Restoring an '85 K100 to...something.

[Laitch]

I was always told not to pressure wash these bikes as they could introduce water into the electrical equipment. Is this true?

It's likely to do what you were always told, iiXioM, but why should you believe me? I'm just another member of the Always Tellers society.

Whether you do a refresh like Marshall's or a total frame-off, into-the-case restoration, you'll have plenty of room for wiping down parts as you go. A brush with soapy water and a low pressure rinse on the case is good enough if you're putting it on the road right now (once you replace the fuel cap assembly) or trying to clean it enough to find leaks; otherwise, just thoroughly hand-spray it with Febreze.

[Laitch]

On the other hand, j o has a differing outlook and cleaning tips here. Unfortunately, they're only for pirates engaged in couples therapy.

[TrueAce]

My approach to using a pressure washer is to use it only for the bottom of the engine block, with copious degreaser to eliminate most of the accumulated grime on a bike bottom. No where else....well, maybe wheels.

[Martin]

Run the bike for awhile before you worry about oil burning. they can settle down with use.
Regards Martin.

[jjs1234]

So random question relating sorta to the pressure washing:

Not only can you get water in the electrics (for me it's not something I would worry about) but in the final drive and gearbox due to the breather caps.

On a GS however I am told there is some sort of tube that is connected and located higher up on the bike to allow fjording (sp?)...

Has anyone modded their k100 this way?

Sent from my HUAWEI MT7-L09 using Tapatalk

[Laitch]

On a GS however I am told there is some sort of tube that is connected and located higher up on the bike to allow fjording (sp?)...

I wonder if that's for absorbing the impact after plunging off the cliff.

[mystic red]

Have you seen how Johnny washes his in the car wash?

[jjs1234]

As far as cleaning goes, to the parts that are accessible:

I would buy (and this is what I have done), the citrus cleaner (gunk-out?). Its the most basic and non harsh engine cleaner you can get. Also get some hard plastic brushes. Anything more abrasive (steel or brass) will leave marks. The plastic doesn't and cleans everything up really nice!

Take a look at my build page to see some examples on the before/after.

[iiXioM]

So progress is currently slow going due to work and school taking my time. It probably won't be street ready till the fall at the least but hey...its a process.

I managed to pick up a replacement gas cap with key from beemer boneyard. Took it apart to clean it and replace all the gaskets with my rebuild kit I originally bought. The latch piece was a bit corroded so it's taking a nice vinegar bath to clean it up a bit. All pieces were cleaned and degreased to get packed with new fresh grease. A video I saw online said pack with vaseline. Can I just pack it with a normal automotive grease like lithium or honda moly? Any negatives in doing so?




As far as cleaning, I ended up getting some Simple Green Industrial Crystal Cleaner. Supposedly it's safe for motors/aluminum, and boy does this stuff do the trick. I don't have before and after pictures of the specific sides, but you can safely assume the entire oil pan looks like the first image, the wreckage of the Titanic. Second pic is after leaving the cleaner on for 10 min and hitting it with a hose. I cleaned the entire motor with this yesterday and it made it shiny. I really need to take more pictures.







I'm going to have about 5 days of free time in two weeks, so this thing is going to go from assembled to pieces very soon. Can't wait!

[iiXioM]

Also, I've been keeping an eye on seats on ebay. I tried looking up info on how to get seats from post-'86 onward on a '85 bike. One place I read that it's easy to do just need to replace the rear cowel to have the grab handles. Is this true? I tried doing a quick search but not finding much info.

Thanks!

[Laitch]

I tried looking up info on how to get seats from post-'86 onward on a '85 bike. One place I read that it's easy to do just need to replace the rear cowel to have the grab handles. Is this true?

If this is the source of your information, it is a good one.

[iiXioM]

If this is the source of your information, it is a good one.

That's the site I came across. It's really that easy? Just replace the rear cowl and i can fit most post '86 seats?

[Laitch]

That's the site I came across. It's really that easy? Just replace the rear cowl and i can fit most post '86 seats?

Maybe you should start a poll.

