Post-Sale Update: After 30 bids on eBay, this BMW K1 sold for $8,636.
BMW’s first attempt at a modern sport bike, the K1 featured distinctive bodywork that in hindsight, seems like what a kid would imagine bikes would look like in 2050. In addition to its remarkable looks, the bodywork led to a drag coefficient of .38 – the lowest ever seen on a production bike at the time. The K1 was completely unexpected from BMW, and it’s still incredibly unique to this day.
Despite weighing over 600 pounds, the aerodynamic bodywork enables this 95 hp bike to top 140mph. It was the first implementation of BMW’s Paralever suspension system, their second-generation rear driveshaft technology, which reduced the shaft-jacking occasionally present on the first generation K’s. Unfortunately, there were some flaws. The two biggest ones were an absolutely abysmal turning radius, and a serious buildup of heat due to the size of the plastic fairings. Some riders reported nearly having their thighs burned when the cooling fans would turn on at stoplights. Flaws or not, the bike definitely brought plenty of attention to BMW, and cemented public opinion that BMW was capable of building more than boxer-engined touring bikes. Think of it as the great-grandfather of the S1000RR, and an incredibly styling experiment.
This specific BMW K1 (VIN: WB1053504M6365535) is being offered for sale by Chip Lamb, the knowledgeable man behind The New Voice of Old Cars. This bike has 20,300 miles, and was recently gone through completely after sitting since 2006. In Classic Black Metallic (one of the few reasonable colors for this bike), this K1 looks absolutely great with very cosmetic blemishes. You’ll get a Hagon adjustable rear shock, new Roadtec Z6s, Sargent seat, and a Staintune exhaust system – all of which are choice extras for this bike. I could probably do without the bar rises, though. I’ve featured (and helped sell) K1s before, but this one stands out to me particularly as it’s being sold by Chip, who you can absolutely trust to sell you a quality vehicle. One look at his eBay listing and it should be clear that you’re not dealing with the average seller. If you’ve been looking for a solid K1, you owe it to yourself to check out this bike.
Find this BMW K1 for sale in Richmond, Virginia with bidding up to $3,000 and the reserve not yet met
