Author Topic: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"  (Read 38015 times)

Offline Laitch

  • Faster than a speeding pullet
  • Administrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 10120
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #25 on: September 16, 2016, 09:14:43 AM »
One set is with leather and the other with aluminum. Both were laser engraved. Let me know what you think.
Some places where I've lived, a tag like that would attract vandals like an abandoned building. I can hear the "Oh yeah?" followed by the bike's hitting the pavement.

Are these prototype tags or the final versions? Their current appearance doesn't rise to the level of your other work on the bike. If you pursue this idea, consider taking the leather tag to a leatherworker and having the name carved into the leather tag, having a metal tag etched or a plastic tag manufactured by a 3-D printer.

Better yet might be to have your initials carved or worked onto a tag with a border of interlocking nunchaku.
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #26 on: September 16, 2016, 09:45:45 AM »
Both cool :bmwsmile.  Aluminum is definitely "louder".  It appears to me that the rest of the bike is "under-stated" modification.  Thus, I would choose the reflector.  I doubt BMW would approve the aluminum :hehehe

I agree I would go with the red as well for sure.

Some places where I've lived, a tag like that would attract vandals like an abandoned building. I can hear the "Oh yeah?" followed by the bike's hitting the pavement.

Are these prototype tags or the final versions? Their current appearance doesn't rise to the level of your other work on the bike. If you pursue this idea, consider taking the leather tag to a leatherworker and having the name carved into the leather tag, having a metal tag etched or a plastic tag manufactured by a 3-D printer.

Better yet might be to have your initials carved or worked onto a tag with a border of interlocking nunchaku.

Thanks for your insight guys. I don't think the folks in Austin are that maligned, but hell people are people. These were not meant as prototypes. I'm certainly not the first to do this, so I'll need to research other examples. The aluminum version is a little understated. Perhaps a brushed nickle finish would look better.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #27 on: September 16, 2016, 11:00:23 AM »
Kind sir, you are too modest regarding your skills! You have one of the cleanest, most professional K-Bike's to grace these pages. Excellent work! You are teasing us by leaving out the details behind multiple changes you have implemented.........I would like to hear more! :clap:

TrueAce,
Stage 1 was by far the most challenging since I was pretty much a fish out of water. I could have taken the bike down the street to the renown moto shop Revival Cycles, but that would mean taking out a home equity loan and sleeping on the couch  :nono . So, I just dove in and did what I was capable and solicit others for task such as welding and upholstery.
Front End:
- Got LED headlight and fork brackets. Wiring was straight forward.
- I was perplexed as to why BMW designed such a huge instrument cluster and put all of the electronic components inside. There was no such thing as a plug and play replacement at that time. I called some shops that sell cafe racer products and got "what the hell is a k-bike" response lol. So, I made a bracket that would lay the cluster down flatter and added a tube to hold the front blinkers. Called it good enough.
- It still looked weird to me, as you can see from the 1st pic of stage 1, for the huge cluster to lay on top of the headlight. I searched for something aftermarket to help hide it a bit without having to try and fabricate one from scratch. I found the fly screen from the Ducati Monster to be a good fit. Made a simple bracket that attached to the bottom of the cluster. Painted it black. 
- Relocated the ignition key to the rear. Just a simple metal tube housing to keep it in place.
- Added fork boots since I like that look rather naked forks.
- Got Renthal handlebar, but then switched to a set of Suzuki SV650 strap-ons with a 1.5" riser found on CL.
- The paint on the gas tank and radiator fairings was in great shape, so I left it alone. Added racing stripes by simply using automotive trim paint.
- Removed the paint to the front wheel fenders since it was rather chipped up.
- Got a set of bar end mirrors and the front half was done.

Back End:
- I lost a lot of sleep in trying to figure out what to do about the seat. I look extensively on the interweb for an aftermarket one. The ones that I like were too narrow, which would mean extensive reconfiguration of the rear subframe. I have no experience in metal fabrication or welding. Outsourcing that work would have been rather expensive.
- I took the path of least resistance and shorten the rear seat frame and reusing the original tail loop. Added a piece for the licence plate and tabs to hold the rear blinkers. Had a welder weld it together. To be honest, this section of the bike is not the cleanest for me. The tail loop doesn't really match the line of the seat pan. Perhaps stage 4 work will rectify that.
- I decided to try and design the seat myself as I felt it was one of the most important feature of the bike. If you don't get the seat right, everything else would just look pieced together. I tried to follow the lines and contour of the gas tank. Made a model out of cardboard. Seat pan was made from a piece of aluminum. Took it to an automotive upholsterer and got it made with high grade vinyl fabric. Added a BMW emblem. It's held in place with just 2 simple bolts in the rear.
- Got number plates as side panels.
- Replaced original exhaust with a Staintune one found on CL, which is much lighter.
- Removed the center stand to shed weight
- Bates style LED brake light. Rear wiring was straight forward too.
- Progressive 412 shock was fairly new, so I kept it.
- Both tires were pretty much brand new when I purchase the bike.
- Found a rear wheel hub cover on eBay

