BMW F 650 GS 2010 Owner's Manual

Rider's Manual

F 650 GS

BMW Motorrad

The Ultimate

Riding Machine

Motorcycle data/dealership details

Motorcycle data

Model

Vehicle identification number

Colour code

Date of first registration

Registration number

Dealership details

Person to contact in Service department

Ms/Mr

Phone number

Dealership address/phone number (com­pany stamp)

Welcome to BMW

We congratulate you on your
choice of a motorcycle from
BMW and welcome you to the
community of BMW riders.
Familiarise yourself with your new
motorcycle so that you can ride it
safely and confidently in all traffic
situations.
Please read this Rider's Manual
carefully before starting to use
your new BMW motorcycle. It
contains important information on
how to operate the controls and
how to make the best possible
use of all your BMW's technical
features.
In addition, it contains information
on maintenance and care to help
you maintain your motorcycle's
reliability and safety, as well as its
value.
If you have questions concerning
your motorcycle, your authorised

BMW Motorrad dealer will gladly
provide advice and assistance.

We hope that you will enjoy rid­ing your BMW and that all your
journeys will be pleasant and
safe.

BMW Motorrad.

Table of Contents

You can also consult the index at
the end of this Rider's Manual if
you want to find a particular topic
or item of information.

1 General instructions . ... 5

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Abbreviations and

symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 General views .... .. .. .. .. 9

General view, left side . . . . . . . 11

General view, right side . . . . . 13

Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . 14

Underneath the trim

panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . . . . 16

Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . 17

Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3 Status indicators . . . .... 21

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 22

Meaning of symbols. . . . . . . . . 23

Fuel capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Warning and telltale

lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Service-due indicator . . . . . . . . 25

Kilometres travelled after fuel

down to reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 26

Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4 Operation .... .. .. .. .. .. .. 37

Ignition switch and steering

lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Electronic immobiliser

EWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Stopwatch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 44

Emergency off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Grip heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 46

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Securing helmet to motor-

cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

5 Riding .. .. . . .... .. .. .. .. .. 55

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . 56

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Starting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Off-roading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Parking your motorcycle . . . . 64

Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Secure the motorcycle for

transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

6 Engineering details... .. 69

Brake system with BMW

Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Tyre pressure monitoring

RDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

7 Accessories . . . .... .. .. .. 75

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 76

Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Luggage .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Topcase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

8 Maintenance . .. .. .. .. . . . 85

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 86

Toolkit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Rims and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . 103

Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

9 Care .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 119

Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Washing motorcycle. . . . . . . 120

Cleaning easily damaged

components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Paint care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Protective wax coating . . . . 122

Laying up motorcycle . . . . . 122

Restoring motorcycle to

use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

10 Technical data . . .... 123

troubleshooting chart . . . . . . 124

Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 125

Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 130

Running gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Wheels and tyres. . . . . . . . . . 132

Electrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Dimensions .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Riding specifications . . . . . . 136

11 Service . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 137

BMW Motorrad service . . . . 138

BMW Motorrad service

quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

BMW Motorrad mobility
services - roadside assist-

ance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

BMW Motorrad service

network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Maintenance work . . . . . . . . . 139

Confirmation of mainten-

ance work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Confirmation of service . . . . 145

12 Index .... .. .. .. .. .. .. . 147

General instructions

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Abbreviations and symbols . . . . . . . . . . 6

Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1

5

z

General instructions

Overview

1

Chapter 2 of this Rider's Manual
will provide you with an initial

6

overview of your motorcycle. All
maintenance and repair work on
the motorcycle is documented in
Chapter 11. This record of the
maintenance work you have had
performed on your motorcycle is
a precondition for generous treat­ment of goodwill claims.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember
to hand over this Rider's Manual;
it is an important part of the mo­torcycle.

z

General instructions

Abbreviations and symbols

Indicates warnings that you

must comply with for reas­ons of your safety and the safety
of others, and to protect your
motorcycle against damage.

Specific instructions on

how to operate, control, ad­just or look after items of equip­ment on the motorcycle.

Indicates the end of an
item of information.

Instruction.

Result of an activity.

Reference to a page with
more detailed informa­tion.

Indicates the end of a
passage relating to spe­cific accessories or items
of equipment.

Tightening torque.

Item of technical data.

OE Optional extra

The motorcycles are as­sembled complete with
all the BMW optional ex­tras originally ordered.

OA Optional accessory

You can obtain optional
accessories through your
authorised BMW Motor­rad dealer; optional ac­cessories have to be
retrofitted to the motor­cycle.

Electronic immobiliser.

EWS

DWA

Anti-theft alarm (Dieb­stahlwarnanlage)

Anti-lock brake system

ABS

Tyre pressure monitoring

RDC

(ReifenDruck-Control)

Equipment

When you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various
items of custom equipment.
This Rider's Manual describes
optional extras (OE) offered by
BMW and selected optional ac­cessories (OA). This explains why
the manual may also contain de­scriptions of equipment which
you have not ordered. Please
note, too, that your motorcycle
might not be exactly as illus­trated in this manual on account
of country-specific differences.
If your BMW was supplied with
equipment not described in
this Rider's Manual, you will
find these features described in
separate manuals.

Technical data

All dimensions, weights and
power ratings stated in the
Rider's Manual are quoted to the
standards and comply with the
tolerance requirements of the
Deutsches Institut für Normung
e.V. (DIN). Versions for individual
countries may differ.

Currency

The high safety and quality
standards of BMW motorcycles
are maintained by constant
development work on designs,
equipment and accessories.
Because of this, your motorcycle
may differ from the information
supplied in the Rider's Manual.
Nor can BMW Motorrad entirely
rule out errors and omissions.
We hope you will appreciate that
no claims can be entertained on
the basis of the data, illustrations
or descriptions in this manual.

