Would like to introduce myself as a new BMW owner and motobrick.com member

[Christopherguzzi]

Hi all, I have always admired old and new BMW motorcycles alike and finally got my chance to own one when I saw an ad on craigslist recently for a 1986 K75C that had been parked in a garage for some 24 years and then stored under a roof outside for the last three.  I like the fact that it has a lot of modern technologies and conveniences such as fuel injection, shaft drive, aluminum gas tank, low fuel light (two), and of course that it is a BMW, flying brick nonetheless.  Too bad about it being stored outside for the last three years, though, or I think it would be near pristine. As it is, it's still quite nice and has only 7021 miles on the odometer which I believe to be accurate.  When you see the pictures you'll know what I mean. The downside of course is that it hasn't run for so long that it will need some work.  But I think it will be a fun project and will allow me to get to know the bike much better.  For starters I will need to clean it up, get it titled and plated, and of course change all the fluids and add a new battery.   And oh yeah, by the way, the owner couldn't find the key so I ordered a new one from BMW which will take a couple of weeks to arrive (how awesome is that, that BMW keeps records going that far back and is able to cut me a new key).  Watch my progress as I chip away at getting it running and on the road.  I'm sure I'll make some mistakes along the way but look forward to the advice and knowledge found on this forum.  Shiny side up (or for those of you with rat bikes or flat paint, rubber side down).

:2thumbup:

[Chaos]

Welcome to the madness!   Looks like an unmolested original, that's good, you're not chasing a problem caused by somebody's "improvement".  Probably need to change most of the rubber bits, fuel and brake lines especially.  Oddly, the coolant hoses on old K's seem to last forever, mine are 31 years old and still original. 

[K1300S]

welcome!  great find!

bring it back to its original glory.

[riots100]

That looks like a great find! 


Also the inside of the fuel tank is probably a disaster from sitting so long, and would need to be dealt with upfront as well.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Welcome!  That's a great find and should clean up into a very nice ride. 

+1 on the rubber bits.  They are often the main hurdles to getting the engine running well and can be very pricey and getting more so.  Some here would recommend wholesale replacement to prevent future problems.  Personally, I would do a very thorough examination of all the rubber.  Particularly the throttle body bushings and the brake lines.  I would immediately replace the breather tube and the fuel lines.   The balance could be replaced during the winter or if they cause problems during your work to get the bike running.

Brake fluid is probably really bad, and you are probably looking at master cylinder and caliper issues.  A good flush and bleed should be high on your list of things to do.

Get any old fuel out of the tank ASAP and clean it out if necessary before trying to start the engine.  Install a new NAPA Gold 3032 fuel filter.   Put a couple gallons of gas with a bottle of Techron in and try to start.  Let the Techron soak in the system.  It might take a couple weeks of soaking with Techron to remove enough varnish from the injectors to get them to work.  The alternative is to send them out to be professionally cleaned.  Which way you go just depends on your budget and how quick you want it running well.

An awful lot, if not most, of the problems with these old bikes are related to dirty connections.  Get a can of DeOxit contact cleaner, and use it on every electrical connection you can get to.

[thecableguy]

Nice barn find!! Looks like the birds have been enjoying it for the last three years...


+1 to everything TMG said.  DeOxit will be very helpful getting those electrical connections in order.  I've had the best luck finding it at music shops like Guitar Center, it also works wonders on old, scratchy pots in amplifiers...


Really, really look at the rubber bits.  I couldn't tell how bad the upper TB boots were on mine until I pulled them.  One almost fell apart when I removed it.  The rubber intake tube between the airflow sensor and the TB plenum did fall apart when I removed it.




Jim

[Christopherguzzi]

Thanks for the warm welcome and sound advice folks.  I plan to take it in stages with tires and splines toward the end.  Have worked on older bikes in the past so have a few tips and tricks to avoid knackering things, but this will be my first BMW.  Will start a new thread in the appropriate section and will likely be looking for parts, etc. in the classifieds.
[size=78%] [/size]

[Martin]

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

[BrickMW]

What a gem find! You're going to love it! This site truly has everything you are going to need to be successful with the restoration, both info and helpful members.


Make sure you start a new thread in Projects so we all get to watch..


Confucius say -- "You will soon meet a person named Drew.." (Hope you like M&M's)  :yes

[Hilltopper46]

What a great find!


Welcome - I'm new here myself.

[Mr.Tom]

Hello and welcome. Just want to chime in with everyone else and say: What a great find! Its a beauty. :2thumbup:

[stokester]

Welcome and congratulations on your nice find.  :2thumbup:


With all the good advice here and your plan it sounds like you are well on your way to some terrific motobricking!


Keep us apprised of your progress.  Many of us have gone through similar situations.

[kris]

Looks like she cleans up like a new penny! Incredibly low mileage....that's wild. Things loosen up after a bunch of miles. They like to run!

[sci]

Nice find. I'm jealous.