Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: twowheeladdict on July 28, 2023, 03:59:15 PM
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https://youtu.be/YcSDnvT5VZ0
He and his team really set the bar on motorcycle content.
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And I was just getting over the demise of my K75. :cry: I may find another eventually, it was kind of growing on me.
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Strange image for a 1983 Venture Royale in there:
(https://i.ibb.co/X8Gnn03/temp-erase.png) (https://ibb.co/X8Gnn03)
indian flag picture download (https://imgbb.com/)
Sadly for the Flying Brick, longevity isn't everything.
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Cool watch. He seemed to forget the K100 what I always thought the 75 was a slice of... but I could be wrong. That being said, I really think the K75S was always the nicest bike ive ever rode. Not the fastest, or the best handling, but just the nicest. Ive yet to own one sadly, but I really need to find one before they are all gone.
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Cool watch. He seemed to forget the K100 what I always thought the 75 was a slice of... but I could be wrong. That being said, I really think the K75S was always the nicest bike ive ever rode. Not the fastest, or the best handling, but just the nicest. Ive yet to own one sadly, but I really need to find one before they are all gone.
Yeah, he did totally ignore the first Flying Brick, the K100.
The four banger was my first Beemer, before I became an Airhead enthusiast. Later bought a K75 for my wife. The K75 was/is a much smoother running Moto than the K100.
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I've always regarded mine as a best kept secret among the masses. :evil:
(https://i.ibb.co/VQgzz2T/20180928-115953.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VQgzz2T)
Paul B :boozing:
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K bikes tend toward heavy but carry their weight low.
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I owned a nice K75T, it like the Honda Nighthawk 750 was completely dependable and low easy maintenance. Both those bike would run back and forth across the content as many times as one would ask for. Eventually I would expect the Honda would need a new chain, but I never found out, as they both lacked a decent fun factor.
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K bikes tend toward heavy but carry their weight low.
Umm. Well, all the K bikes were known for a rather high center of mass. Not a big deal, I thought that the high C o' M actually helped me to toss my K75rt around in the curvy bits. Once you got them moving, they were pretty maneuverable for what they were.
I also found the fairing on the RT to be an effective shield against radar speed cops. Look at its' angular shape and it looks quite a bit like the angular early stealth fighters. I know that I swanned through many radar speed traps that were at an angle to the bike and the cops never nicked me. The only cop that got me, flashed his lights but didn't stop me, was heading directly towards me. So there's that.
Oh, the video? Normal overly talky Fortnine stuff. His cutesy writing is annoying.
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Umm. Well, all the K bikes were known for a rather high center of mass.
Disagree, as do a number of Google and Wikipedia references.
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I've always regarded mine as a best kept secret among the masses. :evil:
(https://i.ibb.co/VQgzz2T/20180928-115953.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VQgzz2T)
Paul B :boozing:
Wow! Beautiful bike! For the uninformed (me), is that K75 or K100? What the model number/name, like K75RT?
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Wow! Beautiful bike! For the uninformed (me), is that K75 or K100? What the model number/name, like K75RT?
K75S.
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The K75 is the bike that got me into riding.
Back when I had my first job, evenings at a hamburger joint.
After my shift I would take my tips and go play pinball and pool at a nearby pool hall.
There was a BMW dealer along the way and every night, I would stop and stare at the K75 they had in the window, next to an R80gs. Back then the K75s looked like a spaceship.
Decades later my first bike was a 77 R60/7.
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Thanks, UTBF, I spent the better part of six months back in '86 going between the Cagiva dealer and the BMW shop trying to decide between the Alazzurra and the K75s. Both beautiful in my eye. The fit and finish on the Beemer, the 750 and the color did it for me and I haven't looked back.
Paul B :boozing:
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This one on CL is near me and appears to be in excellent condition with factory matching paniers, top case and a
Corbin saddle. Don't know the owner but can reach out if anyone is interested. $5000 in Morris Plains, NJ
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/d/morris-plains-1990-bmw-k75s/7647005670.html (https://newjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/d/morris-plains-1990-bmw-k75s/7647005670.html)
(https://i.ibb.co/cvvsnWz/00101-2-HOF6e9cd-Y-0-CI0t2-1200x900.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cvvsnWz)
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(https://i.ibb.co/GvtyCf2/lh-k100.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GvtyCf2)
K100RS didn't have room in the engine for a rotating counterbalance. It was filled with the 4 cylinder crankshaft. But it was one of the smoothest bike engines I've ever owned. It certainly was the hottest bike I owned. The heat boiled right off that radiator and on to the rider's lower half. So the bike was always parked through the summer. It came out of hibernation at the cold days.
Then I discovered Moto Guzzi and all the BMWs went away.
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And if K bikes were all that, why did they disappear decades ago?? They didn’t sell well, despite all their virtues, see Guzzi 1400 for more info on this phenomenon.
