Model/Handlebar Question

[mgalie]

For all of you K75 model historians...

I recently resold a set of handlebars that I believed to be C-bars. My only reason for believing they are C-bars is because I was told that is what they were when I bought them. After receiving the handlebars, the guy I sold them to believes to actually be the handlebars from a K75T.

According to www.realoem.com, the handlebars for an RT and a C are the same. The problem is, they don't list a plain old T. Are the handlebars different on an RT and a T? Also, to add to the confusion, they list a K75/2. Anyone know what that is?


Thanks,
Mike

[eaganj346]

I have an '87 K75T. That's what the original bill of sale says.

From the description on the BMbikes site, http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/index.htm;, describing the 75T.

"It would appear to be a standard K75C modified by BMW US as follows: It had the double-bucket touring seat used on the K100RT and LT bikes. It was equipped with a headlight housing with integral turn signals identical to the 1988 low seat "standard" models and had the "international" windshield which was originally used on the K100 standard models in 1985 and 1986 in the U.S.

Doesn't say anything about changing the handlebars so I would assume the C bars were used since the bike is basically a 75C.

I'll measure mine tomorrow and post the dimensions.

John

[lostboy]

A few K75Cs came with the higher "RT" bar, thus confusing everyone. A true "C" bar has about 4 inches of rise vs. the 7 inches or so of the "RT" bar

[RevWillie]

The K75T was a version that was created by BMWNA back in'86--all the BMW files show them as K75C's. They only were sold in the US,and only made in '86 and '87. It had a high handlebar, K100 handlebar windshield, double bucket seats, and nearly all of them had saddlebags. The '86 models came in black, but blue was added in '87. I think the yearly production run was only 3K/year. By my weak memory, the C's had short,"European" bars and the T's had high, touring bars.

I had two '86 K75T's that carried me over 115K from 1986 to 2000. The bikes were on the production line at the same time, came over together to NJ, and were transported in May, 1986 to NC. The first one was left at Scooterville in Raleigh, NC and the second one was taken in by Deal Harley-Davidson, BMW in Fayetteville, NC. I picked up the Raleigh bike ("Max"), and we had a good life until the summer of '91, when a judge cut me off and I t-boned a Jeep Wagoneer. Later, a friend told me of a postman that wanted to sell his 75T. Upon examining shipping records,we realized that the bikes were "brothers", and I needed to buy that bike. "Sam" was a great bike and we spent 19 years together. Sold it with 105K on the odo, and I have heard that the new owner has restored it.

They were great bikes, just ask Paul Glaves (he had a 75T with over 350K miles on it when it met an untimely fate).:bow

[mgalie]

Ahh, great information! So I guess the bars I sold really are not "true" C-bars. ...Annoying, but good to know. So if anyone wants to buy a set of T-bars....... *chuckle chuckle*

But I'm still curious, and maybe others are, too - what would a K75/2 be? Info on this is pretty scant, based on the one Google search I did.


Also, Rev., you sound like a man who's maybe a little too fond of his bikes. ...Although, my baby-K would say it's not possible to love a bike too much.

[Kayseventyfive]

There is a K75T adv on eBay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-K-Series-K75C-K75T-BMW-K75-30K-miles-Fantastic-for-year-Full-BMW-history_W0QQitemZ250294833930QQihZ015QQcategoryZ49 976QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem




But I'm still curious, and maybe others are, too - what would a K75/2 be? Info on this is pretty scant, based on the one Google search I did.


I have one. A 92. The sn number comes up on http://bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi as a K75/2. Mine is unfaired, and has a low seat, rubber combined knee pads and side covers. Wheelbarrow handlebars.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/billat908/K751Large.jpg

[Acejones]

Are the "T" bars wider than the C bars ?

[Kayseventyfive]

Are the "T" bars wider than the C bars ?



I have seen T bikes with both C and LT/RT (wheelbarrow) bars fitted as original.

[tommcgee]

But I'm still curious, and maybe others are, too - what would a K75/2 be? Info on this is pretty scant, based on the one Google search I did.

Since I own one of these models, I'll pass on what I was able to find -- and the info is sparse even after spending quite a bit of time searching.

The only official place I've ever seen the the K75/2 designation is in the BMW parts fiche. One BMW parts guy I talked with says that it basically refers to the second version of the bike, after they added the rear disk brake, etc.

[Acejones]

I have a '90 C. I am not real enthusiastic about the narrowness of the bars. I guess I'm too used to the bars on my R1150R. What bars could I put on the K75C that would be wider ?

[Kayseventyfive]

I have a '90 C. I am not real enthusiastic about the narrowness of the bars. I guess I'm too used to the bars on my R1150R. What bars could I put on the K75C that would be wider ?

I have a set of the higher wider RT/LT bars that I would be glad to trade. Tailbone trouble is forcing me to lean more forward.

[PGlaves]

Since I have owned both a K75T and a K75C I'll swing at this one.

The "rise" - distance between the bend at the clamps and the bend at the controls on the "T" is approximately 6 inches.

The "Rise" on the bars on a K75C is approximately 3 inches.

The width is essentially the same.

The BMW parts fiche does list a confusing array of part numbers for handlebars, including 3 listings for the K75C. But when you bought the bikes off the showroom floor the handlebars were as described above.

[NateVentura]

I posted a picture of the three different bars together in a previous post on the topic:

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20061

[mrich12000]

This is my RT I always found the bars could be set back and a litte higher.:wave


Picture taken at the return to Trenton rally. Not bad for a bike with 176,000 klms on it purs like a kitten wines like a K

[mieczkow]

I've tried all three bars on my K75S and I like the "C" bars the best when adding in some barbacks from mototechniques. that the configuration I've stuck with - the "wheelbarrow bars" were a little too much height for me. Width-wise I didn't notice them to be much different from the "C" - just quite a bit taller. If you go with them you are definitely going to have to change up your cables and brake hose.

I've still got the RT bars which I'd be happy to sell at my cost plus shipping if someone wants them - I think I paid $25 for the bars - they are somewhat of a PITA to ship because of their shape.

[PGlaves]

I posted a picture of the three different bars together in a previous post on the topic:

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20061

Great photo - better than several hundred or several thousand words!!!