The K75 S suspension was available as a sports kit for the K100, too. After being on the market for one year, the K75 line was supplemented by the naked K75. Being quite similar to the K75 C, this model costs 11,990 DM (EUR 6130) and is the cheapest K ever. Thus, buyer´s interest for the K75 C weakens rapidly. By now, the riding position of the BMW is starting to tell on wrists and palms. The K75 is no sportsbike but you are tilted forwards and the (heavy) clutch makes riding much harder work. The Gp800's ride quality is in another league as well despite the handmade E=MC rear shock I have on the K75.

• Bmw K75 Motorcycle

The BMW K-Bike of the 80s and 90s, aka the Flying Brick is a classic. Developed in desperation by BMW to keep up with an industry moving to liquid cooled, fuel injected bikes with anti-lock braking systems. BMW’s Boxer motor, still air-cooled (and would remain air-cooled OR oil-cooled until 2013) was not keeping up with the industry. The K100 and K75 had 4 and 3 cylinders respectively. The K75 only having 740CC motor with around 75 horsepower was known as far less vibration-happy than the big K100 and it could sit vibration free at 90 miles an hour all day long drinking less fuel and having a similar low end torque. 90% of the parts on the K100 and K75 were identical so pick which displacement made you happy and throw your leg over.1995 was the last year of the K75 selling around 18,000 units through its lifespan.

Later model years received a rear disk brake from drum, ABS (as an option) and various trims such as the C, S and RT each pricier with a different riding position and fairing / luggage options. K75 motors are known to be indestructible with the only extra step owners having to take is to keep the rear splines lubed on the final drive that connects with the drive shaft. Lubricate the splines every 12 months or 3,000 miles and change the oil and you’ll get 150,000 miles out of the bike without any issues. There’s the issue of it being a dry clutch and a small breather hose that should be checked from time to time but a clutch at 80,000 miles and a breather hose every 30K. Then again, clutch jobs and final drive issues is where most people drop the bikes off at the dealer and just buy a new one.———Why the history lesson on a bike retired since 1995 (24 years ago)?

Well, I bought one. A 1995 K75 RT (Road Touring) with 38,000 miles on the odometer which is a tiny amount of miles for BMW’s flying brick in the under stressed 740CC flavor. The motorcycle in my garage has all original OEM BMW parts, hasn’t been chopped up with the Brooklyn Special and has seen only 3 previous owners.The first 10 years of its life through 2005 were about 3,000 miles a year around upstate New York with the first owner trading it in to MaxBMW in 2010 having not ridden it for a while. I know this because New York keeps odometer records during annual registration/inspection cycles. In 2011, Dave in North Carolina bought the bike, brought it home on his trailer and road it about 7K miles from 2011 – 2018 when at 70, he decided to start selling off the bikes that were not being ridden anymore (he has a lot of bikes). He sold the bike to Eddy in Virginia in September of 2018.

The 1991 K100RS was blessed with four valves per cylinder and had improved ergonomics for sport touring.A burger and fries is a great meal once in a while, but you wouldn’t want to make a steady diet of it. BMW riders in the late 1970s were getting tired of the same old menu—air-cooled boxer twin, modest power, dowdy looks—at about the same time as Japanese manufacturers were offering up some pretty tasty in-line fours that were smoother, faster and cheaper than anything from BMW.

So the chefs in Bavaria gathered in the kitchen and whipped up a real treat—a liquid-cooled four, laid on its side and clothed in swoopy bodywork—that still tastes good today, and borders on becoming a modern classic as well. For the July 1992 issue we compared the BMW K100RS to ABS-equipped bikes from Honda and Yamaha.The K100RS threw BMW orthodoxy out the window with its liquid-cooled 987cc four, but toed the company line with a longitudinal crankshaft that aligned with the driveshaft to reduce the power losses typical in drivetrain layouts with several 90-degree changes of direction. With the head on the left and the crankcase on the right, routine maintenance like adjusting the valves was simplified. Optional hard luggage and comfortably sporty ergonomics made the K100RS a solid sport-touring pick.The “brick” engine was fed by Bosch LE-Jetronic fuel injection in place of the carburetors that had fueled generations of boxers, and two valves per cylinder were deemed appropriate to the bike’s sport-touring mission; in all, about 90 horsepower were available at a full twist of the throttle. The shaft drive got a new moniker, too––Compact Drive System.It took a while for roundel fans to embrace the K100RS. The bike felt top-heavy despite the low engine layout, and vibration plagued early models, as did engine heat; while good at letting cooling air into the radiator, the bike was less efficient at channeling it out of the engine bay, and the rider paid the price.

The styling, too, was a bit too avant-garde for those who preferred the less flamboyant boxer. The heat issues were resolved on later models, and the K100RS model’s solid sport-touring performance, optional hard cases and sporty seating position soon won over not just the doubtful BMW faithful but others who found nothing as attractive in other brands’ lineups. The 1991 and 1992 K100RS models have a smoother 16-valve engine with more midrange power.Contrary to what you might think, the best used K100RS is one that’s been ridden a lot. Examples that have sat idly for years get grumpy when they’re awakened, and develop issues that need immediate, and often expensive, attention. Check the weep hole under the front of the engine for signs of oil or coolant, and the one in the rear of the engine case for oil that indicates the rear main seal or forward transmission seal has died in its sleep. Watch out for lateral movement of the rear wheel, notchy steering-head bearings and poor fueling, and ask if the splines in the drivetrain were lubed on schedule.

The K100RS graced the cover of our February 1991 issue. And check out that rad Shoei helmet!Prices are still reasonable—between $2,500 and $3,500—and don’t shy away from high-mileage bikes if they come with complete service records.

Bmw K75 Motorcycle

The K100RS is one of the best budget-sport tourers out there, and a good bet to appreciate over the years.1985-1992 BMW K100RSThe Good:A landmark sport tourer with a healthy dash of style and the potential to become a practical classic.The Bad:Vibration and heat plague early models. Awesome power and acceleration were not on the options list. Wow, this brings back some very sweet memories, I’ve owned and ridden 21 different motorcycled, (brands/styles/etc.) in over 40 years of riding and to this day my favorite machine was a 1987 K100RS BMW! Just a sweetheart of a motorcycle, 100 mph all day, loaded for 2-up touring or just sporting around! 🙂 You can keep the new Super PIG looking K1600GT, not anywhere near as good looking as the K100RS, jmho, ymmv.! My favorite trip was a full West Coast tour up Highway one, the Pacific Coast Highway!