Some of you will know I have this very low mileage 1984 K100 Basic, I've had it for about 18 months. It had suffered from poor storage conditions so the condition was very average and last on the road in '92. I got it running really well and ran it for a while but the old achilles heel of the perforated petrol tank made me empty the tank about this time last year and it's been in my heated garage since.









I've looked for a replacement tank but not found one so I'm going to weld it up and repaint all the bodywork to keep all the panels right with one another. 




The bare alloy on the motor, gearbox, swing arm and bevel have suffered but not the worst I've seen. I had an hour last weekend with some soapy water and a soft wire brush and while it's much better I'm not quite there. The reason for that is that the previous owner had attempted a clean up with a wire brush in a drill-NOOO!


I've tried to show the condition of the alloy but it's not showing it's true condition in the images.




Note the slotted rear disc,All K rear discs were replaced by BMW under warranty-except this one?






Here's the cam cover I've cleaned manually.



Stripping all the outer cases, gearbox etc isn't going to happen. I'm after a brighter bike not a fully restored trailer queen. So with that in mind I found this little hand held blaster.



A variety of media can be used but because I'm leaving the bike intact, I'm going to use Soda as it's harmless unless you put too much on your dinner!

Hopefully I haven't wasted my time and money and if it works, we of the K clan may have found a way to keep our alloy clean.
I'll try it out this weekend and report back.

"I'm after a brighter bike not a fully restored trailer queen."

Hooray!

I'm looking forward to this!

Here are a few good photos showing excellent results from soda blasting in a different K-bike project.

Thanks for that Laitch, that's what I'm aiming for.

Mike.

I've had a go today and I'm not impressed.
I've sent for some media that's a little more aggressive.... and we try again.

Bye the way, the media gets everywhere!!

I gave up when I tried it.  You need a cabinet and a huge compressor.  I spent more on media than what the parts were worth.

Motorbike Mike wrote: the media gets everywhere!!

That's what the politicians are complaining about.

I've actually managed to find some time and I've started to strip the K.
Condition of the bike under the bodywork is reassuring.

Underneath the tail unit is nice




The radiator is also very good for something that's 32 years old.


However, topside isn't so good.
Leaky petrol tank.






More to come.

The alloy casings have come up well. After modifying my gun,it worked better than when it arrived. I tried dry sand which is quick-ish and then finished off with soda on the fork legs and footrest hangers. I only used soda on the bike.
However the frame is beyond a sympathetic wash and brush up! It didn't look too bad but it's very rusty under the surface of the paint so it's off to the powder coaters-damn it!! I didn't want to refinish too much of the bike but it can't be helped.










I was taking the bike down to Spain in december but that now looks unlikely as I don't think it will be ready.
It's at times like this I really wished that I hadn't touched it.

Motorbike Mike wrote:It's at times like this I really wished that I hadn't touched it.

The curse of every project! 
I suspect that you will see it through though....and be very pleased with the result (eventually).

Once you've finished blast cleaning the alloy, do you intend to coat it with anything to stop it discolouring again?

Born Again Eccentric wrote:

Motorbike Mike wrote:It's at times like this I really wished that I hadn't touched it.

The curse of every project! 
I suspect that you will see it through though....and be very pleased with the result (eventually).

Once you've finished blast cleaning the alloy, do you intend to coat it with anything to stop it discolouring again?

I've given all the alloy a rub over with ACF50, that normally stabilises the finish.

I bit the bullet this morning and removed the frame from the superstructure. Both that and the crashbars are now at the powdercoaters. This afternoon I've welded the tank at both sides (I found a hole on the right side too) and started to prepare the bodywork for paint.
The observant among you will notice the right lower casing masked up ready for a dressing of 2K satin black. The factory paint had begun to fail leaving the engine looking messy, I've seen lots of K's with this issue. The water pump front case will get the same treatment.

Here's what I'm left with at the moment, all cleaned up, just waiting for the black bits!



Note the log under the water pump; holding my bike up this week, keeping me warm next week.

