Author Topic: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska  (Read 5331 times)

Offline sci

  • Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 45
Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« on: July 21, 2017, 04:21:38 PM »
Greetings from Northeast Nebraska. After hearing all the good stuff about a K75, I began looking to buy for one with under 50K miles. To my surprise, one would come up all the time on Craigslist. I have come across many with fewer than 10k and even under 5K miles. Am I missing something here? How could there be that many 25 year old bikes with that low of miles?
Thanks for reading my first post,
 Sci.
  • Battle Creek, Nebraska
  • 93 K75

Offline The Dude

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 509
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2017, 05:12:02 PM »
Hi sci,
Hmmm,many idle bricks.You have plenty of choice.Are they cheap as well?
All the best.
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • K75s
Current.
TR6R 1973 from new.
Moto guzzi 850 III .1983 from,almost, new.
K75S 1986 from new.vin-0103141
On my second millionth km.give or take a hundred k Kay's.
"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there."
All the best!

Offline Scott_

  • Administrator
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Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2017, 05:14:04 PM »
Just remember at 25yrs old, the fewer the miles, the potential for more repair $$ for them to be road worthy.
  • My Garage
1995 K1100LT 0302044
1997 R1100RT ZC62149
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
1997 K1100LT 0302488 (R.I.P.)
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb

Offline sci

  • Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 45
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2017, 05:32:47 PM »
Hi sci,
Hmmm,many idle bricks.You have plenty of choice.Are they cheap as well?
All the best.
I'm looking at a '89 for $2,100.00 with 48K miles. What do you think?
  • Battle Creek, Nebraska
  • 93 K75

Offline Martin

  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 4437
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2017, 05:43:53 PM »

Welcome to the asylum from the land of OZ. Bricks do not like sitting, rubber parts deteriorate, electrical connectors corrode. Old ethanol laced fuel can turn the fuel pump damper into Vegemite (black goo). A lot depends on how and where it was stored.
Regards Martin.
  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2017, 05:48:15 PM »
Without seeing the bike I would guess that for that year and price it should start readily, idle and run through the gears up to highway speeds smoothly.  At that price you are paying for a properly running bike in good condition with no issues.  I would expect it to have a current registration or last year at worst.   Does Nebraska have annual safety inspections?  If so, when was the last one done?

Can you link to the ad?
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline Laitch

  • Faster than a speeding pullet
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Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2017, 09:01:21 PM »
Without seeing the bike I would guess that for that year and price it should start readily, idle and run through the gears up to highway speeds smoothly.
+1
How could there be that many 25 year old bikes with that low of miles?
Miles of flat roads ridden on quiet and smooth-running bikes bore people.
  • Along the Ridley in Vermont.
  • 1995 K75 89,000 miles
I wept because I had no radials until I met a man who had no splines.
https://tinyurl.com/RillRider

Offline sci

  • Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 45
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2017, 11:01:22 AM »
Thanks Scott, Martin and Laitch. I am going to take a look and give an update. Here is the link:
https://columbiamo.craigslist.org/mcy/d/bmw/6227520311.html
  • Battle Creek, Nebraska
  • 93 K75

Offline Scott_

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Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2017, 11:17:49 AM »
I see in the picture that it has a "low seat" option, I hope you aren't too tall.......
  • My Garage
1995 K1100LT 0302044
1997 R1100RT ZC62149
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
1997 K1100LT 0302488 (R.I.P.)
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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  • Posts: 6617
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2017, 12:03:21 PM »
Ad says service records.  If they aren't too out of date that is a good point.  Also, the photos look like it might be in daily use.  If the registration is current that is a good sign as well. 

If the bike starts easily and runs well, I would think it would be a good purchase.  50k miles on a properly maintained bike isn't a lot, it just means it is fully broken in. 

If you are tall, the low seat might be uncomfortable, but there is a good market for them, so you should have no problem replacing it.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline jakgieger

  • itinerant farmer
  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 618
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2017, 04:08:04 PM »
The motorcycle looks maintained,  records are nice, and the price is normal for bike.  My bike has "few" miles...I bought it that way (low miles) and will keep it in pristine condition now that I am mature enough not to flog it like I did when I was 25 and had an r60/5 :bmwsmile .  The reality is that most of the original buyers of these motorcycles were buying a "nice" machine and treated them as such.
  • Kansas USA
  • 1989 K100rs se
"What we've got here is failure, to communicate.  Some men, you just cain't reach.  So you get what we had here last week.  Which is the way he wants it...Well, he gets it.  I don't like it any more than you men do."

Offline kris

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  • Posts: 584
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2017, 08:07:48 AM »
Back to your first posting....the road to Hell is paved with good intentions! Many people in North America, it seems, buy bikes as toys, revere them, polish the shit out of them, keep them out of the weather and before you know it the novelty of riding is over and they "have no time to ride". I see this all the time! Plus, many of us are restricted by weather. Others start out riding and then, for a variety of reasons (fear, lack of skill, age) stop using these things. They get parked in the back of garages and forgotten about. The rest of the world use bikes as bona fide transportation, often, and rack up all kinds of mileage.


I would say don't be afraid. Due your due diligence, be prepared to spend some money changing out the decayed parts, and then get ready to smile as you bring your Brick back to an operating life! They aren't perfect, but Heinz puts a smile on my face every time I climb on....she is a highway queen!


Good luck.
  • In The Hammer!! Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • 1986 K100RT (Heinz) 2004 Kawasaki Concours (Eddy) 2007 Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 (Linda) Previous: 1968 Honda CD175 1973 Kawasaki S2350 1975 Honda CB550K
"I got bike fever bad!!"

Offline Martin

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Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2017, 05:07:40 PM »

but Heinz puts a smile on my face every time I climb on....she is a highway queen!
Kris you have a male name on a bike you refer to as a highway queen??? :hehehe :nono :dunno
Regards Martin.
  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline Laitch

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Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2017, 06:04:28 PM »
Kris you have a male name on a bike you refer to as a highway queen??? :hehehe :nono :dunno
Welcome to the 21st Century, Martin. :wave:
  • Along the Ridley in Vermont.
  • 1995 K75 89,000 miles
I wept because I had no radials until I met a man who had no splines.
https://tinyurl.com/RillRider

Offline Martin

  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 4437
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2017, 06:51:16 PM »

I'm going back to my cave, the one with the palm tree out the front.
Regards a confused Martin.
  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline Christopherguzzi

  • My first Beemer🏍.
  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 129
  • It ran when it was parked........27 years ago😳.
Re: Greetings from Northeast Nebraska
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2017, 11:11:12 PM »
Welcome to the forum Sci.  Don't be afraid of considering a low mileage bike or a high mileage bike.  Either one can be well maintained or poorly maintained.  You just have to consider the specific bike, price, how well it runs and drives, and inspect it carefully.  I took a chance on a low mileage machine that was not running and put about $500 into it and now it is an awesome bike that just so happens to have low mileage.

 :bmwsmile   :2thumbup:
  • Little Canada, Minnesota
  • 1986 K75C
Christopherguzzi

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