Bought bike that has been off the road - what to check?

[colly]

Hey guys, so tomorrow I get delivery of a 1983 K100 that has been off the road for about 2-3 years. The guy has owned it for the previous 6 and said it was in good condition - but  I'm sure its going to need some love to get it running again. I only have pretty basic mechanical skills but I have a friend helping me. Still I'd like to get some advice from the experts. What sort of things do I need to check and do to get it running properly and in good order?
Thanks for your help!

[TimTyler]

Get receipts and a service history from the previous owner. If he doesn't have paper, ask him and write stuff down in detail, and start your own maintenance log.

Once you get the bike tell us how it runs, if it's leaking, how it handles, how it sounds and show us some pictures.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Basic operating information:

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,370.0.html

Establish your "Maintenance Baseline":

http://www.verrill.com/moto/newkbike.shtml

Everything you could possibly need to know about the Mighty Brick"

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,666.0.html

Don't be afraid to meander about the site.  There's a ton of good information all over the place, so much it's hard to keep track of it all.  And don't hesitate to ask questions.  There are at least several people here who have absolutely no life beyond answering technical questions.

[Scud]

Good advice above. In addition, I would do the following, in this order:

- Check to see if there is plenty of food and beer in your fridge to keep your helper-friend motivated and rewarded.
- Check the fuel system. If it's got old gas, drain or siphon it out, rather than try to run it through. Check all the fuel hoses inside the tank and outside the tank. I'd throw some fuel system cleaner in the first tank.
- See if the battery holds a full charge.
- Change every fluid: engine, transmission, final drive, coolant, brakes.
- Clean the brake calipers - make sure both pistons in each caliper move freely (that one piston is not stuck).
- Check the date code on the tires. If it hadn't been ridden much before hibernating, you could be on old, non-grippy tires (bad idea).
 
Basically, give yourself a nice clean start on your maintenance so you know everything has been done.

[Chaos]

First thing don't try to start it until you've cleaned out the gas tank, changed the fuel filter and put in fresh gas. 

[stokester]

Good advice above. In addition, I would do the following, in this order:

- Check to see if there is plenty of food and beer in your fridge to keep your helper-friend motivated and rewarded.
- Check the fuel system. If it's got old gas, drain or siphon it out, rather than try to run it through. Check all the fuel hoses inside the tank and outside the tank. I'd throw some fuel system cleaner in the first tank.
- See if the battery holds a full charge.
- Change every fluid: engine, transmission, final drive, coolant, brakes.
- Clean the brake calipers - make sure both pistons in each caliper move freely (that one piston is not stuck).
- Check the date code on the tires. If it hadn't been ridden much before hibernating, you could be on old, non-grippy tires (bad idea).
 
Basically, give yourself a nice clean start on your maintenance so you know everything has been done.

:2thumbup:
That's exactly what I did with my 93 K75 with spotty maintenance records.  That way you know the maintenance interval.

I would add it would be a good time to do a spline lube and buy a spare clutch cable to put in the tail cone.  I needed mine near the end of a 2000 mile trip, thankfully a 30-minute procedure in a convenient hotel parking lot.

[colly]

Thanks all, that's exactly what I'm looking for. Just got the bike today - its got very little history bar what the guy told me what he had done to it in the 9 years of owning it, which was mostly basic servicing. I did get it for next to nothing though, under $500, plus I plan on stripping most of it anyway - hopefully I won't get any big surprises - he said it was working perfectly before he took it off the road 3 years ago. I'll do as suggested above and let you know how I get on!

Don't be afraid to meander about the site.  There's a ton of good information all over the place, so much it's hard to keep track of it all.  And don't hesitate to ask questions.  There are at least several people here who have absolutely no life beyond answering technical questions.

Haha, that's good to know! Don't worry I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions over the next while!