K75s
 

Hi I put over 70,000 miles on my one, in its first year.

Eventually the Drive shaft failed (sheared)- but gave me about 200 miles notice, I just wasn't listening.
You should replace it regardless, motobins sold me a welded one for less than £100 fixed in 30 mins.
The Pinion joint is considerable more expensive - check it out to establish what condition it is in as this is one of the deal breakers on the bike, if its in any way imperfect, buy a different K75.

The "weak" points are:
1) The (very old bike's) indicators electrical contacts inside the handle bar housings worked intermittently.
2) The Engine Oil cap has a habit of not being replaced and if you don't put a piece of string on it, you may loose the cap, but its surprising how far you get before noticing, and the cap remains on the engine, where you left it...
3) The exhaust is bloody heavy, and low, and an absolute pig to keep clean.
4) The Tank isn't really ideal and you get rattles, when your knees are in contact with it at certain rev's.
5) The Disk rotor's, rust (if you buy the cheap ones)
6) Initially it may appear intimidating to work on, but this is rapidly overcome as you realise the simplicity of it.
7) Most of the plastic screw attachment points will have become useless and need rebuilding. These body plastics screws will have rusted too.
8) the Brake lines are very old and as with the Hydraulic brakes will require a sound service

Its an awesome bike, considerably superior to the K100 range. But it will be old and though an advanced bike for its age, you really will feel the age compared to a modern bike.
It would be a labour of love to make one into an adventure bike, when in reality you are better off just getting an XT

As a power plant, the Engine is inconveniently heavy for your kind of project, and reliant on and efficient water cooling system. There is fairly good reason why BMW themselves have not made a K series GS.

If I remember correctly the engine itself becomes an integral part of the chassis - or am I getting confused with the big Triumph? Not sure this is a great option for a bike you plan chucking around bad roads on.

The weight will be fairly high, and very thin so righting the bike with a raised suspension will be... well I'm not going to help you.

If you are looking for a rock solid mile munching winter bike, I couldn't recommend a k75 more. I sold mine with over 137,000 miles on it, and in all honestly it will easily do another 100,000 miles.

K75gsa
 

This guy is a frame specialist and this is his first attempt at a tank, done rather well i'd of said.......

That tank should be Really Cool looking when it's all faired and smoothed!

Find an R65gs and get the 50bhp upgrade, then spend a bit of TLC on the suspension... I've seen people do interesting things on these machines, so why even bother spending fortunes on improving on something which can never be made to work.

....

Because I don't want a boxer engine :)


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Great project.

I agree with TM1-SS that the tank is looking really good.

Glad to see people working for their own vision even if it's not the well-worn path.

"Never made to work"....:nono:
Watch this space my friend, the fabrication guy who I'm working with is ingenious and will create exactly the bike I'm after.....

In the meantime has anyone dealt with Gletter.de quite recently..?? Herbert isn't responding to emails and I need one of these....

Gletter is not very good at e-mails. Fax(!) or phone works better doh

Very interesting project:thumbup1:

MEZ, I called in down the workshop the other day to see Colin, saw your bike again - its certainly different a bit mad really but very cool in other ways and its coming on well. I'm not so sure on your pannier ideas personally, but hey ho we all go our own way - and I am sure you will be very happy as one things for sure you will get what you want - no matter what other peoples views may be and that sir is very much at the heart of a build like this. I hope you can sort out the Gletter shaft extension - I had mentioned it to Colin a few weeks ago when I first saw your bike - but was not sure if he does the extension for the K series as the shaft is different. If not no doubt Col will make one. When I done the HPN project (at Colin's place) I allowed myself to have a few changes - to fit in with other peoples ideas - namely the rack area on the rear sub frame - and that was one area that never quite worked for me - so stick with what you want then if it does not work you can only point the finger one way. By the way the new owner of my HPN rates it as the best bike he has ever owned - so that speaks a bit for the strength of fabrication and quality of build done down on the hill. I will maybe bump into you down there one day as I often call in for a cuppa with Col and rob.
Tchus Jake.

