1986 BMW reviews

I bought my K75T/C in April, 1986 and still own it. I have had five other motorcycles over the same time period and still keep the BMW. Performance: Fast enough but not in the Japanese race bike league. Comfort: Bars are 1" - 2" too low for me - I'm tall. To replace the bars require all new longer electric cables, clutch cable and brake lines - too expensive. The windshield causes helmet buffeting (reason for 4 stars). Complaints: If you park on the side stand expect 20 - 30 seconds of smoke on initial start up. (Fixed on newer models). The roll center (center of gravity) is too high making the bike feel tippy at low speeds. I am on my 3rd dash cluster (that is why I do not know my mileage) - moisture kills them. Kudos: Absolutely dead smooth at any speed. Very comfortable. Eats sweepers for breakfast and flies down highways (75 - 80 mph. is its "Happy Speed". 500-mile days are no problem. I'm always over 50 mpg. Footnote: The K series of bikes were modular construction so once you learn the assembly techniques, they are fairly easy to work on - until you need a special factory tool!!! Show less

This review may help you if you are looking to buy a K75. The K75 was made from 1985 through 1995 and hardly changed at all through that time. The motor, frame and many components remained unchanged but there were some upgrades throughout its life. I have the Standard model but a previous owner added the "C-Model" fairing with the mid-rise bar. There was also a low-rise handlebar on the K75S (sporty version) and a high-bar on the K75LT (touring version).
I recently bought a 1986 that had about 72,000 miles on it and I've put on another thousand or so. Career, kids, etc. I don't get to ride nearly as much as I'd like. But, here are my initial impressions:
RIDE & COMFORT: Very good! My brother pointed out that this bike feels similar to the 85-87 Honda Nighthawk 700s. And he's right; although I'd say there is just a bit more "sporting lean" to the riding position. After 20 years the seat foam was pretty shot, so I ordered a Corbin and life is great. Absolutely no pressure points that I've felt so far. Although my longest ride to date has only been about 200 miles in a day. There is a little wind buffeting from the fairing, but unless you're on a Gold Wing or other such touring barge there is no away around a little wind noise. The mid-bar asks for a little bit of a forward lean, but not enough to put any real pressure on your wrists. The suspension does the job and while you won't set any records on a twisty road, it is stable at speed and predictable through the turns. It's not awe-inspiring but it is confidence instilling.
ENGINE: Smoooooth! This is by far the nicest engine I've ever met. It's almost electric. You know its running but it is never invasive. Quite pleasant. It is down on power, though. It's got plenty to move my large self around but a Japanese in-line four it's not. It builds its power quite slowly and doesn't really "come-on" (if you can call it that) until the mid-range and then it is satisfying, if not adrenaline rushing. I'm sure that twenty years and 73,000 miles has taken its toll, but the engine has held up well and I'm pleased with the way it runs.
RUNNING GEAR: (Tranny, drive-shaft, brakes, etc.)This is an area I've come to find out requires a bit of regular maintenance to keep it from blowing up; specifically, the clutch and drive shaft. They must be lubricated at regular intervals or they can catastrophically fail. And I understand it's quite expensive when they do. The tranny seems pretty bullet proof. Like the engine, keep it full of fresh fluid and it'll last forever. The brakes on mine seem to be the original (except the pads, of course) and are in pretty good shape. They are soft by today's standards, but I think fresh fluid and pads would fix it right up. One common problem is with the gauge cluster. Apparently it isn't all that well made and you can count on one or more of the instruments failing. Replacement is nearly $700 with no guarantee it will not fail, too. Better to just live without a neutral light...
ACCESSORIES & AFTERMARKET: BMW still makes all the parts you'll need to make repairs or restorations. But, the aftermarket is almost nonexistent.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I have come to really like this bike over the past couple of months. The fact that it's twenty years old adds to its charm. By today's standards it's not fast, won't stop on a dime, and won't carve like a scalpel. But, it is fun to ride, can be bought cheap and with proper care will run for decades without any major overhauls. I sold my Harley to pay for my wife to go back to school. And I bought the K75 just as a cheap interim bike until next year when my wife is done and I'll get something new. But honestly, I'm keeping my eyes open for a clean, low-mileage '94 or '95 K75 that I'd like to keep for the next few years. I've ridden and owned a lot bikes and I can't think of anything that "for the moneyI'd rather have (right now).
BOTTOM LINE: Should you buy one? If you want a GSXR but can't afford one, NO! If you like chaps and do-rags, NO. But, if you think the Bandit or FZ1 is right up your alley, but don't really want a high-strung inline four, YES. If the SV650 Standard is cool, but physically too small, YES. Looking for something a little different? The K75 is for you. Happy Motoring! Show less

I've had my '86 K75T for 2 seasons now, and on the whole, I'd have to say it's a real appliance of a bike. Not to downplay how fun it is - it's just that when you start it up and listen to it purr, and when your on twisties going 60, it's just a magnificently reassuring feeling. I never imagine breaking down. It's just too well put together. With the mileage getting up there, I'm thinking the alternator brushes need replacing because the battery doesn't hold a charge as well as it should. But knowing I can easily get another 300K on this bike with nothing but regular maintenance (including the somewhat pricey spline lube every 20K or so - about $350), makes me pretty comfortable that I made a great investment. I've thought about other bikes. The Ducati ST4, the newer BMW K1200RS, even a Harley Road King, but it always comes down to this: I paid $2400 for a bike that will run forever and keeps a smile on my face every mile I put on it. Oh yeah, except for recently I've noticed the the Corbin seat has lost a lot of cushion, and that needs replacing. Overall...an absolutely amazing bike. Show less

I've owened this bike going into 3rd season now.Only problem I've encountered is w/speedo-gauges.I've learned this is a common fault.Put a works rear shock and corbin convert.seat.Feels great!Tight&responsive still @62k.miles Show less

This is one of the sweetest bikes I have ever ridden. It is as smooth as glass all the way thru the powerband. It has enough torque to speed away from stoplights and there's still enough power up top to pass at 80mph. I rode it from South Orange County to the Oakland area and it was just fine. For the trip, I averaged about 58mpg/hwy and about 41mpg/city. Huge 5.5 gallon tank and fuel injected gives you plenty of range. The reason I give it four stars is because routine maintenance is anything but routine. And if you leave it on its kickstand instead of its centerstand, it WILL blow blue smoke out of the tailpipe for a few minutes. Other than those things, it is a bike well worth the money if you can find one. Show less