[iiXioM]

So I had some free time and wound up hitting most of the bike with some light degreaser, car soap, and a bunch of water. Let the frankenturd dry out in the nice 105+ degree New Orleans weather, and managed to get it inside. This setup isn't idea but I don't have a garage, and a heart condition says I'm not going to deal with the heat. Anyways. Pictures!







Getting the headlight fairing was a complete pain in the ass. It was stuck on there with 2 inch headless screws and half a dozen hex nuts. I forgot to drain the final-drive oil hence the bottle of Milo's sweet tea. Hoping in the next few weeks I'll have the bike broken down enough to check valves, cam chain, get the frame off and powder coated, and then building back up (unless there's something else I should check). Local BMW shop is going to sync the throttle bodies, and i'm wondering if i should send the injectors to get cleaned by mrinjector.com. Ordering a small spool of wire to rebuild some of the harness and some pirelli sport demons with the next amazon order. Still need to rip out all the old rubbers as well. Did i miss anything? Lol.

[The Dude]

Hey!Nice to see you've got the original tool roll and with most of 'em still there.Mine crumbled some time ago from overuse syndrome.
 I changed my cam chain,guides and crank sprocket at around 200,000km,service record.(K75)Only the guides needed a refresh.Cheap and it was slightly smoother running,maybe.I was paranoid it snapping or grinding through my thrashed motor.Could've done another couple of hundred thou no worries.....mostly used the best oils I could afford,mind....just saying.
Keep going.All the best.

[Brahma]

Well, I am of the mindset that this could be a very decent bike with some elbow grease, as long as it has good compression.  These bikes are very resilient.  If the bike has good compression, and after a fresh oil change that smoke in the video we saw disappears, you are good to go.  These bikes only need fluid changes and armorall- lots of it, to preserve all the plastics AND to help the wiring harness to remain pliable.

1. Change all fluids, including brake reservoirs and fork.  Be careful of the fork plugs- these take very little torque to damage the threads..
2. While the tank is off to change the coolant, take the time to CLEAN the wiring harness and rub it down with armorall to help preserve it.  You could even take the time to check all electrical connections and lube them with carbon conductive grease.
3. Wipe the inside of the tank down with paint thinner to remove varnish.
4. Pull the pump and change the basket filter.
5. Change the fuel filter.
6. Change the plugs.
7. Change the air filter.
8. Add the proper amount of seafoam treatment to the tank. Let the bike idle until you hear the fan come on- then you will know that is good.
9. Check the clutch cable adjustment.
10. Grease the side and centerstand pivots.
11. Get new tires.
12. Get new roundels.
13. Clean however you can and SATURATE all rubber and plastic with armorall.

 

[Brahma]

Sorry- I posted the above before reading everything.  I would now suggest you go all the way on this, and really, not much further than you are now, and take it down and have the frame powder coated.  Then, you would be assured that every minute you put into it will result in a bad pass bike.  If you don't, you might wish you had later.  This will also give you further knowledge about the bike in whole, allow you to further inspect and clean.  C'mon- we are cheering for you....

[iiXioM]

Dude, That tool roll is a life saver. Can't even count the number of times I used that kit. Even on my F650GS or my Ninja 250. Is the cam chain and guides difficult to replace? I've seen short videos here and there of people taking it apart but not much info on replacing it. I always add the best oils into my vehicles so no issue on that front.

Brahma, Good point on the armorall. I'm going to have to grab a bottle of the stuff. I was unhooking cables yesterday and the coatings on the cables were rock solid. At this point, i've had my hands in this bike since 2011. I'm definitely just going to go for it and bring it back to life. A once over on everything and doing it right the first time.

 I would like to convert it to an RS, but the plastics would break the bank. I'll figure out what I'll turn it into aesthetically after the beast is cleaned up and in tiptop shape. Steering way clear from the cafe racer. I plan on taking this thing up to the Dragon or Cherohala skyway.

[The Dude]

Dude,Is the cam chain and guides difficult to replace? I've seen short videos here and there of people taking it apart but not much info on replacing it. I always add the best oils into my vehicles so no issue on that front.

 I would like to convert it to an RS, but the plastics would break the bank. I'll figure out what I'll turn it into aesthetically after the beast is cleaned up and in tiptop shape. Steering way clear from the cafe racer. I plan on taking this thing up to the Dragon or Cherohala skyway.

