09 52532308647 nut (M5) BUY 2 $1.14
10 46631453145 pin BUY 2 $2.40
11 07119901453 anti rattle pin (5X26-A-ST) NA Part not available. Call for more info. 2
12 46512332261 threaded bush left BUY 1 $68.00
12 46512332262 threaded bush right BUY 1 $68.00

mikeb921 said:

My 1973 Ducati 750 GT could do that. I can't prove it, I no longer have the bike (wish I did). That used to be a selling ploy used by the Ducati dealers back in those days. I'm glad to see the K75 can match early 70's Ducati smoothness.

Ride Safe
Rideoften

Click to expand...

Are you sure the vibration from the CLUTCH PLATES at 2000RPM wouldn't cause something to fall off???

98lee said:

Are you sure the vibration from the CLUTCH PLATES at 2000RPM wouldn't cause something to fall off???

Click to expand...

Nothing ever fell off. That was one of the smoothest bikes ever made. If you ever get a chance to ride one, go for it. I'm sure it would impress even a K bike owner.


Ride Safe
Rideoften

98lee said:

Same on K75, but at 2400-2600 RPM.



About the hair on the back of your neck standing up when you twist the throttle:

That bad? Maybe a heat shield is loose or something. I've heard of that happening on "HIGH MILAGE" (over 30,000 mile) Japanese bikes. I'd get that checked out.

Send more results on the rest of your fleet.

Click to expand...

The sound of a V4 clearing it's throat on the way to a 12K redline does that to me every time. It changes tone at 6K and starts to hammer like a big V8. :chills

I used to have a K75S. I loved it. It was a fun bike to ride and work on. But it was small. Other drivers ignored me. They merged into my lane space. Sometimes commuting in the rain wasn't much fun with the small fairing.

So I got a R1150RT-P. I love it. It's fun to ride, but not much fun to work on. It's big. Other drivers see me and run for their lives because they think I'm a cop. No one merges into my lane space anymore. Most times in the rain I stay bone dry behind the huge screen and fairing.

Not a dig against the K75 - it was a great bike back in the late 80's and early 90's.

dvandkq said:

I used to have a K75S. I loved it. It was a fun bike to ride and work on. But it was small. Other drivers ignored me. They merged into my lane space. Sometimes commuting in the rain wasn't much fun with the small fairing.

So I got a R1150RT-P. I love it. It's fun to ride, but not much fun to work on. It's big. Other drivers see me and run for their lives because they think I'm a cop. No one merges into my lane space anymore. Most times in the rain I stay bone dry behind the huge screen and fairing.

Not a dig against the K75 - it was a great bike back in the late 80's and early 90's.

Click to expand...

I have a K75 (actually two) and they are fun bikes to ride. They are agile and are great bikes for the 21st century. Other drivers usually wave, but some would change into my lane, so I bought one of these HiViz vests (girl optional) and now they really do think I'm a cop and stay our of my way - sometimes letting me through.

Wow Greg. You look pretty good for your age. You don't even look old enough to have a daughter (in the orange vest) that age.

I've found that the cagers are GREATLY more aware of us since we put headlight modulators on our bikes.

(That, and the photon torpedoes set to stun on our Jetson's hovercrafts. And I don't hesitate to use them at the slightest provocation.)

The curiosity was killing me. I got a nickel, went into the garage and couldn't find a flat spot anywhere on the K100RT.

Maybe that's why I have never been pulled over ... stealth technology ahead of it's time.

dvandkq said:

I used to have a K75S. I loved it. It was a fun bike to ride and work on. But it was small. Other drivers ignored me. They merged into my lane space. Sometimes commuting in the rain wasn't much fun with the small fairing.

So I got a R1150RT-P. I love it. It's fun to ride, but not much fun to work on. It's big. Other drivers see me and run for their lives because they think I'm a cop. No one merges into my lane space anymore. Most times in the rain I stay bone dry behind the huge screen and fairing.

Not a dig against the K75 - it was a great bike back in the late 80's and early 90's.

Click to expand...

I think most folks ride the right bike for the riding they do. I mostly ride the two lane valley, mountain, and coastal roads within 100 - 150 miles in Northern Calif.
I know, times are hard.
My K75 naked, with real handlebars is perfect for where I ride. A touring bike or a big cruiser would be boring, but better for commuting.
Back to the nickel thing. I used to do that all the time on a '77 Goldwing, on the engine. I tried it on the K75 but I couldn't find a flat spot on the engine.Maybe park it downhill?

chfite said:

Well, it won't stay up forever. But there it is at idle. It was hard to find a place that was flat and level on the center stand.

Click to expand...

That's because the center stand is made out of round tubing...

But serially, I think my Harley would do that (the RT is actually slightly smoother than the Harley, overall), but SofTails are so round and organic-looking that I can't find a horizontal surface. The engine is solid-mounted, but it's also counter-balanced. Now, if BMW could just discover hydraulic valve adjusters...

Here's a challenge to K75 owners: trying to keep up with a late-model R-type touring bike!