Hello my name is Greg from Kent in England.

I recently bought a very well looked after K100 LT which I have done a couple of thousand miles on since.

Apart from removing the fairing lowers it is pretty standard and even the original Nivomat shock is still working.

Thanks for all the info I've found on this site, I've learned so much already 

Yep - that bike looks in good nick but I'm surprised the Nivomat is still working! If you're a winter rider then you're going to be looking for a pair of fairing lowers at some point.

Fairing lowers left and right
Leg panels left and right
Radiator panel
Panel to underside of the front fairing that you have.
Storage boxes, lids and the metal frames.
Brackets for the lowers, mount on cylinder head and cam cover.
Baffles for inside the fairing, one each side at the connection between what you have and the fairing lowers.
Collection of screws and fixings.

In our winters you will really appreciate that lot. RT and LT parts are same/interchangeable, apart from the brackets and possibly the baffles.

Hi Gregor,

Not far from you as the crow flies (Isle of Wight). Lovely looking machine but just wanted to ask the good and great on here about the crash bars. I have been lead to believe that in the event of a spill they can do more damage as the block is ali. 

I have always like the look of them but what's the general thoughts on them, and 'Don't crash' has already been suggested by the better half!!

Enjoy the K

Dave

welcome gregor

have fun with the k

lowersoff is a good start ...to sort it all out properly

once fettled ..back on I guess  to keep the wet out ?

Welcome along - same as my LT but much fresher. If leaving the lowers off have a look at Charlie 99's mod to his fairing to take the pointy edge away from your knees.

Thanks all,

I haven't decided whether the full fairing is going back on, I have all the parts, or modify the upper or remove the whole lot.Maybe all of those at some point.

I love how well thought out and easy the bike is to work on.Shall be looking at the shaft splines soon.

I successfully tested the crash bars at low speed Dave with no damage.Slow u turn in my drive where the k suddenly flopped onto it's side.The low speed handling is slightly different to my Yamaha Tenere. I've since modded the handlebar clamps to remove most of the play in the rubber bushes.

Nice looking bike Greg. 
Welcome along - plenty of good advice and healthy banter from all around the world to be enjoyed.

As a rider of 2 LTs, year round in the UK, the lower fairings are definitely a good part of the bike design. For more exotic and somewhat hotter places like Oz, then your summer mode is a good option.

Davep wrote:....but just wanted to ask the good and great on here about the crash bars. I have been lead to believe that in the event of a spill they can do more damage as the block is ali. 

I have always like the look of them but what's the general thoughts on them, and 'Don't crash' has already been suggested by the better half!!

My first LT had crash bars (my current two don't) - in my opinion, they don't add as much protection as they look like they should. The lower mount on the engine block is a weak point and, as you suggest can transmit shock load to the block in the event of a crash. Probably really designed to give some fairing protection in the event of a static lie down rather than anything more. I was side impacted by a car on my LT that had them and the  bike dropped onto the tarmac on the right side - the crash bar was torn off and offered no protection to anything! Did it save my leg in the impact (an impact that also tore off the right hand pannier)- we'll never know (but i do still have my right leg!!)! Personally I like the look of the bikes without them, but that's just me!

Gregor wrote:...I successfully tested the crash bars at low speed Dave with no damage.Slow u turn in my drive where the k suddenly flopped onto it's side.The low speed handling is slightly different to my Yamaha Tenere. I've since modded the handlebar clamps to remove most of the play in the rubber bushes.

Many of us have been there Greg! The high centre of gravity can easily catch you out, especially at slow speeds and once the bike is more than a few degrees over, it is very hard to stop her lying down. Usually more embarrassing than damaging...but that depends what you hit on the way down!

Crash Bars.  I will never have them again.  All they did when my K75RT fell over in the garage was break the mounts and tear a large chunk out of the right lower fairing.  The broken bits resulting from the fall were just a cracked mirror housing and a scuffed pannier, both easily repaired for little cost.

The damage done by the crash bar to the fairing took a couple days to repair and cost me about $75 for materials and to have the part clear coated after I did the base coat.  Had I repaired the crash bar mounts it would have added another $110 to the job.

Needless to say I sold the bars.  A crash bar designed to break away is far beyond totally useless.