K11 Owners Group

[Saltcreek]

I love everything about the K1100LT. The only flaw I find in an otherwise perfect machine is how much the upper fairing moves and rattles over bumps. Do they all do this? I haven't had it apart yet, waiting til I have to for some service.
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Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold
2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

[Off the grid]

Check your main fairing bracket, mine was broken, got it welded and broke again. Does not really effect structural integrity but will cause the fairing to move more than usual.

The part alone is 280 plus massive labor to install it so it will have to wait for now.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[Off the grid]

*Edit I personally do not think even with the broken bracket (and it's only the uppers that are severed, the bottoms are intact) the fairing does not move all that much....enough for me to notice but not all that much.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[Saltcreek]

[Jim]

[RobWheatley]

The fairing on my LT doesnt move or rattle at all even at 110+, they are a lot thicker than the fairings fitted to jap bikes so i think OTG is right, must be something broken.
Rob
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1999 K1100LTIC Smooth and Quiet Cruise, BFD & HID
1996 K1100RS. dead but not forgotten.

[Off the grid]

#8....the rightmost bracket with the 4 holes is where it attaches to the headtube (where the steering bearings are) my snapped off the top 2 bolt tabs...the bottoms are still good.

And yes you can see them by turning the bars left and right, but use a flashlight.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[Scott_Anderson]

When I was first riding JO's SE home I thought it had a bad fairing rattle as well, but when I got home and really looked it over, it was just the front brake disks rattling in the keepers.

Both my LT's do it to, just not as loud.
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Ride safe.



1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

[dubu650]

Try this little test to determine if the source of the rattle is the disks or not.

Rattles were driving me nuts for a year until I discovered that if I applied slight pressure to my front brakes while riding over bumpy pavement, the rattles completely disappeared. Now that I know the origin, it doesn't bother me as much.

I checked out two other k bikes with floating rotors to see if mine were any looser than normal. All three rotors rattled equally. Very noticeable when backing out of the garage.

Steve
94 k1100rs

[Saltcreek]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll report back after inspection. We had an ice storm and have been tied up some with that. We're among the lucky ones who's power is back on. Some will be without for days.
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Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold
2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

[rydor]

Tonight may be my last ride to work for a while... freezing rain coming in tomorrow, and I'll be in the same boat...

[Saltcreek]

[Off the grid]

[Saltcreek]

[Off the grid]

"Off the Grid" means literally unplugged from electricity, water, phone and the like....living completely disconnected from society.

For me it represents more of an ideal than a reality....perhaps not so much of an absolute but more of a longing to kick things waaaay down to a simpler time.

A time where relationships and your word meant more than a couple of percentage points on the bottom line.

/end hijack
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[Saltcreek]

I wondered because I know several people here who are literally off the grid. Would love to be myself. We have solar hot water and make biodiesel. I assume /end hijack is an acknowledgment that we've strayed off topic? Thanks for your help on the bracket. I wonder how many of them are broken.
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Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold
2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

[mike toon]

When I test drove mine, I asked about that rattle. The seller said "what rattle". Still rattles over bumps even after tightening most and replacing several missing screws. I'll check that bracket when my broken leg heals in another month. (little dual sport spill in the desert)
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Current Bikes
1993 K1100LT
1976 GL1000 Naked
1981 GL1100 Naked
2000 DR650 Dual Sport

[Saltcreek]

Finally eased through 500' of relatively firm mud to get to the pavement yesterday to roll to the store for brussels spouts, first ride since the repaired fairing bracket. All the rattles are gone! What a difference. If your fairing rattles you really should check for this failure. I think catching it before it finished breaking may have avoided some nastiness.
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Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold
2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

[Flying Duck]

[hockeyshifter]

for the riders that want to fix broken parts by welding it ..
keep this in mind if you weld.and the weld breaks it was not a good weld
if weld is done right it is stronger than the original.
also if you feel that the part is weak to begin with then you will
need to reinforce the part with additional metal (not weld) fore and aft
of the break


just my two cents worth
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fix the problem not the blame ; fix what is messed up ; NO one is to blame.