K11 Owners Group

TravelerJim · Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Posts: 7 Location: Ramona, CA, USA

Hi all,

Buying my first K-bike, and my first BMW for that matter, in a few days. '95 K1100LT, just under 30k miles. Picking it up Friday morning in Salt Lake City and riding home. I figure that should be a good introduction to the bike.

Expecting many, many good miles on this one.

Jim

jpberens1994K1100RS · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:01 pm Post subject: Your first K

WELCOME!!!

And, take a picture when you pick it up BEFORE you ride away. Then post when you can.

Enjoy the trip, just love the fly & ride. Very adventurous.
_________________
1993 K1100RS that I'd rather be riding FAST!
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:12 pm Post subject:

WELCOME.

Hope your brick serves you well and carries you on great trips.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

Number 6 · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:19 am Post subject:

Have fun, great bike, most difficult is maneuvers at very low speed.
_________________
I am not a number, I am a free man.

94 K1100LT

TravelerJim · Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Posts: 7 Location: Ramona, CA, USA

So I picked up the bike Friday morning in Salt Lake City. Looked even better in person that the photos, 34k miles on it and just a few dings and scratches you really have to be looking for to find. Money traded hands ($4k), I packed and was on my way. Took I-80 west to US93, and then south to Las Vegas where I spent the night (visiting relatives). This morning I just blasted down I-15 to get home. Total 872 miles, a pretty good introduction.

The Good:

Great looking bike, handles really well. Well down on torque from what I'm used to (been a steady diet of Guzzi for a while now), but plenty of power. Just needed to re-learn how to shift. Luggage works great. Not quite the touring platform I'm looking for yet - but I think it'll get there.

The Bad:

Don't care for those stock rubber grips, they'll have to go.

At about the 750 mile mark I noticed the front piece of the front fender was loose and rubbing the tire. Need to fix that.

The first day the ABS warning lights were on pretty much the entire time (the flashing pair). Only twice did they go out. RTFM that night, and tried the turn-off-and-start-again trick the next day which worked perfectly. Until about the 700 mile mark, when the left-side ABS warning light came on steady and has stayed that way since. I'd just as soon have no ABS, but I'll have to figure this out now.

Not much legroom, I was feeling really cramped. But I think I can fix that with the new saddle and some highway pegs for the occasional stretch. Not really sure how well those will work though - when I stretched my legs out to about where the pegs would be the fairing edge cut into my calfs and the wind blast was intense.

It gets really hot, really fast. According to the temp gauge, anyway. It was 100F out in the desert.

The wind coming over the screen really beat my head up. Will sort this out later.

Don't care for the tank bag. It never fell off, nor even played like it was going to, but the side straps are very loose and came off many times. The fact that its just three hooks with no positive attachment - loop, latch, whatever - makes me nervous.

The Ugly:

Mileage was in the low 30s, the best was the stretch from Baker to Rancho Cucomonga, at a tick over 34. Well less than the high 40s I was expecting. Clogged fuel filter? Bad plugs? Dragging the anchor?

The seat is terrible. I knew this was going to be a problem, but did not really appreciate how bad it would be. It's not the stock saddle, it's a Corbin than has been cut extra deep in the pocket and extra low. Too deep for me to fit in, and too low for my inseam. If I sit back where my legs are comfortable, I'm actually hovering over the pocket on the edges. Might as well just toss the seat and put a couple rails in. Slide forward to where I'm fully contacting the seat, and there's a ton of pressure on the knees. New saddle coming up. Not sure which yet, leaning towards either a Rich's or Russell.

The Stupid:

The seller said there was no cruise control on the bike, but when I first saw it I thought the bar ends looked an awful lot like Throttlemeister bar ends. The entire first day I had a hell of a time with the throttle response, because ... well ... it was not responding nearly as quickly or as easily and I would have liked. The next morning, I realized that yes - that is a Throttlemeister on there and it had been partially engaged the entire time. Much better once I figured that out.

