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K75 Lowering Options

R

ROLLIFAHRER

New member
I'm thinking about adding a K75(probably S) to my stable, but prefer a seat height around 28 - 29".

I lowered my oiler with Wilbers, and I'm guessing I can get a short shock for the rear. Can the fork tubes be slid up? How far? Can they be rebuilt to be shorter?

I hear there is a lower seat. How low? Is it just a stock pan w less foam or a different pan? Typical cost? Are they hard to find?

Has anyone cut foam out of a stock seat? Happy w results?

Thanks,

(PS: to the K-Bike devout, I passed on a '95 RT due to seat height and went for the 1100RT--a real freakin handfull at first, but I finally figured some things out (even though I could flat foot it, lowering an inch solved a big problem). The K75 seems like a near ideal mix of power, handling, comfort vs. weight and center of mass, for the way I ride. )
 
The low seat is a totally different seat configuration with hardware. It is about 2" lower than the standard seat. My standard height bike is in Texas, my low seat model is in Kansas, I am in Texas, so can't measure the low seat height. There are only a gazillion of these out there - common people - get out the measuring tape.

Then you can slide the forks in the sliders an inch or so - more if you use handlebar setbacks. And a shorter shock. This will make you want a shorter centerstand too so find a good welder.
 
Hi,
Paul has told you most of what can be done to lower the K75. One thing he didn't mention (nor did anyone else yet) is you can mount 80 series tires instead of the stock 90 series. This will effectively lower the seat height a little.

The low seat kit consists of a seat, rubber covering for the rear of the tank, different brain holder (no storage bin above it), hooks the low seat slides onto at the rear, stick-on mounts for the rubber tank cover, latch assembly and seat lock/release lever, and all necessary attachment hardware. The kit is NLA, but the individual parts are still available. They come up every so often in the Flea Market or on fleabay.
 
Thanks for the info.

Seller says seat height on center stand is 31". Ran over to a buddy who has one. Didn't have tape, but sat on it--toes didn't even touch-- more like 38" on the center stand and it was too crowded to get it down.

Does 31" on the center stand make sense?
 
Re: Lowering

Rollifahrer said:
Thanks for the info.

Seller says seat height on center stand is 31". Ran over to a buddy who has one. Didn't have tape, but sat on it--toes didn't even touch-- more like 38" on the center stand and it was too crowded to get it down.

Does 31" on the center stand make sense?
Click to expand...

I have a 1994 K75 RT with a short Progressive shock and the lower Corbin seat. I am certain that on the center stand the seat height is at least 36" if not more. I can not come close to getting both feet on the ground when the bike is on the center stand. However, when it is on the center stand I push forward with one foot and have no problem getting both feet on the ground when the bike comes off the center stand. I would not worry so much about the seat height while sitting on the center stand. In fact, I only put it on the center stand when it is parked in the garage. I think you would be better off to see how it feels when you straighten the bike up from the side stand.

Bob
 
Does 31" on the center stand make sense?
Click to expand...

Seat height is not measured on the center stand. The bike can be taken off the center stand, with practice, the same way it is put up on the stand if you can't reach the ground to do it on the bike. I' m 6' 2'" with a 34" inseam and when my K1100LT is on the center stand I am on tip toes to get it off! If I was any shorter in the legs I would be standing next to it with one hand on the left handle bar and one on the lift handle.....
 
I'm not at my bike right now but I have a 94 K75/2 with low seat, i'm 6ft tall, and when on the bike I can put 1 foot flat on the ground and the other is on the ball-of-the-foot. I am actually going to be going with a high Corbin seat in the near future if you're going to be in the market for a low seat and all the fixins. Going from Low to High seat is a good bit cheaper than the other way around.

Changing the profile of your tire will most likely throw off your speedo (assuming it reads based on wheel revolutions).
 
toddlamp said:
I'm not at my bike right now but I have a 94 K75/2 with low seat, i'm 6ft tall, and when on the bike I can put 1 foot flat on the ground and the other is on the ball-of-the-foot. I am actually going to be going with a high Corbin seat in the near future if you're going to be in the market for a low seat and all the fixins. Going from Low to High seat is a good bit cheaper than the other way around.

Changing the profile of your tire will most likely throw off your speedo (assuming it reads based on wheel revolutions).
Click to expand...

Good luck in going from low to standard seat, and it being cheaper. Mine was not, but then after getting burned on eBay for a used seat, I ordered a new Corbin. After thinking about it, if you can land a "correct" standard seat, and they are not all the same, you might break even. Unless you can get lucky again, and get the battery side covers in the right color, that can save you. But you would have to be very, very lucky! PM me as I have some parts left you might be interested in. Ed
 
ejressler said:
Good luck in going from low to standard seat, and it being cheaper. Mine was not, but then after getting burned on eBay for a used seat, I ordered a new Corbin. After thinking about it, if you can land a "correct" standard seat, and they are not all the same, you might break even. Unless you can get lucky again, and get the battery side covers in the right color, that can save you. But you would have to be very, very lucky! PM me as I have some parts left you might be interested in. Ed
Click to expand...


Ed, you're right. What I meant to say was that if you have the seat itself, there are more components to get the low seat to work than the high. But now that I think about it, there is also a need for the side battery covers (didn't think about those) so I think whatever made up theory I had in my head just went out the window.
 
xp8103 said:
I dont know off the top of my head what the stock tire size is and what the alternative 90 series tire would be?
Click to expand...

I do, because I've mounted the 80 series tires when my late wife, Harriet, was alive and riding her K75 bikes. The stock sizes on the disc-braked K75 bikes are (front) 100/90v18 and (rear) 130/90v17. We used Bridgestone BT45 tires in sizes 100/80v18 and 130/80v17. They worked well, the only problem being they made it more difficult to hoist the bike onto the centerstand. The bike also was slightly more upright with the sidestand deployed, but it never was a problem.
 
Ok thanks. I have to replace my back tire next spring. I may go with both a front and rear. According to my handy dandy excel spreadsheet for tires, the diameter of the 80 series tire is just over 1" smaller resulting in a -3.91% difference. AT 60mph, the speedo will read 62.44 mph.
 
Thanks for the info, guys.

The search is on for one that needs some TLC. Anything I should avoid? Topends on airheads are famously easy to correct--what kind of pain and costs am I looking at if heads, rings, cylinders need work?

Anyone have one w good engine, but crapped out other stuff, you'd be willing to part with?
 
Hi, Rick,
Yes, airhead top ends are easy to work on and not teriffically expensive. Not so with the K-bike stuff. If the bike needs serious engine work, it is normally much less expensive to replace the engine. Good used, low-mileage K75 engines should cost in the $300 range. Just the pistons (new) are much more than that!
 
I used a Progressive 412...

to lower my '92 K75RT I went with the Progressive 412, which lowers the rear by 3/4" and then slid up the fork tubes in the triple clamps by the same amount....really helped the handling too, in my opinion. I'm 5'8" and really needed the lowering. Here's a link to the Progressive product line....the small note at the bottom indicates the 3/4" shorter shock that you can order through your favorite retailer.
http://www.progressivesuspension.com/prodSearchResults.aspx?yearID=1992&makeID=38&modelID=390
 
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