BMW K 75RTA Ultima SPECIFICATIONS, PRICE & IMAGES

while still in a state of shock: a free-lance
socialist had made away with my beloved F650GS and I was waiting for the
insurance to pay out when I spotted this blue brick in the BMW showroom. Only 20
000 km on the clock, and at a price I might actually be able to afford. Panners
and windscreen were included, and as it turned out, this was the last BMW model
to have hand-painted pinstripes. I called the local BMW mechanic, a guy I trust,
who informed me that the previous owner had been one of his fussiest clients and
that the only reason the kilometers were so low for a five-year old machine was
that the guy owned four other bikes! Three days later I came back and bought it.
Another 20 000 kms down the road with this bike, and I feel I can comment on it.

Editorial Note: I wonder if this is the bike that spawned research on
the telelever system?).

But here comes the strange part: once you land and your wheels
touch tarmac again, the bike will simply continue cornering like nothing had
happened. You are still on the line you chose at the beginning of the turn. No
head-shaking, no rear-end waggle, nothing.To see how this is possible, we have
to look at the frame.

s secret weapon: no matter how much the suspension
throws you around, the frame refuses to flex. No namby-pamby extruded aluminium
here, just good old-fashioned steel tubes bolted to the engine.

This happens to suit me: I prefer
bikes that don’t start turning without my express permission.

Overall impression of the handling: solid, very solid. Given an experienced
rider, the K75 can be hustled along.

One thing about BMW multis: they always were known as
thirsty beasts, at least compared to the boxers and especially the singles. Of
course, the experienced rider ignores the idiot light and uses his tripmeter
instead.

dished: there is enough room to move around but only just. Seat-to-handlebar
distance is perfect for me, it places me basically upright and just slightly
leaning forward. The seat-to-footpegs distance, on the other hand, is a little
cramped. Against that, the footpegs are angled backwards by a few degrees, just
enough to fit the natural way humans like to put their feet.

by the way: these were common as dirt
back in the 80s but since then the bean-counters seem to have restricted their
use to a few top-of-the-range models, even at BMW.

Bike Features

Make Model:
BMW K 75RTA Ultima

Year:
1996

Production:
21 264 units

Engine:
Four-stroke, horizontal three cylinder
in-line, liquid cooled, DOHC, 2 valves per cylinder

Capacity:

740 cc / 45 cub. in.

Bore x Stroke:
67 x 70 mm

Compression Ratio:
11.0:1

Cooling System:
Liquid cooled

Lubrication:
Wet sump

Induction:
Electronic injection, Bosch LE-Jettronic

Starting:
Electric

Max Power :
54.7 kW / 75 hp @ 8500 rpm

Max Torque:
68 Nm / 6.9 kgf-m / 50 ft lb @ 6750 rpm

Clutch:
Single plate, dry clutch

Transmission:
5 speed 

Final
Drive:
Shaft

Front Suspension:

Telescopic fork with hydraulic shock absorber

Front
Wheel Travel:

185mm / 7.3 in.

Rear Suspension:
Monolever swinging arm.

Rear
Wheel Travel:
14mm
/ 4.5 in.

Front Brakes:
2 x ∅285mm discs, 2 piston calipers

Rear Brakes:
Single ∅285mm disc, 1 piston caliper

Wheels:
8 Spoke, alloy

Front
Rim:
2.50 x 18E

Front Tyre:
100/90-V18

Rear
Rim:
2.75 x 18E

Rear Tyre:
130/90-18

Dimensions:
Length 
2230 mm / 87.8 in.
Width     
916 mm / 36.1 in.
Height  
1460 mm / 57.5 in.

Wheelbase:
1516 mm / 59.7 in.

Ground Clearance:
175 mm / 6.9 in

Seat Height:
810mm / 31.9 inches or 760mm / 29.9 inches for low seat
model

Dryt Weight:
239 kg / 527 lbs

Wet-Weight:
257 kg / 567 lbs

Fuel Capacity :
21 L / 5.5 US gal

Consumption Average:
6 l/100km / 16.6 km/l / 39 US mpg

Braking 60 – 0 / 100 – 0

(mph: 37 – 0 / 62 – 0) 
:
14.1 m / 46 ft. / 42.1 m / 138 ft.

Standing
¼ Mile  
:
13.5 sec / 159.4 km/h / 99 mph

Top Speed
:
187 km/h / 116 mph