That's all she wrote for stage 1  :mm :bmwsmile !
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #28 on: September 23, 2016, 09:19:32 AM »
More ADD design rearing its ugly head. I decided to try and cover up the gap between the seat pan and top frame using the same material as the left side panel, battery box, and front panel. If anything, I guess I'm being consistent with the material used. I haven't figured out how to attach it yet, but let me know what you think fellow brickers.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline The Dude

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 509
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #29 on: September 23, 2016, 03:17:02 PM »
More ADD design rearing its ugly head.I haven't figured out how to attach it yet, but let me know what you think fellow brickers.
Your iterating in the right direction.Attachment should include anti chafe on the frame rails.ADD design is just normal.We have varying degrees of awareness including aesthetics.Anything else ends up being mediocre.Looking good.
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #30 on: September 23, 2016, 04:01:57 PM »
Your iterating in the right direction.Attachment should include anti chafe on the frame rails.ADD design is just normal.We have varying degrees of awareness including aesthetics.Anything else ends up being mediocre.Looking good.

Thanks for the recommendation Mr. Dude.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline jakgieger

  • itinerant farmer
  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 618
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #31 on: September 24, 2016, 08:57:12 AM »
ADD  :hehehe..the bike just reflects a piece of our life that we do actually have control over :bmwsmile unlike taxes, wife, kids, neighbors!  I still think it is one of the nicer conversions, and yes your "improvement" does aid the overall aesthetic.
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #32 on: September 24, 2016, 01:30:25 PM »
ADD  :hehehe..the bike just reflects a piece of our life that we do actually have control over :bmwsmile unlike taxes, wife, kids, neighbors!  I still think it is one of the nicer conversions, and yes your "improvement" does aid the overall aesthetic.

Thank you Mr. Jackgeiger
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline kris

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 584
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #33 on: September 28, 2016, 02:34:29 PM »
Duckytran, great job on this bike. Unfortunately, for the future inventory of stock K-bikes, these machines really seem to lend themselves to this type of conversion. They have a great boxy industrial look to them. The engine is, clearly, the dominant feature. The only thing I would ask is have you considered removing the radiator cowling? It's a pretty cool look to see the rad simply exposed. It's a wonderful bike either way....but you might want to toy with that idea. Check the other conversions out where this has been done.

Cheers!

PS - tell your loving wife that you were only kidding when you said this was a spec project. Tell her the boys and girls on motobrick would look unfavourably on you reducing these beauties to a simple commodity to be traded! You've put your soul into this bike. How could you part with it? It's time to build the stable!!
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #34 on: September 28, 2016, 04:16:12 PM »
Duckytran, great job on this bike. Unfortunately, for the future inventory of stock K-bikes, these machines really seem to lend themselves to this type of conversion. They have a great boxy industrial look to them. The engine is, clearly, the dominant feature. The only thing I would ask is have you considered removing the radiator cowling? It's a pretty cool look to see the rad simply exposed. It's a wonderful bike either way....but you might want to toy with that idea. Check the other conversions out where this has been done.

Cheers!

PS - tell your loving wife that you were only kidding when you said this was a spec project. Tell her the boys and girls on motobrick would look unfavourably on you reducing these beauties to a simple commodity to be traded! You've put your soul into this bike. How could you part with it? It's time to build the stable!!

Hi Kris,
I couldn't agree more that K-bikes are getting more popular for conversions. From perusing this forum and the K-100 forum, I think there are plenty of purists that will restore and keep K-bikes in their original form. It hasn't proliferated to the level of chopping compared to the R-Bikes that I can tell. I guess time will tell. As for the radiator cowling, I left it on because I felt it looked better than a fully exposed radiator. It also function to protect the radiator from rocks. Most of the conversions that I saw, the radiator cowling was either removed completely or modified. I guess I wanted to be a little different and leave some part of the K-bike in its original form.   