1

7

z

General instructions

1

8

z

General instructions

General views

General view, left side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

General view, right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Underneath the trim panel . . . . . . . . . . 15

Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2

9

z

General views

2

10

z

General views

General view, left side

1 Power socket ( 76)
2 Seat lock ( 52)
3 Engine-oil filler neck and

oil dipstick ( 87)

2

11

z

General views

2

12

z

General views

General view, right side

1 Fuel filler neck ( 65)
2 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear

( 92)

3 VIN, type plate (on

steering-head bearing)

4 Brake-fluid reservoir, front

( 91)

5 Coolant level indicator (be-

hind side panel) ( 93)

6 Adjuster, spring preload

( 49)

7 Adjuster for damping char-

acteristic ( 50)

2

13

z

General views

Underneath the seat

2

1 Stowage

14

z

General views

with first-aid kit

Location of the first-aid kit

2 Standard toolkit ( 86)
3 Payload table
4 Table of tyre pressures
5 Helmet holder ( 53)
6 Rider's Manual
7 Tool for adjusting spring

preload ( 49)

OA

Underneath the trim panel

1 Battery ( 114)
2 Air-filter housing ( 112)

2

15

z

General views

Handlebar fitting, left

2

1 Selecting reading in exten-

16

z

General views

ded area ( 40)

2 with BMW Motorrad

3 Horn
4 Flashing turn indicators,

5 High-beam headlight and

OE

ABS
Operating the ABS
( 46)

left ( 44)
Hazard warning flashers
( 44)

headlight flasher ( 43)

Handlebar fitting, right

1 Emergency off switch (kill

switch) ( 45)

2 Starter button ( 59)
3 with heated handlebar

4 Flashing turn indicators,

5 Cancel button, flashing

OE

grips
Grip heating control
( 45)

right ( 44)
Hazard warning flashers
( 44)

turn indicators ( 44)
Pushbutton, cancel hazard
warning flashers ( 44)

2

17

z

General views

Instrument panel

2

1 Warning and telltale lights

18

z

General views

( 24)

2 Speedometer
3 Setting clock ( 39).

with on-board com-

OE

puter
Operation of the stopwatch
( 41)

4 Multifunction display

( 22)

5 Select the readings

( 40).
Resetting tripmeter
( 41).

6 Ambient-light brightness

sensor (for adapting the
brightness of the instru­ment lighting)

with anti-theft alarm

Anti-theft alarm telltale light
(see the instructions for
use for the anti-theft alarm)

with on-board com-

OE

puter

Redline warning ( 62)

7 Rev. counter

The instrument-cluster
lighting has automatic day

and night switchover.

OE

2

19

z

General views

2

20

z

General views

Status indicators

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Meaning of symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Fuel capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Warning and telltale lights . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Service-due indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Kilometres travelled after fuel down

to reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Ambient temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Tyre pressures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

3

21

z

Status indicators

Multifunction display

3

1 Trip meter ( 40)
2 Warning for engine elec-

22

z

Status indicators

tronics ( 31)

3 with on-board com-

4 Time ( 39)
5 with tyre pressure monit-

6 Warning for coolant tem-

7 Service due ( 25)
8 Values area ( 40)
9 with on-board com-

10 – with on-board computer

OE

puter
Stopwatch ( 41)

oring (RDC)
Tyre pressures ( 26)

perature ( 30)

OE

puter
Symbols explaining the
readings shown in the val­ues area ( 23)

(optional extra)
The horizontal bars indic­ate the level of the coolant
temperature.

OE

11 – with on-board computer

(optional extra)
Gear indicator; "N" indic­ates neutral

12 with on-board com-

13 – with on-board computer

14 a warning is shown in the

OE

puter

Fuel capacity ( 23)

(optional extra)
Values area ( 40)

values area ( 26)

Meaning of symbols

with on-board computer

distance travelled after
fuel down to reserve in km

( 25)

Average consumption in l/
100 km

Average speed in km/h

Current consumption in l/
100 km

Ambient temperature in °C
( 26)

OE

Fuel capacity

with on-board computer

The horizontal bars above

the fuel-pump symbol in­dicate the remaining quantity of
fuel. The top bar is larger than

OE

the others and the quantity of
fuel it represents is significantly
larger.
Once you have refuelled, the
gauge briefly shows the original
level, before the reading is up­dated.

3

23

z

Status indicators

Warning and telltale

3

lights

24

1 Oil-pressure warning light

( 31)

2 with BMW Motorrad

3 Warning light for fuel down

4 General warning light, in

5 High-beam headlight tell-

6 Telltale light for right turn

z

Status indicators

7 Telltale light for neutral
8 Telltale light for left turn

cifics of national regulations.

OE

ABS

ABS warning light ( 33)

to reserve ( 30)

combination with warnings
in the display ( 26)

tale light

indicators

indicators

The ABS symbol might dif­fer, depending on the spe-

Service-due indicator

If the next service is due in less
than one month, the date for the
next service 1 is shown briefly
after the Pre-Ride Check com­pletes. The month is shown as a
two-digit number and the year as
a four-digit number, with a colon
as separator, so in this example
the next service is due in March

2011.

If the motorcycle covers long dis­tances in the course of the year,
under certain circumstances it
might be necessary to have it
serviced at a date in advance
of the forecast due date. If the
countdown distance to the odo­meter reading at which a service
will be due is less than 1000 km,
the distance is counted down in
steps of 100 km 2 and is shown
briefly after the Pre-Ride Check
completes.

If service is overdue, the due
date or the odometer reading at
which service was due is accom-

panied by the 'General' warning
light showing yellow. The word
"Service" remains permanently
visible.

