Hullo from NorCal

[stomatomoto]

Hi, I read the "Read this before posting" sticky thread, but both links 403 error for me, so iunno what I'm missing there.  :dunno2:


I'm going to become the owner of a 1988 K75c tomorrow, my birthday gift to myself! Much excited, so wow. Reading around the intro threads at the top, my age seems to be important here for some reason, so I just turned 31. My first bike was a Moto Guzzi V7 Stone 2--fun and beautiful but under powered and anemic in every way. Next was the KTM 990 SMT, sort of a dimensional step up in basically every sense--fun and insane at the same time, but too much bike in every sense as well. Sold that in August of last year. Here I am bikeless now, and the season is burgeoning. Originally wanted a more modern Italian bike, but once I learned of the K75, I was sold on it. Plus this completes my pattern of ascending the Axis powers theme.


Right now I'm looking to heavily customize this thing. This may be unpopular to divulge, but I'd like to achieve a tasteful cafe/scrambler aesthetic, and I admit that google-image searching for "K75 scrambler/cafe racer" was enough to make me drool and push me over the edge towards getting this bike. I'll be looking for maintenance and repair advice, and where people go to get their custom parts for said customizations. I also have a little bit of a fabricator streak in me, so I'd like to ask people some more esoteric stuff down the line, like "how strong does this weld have to be?" or what certain tolerances and clearances are, etc...


Anyway, super long intro over, looking forward to interacting with y'all.

[Filmcamera]

Hi and welcome, you have come to the right place for sure.  You can find lots of info and will gets lots of advice - wanted and unwanted  :dunno2: .  As soon as you have the bike post some pics...

[Martin]

welcome to the asylum from the land of OZ.
Regards Martin.

[Laitch]

Hi, I read the "Read this before posting" sticky thread, but both links 403 error for me, so iunno what I'm missing there. .

Welcome, stomatomoto!
There's is nothing connected to those links for the rest of us either. :giggles   

Please put the year and model of your bike in your profile so it will show up in every post. If you do that, readers won't need to backtrack to find out what it is during a thread. Putting your location in there might be helpful, too, so you can be directed to nearby resources when necessary.

Start a thread in the Projects section and add photos of your bike to show its transition. Visit the Technical Library Card Catalog where you'll find plenty of information regarding specific systems of K-bikes.

Sell the parts you strip off the bike and don't want in the FS WTB WTT section.

Good luck with your project. This site is queered-out bike friendly. :2thumbup:

[stomatomoto]

Thanks Martin and Filmcamera!

Welcome, stomatomoto!
There's is nothing connected to those links for the rest of us either. :giggles   

Please put the year and model of your bike in your profile so it will show up in every post. If you do that, readers won't need to backtrack to find out what it is during a thread. Putting your location in there might be helpful, too, so you can be directed to nearby resources when necessary.

Start a thread in the Projects section and add photos of your bike to show its transition. Visit the Technical Library Card Catalog where you'll find plenty of information regarding specific systems of K-bikes.

Sell the parts you strip off the bike and don't want in the FS WTB WTT section.

Good luck with your project. This site is queered-out bike friendly. :2thumbup:

Awesome, will work on that now, thanks for the thorough orientation!

[Brad-Man]

WelKome!

[stomatomoto]

WelKome!

ThanKs!


Also, finally got some photos, here is my new steed:









Cosmetically in a bit of a rough shape, but I was alright with that being that my intention was to make several cosmetic changes anyway. I'm more excited by the fact that it only had two prior owners that documented the shit out of the maintenance and repairs that took place (prior owner is/was a lawyer), and it's only got 44k miles on it. Seems to have been well cared for mechanically, so that makes me a bit more confident! It is HEAVY though, I guess I've forgotten what 500+ pounds of bike feels like after not riding for a while... My main priority now seems to be finding ways to trim down the weight any way I can. In any case, thanks for the warm welcome!

[Chaos]

this completes my pattern of ascending the Axis powers theme.

 :clap: :2thumbup: :hehehe I don't know, you might want to throw in a Yamasuzhonkawa in there too. 

[stomatomoto]

:clap: :2thumbup: :hehehe I don't know, you might want to throw in a Yamasuzhonkawa in there too.

I'll get to it eventually! I gotta say, the most attractive thing I've seen from Japan in the new bike category, though, is that Yamaha XSR900--that engine plus slipper clutch/full electronics systems/that style on a sub-$10k new bike?! Damn!

[jay1622]

Hi, ...

Welcome to the forum! I can tell you from experience, this is the best forum for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, you can possibly want to do with/to your K. In the rare (like, extremely rare) event you try searching for something and can't find it, there is a great group of regulars who will steer you exactly where you need to be. With a little humility, a little more humor and some thick skin, your experience here will be straight-up enlightening. Sounds crazy, but it's spot-on accurate.


So... What's her name, and what do you plan on doing? I'm a OEM kinda guy, but, as you will see... The opportunities are endless.


Jay

[jay1622]

Oh... This and a hard copy of the Clymers manual served as my holy grail.


http://www.k100.biz/pdf/OFF/K100_K75_2V_eng.pdf


FYI... Nm to LB-ft conversions have changed... The manuals show one thing... I used .738... This week, they're probably something different.


Be patient, meticulous and play some music in the background. Depending on how deep you plan on going, invest in an average lb-ft torque wrench and a better than average in-ft torque wrench if you haven't already.