Battery needed for a K75

[Vince in Milwaukee]

Knowing that there a few owners of BMWs on here, I'm looking for suggestions as to a new battery for my 1993 K75 without ABS brakes.  I bought the last one from the dealer, and paid @$150.00 (traditional lead acid).  It lasted four years.  I'm loathe to purchase a lawn and garden battery, but why not?  Any suggestions as something more reasonable than $150 and maybe not so so low ball as a L & G?     

[Lannis]

Knowing that there a few owners of BMWs on here, I'm looking for suggestions as to a new battery for my 1993 K75 without ABS brakes.  I bought the last one from the dealer, and paid @$150.00 (traditional lead acid).  It lasted four years.  I'm loathe to purchase a lawn and garden battery, but why not?  Any suggestions as something more reasonable than $150 and maybe not so so low ball as a L & G?     

I just don't see the point in sticking what is essentially a somewhat open and leaky bucket of sulfuric acid under the seat of my nice motorcycle, so the the vapors from the caps and overflow tubes can ruin my paint, chrome, and steel, like they have done on almost EVERY older motorcycle you'll ever see.   There are so many better alternatives these days .....

Lannis

[JoeW]

Try these guys, free shipping no sales tax....
http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/bmw/1993/k75c-rt/

[wrbix]

Westco batteries - AGM (no leak, ship ready to use), I've gotten 5-6 years out of them. Reasonably priced. Quick shipping. Used in all my BMWs - airheads and the K75 Teresa used to have.

[rbm]

The recommended aftermarket AGM battery for the K75 is the Odyssey PC680.  It has a good following in the BMW K-bike community and lasts a donkey's age.  Available at many automotive stores and online at Amazon.

[Charles in Lake Charles]

I've been using a 12 volt, 18AH battery in my old K Bike forever. You can get them anywhere. http://www.batterymart.com/p-12v-18ah-sealed-lead-acid-battery-1.html?Category_Code=04-12-volt-sealed-lead-acid-batteries  Put a couple of pieces of heater hose under the hold down clamp to keep it in place.
Forgot: Guzzi content = They're cheap!

[old as dirt 2]

Motobatt, great agm ready to use no charging need priorate installing. 2 pos and 2 neg terminals. makes hooking up acc powered items easy and not having to double and triple stack leads. you can also get a higher cca and higher ah for the physical size of the battery of a traditional one

[jbell]

Westco batteries - AGM (no leak, ship ready to use), I've gotten 5-6 years out of them. Reasonably priced. Quick shipping. Used in all my BMWs - airheads and the K75 Teresa used to have.

 :+1  On my second one in my '92 K75RT w/ABS. Cost $150 last year.   

[canuguzzi]

Can't help on the battery but since the topic of the K75 is up, I'm going to check one out tomorrow. It is a K75S but it has low bars and was wondering about getting them up just a little higher.

I was going to ask about the maintenance, especially the spline but is there anything else I should watch out for?  1994 model.

[Vince in Milwaukee]

Can't help on the battery but since the topic of the K75 is up, I'm going to check one out tomorrow. It is a K75S but it has low bars and was wondering about getting them up just a little higher.

I was going to ask about the maintenance, especially the spline but is there anything else I should watch out for?  1994 model.

The splines are a biggie.  The water / oil pump is another area to check for leaks.  I had a starter go bad on my first K bike, but that's rather unusual.  You probably know that these things are pretty much bullet proof with the proper care, and are known to go 250,000 miles or more.  Oh yeah, check the oil sight glass.  For some dumb reason, people like to over fill them.  The center dot is ideal.  Anything over the top line is too much.  My K75 burns some oil, but I've been told by friends that this is normal. 

[Carlo DeSantis]

Can't help on the battery but since the topic of the K75 is up, I'm going to check one out tomorrow. It is a K75S but it has low bars and was wondering about getting them up just a little higher.

I was going to ask about the maintenance, especially the spline but is there anything else I should watch out for?  1994 model.

A common bar swap is to K75 "C" bars.  They are somewhere between "S" and "RT" bars and pretty comfortable.  They will require a slight forward lean for most people.  If you want bolt-upright, then go with the "RT" bars.

Best,

Carlo

[Carlo DeSantis]

The splines are a biggie.  The water / oil pump is another area to check for leaks.  I had a starter go bad on my first K bike, but that's rather unusual.  You probably know that these things are pretty much bullet proof with the proper care, and are known to go 250,000 miles or more.  Oh yeah, check the oil sight glass.  For some dumb reason, people like to over fill them.  The center dot is ideal.  Anything over the top line is too much.  My K75 burns some oil, but I've been told by friends that this is normal. 

Yep!  Vince obviously knows K75s.

Best, Carlo

[cookiemech]

Odyssey PC680 in my K75, K75RT, and R1100RT with no problems, and in particular, one has been in the K75RT for several years with excellent starting in very cold weather (15°F all day). I would not run anything else after my experience with this battery. Also use Odyssey batteries in both of my Harleys (PC925).