If the service-due indicator

appears more than a month
before the service date, the date
saved in the instrument cluster
must be adjusted. This situation
can occur if the battery was dis­connected for a prolonged period
of time.
If you want to have the date set
consult a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Kilometres travelled after fuel down to reserve

with on-board computer

Once the fuel has dropped

to the reserve level, the
reading shows the kilometres

OE

3

25

z

Status indicators

travelled since then. This counter
is reset as soon as refuelling

3

brings the total quantity of fuel

26

on board back above the reserve
level.

Ambient temperature

with on-board computer

When the motorcycle is at

a standstill the heat of the
engine can falsify the ambient­temperature reading. If the effect
of the engine's heat becomes ex­cessive, -- temporarily appears
on the display.

z

Status indicators

If ambient temperature drops be­low 3 °C the temperature dis­play flashes to draw your atten­tion to the risk of black ice form­ing. The display automatically
switches from any other mode
to the temperature reading when
the temperature drops below this
threshold for the first time.

OE

Tyre pressures

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

The tyre-pressure readings are
based on a reference tyre tem­perature of 20 °C. The front
tyre pressure is on the left 1
; the reading on the right 2 is
the rear tyre pressure. "-- --"
appears directly after the igni­tion is switched on, because
the sensors do not transmit tyre
pressures until the first time the
motorcycle accelerates to more
than 30 km/h.

If warning triangle 3 also

shows, the reading is a
warning. The critical pressure
flashes.
If the critical value is close to the
limit of the permissible tolerance
range, the reading is accompan­ied by the 'General' warning light
showing yellow. If the tyre pres­sure registered by the sensor is
outside the permissible tolerance
range, the 'General' warning light
flashes red.

The detailed description of BMW
Motorrad RDC starts on page
( 72) .

Warnings

Mode of presentation

Warnings are indicated by the
corresponding warning lights.

3

27

Warnings that do not have warn­ing lights of their own are indic­ated by 'General' warning light 1
showing in combination with a
text warning or a warning symbol
in the multifunction display. The
'General' warning light shows red
or yellow, depending on the ur­gency of the warning.

A reading in values area 2
that constitutes a warning
is accompanied by warning
triangle 3. These warnings can
alternate with the odometer
readings ( 40).

The status of the 'General' warn­ing light matches the most ur­gent warning.

The possible warnings are listed
on the next page.

z

Status indicators

Warnings, overview

3

Warning light Status indicators Meaning

28

Lights up yellow + "EWS" appears

on the display

Lights up Fuel down to reserve ( 30)

Electronic immobiliser active ( 30)

Lights up red Flashes

Lights up yellow Appears on the dis-

Flashes

z

Status indicators

Lights up yellow + "LAMP" ap-

Lights up yellow

play

pears on the dis­play

"x.x °C" flashes

+ "dWA" appears

on the display

Coolant temperature too high ( 30)

Engine in emergency-operation mode
( 31)

Insufficient engine oil pressure ( 31)

Bulb defective ( 31)

Ice warning ( 32)

Anti-theft alarm battery flat ( 32)

Warning light Status indicators Meaning

Flashes

Lights up

ABS self-diagnosis not completed
( 33)

ABS deactivated ( 33)

3

29

Lights up

Lights up yellow

Flashes red

+ "x.x" flashes Tyre pressure close to limit of permitted

+ "x.x" flashes

+ "--" or "--

--" appears on

the display.

Lights up yellow + "--" or "--

--" appears on

the display.

Lights up yellow

+ "RdC" appears

on the display.

ABS fault ( 33)

tolerance ( 33)

Tyre pressure outside permitted toler­ance ( 34)

Signal transmission disrupted ( 34)

Sensor defective or system error
( 35)

Battery of tyre-pressure sensor weak
( 35)

z

Status indicators

Electronic immobiliser

3

active

30

z

Status indicators

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "EWS" appears on the

display.

Possible cause:
The key being used is not au-

thorised for starting, or commu­nication between key and engine
electronics is disrupted.

Remove all other vehicle keys
from the same ring as the igni­tion key.
Use the reserve key.
Have the defective key re­placed, preferably by an au­thorised BMW Motorrad dealer.

Fuel down to reserve

Warning light for fuel down
to reserve shows.

Lack of fuel can result in

the engine misfiring and
cutting out unexpectedly. Mis­firing can damage the catalytic
converter; a hazardous situation
can result if the engine cuts out
unexpectedly.
Do not run the fuel tank dry.

Possible cause:
The fuel tank contains no more

than the reserve quantity of fuel.

Reserve fuel

approx. 4 l

Refuelling ( 65).

Coolant temperature too
high

General warning light shows

red.

The temperature symbol

flashes.

Continuing to ride when the

engine is overheated could
result in engine damage.
Compliance with the information
set out below is essential.

Possible cause:
If the coolant level is too low.

Check the coolant level ( 93).

If the coolant level is too low:

Topping up coolant ( 93).

Possible cause:
The coolant temperature is too

high.

If possible, ride in the part-load
range to cool down the engine.
In traffic jams, switch off the
engine, but leave the ignition
switched on so that the radi­ator fan continues to operate.
If the coolant temperature is
frequently too high, have the
fault rectified as soon as pos­sible by a specialist workshop,

preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Engine in emergency­operation mode

General warning light shows
yellow.

Engine symbol appears on
the display.

The engine is running in

emergency operating mode.
Full engine power or full engine
rpm might not be available and
this can cause hazardous situ­ations, particularly if you attempt
to overtake other road users.
Engine power level might be
lower than normal: adapt your
style of riding accordingly.

Possible cause:
The engine control unit has dia-

gnosed a fault. In exceptional
cases, the engine stops and re­fuses to start. Otherwise, the en-

gine runs in emergency operating
mode.

You can continue to ride, but
bear in mind that the usual en­gine power might not be avail­able.
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Insufficient engine oil
pressure

Warning light for engine-oil

pressure flashes.
The oil pressure in the lube-oil
system is too low. Stop immedi­ately and switch off the engine.