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And if K bikes were all that, why did they disappear decades ago?? They didn’t sell well, despite all their virtues, see Guzzi 1400 for more info on this phenomenon.
None of the BMW riders would wave at the Brick. The bike was boringly good but did not have a "strong" character. It was fast but tall and annoyingly HOT during bike season. There allegedly was a kit that piped the heat under the seat and past the rider. I never found one. Bike was also quiet. All the aftermarket exhausts of the day reduced the horsepower. So it didn't sound like a motorcycle. A bit of me does miss the extra 30 horsepower.
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The k75 was a lot of good things, fast was not one of them.
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I do wonder why the designers didn’t flip the entire drivetrain so the bike could be put on the side stand.
They didn’t realize that oil would seep past the rings overnight until it was too late?
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I do wonder why the designers didn’t flip the entire drivetrain so the bike could be put on the side stand.
They didn’t realize that oil would seep past the rings overnight until it was too late?
Smoke at start up was not of any consequence except “cosmetic”.
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Design lined up crankshaft, transmission and final drive.
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None of the BMW riders would wave at the Brick.
That's definitely changed, from my short time aboard one. Other than the "too cool to wave" 1250 GS riders, most other BMW riders waved. My K75 was much appreciated by the guys at the Cass BMW Rally.
The k75 was a lot of good things, fast was not one of them.
Plenty fast enough for me, far more than any stock 750 Guzzi.
I do wonder why the designers didn’t flip the entire drivetrain so the bike could be put on the side stand.
They didn’t realize that oil would seep past the rings overnight until it was too late?
Smoke at start up was not of any consequence except “cosmetic”.
Oddly enough, mine didn't smoke at all when parked on the sidestand, no matter how long it was parked that way. I've heard that BMW made changes to later ones (mine was a '93) and perhaps they just need a few 100 thousand miles to break in. :wink: Mine had 178k.
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The early bricks used full floating rings and they found the gaps would sometimes let oil through to the combustion chamber if they landed on the bottom of the cylinder. Their fix was to pin the rings to prevent rotation. You can always lean the bike to the right for a few seconds after riding to let the oil drain back to the crankcase.
Paul B :boozing:
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Just ride it. Never needed oil added between the change intervals and the smoke kept away the mosquitoes at the campsite.
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My K75 was not a fun bike in the hills, as it needed a lot of shifting. It seemed the torque was a little low as compared to my Guzzis. It worked a charm on the long haul. I bought the unfaired version, and the heat was no biggie. It was a very quiet ride with the Swannee fairing. Handled well once at speed. It was a top heavy mess in the garage and parking lots, and I dropped it more than once. I sold my last K75 because the feet position was too far back, and it caused cramps after a few miles. I remember the first time I saw a K75 was on the interstate in Illinois, I was driving about 80, and a pair of them overtook me, pretty rapidly. I sometimes roll the window down a little to listen to bikes pass me. Those bikes were very quiet. Ghostlike. Probably too understated for most riders. :grin:
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My K75 was not a fun bike in the hills, as it needed a lot of shifting. It seemed the torque was a little low as compared to my Guzzis.
It was a top heavy mess in the garage and parking lots, and I dropped it more than once.
Very odd. Mine was just the opposite - super torquey, would pull from 2000 rpms in 5th without any problem. Probably shifted less with it than any bike I've had except the Convert. :grin:
I had no problem in parking lots, but on gravel or grass it was a bit harder to handle. If the seat height was just a tad lower (or I was a little taller) it would have been a non-issue.
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I enjoyed myK75S, a very well thought out bike.
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And if K bikes were all that, why did they disappear decades ago?? They didn’t sell well, despite all their virtues, see Guzzi 1400 for more info on this phenomenon.
I think BMW can be a victim of their own success at times.
They pursue engineering perfection and go hazardously close to achieving it in the main.
But…
Certainly from my standpoint, engineering bugs out of their machines, skews the balance towards blandness. That reasoning will not stand up to forensic criticism, but bikes are affairs of the heart and as such, commonsense goes out the window.
Many great design advances have gone out the window because the devotees said no.
Would you buy a V100 with hub centre steering ?
If desirability was a function of perfection, this site would be Wild Bavaria…
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In many ways, modern BMW are massively over engineered and exceedingly complex, I wouldn’t call that perfection.
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I think BMW can be a victim of their own success at times.
They pursue engineering perfection and go hazardously close to achieving it in the main.
But…
Certainly from my standpoint, engineering bugs out of their machines, skews the balance towards blandness. That reasoning will not stand up to forensic criticism, but bikes are affairs of the heart and as such, commonsense goes out the window.
Many great design advances have gone out the window because the devotees said no.
Would you buy a V100 with hub centre steering ?
If desirability was a function of perfection, this site would be Wild Bavaria…
"Engineering perfection". nows there a term guaranteed to cause arguments...... especially among Engineers!
