Like new K75S...any upfit suggestions?

[ArabRacer]

I just picked up an essentially new '93 K75S w/3800 miles. After a days riding I am amazed! Its going to be my long distance work commuter.

Just looking for a few suggestions on engine run in, tires, saddle bags and mounts, rear rack, tank protection and bag and any other should or must have accessories for this positively wonderful BMW...and most essentially, where to get them, web sites.. etc.

I already ordered new wind screens from both Aeroflow and Parabellum so I can test them both and have a spare. After the first mile today ...I don't really consider the stock screen a screen...its the diet coke of screens. Thanks for any input!

[Burnszilla]

eBay is your friend. Lots of K75 accessories there.

[hsprague]

Since it gets really hot here in the DC/Baltimore area, I find that I like the stock screen quite a bit during the summer. Since it only takes a couple of minutes to do a swap, there is no reason to feel locked in to one or the other.

[jdiaz]

I left my K75S alone for 50K miles. The best money I ever spent on it was a quality rear shock and heated grips.

The rest of the money was wasted. :laugh

[zoridog]

Congrats! Post a pic when you get a chance.

Even though the mileage is low, the bike is about 15 years old. I suggest bringing it to a dealer (or any good BMW mechanic) and have it checked out. Change those fluids, filters, lube splines, replace old rubber boots,etc.

Those tires may be old and hard. Tires older than 2 or 3 years old will not grip the road like new tires.

[ArabRacer]

Thanks to all of you for the info.

It was purchased from a former BMW dealer who took on Triumph. The original owner traded it on a Triumph Sprint.

Everything was gone through by the same BMW certified mechanic that originally set the bike up new in
'93. I'm very confident that every thing is up to snuff that way, but the tires, Avon Super Venoms are 4 years old and feel a bit hard and on the edge of slick on my Central WI twisties . Any suggestion on replacements?

The intent of the bike is 250 daily commuter trips for one of my jobs. Our motto in this state is "if you dont like the weather wait five minuets" so I am looking to have a wind screen to hide behind as the tornados and hail chase me home after work this summer.

By the way the dealer is South Suburban Triumph in Chicago and he has some other older K bikes in great condition. He has long term clients trading off older BMW's for Triumphs. If your looking.

[rlswim]

Nice find. If you have the Lasertec tires still on it, consider Metzler ME880's for better handling and wear. I also added some LED tail and brake lights under my stock K75S lens. That might be a good safety addition considering you are commuting. http://www.hyperlites.com/

[Roc-Roc]

Make sure you Check the FUEL LINES. Many K-bikes have caught fire, some were total. I was lucky I smell gas and fixed it before heading home from Falling Leaf Rally.


Roc

85K100RS 230K
98K1200RS 93K

[zoridog]

The comment about gas lines reminded me .... A good upgrade is stainless steel brake lines. They cost about $150 if memory serves.

A good shield and seat are higher priorities. Several shields show up on ebay and MOA classifieds for low prices. I found a newish tall screen on this website for $75 delivered. A great saddle (here also) for $275. They would have been twice as much going mailorder.

[breyfogle]

Make sure you Check the FUEL LINES. Many K-bikes have caught fire, some were total.

While its good advice to check the rubber fuel lines on any 15 year old bike, IMHO its a huge overstatement to say "...Many K-bikes have caught fire..."

[Gilly]

Yeah I left mine alone for the first 50,000 too. Oh, except for the Big Valve kit. And bigger fuel injectors. Oh and shaving rhe head .030. And getting rid of the air box, and hmmm what else? Well anyways, Lasertech front and Marathon rear works good for me. The old Marathon front wore better, as far as wear itself goes, but had the nasty habit of cupping before they wore out.
I never found the rear rack to be terribly useful, you can strap a tent or diffle too it, so for that reason I'd get the BMW tail rack, and the current version of the BMW hard saddle bags.
I've always loved the stock BMW shield, I'm 5'9" and it works well for me, but I am a kind of "in the wind" sort of rider, I don't like a full faired and big shield sort of ride.
Couple words of advice is to try to mainly use the center-stand, not the side stand, and also when taking the bike off the center-stand, try to do it from the seat, not by standing next to the bike and using that handle.
Where are you at, I'm in S Central WI.
Gilly

[mXarad]

Track day, experienced rider class:
work on the nut that connects the
seat to the handle bars. Listen and
learn from the bike. Don't change it
just to make it yours.
mXa

[jcridge]

I just picked up an essentially new '93 K75S w/3800 miles. After a days riding I am amazed! Its going to be my long distance work commuter.

Just looking for a few suggestions on engine run in, tires, saddle bags and mounts, rear rack, tank protection and bag and any other should or must have accessories for this positively wonderful BMW...and most essentially, where to get them, web sites.. etc.

I already ordered new wind screens from both Aeroflow and Parabellum so I can test them both and have a spare. After the first mile today ...I don't really consider the stock screen a screen...its the diet coke of screens. Thanks for any input!

Get a Givi rear rack and a trunk to fit it. They have a few different sizes. The rack I believe is a E181, double check the part number. We use TwistedThrottle for Givi items.

Saddle, I'm currently getting a new saddle made by Rich's. There are a few custom shops out there and the choice is yours.

I bought my 94 75/2 with 19K miles and I needed to replace all the fuel lines, breather hose. Did a complete service, oils, fluids,plugs, filters, etc.. I pulled the transmission to lube the clutch splines and driveshaft splines. It was the first time they have been done in over 24 years. They were perfect and the factory lube was just about gone. This is a must do item and well worth it knowing you have good equipment under you. If the tires are original, throw them away. SW Moto is where we buy our tires.

Monkey nuts, replace your monkey nuts... Dealer item

Spiegler Stainless Steel brake lines. They are great lines, DOT approved and fit great. The people are great to deal with and great prices. I bought 2 sets for our K75's and couldn't be happier.

We just installed Dunlop radials on her K75 and she loves them. Handles much better then the Metzeler's. I have Lasertec's on my bike and have no complaints, and do tend to be aggressive so cupping may or may not be an issue for me. Time will tell, allot of people like the 880's.

I think the best advice I could give you would be to go over the bike with a fine tooth comb, ride it all summer, talk to everyone you can, post here...then think about what you may want.

Enjoy,

[deilenberger]

There are one or two ideas here:

http://www.eilenberger.net/K75S/K75S.html :dance

[ArabRacer]

Thanks for all the additional info!

I have been gone on work for a while so its nice to have yet another cold, icy, windy, rainy day on the 43 parallel to check messages do billings, and wonder....hmmm, will I ever be able to ride the bike again or for that matter saddle my horse for a lathered sunny run thru the the woods. Were sick of winter here!!!!AARGH!

I'm going to looking into the listed mods and follow up on the fuel lines and splines and all the other info all of you have given me, this on line forum is a great resource!

I really feel lucky to have this bike I went past a friends house last week later he called and asked if it had a sewing machine motor in it...he owns a HD and never heard a tripple BMW sing. SO, I'm really interested in the tires and suspension updates (I did these on my long sold and dearly missed R80RT) to remind my good friend once again, loud chrome pipes will not always = better bike.

[knary]

The stock shock is crap. ANY aftermarket shock will transform the bike.

Heated grips are very nice things to have.

Aftermarket windscreens work "ok", but they tend to be somewhat butt ugly on an otherwise sleek bike, not always work that much better than stock and don't take high speeds very well (but out west we tend to go a little faster - big spaces and all).

Wider taller handlebars are a common "fix" as well. K100 Euro standard bar will work. The K75 "C" bar is significantly more money but essentially identical to that K100 bar.