Chain sprocket and guides were easy enough to replace,but I'm loath to disturb anything which is still serviceable for fear of introducing "gremlins".You might remember Honda cam chains in the eighties and nineties.That's why I thought mine must be chewing its way out through the side by the thrashed milage I'd done.
 Lot of weight in the beautiful RS fairing,money too.You could consider bodging a K75 S fairing on instead.I think they are even more aesthetic.I've seen one K100 made up like that on this site recently and,well,I just couldn't help myself...Still, your R 90 S fairing look alike with round HL ain't bad either.(prolly a bit floppy?)
Yeah,keep going.

[iiXioM]

I'll definitely check the chain once the frame and all the other parts are off the motor. Hopefully it hasn't chewed the inside of the case and I don't have to change it but...who knows. Now that I got the front fairing off, I'm going to start ripping out the back-end and for the splines first. Hopefully they don't like like mashed potatoes.

The bubble front fairing is cool on an old bike, but on the kbrick i'm not much of a fan. That, and the previous owner hacked up a bunch of metal plates to get it mounted. It rattled and shook hard when riding. That, and it's worn down and cracked in multiple places. I don't want plastic shrapnel flying at 60mph+. At the very least i'll just mount the circle headlight using some proper clamps, and go from there

[The Dude]

I'll definitely check the chain once the frame and all the other parts are off the motor. Hopefully it hasn't chewed the inside of the case and I don't have to change it but...who knows. Now that I got the front fairing off, I'm going to start ripping out the back-end and for the splines first. Hopefully they don't like like mashed potatoes.


The bubble front fairing is cool on an old bike, but on the kbrick i'm not much of a fan. That, and the previous owner hacked up a bunch of metal plates to get it mounted. It rattled and shook hard when riding. That, and it's worn down and cracked in multiple places. I don't want plastic shrapnel flying at 60mph+. At the very least i'll just mount the circle headlight using some proper clamps, and go from there

Chain and guides is easily done,motor in the frame.Cover off and check for peace of mind but it's a good safe design,anyway.Your compression's still good so it won't be too crucial.
Yeah, go for a blast first and sort a fairing from there.

[iiXioM]

Slowly working on it from here on out. Got about 30 min into it last night.  P/O bypassed the rear brake light with some sort of pull switch that engaged the light when pressing down on the pedal (which caused the switch to stretch, engaging light). Unsure why this was in here but I will sort out electronics after.

Removed a good 3-4 feet of 'aftermarket' wiring: a button that was attached to the frame that ran directly to the starter/battery. Another bypASS for unknown reasons. Pulled the 12v socket that didnt work, come to find out the previous owner wired both leads to nothing. Literally, it was attached to a grounding point and nothing else. Pulled some inline fuses that were dangling from the battery terminal. Total fire hazard on two wheels.

Pulled the side cap that covered what looks like where the spark plug cables go. Not sure what this is called. Distributor? lol.

Things learned so far: Never underestimate what you'll find on an old bike. I found bungee cables, a few burned wires, what seems to be a porcupine quill, SAE nuts/bolts mixed in with metric, and maybe a portal to Narnia.

Picture of left-sided nudity. Planning on pulling the exhaust and right Z bar today.



I'm trying to figure out the best course of action to pull the frame off. Do i need to pull all the wiring before i can remove the relay box? Do i pull the forks/triple tree off befor or after? Should i pre-drink a few beers or is this a post-work beer job?

[Laitch]

You could always do it like this. That yours is a K100 shouldn't matter much. Pre-beer would be preferable unless you're a functional alcoholic.

[iiXioM]

This video helps immensely. I may do a variation where I pull the front end off since I'm trying to get to the frame, and due to limited space. Thanks for the pointer here!

And fortunately or unfortuntely, I've never been drunk as I very rarely drink any alcoholic beverages. With all the craziness in the world, though, it may drive me to.

[iiXioM]

I was looking up stainless steel brake lines earlier and thought about brake line length. Then it dawned on me, my brick is an RT, but the handlebars are definitely not. Can anyone ID what I may have?  Also, yes i know, my workspace is terrible...but it's air conditioned...and with temps reaching 110+ where i am...I'll deal with it, lol.