12-4 Update: 6 months later, this BMW K1 is back up for sale on ADVRider (registration required), though the price has gone up $250.
The BMW K1 was an eccentric variant of the flying brick that was probably more of a styling exercise than anything else. With the running gear from the K100, the most distinctive aspect of the K1 was obviously the quintessential 80s/Akira-inspired bodywork.
The BMW K1, packing about 95 horsepower, but carrying over 600 pounds (!), was still able to top 140mph thanks to the aerodynamic bodywork. It was the first implementation of BMW’s Paralever suspension system, their second-generation rear driveshaft technology. 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 wasn’t only capable of making boxer-engined touring bikes.
This BMW K1 is in the rare blue/silver paint scheme, which is by far one of the more tasteful schemes available for this bike. The definitive K1 paint job is probably the red/yellow, but it just looks too much like ketchup and mustard for our tastes at Bike-urious. Check out BikeEXIF’s beautiful photography to see just how the red and yellow scheme looks!
This specific BMW K1 is quite original, with only a few extras. These include Progressive Suspension front fork springs (one of my favorite upgrades for the flying bricks), a Corbin seat, and Optima battery. All three of these are excellent modest upgrades for the K-series bikes, and speak to a knowledgeable and thoughtful previous owner in our eyes. This bike seems to be in great condition, and the seller mentions that it doesn’t smoke excessively on startup. This was a possibility with nearly all the flying bricks, and is a symptom of keeping the bike on the sidestand – so make sure that you park the bike on the center stand when possible.
Find this BMW K1 for sale here on Craigslist for $7,250 in Alpharetta, Georgia.