Old companion – ’91 K75S

I’m mostly a lurker except in the bicycle thread. Today I was out riding my old friend (pic below) and reminiscing about all of the great rides we’ve taken.I bought my ’91 K75SA in early 1995 with about 2500 miles. It took over long distance touring duty from my first bike, an R65. I got the R65 in ’89 and then joined the MOA in ’90 at the age of 23. I’m a lifetime member. I may have made out on that deal. The K75S was my dream bike. I drooled over that bike at Heid’s BMW in Johnsburg, NY (my favorite shop – ever) but was poor and could only afford a poster of it. That poster hung in our (future wife) living room for 6 years as I saved up for the bike. Well, we decided to get a house first.

In ’95 we were planning on taking our first real cross country trip to go to the national rally in Durango, Co. My wife had just put together a Moto Guzzi 650 for touring and I was looking for something a little smoother than the R65 for highway travel. As it turns out, the K75 exceeded my travel expectations and really opened up a new world for me. It has been to both Meat Cove and Orcas Island, Imperial Beach and Acadia, Glacier and Big Bend NPs. It has done the entire BRP and Natchez Trace. It tamed the tail of the dragon and Beartooth pass. It has gone to race tracks, hill climbs, and supported an Ironman triathlon. It has seen time as my primary vehicle and my daily commuter.

I have other bikes. It is no longer my long distance go-to, an R12RT fills that slot. An R11S competes for the “sport” rides. But the K75S remains a pleasant bike that doesn’t skip a beat and, to my eye, is the best looking bike ever made. I’m a child of the ’80s and that futuristic look just knocked me out. I would rank the K-RS right up there, too. I’ve developed an appreciation for the airheads but the K was my first love.

This bike has had all of the usual stuff done: drive shafts, spline lubes, rubber lines replaced, stainless brake lines, monkey nutz, starter cleaning, starter relays sticking, master cylinder and caliper cleanings and rebuilds, floating rotors, fuel pump damper, steering head bearings, wheel bearings, and Fox Twin Clicker. I’m still using the original tank bag and tragkorbs. I’ve had two issues in all the years of traveling with the bike: fan failed on the way to the Salem national and my battery died at a campout in Oklahoma. Both easily fixed. I have done all of the maintenance and repair on the bike myself with generous support from Kbike friends both local and virtual.

I’ve never found a seat on any bike that is as comfortable for me as that Corbin. It looks terrible, though.

Thanks for indulging me.