Looking for a K1 forum or site, without going thru a zillion Google pages. Have searched, but seem to find everything except it... Anyone have one to recommend? i am actually considering acquiring a K1 but want to know as much about them as possible first. thanks zigy/Boulder
It's a four valve k100 with unobtanium body work and stupid little pocket things that prevent the installation of saddle bags. So, basically aside from the bodywork it's all standard K100RS. Oh, this guy designed one of the paint schemes.
They didn't all come from BMW with McD's graphics. Still have mine. I've never seen a forum for them, but have never looked. It's a swoopy K bike nonetheless.
I sure wouldn't mind one for the right price but riding one isn't as much fun as looking at it. BMW has a styling freakout every once in a while which results in bikes the the K1, the Rockster and of course the K1200R which should only be available in the lime green metallic they offered a couple years after the introduction.
I'm comfy on it. If you are under 6' and have long arms and short legs (classic simian physique), they are quite nice. I've done 1000+ mile days on mine.
That is basically my stature also. What I meant is that it looks a lot more exotic than it rides. When you roll the throttle open, everything ought to smear past you into a blur as you translate to warp drive.
That *certainly* isn't a concern with the K1.... The power is far from overwhelming, and the mass is surely there. A swoopy K bike. Not much else to say about them.
well, there are a lot of fast replies... yeah, i know it is a K100, but there is something so gorgeously extravagantly outrageous about them that i love.... and i spent a summer in Europe on a K100 and lived on ibuprofin for my knees (that's why i ride a GS), and know how my body does not quite fit on one, but love is love................. there's a gorgeous BW one on IBMWR, but the mustard/ketchup one is so profoundly eyecatching that I am a bit obsessed. so: any leads on a K1 site? there's gotta be one since the bike is so comparatively rare........... z
http://www.flyingbrick.de/GB/home__gb_.html COVERS ALL K BIKES, BUT THERE IS SOME INFO, PLUS AN IMAGE OF A "DAKAR YELLOW" ONE FOR SALE....
Google K1 registry. It's only middlin' informative, but it is K1 exclusive. Any mechanical issues with the K1 are shared with the other 16-Valve K-Bikes. The K1 has the quickest steering of any BMW-similar to some of the 600cc Jap sportbikes. It actually takes some getting used to, and you'll find yourself loking for tires that will reduce that tendency. It's a fun bike to own; I've had grown men stop their cars in intersections to look at mine and ask questions.
C/mon dude, tell them more about that bike. If you don't I will. Brag on the mileage and the engine upgrade and even funnier, the history of the new motor and the great story about how the engine donor bike became a donor. I still laugh to myself about that one. Robert
The front fender tupperware (which I think was copied from a 1960s Japanese sci-fi movie) has a tendency to crack on K1s.
Fantastic machines. I covered 82k on mine with no problems at all. They have higher lift cams than the RS version pushing out 10BHP more than the RS they are good for nearly 150Mph. The engines a little harsh at times but I like that. The fairing does an incredible job of deflecting the wind. The bikes limited to 100 BHP but will cruise at 120 MPH. The only scary moments on mine were in strong sidewinds. It feels as though the front wheels sliding out.
My father owns a 4-valve 92 K100RS and I own a 92 K1. I have lots of riding experience on both. On paper they seem to be almost identical, except for their body work, but in person they are quite different. The most drastic changes I feel are in riding position, and steering geometry. The K1's seat height is lower to the ground, the foot-pegs are higher like rear-sets. Some people complain about this, but I find the riding poistion quite comfortable, more so than the K100RS (I am 5'9" tall, about 140lbs), but my father doesn't. I find that the handlebars on a K100RS can be awkward and difficult to counter-steer, this is not the case on the K1 (even my father has noted this). The other difference between the two is the gearing. The gearbox ratios are the same, but the final drive is different. This is very noticeable, the K100RS has much more torque in the low revs, but the K1 seems to really smooth out one above 4000RPM. The K1 is by no means comparable to a modern Japanese bike, but is quite quick and is very comfortable at high speeds (some times too comfortable). A good resource for K1 info is on facebook; there is a group. There is barely any content, but if you ask someone or messege someone, you get fast replies.
Never have ridden a K1 but know that they are prone to have a leaky front master cylinder :huh (that is practically impossible to fix for some reason; I was recently reading this on the MOA site). Replacements may no longer be made or else hideously expensive if you can find one; look for brake fluid damage/stains on the plastic bits if you're thinking about buying one. Also very uncomfortable for taller riders (6' ) and has a very wide turning radius---not good for slow-speed stuff and prone to tip-over easily.:eek1 Built for the Autobahn, though, and I'm sure the real magic begins at a ton and beyond. The closest thing to a K1 Forum would be the BMW MOA site www.bmwmoa.org and then click on the Flying Brick K-bikes section of the Forum---great source of info for you and many K1 owners frequent the site, too. I used to have a FYK K100RS and that was one fun bike---I'd go that route again before considering a K1 (unless I was a wealthy collector that wanted one as a conversation piece ).
Not having ridden one, you probably shouldn't make those claims without more experience. The actual brake master cylinder reservoir may be particular to the RS and K1 but all the internal parts cross reference all the way to the last of the R1100 series.
damn....i used to have a K100 RS and loved it.always thought a K1 would be the ultimate K100 RS,but at 6 3" maybe not
to all of you, thanks for your intense interest in this rare machine.. my desire is exactly that: DESIRE. no logic, no reason, no utility whatsoever. Unlike my years of GS experience, which have taught me that the GS is the bike for me, and that it will do more than i could ever hope to push it through, this K1 lust has no practical reason other than to just look at something so gloriously befeathered. Like Jackie Ickx, who got his F1 car (minus the real guts) mounted on an I-beam projecting thru the wall of his Swiss chalet, I could even just have this lovely sitting in my living room to admire (I'll ride it once in a while, I PROMISE) As stated above, the pegs are so damn high that it can be painful, and was for me the time i sat on one, but what's a little pain to ride such a beauty? thanks to all who keep adding to this thread, which I believe is the only K1 thread going here on ADV (I at least couldn't find one.. anyone?)... more, please. zigy / Boulder
