85 K 100 vs. later K 100 what are the diffferences?

[bluecycle3]

Have a friend who just picked up a fyk, what parts are different than the later years? thanks greg

[Beemer01]

The 85 was the first year this model made it to the States. 2 Valve 90 hp and unchoked by emissions stuff.... 90 honest HP and a nice torque band.

No ABS, tends to be a hot bike to ride in bumper to bumper traffic on a summer day. Seat pan was different in 85 too.

Runs all day with the needles straight up - 85 MPH and 5000 RPM.

I'm sure there's more that eludes me at present.

[98lee]

The seat and the tail cowl are a different shape (no passenger grab handles on '85). They will not interchange with '86 and later early K-bikes.

The final drive splines (driveshaft and pinion) on the '85 are 16 tooth vs 20 tooth on all later early K-bikes. I believe these will interchange if you change both the driveshaft and the final drive (the transmission output splines are the same).

I believe the fuel sender is different on the '85 (will not work with the optional fuel guage as will the later senders).

The forks were changed near the end of the '85 model year and a fork brace was added.

They went to a two piece front fender around that time.

The battery covers are different.

They changed the throttle cable so that the adjustment was up at the throttle rather than in the middle of the cable.

The cams were changed around that time. If I had to guess, less aggressive.

There were some changes to the peg plates. I believe they went from rubber mounted peg plates with the muffler solidly attached to it, to solidly mounted peg plates with the muffler rubber mounted to it. Also some changes to the lifting hooks on top of the peg plates.

There was also some changes around that time to the instrument housing (better moisture venting).


I'll leave any other differences for Don to point out.


:dance :dance :dance

[37071]

The 85s had the biggest smoke at startup.:bolt

[98lee]

All pre '89 K's had unpinned rings. A handy thing to have during bug season or if you're escorting a convoy across the Atlantic.:doh


:dance :dance :dance

[RandallIsland]

Soul

[deilenberger]

I'd suggest visiting http://www.ibmwr.org - look under K tech.. there is a load of info there.

[osbornk]

I don't know if other years had it also (I only had the 85 and then a much newer K bike) but it has two low fuel lights. One comes on when the fuel is starting to get low and the other comes on when it is actually low (kind like the yellow caution at a red light).

One thing I found of interest in the owners manual was the tire pressure recommendations. The manual listed a top speed of 136 MPH (understated). The manual gives the tire pressure recommendations but it said that you need to increase the tire pressure when the bike is being ridden two-up for an extended period of time at speeds in excess of 128 MPH.

[Beemer01]

Back in Germany (circa 1986-88) I used to marvel at the BMW K riders - two up - in the beautiful BMW leathers of the era, riding at full bore Autobahn speeds. If I had to guess these riders were running well North of 100 MPH for very extended distances.

Good bike.

[dzimbric]

Gas tank mounting is different, the early style used a single bolt at the rear of the tank while later models used two pegs with C clips at the rear of the tank. All early K bikes have soul.

The early K bikes used lights instead of a gas gauge. I likened these lites to "oh, poop we can wait a bit", and "holy poop, where is a gas station?"