Hi Jake, thanks for those words, we will indeed bump into each other no doubt down at Colins. As for your words of wisdom and encouragement, thanks..!! Colin will indeed deliver exactly what I want in a very high quality format wether right or drastically wrong, the pannier system I have envisaged will indeed come in for some drastic critism but tbh I dont give a flying fcuk what other people think or say. I've built several specials in the past, none of them have been based on compromise or basic idea's. I'm just so glad that I went down the 'Hill' and started asking around who was capable at my engineering demands..!!
Looking forward to meeting you and chating about your adventures Jake, in the meantime lets have a snapshot of your HPN rep on this thread yeah..?!!!

MEZbier:scooter:

Here are a couple of pics of the HPN rep built from my old r80gs I sold it due to a major spine injury now a year post surgery I am back riding (gently) and have just restored an Elefant from a crashed non running pile of shite to a great handling and fun to ride machine. I will be staying on the road now though the back cant take any big falls and I fall off a lot on the dirt.
The BMW starting point http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...psc76b1642.jpg
the finished project - there were a lot of bits in between the fabrication was done mainly by rob in colins workshop colin worked out some of the frame build physics and did the paintwork along with some other bits and bobs. [=http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/rallyejake/media/P5140131-1.jpg.html]http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...P5140131-1.jpg[/URL]
The elefant starting point stripped and in the corner (I had at this photo stage rebuilt the heads and barrels were ready for the engine build)http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3e105639.jpg almost finished http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...ps961d36fe.jpg and done a great little rider over the moon with herhttp://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5e6610e9.jpg Tchus jake

I also just refitted the original seat after recovering it - bugger of a shape but it turned out well after a bit of sweating, pulling and stretching to get that material into place. http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...psb3e6371c.jpg Jake.

The REP looks bloody nice mate have to say, who built the rear sub-frame..??

Mez, rob built the rear sub frame (Rob lives in colin's rented flat ) he is often in the workshop, The rear rack was removable by sliding out of the frame. The sub frame like the chassis was very very strong and the sub frame with the double braced side struts was very stable even side to side it would not move so a good basis for heavy panniers if needed, the seat locked on perfectly with a seat lock, and it had a massive toolbox underneath (see photo) but for me was the one area in the bike that went too modern away from my idea of how the whole package should have ended up - I have very classical slant towards the way bikes look. Some pics:
Making the sub frame and fabricating the underseat storage http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4d24685d.jpg and the finished box powder coated (without its lid on which was a waterproof lid, the box acted as the rear stone / mudguard to protect the batter box area and worked very well it was nice and secure under the seat. It was 10 inches deep about 6 long and 5 wide, so very handy - ye gads I regret selling that bike now ! (even if the paintwork was a tarts handbag) - it would soon have battered down to a nice used finish.http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...psfa5340b6.jpg The new owner has about 10 bikes and classic cars - he rates this as the finest of his bike collection, and has used it in a few classic trials !!!, the engine on the bike was superb for a gs, I had it rebuilt in germany at motoren israel at the time it cost quite a bit but the payoff wasthat it was very smooth, produced most of its torque from 2000 revs It has a lightened and balanced crank, Balanced con rods (balanced over entire length to each other, steel lined oil pump, 296 enduro camshaft with a bronze bushed bearing,1000cc piston upgrade (siebenrock), gas flowed and twin plugged cylinder heads,2 twin tower dyna coils, one piece rocker/valve gear, deep oil sump, nissan starter motor, K and N air filter, SGS high torque exhaust, Endurolast alternator and twin spark electronic ignition, heavy duty clutch. The gearbox has High top gear and lower first. The engine puts out about 65 bhp and has 73nm torque measured at the back wheel at 2000revs.

Jake, yeah have met Rob and purchased some GS bits off him that will be grafted onto my project bike, 'The Hill' and Colins w/s is a great find for me, itching to get back onshore now...!!!! To make you feel good I have to say I don't think I've seen a better looking Airhead Special than yours, giving the HPN camp a run for there money there bud...!!!!!
I'm at that very earl stage of 'Dry Build' , things tacked together and loads of offering up, sucking through teeth and scratching of chins etc etc...
I need to source a local T & W electroplater....????

Mez