K75S caveat emptor advice needed

[daeno]

Hi all,

Getting around to purchasing my first bike (dead set on a K 75 C or S, absolutely love them) and I've come down to 2 possible candidates that are within budget.

Candidate n°1 : K75S, 1987, 90'000 km - 1'700.00 CHF (+/- £ 1'050.00) - sold by an individual
Candidate n°2 : K75S, 1988, 74'500 km - 2'750.00 CHF (+/- £ 1'700.00) - sold by a garage and BMW restorer

I'm partial to Candidate n°2, but am trying to understand the difference in price and in need of advice concerning things to watch out for / ask the seller about... for instance, I've heard that the clutch needs attention around 80K km. Any other nasties to be aware of ?

Thanks,
David

[Mike-K75]

If it's your first bike, you want it to be as good as possible (you don't need the "fun" of repairs yet).

Mileage isn't as important as condition. Clutches will last as long as the user permits (some people are kind to clutches, others less so).

If you can afford the dealer bike, go for it if it's the better of the two but make certain that you get the most comprehensive warranty that you can in that price.

[MalcolmT]

The other biggy on these k's is spline wear at the rear drive.
It can be a costly repair, they must be greased correctly at regular intervals.
Ask each party when they were inspected and lubed, and just because a bike was serviced by BMW don't assume it was inspected.

Malcolm(t)
Joburg
South Africa

[spot]

The dealer bike was someones bike before the dealer got it! The only difference is that the dealer has added his profit on!
Why pay 50% more ? If the private seller has owned his bike for a long time and looks like the type of person who looks after things then its a better deal than the other which could have been owned by an idiot before the dealer. i doubt there will be much of a warranty available at that price on either bike. Try getting the private seller to sell for less.
Either way I hope you enjoy your bike, Theres plenty of knowledge about k's on here!

[daeno]

Well... I bought the 'individual's' K 75 S. It has a year left on the MOT. The owner had sold it only 1 month before. It fired up beautifully, no smoke. He (now dubbed Edgar) needs a bath, but seems in great shape.

Thanks for all the advice.

Cheers,
David