The insufficient oil pres-

sure warning does not fulfil
the function of an oil gauge. The
only way of checking whether
the oil level is correct is to check
with the oil dipstick.

Possible cause:
The engine-oil level is too low.

Checking engine oil level
( 87).

If the oil level is too low:

Top up the engine oil ( 88).

Possible cause:
The engine-oil pressure is insuffi-

cient.

Riding when engine-oil

pressure is low can result
in engine damage.
Do not continue your journey.

Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Bulb defective

General warning light shows

yellow.

3

31

z

Status indicators

+ "LAMP" appears on the

3

32

z

Status indicators

display.

A defective bulb places

your safety at risk because
it is easier for other users to
oversee the motorcycle.
Replace defective bulbs as
soon as possible; always carry a
complete set of spare bulbs if
possible.

Possible cause:
Bulb defective.

Visually inspect to ascertain
which bulb is defective.
Replacing low-beam and high­beam headlight bulb ( 105).
Replacing parking-light bulb
( 106).
Replacing brake light and rear
light bulb ( 108).
Replacing turn indicator bulbs,
front and rear ( 108).

Ice warning

with on-board computer

"x.x °C" (ambient temperat­ure) flashes.
Possible cause:

The air temperature measured
at the motorcycle is lower than
3 °C.

The ice warning does not

mean that there is no risk
of black ice forming at measured
temperatures above 3 °C.
Always take extra care when
temperatures are low; remember
that the danger of black ice form­ing is particularly high on bridges
and where the road is in shade.

Ride carefully and think well
ahead.

OE

Anti-theft alarm battery
flat

with anti-theft alarm

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "dWA" appears on the

display.

This error message appears
only briefly after the pre-

ride check completes.

Possible cause:
The integral battery in the anti-

theft alarm has lost its entire ori­ginal capacity. There is no assur­ance that the anti-theft alarm will
be operational if the motorcycle's
battery is disconnected.

Seek the advice of a specialist
workshop, preferably an author­ised BMW Motorrad dealer.

OE

ABS self-diagnosis not
completed

with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS warning light flashes.

Possible cause:
The ABS function is not

available, because self­diagnosis did not complete. The
motorcycle has to move forward
a few metres for the wheel
sensors to be tested.

Pull away slowly. Bear in mind
that the ABS function is not
available until self-diagnosis has
completed.

OE

ABS deactivated

with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS warning light shows.

OE

Possible cause:
The rider has switched off the

ABS system.

with BMW Motorrad ABS
Activating ABS function

( 47).

OE

ABS fault

with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS warning light shows.

Possible cause:
The ABS control unit has detec-

ted a fault. The ABS function is
not available.

You can continue to ride. Bear
in mind that the ABS function
is not available. Bear in mind
the more detailed information
on situations that can lead to
an ABS fault ( 71).
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably

OE

an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Tyre pressure close
to limit of permitted
tolerance

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "x.x" (critical pressure)
flashes.

Possible cause:
Measured tyre pressure is close

to the limit of permitted toler­ance.

Correct the tyre pressure as
stated on the inside cover of
the Rider's Manual.

Before you adjust tyre pres-

sure, read the information
on temperature compensation
and adjusting pressure in the

3

33

z

Status indicators

section entitled "Engineering
details".

3

34

Tyre pressure outside
permitted tolerance

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light
flashes red.

+ "x.x" (critical pressure)
flashes.

Possible cause:
Measured tyre pressure is out-

side permitted tolerance.

z

Status indicators

Check the tyre for damage and
to ascertain whether the mo­torcycle can be ridden with the

tyre in its present condition.
If the motorcycle can be ridden
with the tyre in its present condi­tion:

Incorrect tyre pressures im­pair the motorcycle's hand-

ling characteristics.

If tyre pressure is incorrect it is
essential to adapt your style of
riding accordingly.

Correct the tyre pressure at the
earliest possible opportunity.
Have the tyre checked for
damage by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad

dealer.
If you are unsure whether the
motorcycle can be ridden with
the tyre in its present condition:

Do not continue your journey.

Notify the breakdown service.

Have the tyre checked for

damage by a specialist

workshop, preferably an

authorised BMW Motorrad

dealer.

Signal transmission
disrupted

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

+ "--" or "-- --" ap-

pears on the display.

Possible cause:
The motorcycle has not yet ac-

celerated past the threshold of
approximately 30 km/h. The
RDC sensors do not start trans­mitting signals until the motor­cycle reaches a speed above this
threshold ( 72).

Increase speed above this
threshold and observe the RDC
readings. Assume that a per­manent fault has not occurred
unless the 'General' warning
light comes on to accompany
the symptoms. Under these
circumstances:
Have the fault rectified by a
specialist workshop, preferably

an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Possible cause:
Wireless communication with the

RDC sensors has been disrupted.
Possible causes include radio­communication systems operat­ing in the vicinity and interfering
with the link between the RDC
control unit and the sensors.

Move to another location and
observe the RDC readings. As­sume that a permanent fault
has not occurred unless the
'General' warning light comes
on to accompany the symp­toms. Under these circum­stances:
Have the fault rectified by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Sensor defective or
system error

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "--" or "-- --" ap-

pears on the display.

Possible cause:
Motorcycle is fitted with wheels

not equipped with RDC sensors.

Fit wheels and tyres equipped
with RDC sensors.

Possible cause:
One or two RDC sensors have

failed.

Have the fault rectified by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Possible cause:
A system error has occurred.

Have the fault rectified by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Battery of tyre-pressure
sensor weak

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "RdC" appears on the

display.

This error message appears
only briefly after the pre-

ride check completes.

Possible cause:
The integral battery in the tyre-

pressure sensor has lost a sig­nificant proportion of its original
capacity. There is no assurance
of how long the tyre pressure

3

35

z

Status indicators

control system can remain opera­tional.