Someone mentioned K75s "using oil". In my experience (I've had two of them for over ten years, and a close friend has had three for about the same period), I have NEVER seen them use a drop of oil. Mine are relatively low mileage (44K and 70K miles), but one of his has 130K (just finished doing a major service on this one) and it doesn't use any. My R1100RT, on the other hand, has always used oil.

[dilligaf]

I have the PC680 in mine. Been in there for years-no idea how many.  Same brad in the LeMans, SP and R65L.  ;-T  :BEER:
Matt

[canuguzzi]

The splines are a biggie.  The water / oil pump is another area to check for leaks.  I had a starter go bad on my first K bike, but that's rather unusual.  You probably know that these things are pretty much bullet proof with the proper care, and are known to go 250,000 miles or more.  Oh yeah, check the oil sight glass.  For some dumb reason, people like to over fill them.  The center dot is ideal.  Anything over the top line is too much.  My K75 burns some oil, but I've been told by friends that this is normal. 

Sorry for the OT. I plan to have the rear wheel taken off so I can visually inspect the spline there so that I have some sort of hedge against something that is worn and ready to go right after I get it. The bike is at a service shop so I'll just pay for the time it takes to remove the rear wheel. I figure money well spent if it helps avoid the biggest of possible problems.

[Carlo DeSantis]

Sorry for the OT. I plan to have the rear wheel taken off so I can visually inspect the spline there so that I have some sort of hedge against something that is worn and ready to go right after I get it. The bike is at a service shop so I'll just pay for the time it takes to remove the rear wheel. I figure money well spent if it helps avoid the biggest of possible problems.

The splines that need checking on a K75 are those at the ends of the driveshaft.  And the biggest problems have been on the clutch output side of the shaft.  Not gonna be able to check that with just pulling the rear wheel.

Best,

Carlo

[jbell]

The splines that need checking on a K75 are those at the ends of the driveshaft.  And the biggest problems have been on the clutch output side of the shaft.  Not gonna be able to check that with just pulling the rear wheel.

Best,

Carlo

 :+1  Yup, it's a bit more work than pulling the rear wheel.  I'm getting ready to do mine for the 4th time (every 15K) not a particularly difficult task, just time consuming.  Ditto, on oil level, just a bit below the red center dot.  I use synthetic 20/50 in mine and change oil and filter every 5000 miles, doing the transmission and rear drive every 10,000.  Check the valve clearance every 15K though very little shim changing is needed.  Change fuel filter in tank every 15K as well.  Averages 45 mpg.  K&N air filter which is a bit of a pain to get to.  Yearly brake flush and coolant every other year.  Good, solid bike that is very comfortable and reliable though not what one would call "exciting".  Great factory saddlebags.

[Carlo DeSantis]

:+1  Yup, it's a bit more work than pulling the rear wheel.  I'm getting ready to do mine for the 4th time (every 15K) not a particularly difficult task, just time consuming.  Ditto, on oil level, just a bit below the red center dot.  I use synthetic 20/50 in mine and change oil and filter every 5000 miles, doing the transmission and rear drive every 10,000.  Check the valve clearance every 15K though very little shim changing is needed.  Change fuel filter in tank every 15K as well.  Averages 45 mpg.  K&N air filter which is a bit of a pain to get to.  Yearly brake flush and coolant every other year.  Good, solid bike that is very comfortable and reliable though not what one would call "exciting".  Great factory saddlebags.

I bought my '91 K75 used with a bit less than 30K miles on it.  First order of business was a complete service, including checking the splines.  Bad news -- I had to replace the driveshaft because of worn splines on the clutch side.  After that, I lubed them every 20K miles and no more problems.  It was a D-I-Y thing for me.  Took a little time, but eminently doable.  Mine was a standard (naked) K75 when I bought it.  I put "C" fairing and bars on it and felt it was just about a perfect fit for me.  Not terribly exciting, but a real mile-eater.  I'd still have it, had it not been totaled, courtesy of an uninsured 18 year old.

If I run across a nice late model K75 I might be tempted to buy it.

Best,

CArlo

[Vince in Milwaukee]

The splines that need checking on a K75 are those at the ends of the driveshaft.  And the biggest problems have been on the clutch output side of the shaft.  Not gonna be able to check that with just pulling the rear wheel.

Best,

Carlo

This thread is really turning into a lot of good info and advice for owners of the K75 (thanks Carlo and Jbell).  Once I get mine going again, it's going down to Motorworks in Chicago for a complete going over.  I've had this bike for 5 years now, and it is long over due for a proper service.  While not the most exciting machine, it's dead nuts reliable and smooth as glass out on the open road.  Oddly enough, I just read somewhere that this bike is developing a cult following and going up in value.  Who who have thunk!?  

[Vince in Milwaukee]

Should have added that while it's down in Chicago, they will no doubt take a look see as to my oil burning issue.  Hoping to not need any top end work (bike only has 53,000 miles) as that means throwing more $ at it!   ;D