K11 Owners Group

[ljjohns]

Brief history: always wanted a K-series bike but didn't have the resources or the opportunity until I took an Army Reserve position up in Seattle in 2002, when I purchased a 1996 K11LT. Didn't get to ride it as much as I'd hoped because small things like massive mobilizations/deployments/redeployments--and funerals--got in the way but still did some long rides. When I finished that assignment and retired, I was planning to ride the K11 back to El Paso but found a K12 that seemed a fitting retirement present--unaware of the extra 200 pounds and the problems it posed. But I persevered; I've been doing some great rides with my friends over the last several years on that bike and even picked up a K75 for local rides (since the K12 is not really a great bike for riding 10 miles to work).

Fast forward: after towing both the K12 and the K75 from El Paso to central Washington this summer for a 8 day ride in the Canadian Rockies,
I started to pursue another idea: why not have a K11 placed where I would like to ride periodically, use the K12 for Texas/Southwestern rides and the K75 as both a local sport bike and a loaner for friends who come to town?

Step one in that plan has been realized. Drake called my attention to a 1993 K11LT up in Seattle and after he'd looked at it, insisted that I ought to buy it. That was neat in itself: that I could call upon--and trust--someone I'd never met in person because of what he's done on this forum alone (as well as on others) was a great experience in itself.

I negotiated with the seller only on payment mode and pick-up, and then flew up to Seattle on Monday; Drake met me at the seller's house and we went through the bike and then I took off for Orondo with my long-time riding friends from the area. Half of the ride was in the rain; not a problem. And I realized how much I'd missed both riding up there and having both the power of the K11 (compared to the K75) and its lightness (compared to the K12) as we rode through Stevens Pass.

The bike had, I was told, been owned by an Iron Butt rider; it included an auxiliary fuel tank and a bunch of other stuff that Drake had documented when he checked it out. The aux tank wasn't of interest to me, and the other stuff was mildly interesting. What was important is that this bike had been well maintained--the IB guy was the original owner and had put it out to auction only 24 months ago. All the farkles were of high quality, though somewhat dated. But the condition of the bike--with 91K--was superior.

But the best was yet to come: after a great ride through the pass and a night's rest, we started to examine the bike and figure out what we needed to do. As we dug into it, we found that there were a lot of mods that we didn't understand, especially in the electronics. But we got lucky: in the documents that came with the bike, there was an e-mail that ultimately allowed me to contact the original owner. I sent my e-mail blind to the address I'd found, and he responded quickly.

And that was so cool because he was not only helpful in any way possible, but I gained a lot of insight into why he bought the bike, what he did with it, and why--after 17 years of riding,--he had put it on the market with all the farkles intact.

So the bottom line is this: I've got a great bike, a reason to go back to Washington state to ride, and the opportunity to learn more stuff from yet another rider. Priceless.

Larry Johnson
El Paso Tx
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1993 K1100LT (Washington)
1995 K1100LTSE
1996 K1100LTSE (parts)
2003 K1200LTC
1991 K75RT

[Flying Duck]

A mistress in every port.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

[Mystic Red]

That's cool. But trust Duck? WOW!
_________________
Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

[Flying Duck]

[Shoganai]