3

Seek the advice of a specialist

36

workshop, preferably an author­ised BMW Motorrad dealer.

z

Status indicators

Operation

Ignition switch and steering lock . . . . 38

Electronic immobiliser EWS . . . . . . . . . 39

Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Stopwatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Turn indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Emergency off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Grip heating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Securing helmet to motorcycle . . . . . 53

4

37

z

Operation

Ignition switch and

4

steering lock

38

Keys

You receive two master keys and
one spare key. Please consult
the information on the electronic
immobiliser (EWS) if a key is lost
or mislaid ( 39).
Ignition switch and steering lock,
tank filler cap lock and seat lock
are all operated with the same

z

Operation

key.

with case
with topcase

If you wish you can arrange to
have the cases and the top­case fitted with locks that can
be opened with this key as well.
Consult a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

OA

OA

Switching on ignition

Turn the key to position 1.

Parking lights and all function

circuits switched on.

Engine can be started.

Pre-ride check is performed.

( 60)

with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS self-diagnosis is

performed. ( 60)

Switch off the ignition

Turn the key to position 2.
Lights switched off.
Handlebars not locked.
Key can be removed.
Electrically powered accessor-

OE

ies remain operational for a lim­ited period of time.
The battery can be recharged
via the on-board socket.

Locking handlebars

Turn the handlebars all the way
to left

Turn the key to position 3,
while moving the handlebars
slightly.
Ignition, lights and all function
circuits switched off.
Handlebars locked.
Key can be removed.

Electronic immobiliser EWS

The motorcycle's electronics
exchange certain continuously
changing signals with the elec­tronics in the key; these signals
are specific to your motorcycle
and they are transmitted via the

ring aerial in the ignition lock.
The ignition is not enabled for
starting until the engine control
unit has recognised the key as
"authorised" for your motorcycle.

A spare key attached to

the same ring as the ig­nition key used to start the en­gine could "irritate" the electron­ics, in which case the enabling
signal for starting is not issued.
The EWS warning appears in the
multifunction display.
Always keep the spare key sep­arately from the ignition key.

If you mislay a key you can have
the key in question barred by
your authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer. In order to have a key
barred you must bring along all
the other keys belonging to the
motorcycle.
The engine cannot be started by
a barred key, but a key that has

been barred can subsequently be
reactivated.
You can obtain replacement/extra
keys only through an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer. The keys
are part of an integrated security
system, so the dealer is under an
obligation to check the legitimacy
of all applications for replace­ment/extra keys.

Clock

Setting clock

Attempting to set the clock

while riding the motorcycle
can lead to accidents.
Set the clock only when the mo­torcycle is stationary.

Switch on the ignition.

4

39

z

Operation

4

40

Press and hold down button 1
until the hours number 3
flashes.

z

Operation

Repeatedly press the button
until the hours number is cor­rect.
Press and hold down the but­ton until the minutes number 4
flashes.
Repeatedly press the button
until the minutes number is
correct.
Hold down the button until the
minutes number stops flashing.
This completes the process.

Reading

Select the readings

Switch on the ignition.

Press button 2 to select the

reading in values area 3.
The following values can be dis­played:

Total kilometres (shown)

Tripmeter 1 (Trip I)

Tripmeter 2 (Trip II)

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

Tyre pressures

Warnings, if applicable

with on-board computer

Press button 4 to select the

reading in values area 5.
The following values can be dis­played:

Ambient temperature (°C)

Average speed in km/h

OE

Average consumption in l/
100 km

Current consumption in l/
100 km

distance travelled after fuel
down to reserve in km

Resetting tripmeter

Switch on the ignition.
Select the desired tripmeter.

Press and hold down button 2
until the tripmeter reading is
reset.

Resetting average values

with on-board computer

Switch on the ignition.
Select average consumption or
average speed.

Press and hold down button 1
until the value shown is reset.

OE

Stopwatch

with on-board computer

OE

Stopwatch

You can switch from the odo­meter reading to a stopwatch 3.
The readout is in hours, minutes,
seconds and tenths of a second,
with dots as separators.
By swapping the functions of
button 2 and the INFO button
on the handlebar fitting you can
make the stopwatch easier to
use (as a lap timer) as you ride.
If you swap the functions in this
way the stopwatch and the odo­meter are operated by means of
the INFO button and you must

4

41

z

Operation

use button 2 to operate the on­board computer.

4

The stopwatch continues to time

42

in the background if you switch
back temporarily to the odometer
reading. Similarly, the stopwatch
continues timing if you temporar­ily switch off the ignition.

Changing button
functions

Operating stopwatch

z

Operation

If necessary, use button 1 to
switch from the odometer to
the stopwatch.

When the stopwatch is
stopped, press button 2 to
start timing with the stopwatch.
When the stopwatch is running,
press button 2 to stop timing
with the stopwatch.
Press and hold down button 2
to reset the stopwatch.

Press button 1 and button 2

at the same time and hold

them down until the reading

changes.

FLASH (redline warning) ap-

pears, along with ON or OFF.

Press button 2.

LAP (Lap-Timer) and ON or

OFF appear.

Repeatedly press button 1 until

the reading shows the mode

you want.

ON: Stopwatch operated by

means of the INFO button on
the handlebar fitting.

OFF: Stopwatch operated by

means of button 2 in the in­strument panel.
To save the setting, press
button 1 and button 2 at
the same time and hold
them down until the reading
changes.

Lights

Side light

The side lights switch on auto­matically when the ignition is
switched on.

The side lights place

a strain on the battery.
Do not switch the ignition
on for longer than absolutely
necessary.

Low-beam headlight

The low-beam headlight switches
on automatically when you start
the engine.

When the engine is not

running you can switch on
the lights by switching on the ig­nition and either switching on the
high-beam headlight or operating
the headlight flasher.

High-beam headlight and
headlight flasher

Press top section of switch 1
to switch on the high-beam
headlight.

