BMW K 75
Three cylinders lie on their side in this smooth-running BMW, while a round headlight gives the K 75 Basic a familiar roadster face.
BMW K75.jpg · Louie Armstrong (User:Fatlouie) · CC BY-SA 2.5
Research pending
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More than a set of wheels.
The three-cylinder K family began with the C and S versions in 1985. BMW added the unfaired K 75 Basic in 1986, giving it a round headlamp and separate indicators. Its 740 cc engine offered an alternative to the larger four-cylinder K 100. The Basic continued through 1996, so a model called simply K 75 needs a different date range from the wider K 75 family.
Look a little closer.
The name K 75 can mean either this Basic model or the wider family of C, S and RT versions.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A balancing shaft earns its place
BMW’s engineering history identifies a balancing shaft as a key feature of the three-cylinder engine. Moving pistons and connecting rods create forces as they accelerate and slow down; a deliberately timed counterweight can oppose part of that disturbance. Smoothness therefore came from another moving component, not simply from reducing engine speed.
Source: BMW PressClub · 90 years of BMW Motorrad (2013), pp. 14, 33 ↗A familiar face on an unusual engine
The Basic’s round headlamp and freestanding indicators were a conscious change from the earlier K 100’s styling. Underneath, the longitudinal, horizontal engine arrangement remained central to the K idea. The result paired a recognisable unfaired silhouette with architecture quite unlike BMW’s long-established opposed-twin road motorcycles.
Source: BMW Group Classic · BMW K 75 ↗Where these facts come from
- BMW Group Classic · BMW K 75
- BMW Group Classic · BMW K 75 C
- BMW Motorrad · Motorcycles of the 1980s
- BMW PressClub · 90 years of BMW Motorrad (2013), pp. 14, 33
- BMW PressClub · 25 Years of BMW K-Series (INTERMOT 2008), pp. 77–78
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-02.