Most K1's have been dropped during their life by the owner taking them down off the center stand. It has to be one of BMW's worst designs having no proper grab handle for your right hand. Has anyone fitted or seen a handle to solve this problem ?

a handle the same setup as all the other "k bikes " is such a sensible idea

it really shouldnt be hard to weld one on ..should it ?

While it wouldn't be difficult to weld on an attachment point such as the rest of the K series have, it wouldn't be aesthetically attractive to cut the required hole in the side panels for it to function properly...a weakness in design for sure, but one from over 24 years ago. Perhaps we should forgive them their mistake in what was, afterall, a modern-at-the-time styling exercise gone wrong...

In order to be the pre-eminent sports-touring bike of the day, a showcase of what BMW could do, it had limited carrying capacity, insufficient pilllion accommodation, terrible engine heat control for hotter climates and was missing practical tricks like a basic centre stand assist handle.



I was at the BMWMOA national in York, Pennsylvania the year they were released. I'll never forget the sight of a red/yellow and a blue/yellow K1 slowly circling the oval horse track in front of the stadium at what was at the time, at over 9,000 people, the largest MOA rally ever put on. It was a sight to behold, and the comments and criticisms from the crowd around me were priceless. I rode one for a fair way two years later and was impressed with its ability as a solo machine.

Two Wheels Better wrote:While it wouldn't be difficult to weld on an attachment point such as the rest of the K series have, it wouldn't be aesthetically attractive to cut the required hole in the side panels for it to function properly...a weakness in design for sure, but one from over 24 years ago. Perhaps we should forgive them their mistake in what was, afterall, a modern-at-the-time styling exercise gone wrong...

I was at the BMWMOA national in York, Pennsylvania the year they were released. I'll never forget the sight of a red/yellow and a blue/yellow K1 slowly circling the oval horse track in front of the stadium at what was at the time, at over 9,000 people, the largest MOA rally ever put on. It was a sight to behold, and the comments and criticisms from the crowd around me were priceless.

You are right. It was a weakness in design and I'll just have to live with it and pray everytime I take it off the stand . Seeing the K1's at the rally when they were launched is some claim to fame. The reason for having them on an oval horse track must have been to hide the terrible turning circle of the bike

I looked at a customer's K1 yesterday arvo in the car park...they do have a handle of sorts. It's that for and aft metal bracket which is welded between the triangulated subframe struts just below the level of the left hand side panel. It doesn't flip out to greet you like the 'normal' K's handle does, but it'd do as a place to steady the bike. I tried it with his permission. He stood looking bemused. It works.

Sounds same same as my '91 R100GS. Not as nice as the flip out handle, but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Two Wheels Better wrote:I looked at a customer's K1 yesterday arvo in the car park...they do have a handle of sorts. It's that for and aft metal bracket which is welded between the triangulated subframe struts just below the level of the left hand side panel. It doesn't flip out to greet you like the 'normal' K's handle does, but it'd do as a place to steady the bike.

I've used that. But it does not feel right or instill confidence.

I've used that. But it does not feel right or instill confidence. [/quote]

Hi Scotty,
I have had one static accident of a "falling down nightmare" in 15 years and to be honest it was completely my own stupidity.
The secret is having the correct amount of off-balance weight when you put in on and off the centre stand. Don't box yourself in against a wall! Keep the bike and its weight leaning into you. Once your confidence in this technique is reached your feeling of poor design vanishes forever

PS Mind your back - folk of our vintage are precious too

Trapper