Press bottom section of
switch 1 to operate the
headlight flasher.

Parking light

Switch off the ignition.

Immediately after switching off
the ignition, push button 1 and
hold it in this position until the
parking lights come on.
Switch the ignition on and off
again to switch off the parking
lights.

4

43

z

Operation

Turn indicators

4

Operating flashing turn

44

indicators

Switch on the ignition.

The turn indicators are can-

celled automatically after
you have ridden for approxim­ately 10 seconds, or covered a
distance of about 200 m.

z

Operation

Press button 1 to switch on
the left flashing turn indicator.

Press button 2 to switch on
the right flashing turn indicator.

Press button 3 to switch off
the flashing turn indicators.

Hazard warning flashers

Operating hazard warning
flashers

Switch on the ignition.

The hazard warning flash-

ers place a strain on the
battery. Do not use the hazard
warning flashers for longer than
absolutely necessary.

If you press a turn-indic-

ator button with the ignition
switched on, the turn-indicator
function is activated instead of
the hazard warning flashers, and
remains active until you release
the button. The hazard warning
flashers recommence flashing as
soon as the button is released.

Emergency off switch (kill switch)

4

45

Press buttons 1 and 2 at the
same time to switch on the
hazard warning flashers.
Ignition can be switched off.

Press button 3 to switch off
the hazard warning flashers.

1 Emergency off switch (kill

switch)

Operating the kill switch

when riding can cause
the rear wheel to lock and thus
cause a fall.
Do not operate the kill switch
when riding.

The emergency off switch is a
kill switch for switching off the
engine quickly and easily.

a Normal operating position

(run)

b Engine switched off.

Grip heating

with heated handlebar grips

OE

z

Operation

4

46

off to ensure the battery's start­ing capability.

1 Grip-heating switch

The handlebar grips have two-

z

Operation

stage heating. Stage two is for
heating the grips quickly: it is ad­visable to switch back to stage
one as soon as the grips are
warm. Grip heating can be ac­tivated only when the engine is
running.

The increase in power con-

sumption caused by the
grip heating can drain the bat­tery if you are riding at low en­gine speeds. If the charge level
is low, grip heating is switched

2 Heating off.
3 50 % heat output (one dot

visible)

4 100 % heat output (three

dots visible)

BMW Motorrad ABS

with BMW Motorrad ABS

Deactivating ABS function

Bring the motorcycle to a stop
or, if the motorcycle is at a
standstill, switch on the igni­tion.

OE

Press and hold down button 1
until the ABS warning light
changes status.

ABS warning light shows.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

ABS warning light remains
ON.

The ABS function is deactiv­ated.

Activating ABS function

Press and hold down button 1
until the ABS warning light
changes status.

ABS warning light goes out;
if self-diagnosis has not

completed it starts flashing.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

The ABS warning light re­mains off or continues to

flash.

The ABS function is activated.
You also have the option of
switching the ignition off and
then on again.

If you switch the ignition off

then on again and the ABS
light comes back on, there is a
fault in the ABS.

Clutch

Adjusting clutch lever

Attempting to adjust the

clutch lever while riding the
motorcycle can lead to accidents.
Do not attempt to adjust the
clutch lever unless the motor­cycle is at a standstill.

Turn adjusting screw 1
clockwise to increase the span

between the clutch lever and
the handlebar grip.
Turn adjusting screw 1
counter-clockwise to reduce
the span between the clutch
lever and the handlebar grip.

The adjusting screw is
easier to turn if you push

the clutch lever forward.

Brakes

Adjust the handbrake
lever

Changing the position of

the brake-fluid reservoir can
allow air to penetrate the brake
system.
Do not twist the handlebar fitting
or the handlebars.

Attempting to adjust the

handbrake lever while rid­ing the motorcycle can lead to
accidents.
Do not attempt to adjust the

4

47

z

Operation

handbrake lever unless the mo­torcycle is at a standstill.

4

48

z

Operation

Turn adjusting screw 1
clockwise to increase the span
between the brake lever and
the handlebar grip.
Turn adjusting screw 1
counter-clockwise to reduce
the span between the brake
lever and the handlebar grip.

The adjusting screw is
easier to turn if you push

the handbrake lever forward.

Mirrors

Adjust the mirrors

Turn the mirror to the correct
position.

Adjusting mirror arm

Push protective cap 1 up over
the threaded fastener on the
mirror arm.
Slacken nut 2.
Turn the mirror arm to the ap­propriate position.
Tighten the nut to the spe­cified tightening torque, while
holding the mirror arm to en­sure that it does not move out
of position.

Locknut (mirror) to clamp
adapter

20 Nm

Push the protective cap over
the threaded fastener.

Spring preload

Setting

It is essential to set spring pre­load of the rear suspension to
suit the load carried by the mo­torcycle. Increase spring preload
when the motorcycle is heavily
loaded and reduce spring preload
accordingly when the motorcycle
is lightly loaded.

Adjusting spring preload
for rear wheel

Remove the seat ( 52).

Remove on-board toolkit 1.

Your motorcycle's hand-

ling will suffer if you do not
match the spring-preload and
damping-characteristic settings.

Adjust the damping characteristic
to suit spring preload.

If you want to increase spring
preload, use the tool from the
on-board toolkit to turn knob 2
clockwise.
If you want to reduce spring
preload, use the tool from the
on-board toolkit to turn knob 2
counter-clockwise.

Basic setting of spring
preload, rear

Turn the adjusting screw
counter-clockwise as far as
it will go (Full load of fuel,
with rider 85 kg)

with lowered suspension

Turn adjusting screw as far
as it will go counter-clock­wise, then pretension the
spring 5 clicks. (Full load of
fuel, with rider 85 kg)

Stow the on-board toolkit in its
correct position.

