| Author | Message | ||
     Jaimec |
On our way to lunch in Lake Placid:  | ||
| Pwnzor |
Well done! What would you say your maintenance costs were over that time period? Would you rank the BMW as one of the more reliable motorcycles? It would certainly seem so, just based on that raw number. | ||
| Jaimec |
I had one MAJOR service in all that time, about 40,000 miles ago. I had all of the non-metallic gaskets and seals replaced as they'd dried up and were leaking fluids. The bike was also one of the first to suffer what has become BMW's main complaints: Rear wheel bearing failure. The first one was replaced under warranty at less than three years (but with 40K on the odometer; over the 36,000 mile limit, but the issue was so common they covered it anyway). That second bearing lasted until 180,000 miles and it was replaced again (it is SUPPOSED to be a lifetime part, but... well... maybe their idea of lifetime is different from mine). Other than that, it has pretty much been routine maintenance. It is the last of the "Flying Brick" K-models and, unfortunately, the last of the truly reliable BMW models. It's been pretty well documented that BMW has lately been ranking near the BOTTOM of Consumer Reports reliability ratings every year (something that seems to delight Harley owners no end). Only Can-Am gets a poorer rating. It's one of the reasons I never replaced this bike. I did buy a 2013 C650GT, but that bike has already left me stranded TWICE. Both times the repairs were done under warranty, but the warranty expires next month and then I'm on my own. I know a couple of people with the K1600GTL models (the one BMW introduced to replace the K1200LT) and I'm keeping an eye on them to see what kind of problems they have. My passenger already decided she is more comfortable on the current bike (the passenger accommodations on the K1600GTL seem to be a throwback to earlier model BMWs) so I'm in no real hurry. | ||
| Tootal |
I had the K100RS. At 17,000 miles it spun the splines on the diff. I seems the factory didn't install a rubber boot properly allowing water in at the drive shaft washing the lube off the splines. I was with 6 Harley riders in Milwaukee going to the 85th birthday party of HD. I had 17 days left on the 3 year warranty. $998.00 parts and labor, no charge. I never lived that down though! After that, whenever I changed the rear tire I pulled the diff and and the drive shaft and lubricated the splines. At 36,600 miles I sold it to a friend and he had it for many years and it never broke again. They really were very dependable. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Awesome and congrats! | ||
| Jaimec |
Those old "Flying Brick" engines were damned near indestructible. Shame they don't make them anymore but BMW decided they wanted to compete directly with the Japanese (and THAT has been their downfall as far as us "old school Beemer owners" are concerned). The two-valve K-motors were very user serviceable. The four-valve ones required special tools and a BMW diagnostic tool that was too damned expensive for any but a dedicated BMW shop to own. On the other hand, for the past several years none of my valves have been out of spec, so I guess they're fully bedded-in now. | ||
| Tootal |
The 3 cylinder ones were so smooth compared to the 4. They should have ditched the 4 and enlarged the 3! | ||
| Jaimec |
The problem with the three is that it wasn't as balanced a ride as the four (at least in my opinion). By lopping off the front cylinder and not extending the swingarm, the weight was shifted backward in the frame making the front end too light. This made handling at high speed "nervous." The fours felt far more planted. And, the fours had a "sweet spot." Unfortunately, that sweet spot was well over the national 55 mph speed limit at the time, but at 80 mph my 1985 K100 was as smooth as silk. Vibration would come and go below that speed but I never found it intrusive... and the extra "yonk" when twisting the throttle made it all worthwhile. Oddly enough, whereas the fours smoothed out at high rpm, the triples developed more vibration to go along with that twitchier handling. The K75S had the proper aerodynamics to lessen the handling problem (or maybe it was just the extra weight of the fairing). The K75RT had too much weight up high and felt top-heavy. The extra weight of the four cylinder offset the weight of the fairing, but the triple wasn't quite heavy enough. | ||
| 86129squids |
Truly a fascinating thread for me... I just got my '77 R75/7 back from Vern, with a freshly painted and mounted Wixom fairing. Rode it home yesterday, had a short amount of time before I had to head to work (25+ miles one way), and I couldn't help but take it! Got on Pellissippi Parkway (aka locally the Knox Autobahn), settled in behind a guy on a newish Goldwing, definitely an 1800, but not the latest generation... Dang if I didn't see the speedo wagging over the 90 mark, dead nuts steady, me sitting comfortably, just drafting the GL dude... he got off an exit or 2 before me, and waved me by with a huge s#it eating grin! Made it to work early. Today, not having had the bike for a while, I second-guessed whether the fuel petcocks needed cleaning, as it seemed I was hitting reserve way too early... took the bike to work today, same route, and... "WAHWAHDAWAHHH-BAAAHHH". I frickin ran out of gas. Had to call the Beloved GF to have her bring a gallon. Made it to work 30 minutes late, nobody gave me grief at work, but they laughed at me.   Got off work, headed straight to the gas station, and- lo and behold, the tank took 5.2672 gallons. Anyone here besides me ever outsmart yourself?  Been riding the Triumph to work, almost always succumbing to the temptation to utilize its time warp function,  ... SO glad to have my MC true love back. AND, to have my True Love come bail me off the highway with a gallon of go-juice. Blake please install the facepalm emoticon, for me. The old Beemers, Airheads and early gen Flying Bricks, 3 o4 4 cylinder, are the shiznit. Got my dreambike, alive and well, ready for tweaking and farkling and stuff. That is all. | ||
| Tootal |
Oddly enough, whereas the fours smoothed out at high rpm, the triples developed more vibration to go along with that twitchier handling. The K75S had the proper aerodynamics to lessen the handling problem (or maybe it was just the extra weight of the fairing). The K75RT had too much weight up high and felt top-heavy. The extra weight of the four cylinder offset the weight of the fairing, but the triple wasn't quite heavy enough. If they would have enlarged the three it would have gained some weight, maybe that would have helped. I guess we'll never know. Your comments on the 4 are very true. The buzz from the 4 at legal speeds really got annoying after a while. As I got older it really started to affect my wrist. On a trip to California I rode from Liberal Kansas down through the pan handle of Texas. I was cruising at 110 mph for 20 minutes before I realized I was still in 4th gear! At autobahn speeds it was truly at home! | ||
| Jaimec |
Yeah, that is the other thing about the four cylinder Ks... it was REAL easy to find yourself exceeding the speed limit because they felt so calm and relaxed at super-legal speeds. The best thing about my K1200LT is the cruise control. I set it at 70 mph (no one seems to bother me at that speed no matter WHAT the posted speed limit might be) and just kick back on the highway. I've never gotten a speeding ticket with this bike (but I got several with the old K100). |
