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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to U.S. K75Ss !!!

98lee

3 Red Bricks
Staff member
:boldpurpl:dance:twirl:rocker:bar:clap:bow:brad:whistle




Today begins another birthday season for the 4600 K75Ss that were imported to the U.S. from 1986 thru 1995.

On May 15, 1986, the first 53 K75Ss destined for the U.S. rolled of the assembly line in Germany. 34 years later, the couple thousand that have avoided being totaled by insurance companies, chopped up for cafe racers, or parted out by owners, are still being enjoyed by their owners.

With less weight and more flickable handling than its 4 cylinder cousins, electric smooth motor, and good hot weather air flow, the K75S has been an enjoyable companion for those fortunate enough to have had one.

For those of you who still own one and are interested in finding out the exact date you S was built and how it fits in with other members Ss, go to: https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?21778-K75S-Original-Litter&highlight=Original+litter
and tell us the last 4 digits of your vin# and I'll look it up.



:dance:dance:dance
 
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:boldpurpl:dance:twirl:rocker:bar:clap:bow:brad:whistle




Today begins another birthday season for the 4600 K75Ss that were imported to the U.S. from 1986 thru 1995.

On May 15, 1986, the first 53 K75Ss destined for the U.S. rolled of the assembly line in Germany. 34 years later, the couple thousand that have avoided being totaled by insurance companies, chopped up for cafe racers, or parted out by owners, are still being enjoyed by their owners.

With less weight and more flickable handling than its 4 cylinder cousins, electric smooth motor, and good hot weather air flow, the K75S has been an enjoyable companion for those fortunate enough to have had one.

For those of you who still own one and are interested in finding out the exact date you S was built and how it fits in with other members Ss, go to: https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?21778-K75S-Original-Litter&highlight=Original+litter
and tell us the last 4 digits of your vin# and I'll look it up.



:dance:dance:dance

Lee, thanks for the reminder of (for me, anyway) a very special occasion. I love my '92 blue K75S - all the things you described, plus the styling still draws approving comments 34 years later. I will send you my VIN to confirm it's born date. :beer
 
I still/once again have #0019 but it is alas a mess. Repainted. Engine overheated to the point it melted the radiator hose connections and runs but blows exhaust gas into the radiator. My former son-in-law said it didn't seem to be running right the last time he rode it. Then he took it to a multi-brand mega monster dealer who gave it a tune up and oil change and never noticed the melted radiator. Eeeek! :banghead

Edit: To add to the saga he got it back from the dealer but said it wouldn't start. I had him deliver it to our daughter's (his ex wife's) garage. I jump started it and noticed a strange puffing from the left side fairing. Upon examination it was puffing exhaust from the upper radiator hose which was no longer connected to the melted plastic radiator. How a dealer could give this thing a "tune-up" and fail to see it had no coolant and a melted radiator escapes me, but Oh well! I hauled it as far as our son's in Kansas but have not dived into what it needs. I have located a replacement engine and have what I think is a K75 radiator, but still ...
 
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I still/once again have #0019 but it is alas a mess. Repainted. Engine overheated to the point it melted the radiator hose connections and runs but blows exhaust gas into the radiator. My former son-in-law said it didn't seem to be running right the last time he rode it. Then he took it to a multi-brand mega monster dealer who gave it a tune up and oil change and never noticed the melted radiator. Eeeek! :banghead

How sad - truly. I would be very curious to know what you find when you get it opened up, Paul.
 
Exhaust gases in radiator usually mean blown head gasket.
Blown head gasket means overheating.
Overheating on these bikes means bad fan motor or low water in radiator (not the overflow bottle).

But Paul knows this, not so much the son-in-law.

Paul, if you're looking for any pieces to make her right, give me a holler.



By the way Greg, your Koenigs Blau S #3117 was born July 1, 1991.



:dance:dance:dance
 
151302 1988 Marakesh Red K75S Born July 1987

I bought 3rd gen sidecases and had them painted to match the bike.

Sprayed the scratched up windscreen with black plastidip.

Had the final drive & drive shaft rebuilt by Bruno in Canada in 2012.

I've owned it for 7 & 1/2 years and have put 26K on it, odo: 80,200. :dance

IMG_9122.jpg
 
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I still/once again have #0019 but it is alas a mess. Repainted. Engine overheated to the point it melted the radiator hose connections and runs but blows exhaust gas into the radiator. My former son-in-law said it didn't seem to be running right the last time he rode it. Then he took it to a multi-brand mega monster dealer who gave it a tune up and oil change and never noticed the melted radiator. Eeeek! :banghead

Edit: To add to the saga he got it back from the dealer but said it wouldn't start. I had him deliver it to our daughter's (his ex wife's) garage. I jump started it and noticed a strange puffing from the left side fairing. Upon examination it was puffing exhaust from the upper radiator hose which was no longer connected to the melted plastic radiator. How a dealer could give this thing a "tune-up" and fail to see it had no coolant and a melted radiator escapes me, but Oh well! I hauled it as far as our son's in Kansas but have not dived into what it needs. I have located a replacement engine and have what I think is a K75 radiator, but still ...

I added a comment to this post.
 
Just a K75c Karibic Bleu

Mine was 0130030. Apparently made in November 1985 and purchased on 31 Mar 1986. Traded for a R1100RS in September 1999.
 
Exhaust gases in radiator usually mean blown head gasket.
Blown head gasket means overheating.
Overheating on these bikes means bad fan motor or low water in radiator (not the overflow bottle).

But Paul knows this, not so much the son-in-law.

Paul, if you're looking for any pieces to make her right, give me a holler.



By the way Greg, your Koenigs Blau S #3117 was born July 1, 1991.



:dance:dance:dance


Thanks, Lee for keeping my serial number. :) My understanding is that the 92's should have Showa forks, but my bike came with BMW forks, which I always attributed to it's very early production for a 1992. What do you think of that theory?
 
Greg,

They started putting Showa forks on the S in August of 1991. Being that your bike was built in July of '91, yours came with the earlier Fichtel Sachs forks.



:dance:dance:dance
 
Greg,

They started putting Showa forks on the S in August of 1991. Being that your bike was built in July of '91, yours came with the earlier Fichtel Sachs forks.



:dance:dance:dance

I have been under the impression that all 1992 models should have the Showa forks, but I also know that BMW seems to never miss an opportunity to use up the last of the old thing still in the parts bin. My 2003 K1200RS came with a 5.5" rear wheel instead of the specified 6" rim. The dealer was able to get me the correct one but you do have to take a hard look at early production bikes, it seems.

However, I plan on upgrading this bike with the Race Tech cartridge emulators sometime later this year, so I'm not sure it will matter then which forks I have.
 
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