OE

4

49

z

Operation

Installing seat ( 53).

4

Damping

50

Setting

Damping must be adapted to suit
the surface on which the motor­cycle is ridden and to suit spring
preload.

An uneven surface requires
softer damping than a smooth
surface.
An increase in spring preload

z

Operation

requires firmer damping, a re­duction in spring preload re­quires softer damping.

Adjusting damping for
rear wheel

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

You adjust the damping char­acteristic by turning adjusting
screw 1.

If you want a harder damping
characteristic, use a screw­driver to turn adjusting screw 1

in the direction indicated by the
H arrow.
If you want a softer damping
characteristic, use a screw­driver to turn adjusting screw 1
in the direction indicated by the
S arrow.

Basic setting of rear-sus­pension damping charac-

teristic

Turn adjusting screw as far
as it will go clockwise, then
back it off 2 turns. (Full load
of fuel, with rider 85 kg)

Tyres

Checking tyre pressure

Incorrect tyre pressures im-

pair the motorcycle's hand­ling characteristics and increase
the rate of tyre wear.
Always check that the tyre pres­sures are correct.

At high road speeds, tyre

valves installed perpen­dicular to the wheel rim have a
tendency to open as a result of
centrifugal force.
In order to avoid sudden defla­tion, fit valves installed perpen­dicular to the rim with valve caps
complete with rubber seals and
make sure the valve caps are
screwed firmly on to the valves.

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Check tyre pressures against
the data below.

Tyre pressure, front

2.2 bar (one-up, at tyre tem­perature 20 °C)

2.4 bar (two-up and/or with
luggage, at tyre temperature
20 °C)

Tyre pressure, rear

2.4 bar (one-up, at tyre tem­perature 20 °C)

2.8 bar (two-up and/or with
luggage, at tyre temperature
20 °C)

If tyre pressure is too low:

Correct tyre pressure.

Headlight

Adjusting headlight for
driving on left/driving on
right

If the motorcycle is ridden in a
country where the opposite rule
of the road applies, its asymmet­ric low-beam headlight will tend
to dazzle oncoming traffic.
Have the headlight set accord­ingly by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Headlight beam throw and
spring preload

Headlight beam throw is gener­ally kept constant when spring
preload is adjusted to suit load.
Spring preload adjustment might
not suffice only if the motorcycle
is very heavily loaded. Under
these circumstances, headlight
beam throw has to be adjusted
to suit the weight carried by the
motorcycle.

Consult a specialist work-

shop, preferably an au­thorised BMW Motorrad dealer,
if you are unsure whether the
headlight beam-throw setting is
correct.

4

51

z

Operation

Adjusting headlight beam

4

throw

52

z

Operation

Slacken screws 1 on left and
right.
Adjust beam throw by tilting
the headlight slightly about its
horizontal axis.
Tighten screws 1 on left and
right.

Beam-throw basic setting

Slacken screws 1 on left and
right.
Tilt the headlight slightly
about its horizontal axis until
arrowhead 2 is pointing toward
marker 3.
Tighten screws 1 on left and
right.

Seat

Remove the seat

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

Turn the key to the left in seat
lock 1 and hold it in this pos­ition while pressing down the
front part of the seat.

Lift seat 2 at the front and re­lease the key.

Remove the seat and place
it, rubber buffers down, on a
clean surface.

Installing seat

Engage the seat in holders 3.
Firmly press down on the seat
at the front.
The seat engages with an aud­ible click.

Securing helmet to motorcycle

Remove the seat ( 52).

Use a plastic-sheathed steel
cable to secure the helmet to
helmet holder 1 on left or right.

If it is attached on the left
side of the motorcycle,

there is a possibility of the hel-

met being damaged by the hot
end silencer.
If possible, attach the helmet
on the right-hand side of the
motorcycle.

The helmet catch can

scratch the panelling.
Make sure the lock is out of the
way when you hook the helmet
into position.

Pass the steel cable through
the helmet and the holder and
position cable and helmet as
shown here.
Installing seat ( 53).

4

53

z

Operation

4

54

z

Operation

Riding

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Off-roading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Parking your motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Secure the motorcycle for transport-

ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

5

55

z

Riding

Safety instructions

5

Rider's equipment

56

Do not ride without the correct
clothing. Always wear:

Helmet
Motorcycling jacket and
trousers
Gloves
Boots

z

Riding

This applies even to short jour­neys, and to every season of
the year. Your authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer will be glad to
advise you on the correct cloth­ing for every purpose.

Restricted angle of heel

with lowered suspension

A motorcycle with lowered
suspension has less ground
clearance and cannot corner
at angles of heel as extreme
as those achievable by a
counterpart motorcycle with

OE

standard-height suspension (see
the section entitled "Technical
data").

Risk of accident by unex-

pectedly early contact with
the ground.
Bear in mind that lowered
suspension limits the
motorcycle's angle of heel and
ground clearance.

Test your motorcycle's angle
of heel in situations that do not
involve risk. When riding over
kerbs and similar obstacles, bear
in mind that your motorcycle's
ground clearance is limited.

Lowering the motorcycle's sus­pension shortens suspension
travel. Ride comfort might be
restricted as a result. Be sure to
adjust spring preload accordingly,
particularly for riding two-up.

Correct loading

Overloading and imbal-

anced loads can adversely
affect the motorcycle's handling.
Do not exceed the permissible
gross weight and be sure to
comply with the instructions on
loading.

