Old companion - '91 K75S

[kurtr11s]

I'm mostly a lurker except in the bicycle thread. Today I was out riding my old friend (pic below) and reminiscing about all of the great rides we've taken.

I bought my '91 K75SA in early 1995 with about 2500 miles. It took over long distance touring duty from my first bike, an R65. I got the R65 in '89 and then joined the MOA in '90 at the age of 23. I'm a lifetime member. I may have made out on that deal. The K75S was my dream bike. I drooled over that bike at Heid's BMW in Johnsburg, NY (my favorite shop - ever) but was poor and could only afford a poster of it. That poster hung in our (future wife) living room for 6 years as I saved up for the bike. Well, we decided to get a house first.

In '95 we were planning on taking our first real cross country trip to go to the national rally in Durango, Co. My wife had just put together a Moto Guzzi 650 for touring and I was looking for something a little smoother than the R65 for highway travel. As it turns out, the K75 exceeded my travel expectations and really opened up a new world for me. It has been to both Meat Cove and Orcas Island, Imperial Beach and Acadia, Glacier and Big Bend NPs. It has done the entire BRP and Natchez Trace. It tamed the tail of the dragon and Beartooth pass. It has gone to race tracks, hill climbs, and supported an Ironman triathlon. It has seen time as my primary vehicle and my daily commuter.

I have other bikes. It is no longer my long distance go-to, an R12RT fills that slot. An R11S competes for the "sport" rides. But the K75S remains a pleasant bike that doesn't skip a beat and, to my eye, is the best looking bike ever made. I'm a child of the '80s and that futuristic look just knocked me out. I would rank the K-RS right up there, too. I've developed an appreciation for the airheads but the K was my first love.

This bike has had all of the usual stuff done: drive shafts, spline lubes, rubber lines replaced, stainless brake lines, monkey nutz, starter cleaning, starter relays sticking, master cylinder and caliper cleanings and rebuilds, floating rotors, fuel pump damper, steering head bearings, wheel bearings, and Fox Twin Clicker. I'm still using the original tank bag and tragkorbs. I've had two issues in all the years of traveling with the bike: fan failed on the way to the Salem national and my battery died at a campout in Oklahoma. Both easily fixed. I have done all of the maintenance and repair on the bike myself with generous support from Kbike friends both local and virtual.

I've never found a seat on any bike that is as comfortable for me as that Corbin. It looks terrible, though.

Thanks for indulging me.

 

[kurtr11s]

I don't have many photos of me with my K75. Most of the miles on the bike were done well before smartphones, or even GPS, were a thing. In the reflection below you may be able to make out our getup. This picture was taken in 2017, but our attire and general packing approach has not changed in 30 years. All bikes get the same treatment: Sealline dry bag with lashing straps (I like the orange ones from Harbor Freight for visibility), Kathy bag liners, tank bag - OEM if available. The gear that we carry has been carefully thought out. We have more tents than most people.

In the picture my Aerostich Roadcrafter is 21 years old. Michelle's is a year older. We still have and wear them. They became a little less water resistant so we got new ones after this trip. Same suits, same colors. I've also worn a silver helmet for 37 years - no, not the same one (but I do get more use than recommended).

Why am I like this? I don't know. In 1994 at the rally in Moodus, CT, we camped near a couple who were on a pair of /6. They were quite a bit older than us. One night we followed them back to the tents after the entertainment (does anyone remember "don't crush the cans?") and they were holding hands. I pointed out to Michelle that it was like looking into the future. We saw them at rallies over the next 20+ years - always on the same bikes, always seeming to be having the time of their lives.

It isn't about the bike. Or is it all about the bike? Still not sure.

 

[kurtr11s]

Big Bend:

 

[kurtr11s]

Sudden battery failure. Talamina, OK

 

[kurtr11s]

Who doesn't like a gut shot?

 

[kurtr11s]

Finally a sunny day! Unfortunately it was only 46 deg F. The old Gerbings works fine but it is only 25 years old. I threw the 30 year old tank bag on to run an errand. It is amazing at how well that bag has aged. My wife is handy with a needle and she fixed the elastic that holds it to the bottom of the tank.

I had the Fox Twin Clicker rebuilt a few years ago and now I don't have any air under the tires when I put the bike on the center stand. Preload feels OK and both compression and rebound damping works well - I just use the default setting. I'm pretty average.

During today's ride I contemplated how much that motorcycle contributed to my personal economy. Most people see a motorcycle as a luxury - an additional cost. But with the K75, the dollar per hour of fun ratio is pretty low. During our first 15 or so years of adulthood, Michelle and I spent most of our vacation time and many of the summer weekends camping and exploring on the bikes. I think only our caribbean honeymoon caused negative cashflow during a vacation week. We rented a TW200 for the week. All other trips during that period saw our bank account grow due to vacation pay. In my mind, we are geniuses. It seems that our non-riding friends think we are insane.

 

[ME2SC]

Great post, love the K75S. Had one for a few years but sold it and a few of my other Beemers that weren't getting enough road time. I went to Moodus also, it was my first National. Had a great time and went again to Rhinebeck and VT. Thanks for the pics, how many miles are on yours now?

 

[kurtr11s]

It "only" has 75000 miles. Mechanically, it is in great shape - I wouldn't hesitate to ride across the country with it. But the truth is: I won't. I have other bikes and have found that I gravitate to the R1200RT for longer trips.

One reason for the low miles is that it was kept in SoCal for 8 years. Each year we would fly out, take a day to prep the bikes with new tires, brake bleeds, and whatever else needed doing, and then tour for 2 to 3 weeks. At the time we were working and found that spending a week on the highway to get to the areas we wanted to explore was getting to be a drag.

I also went to Rhinebeck and VT. Both great rally sites - I loved the aerodrome experience! I'm looking forward to going back to Essex Junction next year. I have a tough decision to make: which bike to bring. I rode the K75S in 2006 (that year we left the rally early, before the rain, to get to Lake Placid to be motorcycle volunteers for the Ironman race that Sunday). It would be neat to ride it back 20 years later. It won't be much of a ride. We have a house on the NY side of Lake Champlain about an hour away, if we take the ferry.

 

[lee]

Thanks for the thread.
We had our red 1991 K75Ss for 12 years.
Both of us liked the Corbin seat that BMW provided for the 1991 K75S.

 

[Lendog]

I must admit that I’m a twin fan although one of my noble steeds is a k1300gt that I do not ride much because it is difficult to ride under a buck-and-quarter, with Paint by Kent Holt it is as beautiful as it is fast,
I enjoy seeing the old brick’s back in the spotlight