The Verdict:

Overall, I'm pleased with it. It's a keeper, but there's plenty of fiddling to do before I'll really be happy with it. Figuring out why it's so far down (seemingly, they are supposed to be closer to 50MPG right?) on mileage and a new saddle are first in the queue.

_________________
95 K1100LT
02 CalSS

ColoradoRod · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:47 am Post subject:

My LT is about the same vintage as yours. About the only thing I can offer is that my highway mileage seems to be in the upper 40's. This was sort of a mix between 80 mph on the interstate hwy and 65-ish on the 2-lane highways.

I see that your bike is sort of dark blue. Mine is Mystic Red. Since yours is something other than Mystic Red, you'll have to lower your expectations because it is known by all that Mystic Red bikes are superior in every way.

Rod
_________________
1996 K1100LT 26,xxx miles-SOLD
Mystic Red

RAL88 · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:10 am Post subject:

I get about 50-52 mpg on the highway at about 70mph and I am getting 43-45 mpg in the city driving.
_________________
Rich

"If it ain't broke, take it apart and make it work better"
*************
'96' K1100LT-SE
'97' R850GS-R

TravelerJim · Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Posts: 7 Location: Ramona, CA, USA

ColoradoRod · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:51 pm Post subject:

Of course you're free to mess with all that esoteric brake dragging stuff, but don't expect any measurable improvement until you paint the *entire* bike in the proper color--yes, that'd be mystic red.

Laughing

RWW
_________________
1996 K1100LT 26,xxx miles-SOLD
Mystic Red

lee richter · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:00 am Post subject:

Proper COLOR being.........White.........of coarse, they say that the red one are fast, but they can't catch the white ones. The fun comes from passing a crotch rock on the the interstate and as he tries to catch up just roll on the throttle and just slid a way.
_________________
Lee Richter
Orlando, FL
I like flying, HIGH or low, Wings or Not
182 Texas Tail Dragger
'39 J3 Cub
2000 HD Soft Tail Sold
2002 R1150R
1994 K1100LT

Ernie-NH · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:25 pm Post subject:

!!

Hello all....

Re: ""The fun comes from passing a crotch rocket on the the interstate and as he tries to catch up just roll on the throttle and just slide away. ""

YES !! That reallyIS a blast ! With "bike Week" this week here in Laconia NH, I am having a ball out on I-93 leaving these " black leather wanna bee ape hanger wonders" in the dust !! Thank you K1100 !!

Regards all.........// Ernie in NH [/u]
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

Ernie-NH · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:25 pm Post subject:

!!

Hello all....

Re: ""The fun comes from passing a crotch rocket on the the interstate and as he tries to catch up just roll on the throttle and just slide away. ""

YES !! That reallyIS a blast ! With "bike Week" this week here in Laconia NH, I am having a ball out on I-93 leaving these " black leather wanna bee ape hanger wonders" in the dust !! Thank you K1100 !!

Regards all.........// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

Ernie-NH · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:27 pm Post subject:

(( double post ))

Whooops !! Fumble thumbs strikes again. Sorry guys !

Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

TravelerJim · Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Posts: 7 Location: Ramona, CA, USA

Cleaned, but did not rebuild, the front master cylinder so the front brakes don't stick anymore.

Now to the real problem.

So if I go half red and half white will she go twice as fast?
_________________
95 K1100LT
02 CalSS

Mike d · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:22 am Post subject:

lee richter · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:25 am Post subject:

A slow K1100, where, let me work on it. I can fix that. I find that the slow on mine is a direct result of the the guy hang-en on the handle bars. Wisdom or age? When I get to the triple digits I hear my father asking "what the hell do you think your doing?"
_________________
Lee Richter
Orlando, FL
I like flying, HIGH or low, Wings or Not
182 Texas Tail Dragger
'39 J3 Cub
2000 HD Soft Tail Sold
2002 R1150R
1994 K1100LT

Tim (Midland Section) · Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:04 pm Post subject: