Hello to the K100 world, I am a 66 year old with experience riding some Hondas, a Triumph, a Harley Shovelhead, another Honda Goldwing, several more Harleys; a 1983 Goldwing with a sidecar, and now I am considering buying a nice BMW K1100LT. The bike has 58,000 miles and doesn't run for $2200.00. The owner thinks it is the fuel pump, and it has no battery. It is in nice shape and looks like it's been stored inside. Its a gamble, but I think it will be a nice bike for me. It has a Corbin seat, that felt really stiff and is tall. 
   What do you think? Should I go for it? I say yes, what should I look for before loading in on my trailer? Oh, I am a retired copier tech and live in rural Sontag, MS with time on my hands. I look forward to your answers.
 
                                                                                      Bill Farnham

Good to see you.

My first K1100LT I got at 58,000 miles. It got to about 109,000 miles in less than 3 years [have other Ks].

Second K1100LT came at 38,000 miles.

Most common non running issues are dud battery or a bad mess in the gas tank due to old fuel. Replace fuel pump, filter and all the fuel lines plus an injector clean usually cures it. Clean up the electrical connections too.

There are other things to check out on them, but seems like you have the makings of a nice bike if its cosmetically good. 

Good to see you here. Might be a good move to start a separate thread for your bike and that keeps all your questions and replies together. Also add your VIN and year so can see if its early or late K1100. Early ones have 2 round ABS units at the rear footrests.

Welkome aboard, Sounds expensive for a non runner, how long has the guy owned the bike,will he make it a runner for a Few Dollars More

Hi welcome,

Since he hasn't bothered to check the pump, connect a battery or probably even clean it, he would be very flexible on the price, probably sitting a few years he just wants to get rid of it. He's already counting the brownie points from his wife, regardless of the price.

Ask about its history.

Bring a battery unless you want to get it extra cheap and quick. Check suspension sound and feel, levers gears, levels- coolant, oil, brakes especially the front, leaks- under bike, under brake reservoirs especially the front.

Check brake rotors are original by hole pattern as a genuine mileage check, and thickness for roadworthy. Say the last trip was 777.7 miles - the odo is broke. See if it resets to 0. Check that the numbers align.


Surprisingly, there will probably be nothing wrong with the engine, even if it hasn't been started in ten years.

Good luck.

Good advice on some quick and easy checks.  That mileage is insignificant if the machine has been half-way maintained.  Those bikes are robust and are capable of going long miles (kilometers!) before any serious work is needed.
As the owner of this model and also someone with a lot of miles in the rear view mirrors, I'd recommend you consider the height and weight of the bike before you commit.  They are wonderful tourers, but you need to be mindful of the challenge of their size and weight.  I'm tall and reasonably fit for my age, but I can foresee the day when I'll have to exchange my LT for something more manageable. That will be a sad day, for sure.

Welcome!  I got my first K bike, a K75RT with 54,000 miles when I was 65.  I'm 72 now and have three in the garage, and have sold two more.  At 58k the engine is just broken in, these bikes are known to go upwards of 200,000+ miles if they are maintained(and the Maintenance on them is pretty easy).  It's true that they are rather tall and can be clumsy at low speed, but if you are 5'10" or taller, you shouldn't have any trouble, especially since you have experience with larger bikes.

$2200 sounds a little high, unless the bike is in absolutely cherry condition I would consider $1.9-2k more reasonable(I suspect the seller posted the price with the thought of having negotiating room).  Look at the mirrors and the lower parts of the fairing.  If the bike has been down they will show it.  What accessories is the seller offering?  Saddle bags and liners, top case, radio, gps?  Do you have a link to an ad for the bike?  At $2k I would want the seller to provide a battery.  If not, knock off another hundred. 

Definitely look in the tank.  There are four Phillips screws that hold the filler cap in place.   Old fuel can make a mess of the stuff inside.  It looks pretty bad, but many of us have been down that road and can help you get it cleaned up and running.  Fortunately, there are sources for the fuel pump and it's mount that won't require a second mortgage on your house.

There are lots of seats on eBay.  The stock BMW "Comfort" seat is pretty nice as is the Russell Day Long seat.  If you know an upholsterer you can have a bit of softer foam installed.  I had a Corbin seat, and it was pretty hard on my butt.  There are two versions, the sport version is a little lower and harder.  The touring version is softer and more comfortable for long days in the saddle.  I suspect you have a sport version.

Welcome Bill

With your experience with bikes, this should be no problem for you to get it going. :-)

My K100RT had been sitting in a south Louisiana shed, non-running for 3+ years. 

The fuel pump refurbishment can be stinky, but straight forward. 

The squirrelliest thing I remember, was how critical the Ground is via the Starter attachment bolts. Equally or even more important than the Negative coming off the battery, on to the transmission.

Mine had 45k miles on it when I got it. I've put 20k more on, in the last 3 years.

You may recognize a lot of the gurus user names look the same on here, as on www.motobrick.com.

I bought that K1100LT Monday. I checked Kelly Blue Book for this bike and their price was about $1500.00 for a fair running condition bike. I talked the guy down to $2100.00 and brought it home. It was bought new in Ft. Worth, Texas; I don't know by who. The guy that I bought it from picked it up in Houston at a swap meet in 2015. He had several bikes and never had the time or desire to get it going. I have no idea how long it had been sitting up when he got it, but the inside of the gas tank was really a mess. 
   The first day I looked at it, they had a battery installed and I heard it turn over and the instruments and lights, etc. all seemed to work. After getting it home, I pulled the fuel pump and saw that the sending unit looked like hell too, crusted with dried up gas and rust. Maybe it'll clean up? I've ordered a battery, fuel pump, screen, hoses and a few more items to make a start. I thought the final drive was leaking down onto the rear tire, but it turned out to be the Works Performance rear shock's remote reservoir. 
   Underneath the engine, it has the signs of leakage, mainly oil, no coolant, but its hard to tell if it hasn't run in more than five years. The fork tubes have some light rust, but should be ok when covered with gaiters. 
   I saw where a member names all his bikes. I've never done that before, but it could be Lady Vi as it has Violet colored paint..... I see I will have to start another thread to post a picture. Might figure it out.

Congratulations.

The fuel level sender in mine had more barnacles then a ships hull, I cleaned it and was surprised that it worked.

Mine sat a minimum three years before I got it. There were a few odd leaks under the engine that just went away after riding for a while.

Congratulations!  A couple gallons of white distilled vinegar in the tank for 3-4 days is a good starting point.  Don't try to move the arm on the fuel level sender before it just flops around on it's own.  I learned that the hard way.

Welcome Bill from Down Under, tons of help here just ask.

Also welcome from Oz. Clean that tank and then put some metho in with the fuel every now and then. I’m fixing my corroded tank for the second time at moment. Cheers[url=https://servimg.com/view/20091290/15][img]