Just like Beauty, Form, Function, Simplicity, Complexity, etc. "Perfection" is a very subjective term. Heck, for that matter, so is "Engineering!"
In the world of hardware design/development/refinement/production, a lot of criticism of how something was done, simply stems from the critic not knowing what the original design parameters and objectives were, or who the intended customers were.
style vs. cost vs. performance vs. cost vs. longevity vs. cost vs. simplicity vs. cost vs. ease of ownership vs. cost vs. target audience appeal, etc.
And all the niche manufacturers such as BMW, Harley, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Norton, Triumph, Royal Enfield, etc. are always walking on egg shells with any new change in design. Offend the pure practitioners/defenders of the "One True Faith," and they will close their wallets and hang on the the older models which were more true to the ideals of BMW, Harley, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Norton, Triumph, Royal Enfield, etc.
Ooops, add tradition vs. cost vs. pride vs. cost vs. name branding to the above list.
I think the Honda VFR750 and the Pacific Coast have often been accused of being "appliance like" and lacking "character."
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Side thought. Wouldn't it be really cool to see BMW go back to their post WWII roots with a bigger version of the old 250 single shaft drive bike?
Say 450 to 700cc......
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-german-motorcycles/bmw-r27-zmmz12jazbea/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_R27
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R27 (used $400) was my first real motorcycle. That was back in the '70s when we all had only had one motorcycle and it had to fulfill all of our missions. Life was simpler. It was good.
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Side thought. Wouldn't it be really cool to see BMW go back to their post WWII roots with a bigger version of the old 250 single shaft drive bike?
Say 450 to 700cc......
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-german-motorcycles/bmw-r27-zmmz12jazbea/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_R27
About as much chance of that happening as Guzzi bringing back the Falcone...
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Back when I bought my R27 the dealer (BMW) commented that the R27 was disappearing because the Japanese were making bikes that were faster and lighter and sold for less. BMW was also paying a royalty for every Earles fork they sold so that hurt their margin. In the end competition made the R27 disappear. It was a good long term, long distance machine. But most riders don't do long distance, long term rides. Average rider does 3,000 miles per year. At that rate most any bike will last 10 years. Doesn't have to be a BMW.
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Back when I bought my R27 the dealer (BMW) commented that the R27 was disappearing because the Japanese were making bikes that were faster and lighter and sold for less. BMW was also paying a royalty for every Earles fork they sold so that hurt their margin. In the end competition made the R27 disappear. It was a good long term, long distance machine. But most riders don't do long distance, long term rides. Average rider does 3,000 miles per year. At that rate most any bike will last 10 years. Doesn't have to be a BMW.
If you get a chance to watch the DVD "The John Penton Story," you will see a short segment on John riding an R27 in enduros.
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About as much chance of that happening as Guzzi bringing back the Falcone...
Agreed. Too few boxes checked. Very few potential buyers. Very expensive for what it would be.
Royal Enfield is already marketing to that niche.
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In many ways, modern BMW are massively over engineered and exceedingly complex, I wouldn’t call that perfection.
Ryan did an interesting review of the BMW GS variable timing system a while back.
Overengineered for marginal gains indeed.
Someone should really loan him a Moto Guzzi to review around BC.
He'd be into it.
(he told me)
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Design lined up crankshaft, transmission and final drive.
But it could have all been on the other side of the motorcycle. I'm thinking no one considered it.
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But it could have all been on the other side of the motorcycle. I'm thinking no one considered it.
But they were already tooled up for right hand drive and left hand shift.
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Just guessing, but flipping it may have required that the engine spin the opposite direction unless another shaft was added to the transmission. Extra shaft means more weight, complexity and size.
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Just guessing, but flipping it may have required that the engine spin the opposite direction unless another shaft was added to the transmission. Extra shaft means more weight, complexity and size.
All depends upon which side of the ring gear the drive pinion lies.
Ural reversed that ring gear/pinion relationship and went to a two shaft transmission to keep a right hand drive. Third shaft was reverse and kick start only.
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I got back into biking with BMWs, after one Yamaha 750 Virago, in 1984.
85 K100RS
88 K75S
89 K100RS/ABS
93 K1100 LT (this one was my least favorite!)
93 K1100RS
99 K1200RS
Obviously, I liked the K bikes.
However, the 1991 R100GS I purchased new in 1991 is still in the garage. My favorite BMW out of all of them. Having said that, the K1200RS was a mile munching machine!
Bob
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But it could have all been on the other side of the motorcycle. I'm thinking no one considered it.
I'd bet it was discussed ad infinitum. But only after the start up smoking was discovered.
Basically a non-problem easily solved by non-rotating piston rings with the gaps oriented away from the bottom of the cylinders.
Also easily solved simply be moving the kickstand to the other side of the bike.
I suspect very few owners found it to be bothersome, but simply "added character" to an already unique bike.
Fun to discuss, but I doubt it prevented anyone whom that bike appealed to, from buying the bike.
Added to the BMW mystique!