4/19/2011 Update: That was fast. This K1 was removed from eBay by the seller just hours after it went out over the TY morning email. Bidding was as high as $5555 with the reserve not met. As a counterpoint, check out the sister bike here on Craigslist in San Francisco for $4k OBO.
From 4/18/2011:
The BMW K1 was an attempt by BMW to crack the sportbike market, as well as a conscious effort to change BMWs conservative image. An improved K100 with outrageous bodywork and graphics, the K1 certainly made a splash and changed how BMW was viewed in the marketplace. What it was not was a huge success. From 1988-1993 fewer than 7,000 were sold and less than 600 came to the US. Offered up in our favorite red and yellow scheme, this one has got 26,500 miles still looks great. Find it here on eBay in Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Developed in the wind tunnel, upon release the K1 had the lowest drag coefficient of any production motorcycle. BMW introduced a number of technologies on this bike, including it’s first ABS system, the Paralever swingarm, a 16-valve in-line four and an improved engine management system. 520 pounds dry and with a 22 foot turning radius, the K1 wasn’t the nimble sportbike originally envisioned. Instead, it’s a fantastic high speed sport-touring highway machine.
The K1 is powered by a 987cc inline longitudinal four. Restricted by design in Europe to 100hp and by emissions controls in the US to 95, the elaborate fairing and other aerodynamics were to give better performance with the hp-limited motor. The combination resulted in a 150 mph top speed. Perhaps BMW riders would have loved the bike more had it the design included BMW-style luggage instead of tiny storage compartments. This one has had a saddle swap and the original is included. The seller doesn’t say if the BMW heat kit has been installed; we hope so.
Controversial when introduced, the look of the motorycle still has some detractors. That it remains forward-looking and futuristic is a tribute to the original design and we love it. Also introduced in metallic blue, with later years getting a sharp black and yellow, the intense ketchup red/mustard yellow scheme is our favorite. Although it looked great, the complex bodywork had flaws: it trapped heat and early models were reported to develop finish problems. We’d like more detailed photos, but, save for a small nick over the headight, the bodywork on this one looks great and is perhaps the key element in a well-bought K1. Just don’t drop it.
A quirky motorcycle, uncomfortable for many, expensive and plagued with quality problems, the K1 is also the most striking and perhaps memorable BMW motorcycle ever made. It’s also one of the most important. Prices on these have softened a bit and a nice example of a K1 would be a great addition to any collection. Upon collecting would we ride it? As often as we could ride it as fast as we could.
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Any irony in the fact that it’s offered in Mechanicsville, VA?
I dunno…..I have a K75 /w sprint fairing, so my BMW bona-fides are intact….I’ve never been a fan of the K1 but do have to note a very nice custom painted black one I see on local roads every now and again. I think the color scheme is hard to swallow, but it wouldn’t be a K1 without it either.
Guess you could put me down with a solid “meh”.
Off Ebay already.
I find the K bikes to have a high center of gravity upright feel that I’m just not wild about. Several times I convinced myself I must have one and reluctantly backed out at the last minutes after the test drive. But that’s for ‘normal’ K bikes – I always wondered how different the K1 is… They always seemed to be a great sport-tourer to me so surprised to hear uncomfortable.
Aficionados: how easy/impossible is it to get those 5++ hp back if you own one of these?
I owned a K l and loved it. I’m not sure how this bike was “plagued with quality problems” as the only one I was aware of were the small cracks that developed around the front fender were it meant the fork tubes. The engine was designed to have a 200,ooo life span. The ABS computer was expensive if and when it died but the ABS only has to save your butt once to know it’s worth it. Heat wasn’t really a problem if you’re a properly clothed and moving and it was more comfortable than many other sport bikes I’ve sat on. Moved to a place on a dirt road and sold it, regretted to this day. As to the power issue, easy to rechip.
Already sold and off ebay, apparently. I know it’s highly collectible, and I acknowledge all the attributes that TY pointed out, but I just can’t get past the styling and color scheme on this one.
Every time I look at it, I think of clowns. Can’t help it.
That thing looks like it was designed to be as ugly as possible. With a normal paint scheme it might be interesting-ugly, but with that yellow and red it’s just circus-ugly. I really don’t like looking at it much at all.
Clowns, indeed.
To take a step back, is there something generally wrong here or is it just me?
I love BaT, and I love motorcycles but 75% of what’s up on TY just leaves me cold.
This bike for example is just horrid. I only looked at it because it is so spectacularly dreadful. There’s all kinds of oddball stuff on BaT that is nice to look at, but weird bikes are just….weird.
We can have garage find Bugeye Sprites, where’s the garage find Norton Manx?
@DougD: It ain’t no Manx, but how about a barn-find Puch scooter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/vespa-sears-allstate-puch-piaggio-125cc-scooter-1964-/300548450301?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item45fa1567fd
Just kidding… But seriously (and I don’t mean this disrespectfully), that CBX, the 125 MV and the ’74 Ducati SS left you cold? I thought those were pretty cool rides. Also the RG500 Suzuki from a week ago was both pretty rare (in the US anyway) and a damn fun, and exciting, motorcycle. I felt a lot of folks maybe hadn’t heard of them and thought it was a good listing.
What are you looking to see? This site is just getting going; maybe our hosts will listen and respond to input.
I’ve been waiting for BaT to offer a K1! Maybe I’m warped (okay, so I AM warped); but I love these. Always have. Yes, they look a bit like a Transformers movie bit player; but there’s something cool about them. Personally, I prefer the blue ones, with the black next. The red would be nice without the yellow.
One of those that ‘got away’ for me. I went with a friend to pick up his Ducati, and a dealer had one of these on the floor. Absolutely mint, very low miles. I took it out for a spin; but didn’t pull the trigger. Big mistake.
When these came out I was really taken aback; they did look a bit clownish and just over the top. But to my eyes, they’ve aged quite well. Maybe not ground-breaking territory from an engineering standpoint, but a damn fine motorcycle that pushed some boundaries on many fronts.
It’s interesting that at the BMW museum in Munich, this K1 is displayed in the line-up of bikes the factory thinks of as significant. I would agree.
DougD, I appreciate that it’s tough to please everyone, but personally I’m enjoying the selection of bikes TY is presenting-I’m not sure how you get more eclectic. Not that your opinion isn’t valid, but just adding a vote for ‘things as they are’.
Forgot to add:
The SF listing lacks the added panache of the body graphics, but they’re still shown on the BMW microfiche, and at reasonable-for-BMW prices:
http://www.ascycles.com/Illustrated_catalog2/MicroList.aspx?id=51707&catID=51&catname=51+Body+Equipment
No offense taken, or intended…
I rode my 1990 K1 to work today. It’s a nice 52 outside. My bike has 187,000 miles on it (of which I’ve added around 20,000). No problems mechanically thus far. Extremely reliable when seasonally maintained, although somewhat a pain in the ass to work on (due to all the plastic). This is the newest BMW I own, and yes, it’s visually hard to swallow. But what people fail to see in the Red/Yellow scheme is that it’s the German Flag. A milestone for BMW, and a nice piece in my collection. Still have CBR ricer’s complimenting it’s audacity..
@DougD: I’m a K1 faithful and your opinion doesn’t offend me. Most tend to agree with you. I equate it’s ugliness by rationalizing the fact that mine’s never at stand-still long enough for people to fully study.. (It really is ugly when parked next to my Dover White R69S). But I still love it. It’ll turn more heads than any GSX-R would..
I heard there was a deal to buy this bike only to have the seller call back and say he didn’t ask enough and wasn’t going to honor the deal. Typical.
These are neat bikes but a royal PITA to work on. You won’t enjoy tinkering with one.
They are hot as the hinges of hell on your left foot unless the factory upgrade has been performed. Then they’re just hot as the waiting room.
Slim