In the 1970s, Japanese manufacturers became the leaders in nearly every category of the motorcycle market. Ignoring Japan, one company was still offering motorcycles that seduced customers, and more importantly, was able to innovate and do better than Japanese. Yes, it was BMW. The German brand notably shook the market at the beginning of the 80s when the G/S series was launched, which even today is a reference in the dual-sport segment. BMW was also considered as the leader in the touring segment with its RS-series. The Germans decided to take a shot at competing with the Japanese offerings of the GSX-R or the FZR with an audacious bike in 1989, the first shaft-drive superbike: the BMW K1.
BMW wanted to break their image as a conservative manufacturer that only built touring motorcycles. For the K1, BMW didn’t start from scratch, using the same platform and engine as the K100. The K100 engine has obviously been boosted, first by adding two more valves per cylinder. The compression was raised as well from 10.2:1 to 11:1. The K1 also got double Brembo brakes up front and a single one in the rear. In total, the bike weighed 612lb, and was able to reach a top speed of about 145 mph. In comparison, the GSX-R 1100 from the same year weighed 529lbs and had a top speed of about 165mph. BMW didn’t really manage to beat its competitors but they succeeded in creating a competitive machine that appeasr today as a highly valuable bike, despite its ketchup/mustard color. Read more info about the K1 here on Motorcycle Classics.
The K1 featured in this article seems to be in great condition with everything original. There is no real description about the bike, but it comes from Brenny’s, a pretty well-known shop located in Bettendorf, Iowa, where they certify that every used bike has been gone through and ready to use.
Find this K1 in Bettendorf, Iowa for $9,895 here on Cycle Trader.