The title of this thread was very misleading-especially for me.
I just can't stop touching things so I had to check the shaft splines for lube but I shouldn't have bothered. The grease was still "wet" but if I'd not done it, it would have been on my mind every time I rode the bike.



It's amazing what you can still do to a K with 50% of it missing.

Motorbike Mike wrote:The title of this thread was very misleading-especially for me.

For the sake of clarity, perhaps you could change the title to An Obsessive Fondling. 

Laitch wrote:

Motorbike Mike wrote:The title of this thread was very misleading-especially for me.

For the sake of clarity, perhaps you could change the title to An Obsessive Fondling. 

  So now's not the time to enquire if the clutch splines are ok???????

Oh, my aching sides!
Having seen the condition of the shaft splines I'm not going to look.

The powder coater called me yesterday to tell me that the frame and crash bars were ready to collect so I did just that first thing this morning.
#


What a cracking job too......and they're nice people to deal with.......and they delivered early!

Probably they consider they delivered on time as I always did which is never make a promise that you cant keep and you have heaps of very happy customers

Have you put new head races in?

Mike

For the first time ever, no.
The powder coaters assured me that they would be very careful in protecting them- they use a thick alloy foil. I gave them a really close inspection, they are perfect and as they've only done 4000 miles I figure they're good for a while yet. If I hadn't just built the front up I'd have taken a photo to show you. They feel nice and smooth, trust me, I'm not lazy, my bikes are 100%
I normally do replace the head races as a matter of course, every other frame I've had done had seen a few miles so were due for replacement.

Time to bleed the brakes & fill with coolant.

I've nearly got a motorbike again.

Motorbike Mike wrote:

Time to bleed the brakes & fill with coolant.

Cant help it Mike,  is that so the brakes run cooler?????

??? I'm taking it to Spain-it can get really hot there.
I'm surprised you don't do that in Australia.

Motorbike Mike wrote:??? I'm taking it to Spain-it can get really hot there.
I'm surprised you don't do that in Australia.

We do that straight after we change the blinker fluid.

Bill

Blinkers? That's a Grandad's reference if ever I heard one.

It looks like it's coming together nicely.

SteveFord wrote:It looks like it's coming together nicely.

Thanks.
I'm just painting the rest of the bodywork (more than you'd think) and quite a few black parts...gotta go!

Motorbike Mike wrote:Blinkers? That's a Grandad's reference if ever I heard one.

As a Grandad 3.5 times, I represent that remark.  

Bill

(In Oz, blinkers is more common than indicators or trafficators.)

indian036 wrote:

Motorbike Mike wrote:Blinkers? That's a Grandad's reference if ever I heard one.

As a Grandad 3.5 times, I represent that remark.  

Bill

(In Oz, blinkers is more common than indicators or trafficators.)

As the man said in the Orthopedic shoes "I stand corrected" 

Everything painted. Some black parts in the garage. 
Now that the lacquer is on it's way I've sneaked the remaining bodywork into the hallway-give thanks for underfloor heating.
I'm now hoping that my doesn't notice all this stuff laying around!



I had to invent something to sit the tank on because it's such an odd shape underneath it kept slipping. Wood, cable ties and an old stool I use for cutting wood did the trick.



I'll be completing the build up tomorrow.

Almost finished.
I just have the rack to fit and nib off a few imperfections in the lacquer and I need a badge for the tail unit. It started but was reluctant, as was the fuel pump but after being stood for just over 12 months, all is forgiven. I had a quick ride up the lane where I live and all is OK.
I'll take some better images when it's light outside.

Very nice!  

Finished!













It really is just missing 1 washer inside the front mudguard and I had to use stainless dome top allen fasteners for the silencer cover. Aside from those minor details the bike has everything it left the factory with in January 1984

Very nice job, Mike she really has come up a treat.
Absolutely amazing what a simple wash and a brush up can achieve!

Well done - a real credit to your skill, patience and perseverance.

Born Again Eccentric wrote:Very nice job, Mike she really has come up a treat.
Absolutely amazing what a simple wash and a brush up can achieve!