"You've put your soul into this bike. How could you part with it?" I couldn't have said this any better. The lovely wife and kids are slowly learning to live with this obsession of mine. But once in a while, they give me this  :musicboohoo:

Thanks for the feedback!
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline Laitch

  • Faster than a speeding pullet
  • Administrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 10120
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #35 on: September 28, 2016, 04:21:46 PM »
I guess I wanted to be a little different and leave some part of the K-bike in its original form.   
That decision also resulted in a streamlining of your minimalist design and—as you stated—giving it distinction among K cafes.   :2thumbup:
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #36 on: September 28, 2016, 04:51:41 PM »
Some places where I've lived, a tag like that would attract vandals like an abandoned building. I can hear the "Oh yeah?" followed by the bike's hitting the pavement.

Are these prototype tags or the final versions? Their current appearance doesn't rise to the level of your other work on the bike. If you pursue this idea, consider taking the leather tag to a leatherworker and having the name carved into the leather tag, having a metal tag etched or a plastic tag manufactured by a 3-D printer.

Better yet might be to have your initials carved or worked onto a tag with a border of interlocking nunchaku.

Mr. Laitch,

Does this look a little better? Perhaps it will be slightly less likely to get kicked over in some part of town  :yes
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline Laitch

  • Faster than a speeding pullet
  • Administrator
  • ^ Quintessential Motobricker
  • Posts: 10120
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #37 on: September 28, 2016, 05:05:30 PM »
Does this look a little better? Perhaps it will be slightly less likely to get kicked over in some part of town  :yes
Another splendid modification. Now you'll only be fighting off people who want to buy it from you.   :giggles
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #38 on: September 29, 2016, 11:12:00 AM »
I am considering getting a smaller battery. It will stay in the same spot. Any recommendation?
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #39 on: November 14, 2016, 11:14:29 AM »
So, I picked up a radiator fender/cover off CL for cheap and decided to try hydrographic coating instead of paint or vinyl wrap. I also did the front wheel fenders and gas cap to match. A local shop did the work. An automotive clear coat was applied, so it will be durable and hopefully last pretty long. It came out pretty sweet I think.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline kris

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 584
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #40 on: November 14, 2016, 12:15:44 PM »
Ohh yaaah.....that's a nice look!
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #41 on: November 14, 2016, 02:23:32 PM »
Ohh yaaah.....that's a nice look!

Thanks for the compliment Kris.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline jakgieger

  • itinerant farmer
  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 618
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #42 on: November 16, 2016, 08:27:42 PM »
 :bmwsmile sweet
  • 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 The Dude

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 509
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #43 on: November 16, 2016, 10:43:14 PM »
Awesome,hydrographic coating,wow.
  • 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 duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #44 on: November 17, 2016, 12:22:22 AM »
Awesome,hydrographic coating,wow.

It's a pretty neat process and more people are starting to use it. I'm seeing all sort of items like guns, car parts, and metal water bottles getting coated with cool patterns. The cost is still rather expensive though.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #45 on: October 05, 2017, 11:50:29 AM »
Have a spare tank sitting in the garage for a few months and got the itch to do something with it. Actually, another post by Gurujimmy inspired me.


Anyway, it took forever to strip the original paint but I got it down to bare aluminum. Sanded the top and the rear sides to give it a brush aluminum finish. The top will have racing stripes with bare aluminum as will the rear sides. The rest of the tank will be Corvette red. It'll be done by this weekend.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline AtLarge

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 150
  • Not too many bikes. Garage too small.
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #46 on: October 05, 2017, 08:32:30 PM »
That brushed aluminum look is nice.   :2thumbup:
  • IA
  • 1994 K1100RS
1973 Honda CL70-K3, 1975 Kawasaki 350 F9-C, 1994 BMW K1100RS, 2023 Honda CRF300L Rally ABS

Offline duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #47 on: October 05, 2017, 11:11:19 PM »
That brushed aluminum look is nice.   :2thumbup:


Thanks. I wanted to leave as much of the brushed aluminum exposed as I can. Final paint before clear coats.
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Offline bizzaro

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 582
  • co pilot
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #48 on: October 09, 2017, 06:02:53 PM »
 Very nice job.  For a butchered k, that is really a sweet looking ride! 
  • Vermont
  • Current:1994 BMW K1100LT Previous: 1982 Yamaha virago 920,1973 Honda CB550,1976 Yamaha 650 Special
See Ya in the Twisties,
 Bizz

Offline duckytran

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 211
Re: 93 K75 "Fist of Fury"
« Reply #49 on: October 09, 2017, 08:24:45 PM »
Very nice job.  For a butchered k, that is really a sweet looking ride!


Thank you sir!
  • Austin, Texas
  • 1993 K75, 1981 R65

Tags: