K75 ... help me!

[steve_wicks]

I've got a somewhat dodgy Kawasaki KLE500 that needs quite a bit of money spent on it, and I have just spent quite a bit. I am also considering turning my R65 into a 'cafe' creation.

However, today I came across a rather nice looking K75 of 1986 vintage..... now my question. Is the K75 any better than an R65 or am I right in thinking it is simply more expensive to maintain and less reliable?

If I could swap my KLE for an R65 I would!

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Steve, the quick and simple answer is that nothing is better than an R65.  Why do you want to go from a simple air cooled bike to a water cooler that sounds like your Mother's Singer sewing machine?  They are entirely different critters.

[Lucky_Lou]

Ask your question here......
http://www.gabfesters.org.uk/
From the  posts ive seen there not as reliable as a R65
Lou

[DanielMc]

I've owned K series bikes and it's my opinion that the K75 is the pick of the litter. They're pretty much different to anything else, and certainly bear no family resemblance to airheads. Build quality is good and basic servicing is easy. Although they have fuel injection and electronic ignition the "black boxes" seem pretty reliable and there's plenty of second hand spare parts if things go wrong. It's a testament to these bikes that 100,000 plus mile machines are no big deal. The K75 is a bit shorter than the 100s and the triple engine is sweet. I'd be happy to have a K75S in the garage, but there's no way I'd sell either my R90S or R65LS to buy one.

[Barry]

I can remember the K series bikes when they first came out and while they were well engineered, fast and smooth I didn't like the characteristic noise they made which was primary drive gear whine similar to the straight cut gear Japanese fours that were around at the time. I don't know if that was ever improved on or resolved.

[NC Steve]

I had an '88 K75C a few years ago, and never much cared for it.
To me it was too tall and very top heavy, and just too heavy in general, It also had no real personality or tone, just went from here to there, with minimal interest.
And, I really do prefer the simplicity, light weight, and feel of an Airhead.

However, the K75's were also hugely over-engineered and as solid as a rock: examples going 300-400K with minimal care aren't hard to find. They are definitely a good solid workhorse, and if I had a long daily commute to work, or was heading on an around the world trip, for the bucks it's one bike that would definitely be on my very short list.

[Yikes]

I came seriously close to buying a K75 before I found my R65.  I liked the looks (for a water-cooled machine) and that 75 hp was really attractive.  What I didn't like about it more than anything else was the sound it made - hardly like a motorcycle at all.

I have made friends with a cool lady near where I work who has a R100R and a '73 R75 and she and her husband both had K75's.  They sold them both because they were too heavy.  She reassured me that I made the right choice opting for the R65.  A K75 might make a nice second or third bike, but I'd never trade the Old '82 for a K.  

[nhmaf]

The K75 will eat up miles more smoothly & effortlessly than one can comfortably manage on an R65, though they are more complex/less user-friendly to service, they are generally pretty reliable, from all that I've seen/heard from friends who've owned them.   They do sound like a  turbine going down the road though.   With the counterbalancer system in the triple, it is definitely smoother and not buzzy like the K100 bikes I've ridden.   The valves on my cousin's K100 don't need to be touched until 20K miles or so wind up on the odometer.  The fuel injection is mostly a leave it alone affair, with occasional throttle body synch, and change the oil/lube the splines (yes, even they have clutch splines to service and getting to them is more effort, IMHO.

The only achilles' heel on the K75 that I am aware of is the rear shock - for some reason I know of several people who have had the rear shock break on them, and the bike definitely wasn't overloaded at the time.   Putting a new shock on and all is well.   It seemed to have happened with a couple different brands of shock, so maybe I just know some unlucky people.  

Otherwise, I'd agree that the K75 is probably the nicer of the K-bike "bricks", and, just like the R65, it is often the under-appreciated/ridiculed one for no valid reason.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I would own a K75S in a heartbeat.

But I wouldn't let go of my R65 to do it.

[steve_wicks]

Interesting perceptions. Don't worry, I've no intention of letting 'mutti' go anywhere ... will rather get rid of my 'modern' Kawasaki.

[marcmax]

Steve,

I have both a K75S and two R65LS's. They are too completely different bikes in ride, comfort and care. The R65's are fun, nimble and 'feel' old school when riding. They are easy to work on and economical. The K75 is faster, much more comfortable, still easy to work on but costs slightly more to maintain.

That being said I wouldn't think twice about packing my saddlebags and top case and heading out across the continent even with 75K on the odometer. I wouldn't even dream of doing that on either of my R65's. I just don't think my old bones could handle it.

Since buying the K75 I have done one tuneup, changed all the fluids to full synthetic and change them once a year, put on a set of tires and a set of brakes. In the almost three years I have owned it I have added 45k to the clock.

A lot of people don't like the sound of the exhaust but I enjoy it. I do have a StayTuned exhaust and it has a different sound that the stock but I love going under an overpass and rapping the throttle. Kind of reminds me of the high pitched whine of a formula car.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[nhmaf]

Rob, since you recently got your check, there is a nice looking, low mileage K75S for sale now in Boston area craigslist:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/mcy/1647568363.html

[msbuck]

I would own a K75S in a heartbeat.

But I wouldn't let go of my R65 to do it.

Yep, me too!  But I can't reach the ground on the K75   or I would have owned one a LONG time ago!!!  

[ambrose78]

So you are keeping the R65  but turning it into a cafe and want to get rid of the KLE.
Sounds like a good enough reason to try a K75.

I was chatting to a 75 rider the other day whilst waiting for the lights to change. He said it was a great bike and had been completely reliable in the 2 years he has owned it.

Obviously they are getting on in years so at a guess will have similar aging things to the R65 - but nothing beats the parts support we have for being able to quickly get them back to operational.

I reckon take it for a spin and see if you get the 'feeling' whilst riding it.

[Yikes]

Everyone needs at least 2 bikes, Pete! 8-)