Well done - a real credit to your skill, patience and perseverance.

Thank you. 
I certainly didn't expect having to get the frame powder coated so it ended up been more than a wash and brush up exercise. To be honest I'm really pleased with the result especially as it's all happened in just over a week.

My problem now is "What am I going to do next?"

Reading along with interest Mike. Your build and maintenance talents (along with your race bike) on display again .  

My naked K has a well used but still half decent unrestored appearance. But the frame paint is chipped, scratched and still wears the heat marks of a 25 year old frame repair.

I think you have just tipped this not very mechanical type over the edge. Gotta lift that frame off!

Now, must read the threads on brake lines and torque wrenches.....

Cheers, Dee

Dee,
I'm sorry that I've forced you into a "sympathetic wash and brush up" situation   Mine turned out to be more involved than that.
I'd have rather left mine alone but it was too far gone, I only painted the bodywork because the tank leaked. Once you've moved away from a bikes original condition it will never be the same again so if I were you I'd do as little as possible to your bike. There's nothing like a good old one is there?

Good luck.

Really nice job, even kept the old rear disc!!

I'm lead to believe that all those slotted discs were all changed under warranty so it's a surprise to me that it's still on the bike. I rarely use the rear brake so it can stay there.

The pictures don't do it justice, it's much nicer in the flesh.

Great job well done!  It must be a great feeling to be out riding her again, and it must feel like a new bike 

I haven;t ridden a new K but everything feels taught. I've made some "adjustments" to the ignition timing and the air flow meter which must (by luck) be in just the right positions because it does seem quite lively too.

Great looking machine Mike , the pics sans mirrors make the bike look low and clean , can you find an alternative mirror to the standard mirror on a stalk ( which are a pet hate of mine on any bike ) ?

John Re

Momma Mia....that's inspiring work Mike!

Motorbike Mike wrote:I'm lead to believe that all those slotted discs were all changed under warranty so it's a surprise to me that it's still on the bike. I rarely use the rear brake so it can stay there.

The pictures don't do it justice, it's much nicer in the flesh.

Just keep an eye on it, I believe they were replaced due to a disc cracking issue. The rear brake is fantastic for getting the K to fall into corners at lower speeds, especially roundabouts, I found they are very nimble around town when its used.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:

Motorbike Mike wrote:I'm lead to believe that all those slotted discs were all changed under warranty so it's a surprise to me that it's still on the bike. I rarely use the rear brake so it can stay there.

The pictures don't do it justice, it's much nicer in the flesh.

Just keep an eye on it, I believe they were replaced due to a disc cracking issue. The rear brake is fantastic for getting the K to fall into corners at lower speeds, especially roundabouts, I found they are very nimble around town when its used.

Thanks for the nod about the cracking. I knew about it and I'll keep a close eye on it-I promise.

I've just been totting up how much I've spent on the (chuckle) Sympathetic was & brush up.

Blasting media                      £25
Gravity fed blaster                 £38
All paint & lacquer (in stock)    £ 0
Powder coat frame/crash bars  £100
Brake lines                           £50.40
                         Grand total  £213.40

I'm quite happy with that and obviously the Blast gun & media will get used again at some point so I could take a small % off that for an actual penny pinching total.

Nice work, Mike; that's my kind of bike!

The bike was finished a week ago but with scruffy stands. I looked and looked away, Looked and looked away again. This morning I was awake really early so dropped the stands off and painted both stands and the mounting plate. I sometimes wish that I wasn't so anal but I just couldn't leave the stands alone. The domino effect took over you touch one thing and the rest........
 What was meant to be a quick tidy up has ended up turning into the full makeover. 

Great job and it was fun to follow along with the photos.
What next?  I dunno, find another one?

SteveFord wrote:Great job and it was fun to follow along with the photos.
What next?  I dunno, find another one?

Time for a rest-this wasn't meant to happen!

That is one beautiful K bike you have there Mike.  Nice to see that it has such a good home.  Now go ride the snot out of it.  41K miles?  You've got a lot of catching up to do Sir!