My Minor Dilemma of choice

[Green Monster]

Brand spanking new to this forum and love the camaraderie here!  I have had two previous K75s (88 & 89) and need some input here for a new riding adventure.

Hoping you all can help me with my dilemma of choosing between two bikes for long-time ownership and road miles. 

I have a close friend 700 miles away who is the second owner of an 87 K75S that is in pristine condition with less than 10K miles, Corbin seats with backrests, aftermarket exhaust (forgot brand), upgraded windscreen, and immaculately clean tragkorbs.  He is selling it to me for $2,500.  The issues with it are the following: hasn't been started since 2010; odo, tach, and speedo are not working.

There is a guy 45 minutes away from me who is the second owner of a 95 K1100RS with 31,000 miles in absolutely stunning , almost museum quality, condition that is road ready and needs nothing!  Selling it for $4,000 but negotiable.

Considering I am have no partiality to either bike, I would love your comments on which bike I should get.  Factors to include are ease of service, reliability, nuances.

Thanks much!

[johnny]

greetings mpbilledo...

welcome to motobrick.com...

putting the financial component and everything else aside... too many unknowns... post up some photos of each moto...

the 750 s and the 1100 rs are two entirely different units... size weight seat height bars ergos handling brakes maintenance availability of tiors and on and on and on...

j o

[Green Monster]

Here are two photos.

[johnny]

they are both standard seat height...

i always start with can i flatt foot it... then i check out the ergos here...

thats where i would start... gotts to be able to flatt foot these top heavy motos... then gotts to be able to control the moto without body weight on the grips...

then move on from there... butts you really need to ride them... i wouldnt getts either one without ridding them first...

j o

[subforry]

Have you ridden them, no preference to one or the other?  I would take the K1100RS, it is newer and has 1 more piston.
Expect the replace the rear shock and fiddle with the front springs and fork oil.
Either way the prices feel about right to me and what I have see in CA.

[Scott_]

Are you figuring on doing your own wrenching?
You can plan on spending some $$$$$ on the 27year old bike that hasn't run in 4 years, and potentially has a bad inst cluster.
If you plan on paying a shop to get the '87 up and running you may be better off getting the newer on that is already road ready.....

Just my opinion.....

[Brad-Man]

If you plan on any 2-up touring, go w/the 1100.

[Motorhobo]

Odo not working but only 10k miles? That's a trust issue -- how long not been working -- 40k miles or so?

Not having been started since 2010 isn't necessarily an issue -- my k75 started right up after 2.5 years in zombie land with new battery. Electrical issues -- not so good.

Doesn't the seller have it sign a title which is basically a legal document attesting to the odometer reading/functioning odometer? In Maryland when transferring a title the clerk makes a note about the odometer -- I have a Ford Explorer whose odo only goes up up to 99999 (I guess they just assumed they'd explode before then) and he title says 'mileage unknown'...that might be an issue on transfer.

I'd consider getting the odo fixed as precondition for sale...research it here...go there and spend a day...if it can't be fixed get the another one. That is one sweet k75 for $2500...

[billday]

Doesn't the seller have it sign a title which is basically a legal document attesting to the odometer reading/functioning odometer? In Maryland when transferring a title the clerk makes a note about the odometer -- I have a Ford Explorer whose odo only goes up up to 99999 (I guess they just assumed they'd explode before then) and he title says 'mileage unknown'...that might be an issue on transfer.

In New York, vehicles as old as classic K's are excused from having to show the mileage on the title.

[Green Monster]

Thanks all for the posts.  Very much appreciated and very informative!

Here is what I found:

State of GA also does not require mileage certifications for any vehicle older than 10 years.
Spoke to and visited a shop 45 mins from me that made me feel comfortable with their plan of care for the K75.
Found a well respected instrument cluster repair shop 10 minutes from my house...best yet, He does BMW motorcycles!

I think I will opt for the K75S.

I will definitely use this forum again for more advice!  Thanks All!