Set spring preload, damping
characteristic and tyre pres­sures to suit total weight.
with case

Ensure that the case volumes
on the left and right are equal.
Make sure that the weight is
uniformly distributed between
right and left.
Pack heavy items at the bot­tom of the cases and toward
the inboard side.
Note the maximum permissible
payload and the speed limit
for riding with cases fitted, as

OA

stated on the label inside the
case.

with topcase
Note the maximum permissible

payload and the speed limit for
riding with topcase fitted, as
stated on the label inside the
topcase.

with tank rucksack
Note the maximum permissible

payload of the tank rucksack
and the speed limit for riding
with a tank rucksack on the
motorcycle.

max 5 kg

tank rucksack fitted to the mo­torcycle

max 130 km/h

OA

OA

Payload of tank rucksack

Maximum permissible
speed for riding with the

with rear softbag
Note the maximum permissible

payload of the rear softbag and
the speed limit for riding with a
rear softbag on the motorcycle.

Payload of rear softbag

max 1.5 kg

Maximum permissible

speed for riding with the
rear softbag fitted to the mo­torcycle

max 130 km/h

OA

Speed

If you ride at high speed, always
bear in mind that various bound­ary conditions can adversely af­fect the handling of your motor­cycle:

Settings of the spring-strut and
shock-absorber system
Imbalanced load
Loose clothing
Insufficient tyre pressure
Poor tyre tread
Etc.

Risk of poisoning

Exhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, which is colourless
and odourless but highly toxic.

Inhaling the exhaust fumes

therefore represents a
health hazard and can even
cause loss of consciousness with
fatal consequences.
Do not inhale exhaust fumes.
Do not run the engine in an en­closed space.

5

57

z

Riding

Catalytic converter

5

If misfiring causes unburned fuel
to enter the catalytic converter,

58

there is a danger of overheating
and damage.
For this reason, observe the fol­lowing points:

Do not run the fuel tank dry.
Do not attempt to start or run
the engine with a spark-plug

z

Riding

cap disconnected.
Stop the engine immediately if
it misfires.
Use only unleaded fuel.
Comply with all specified main­tenance intervals.

Unburned fuel will destroy

the catalytic converter.
Note the points listed for protec­tion of the catalytic converter.

Risk of overheating

Cooling would be

inadequate if the engine
were allowed to idle for a lengthy
period with the motorcycle at
a standstill: overheating would
result. In extreme cases, the
motorcycle could catch fire.
Do not allow the engine to idle
unnecessarily. Ride away imme­diately after starting the engine.

Tampering

Tampering with motor-

cycle settings (e.g. elec­tronic engine management unit,
throttle valves, clutch) can cause
damages to the components in
question and lead to failure of
safety-relevant functions. Dam­age caused in this way is not
covered by the warranty.
Do not tamper with the motor­cycle in any way that could result
in tuned performance.

Checklist

Use the following checklist to
check important functions, set­tings and wear limits before you
ride off.

Brakes
Brake-fluid levels, front and rear
Clutch
Damping-characteristic setting
and spring preload
Tyre-tread depth and tyre
pressures
Cases correctly installed and
luggage secured

At regular intervals:

Engine oil level (every refuelling
stop)
Brake-pad wear (every third
refuelling stop)
Tension and lubrication of the
drive chain

Starting

Side stand

You cannot start the motorcycle
with the side stand extended and
a gear engaged. The engine will
switch itself off if you start it with
the gearbox in neutral and then
engage a gear before retracting
the side stand.

Gearbox

You can start the engine when
the gearbox is in neutral or if you
pull the clutch with a gear en­gaged. Do not pull the clutch un­til after you have switched on the
ignition, as otherwise the engine
will refuse to start.

Starting engine

Kill switch in run position a.

Gearbox lubrication is en-

sured only when the engine
is running. Inadequate lubrica­tion can result in damage to the
gearbox.
Do not allow the motorcycle to
roll for a lengthy period of time or
push it a long distance with the
engine switched off.

Switch on the ignition.
Pre-ride check is performed.
( 60)

with BMW Motorrad ABS
ABS self-diagnosis is

performed. ( 60)

Press starter button 1.

If ambient temperatures are

very low, you might find it
necessary to open the throttle
slightly when starting the engine.
At ambient temperatures below
0 °C, disengage the clutch after
switching on the ignition.

The start attempt is auto-

matically interrupted if bat­tery voltage is too low. Recharge
the battery before you start the

OE

5

59

z

Riding

engine, or use jump leads and a
donor battery to start.

5

The engine starts.

60

If the engine refuses to start,
consult the troubleshooting
chart in the section entitled
"Technical data". ( 124)

Pre-ride check

The instrument panel runs a test

z

Riding

of the instruments and the telltale
and warning lights when the ig­nition is switched on: this is the
Pre-Ride-Check The test is abor­ted if you start the engine before
it completes.

Phase 1

The rev. counter and speedo­meter needles both swing to
the limit values on their scales.
At the same time, all the warn­ing lights and telltale lights are
switched on in succession.

Phase 2

The 'General' warning light
changes from yellow to red.

Phase 3

The rev. counter and speedo­meter needles both swing back
to rest. At the same time, all the
warning lights and telltale lights
switched on in the initial phase
are switched off in reverse se­quence.

If a needle did not move or if a
warning light or telltale light did
not show:

Some malfunctions cannot

be indicated if one of the
warning lights fails to show.
Make sure that all the warning
and telltale lights come on in the
pre-ride check.

Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably

an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

ABS self-diagnosis

with BMW Motorrad ABS

BMW Motorrad ABS performs
self-diagnosis to ensure its op­erability. Self-diagnosis is per­formed automatically when you
switch on the ignition. The mo­torcycle has to move forward a
few metres for the wheel sensors
to be tested.

Phase 1

Test of the diagnosis-compat­ible system components with
the motorcycle at a standstill.

ABS warning light flashes.

Phase 2

Test of the wheel sensors as
the motorcycle pulls away from
rest.

OE

ABS warning light flashes.

ABS self-diagnosis
completed

The ABS warning light goes
out.

If an indicator showing an ABS
fault appears when ABS self-dia­gnosis completes:

You can continue to ride. Bear
in mind that the ABS function
is not available.
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Running in

The first 1000 km

While running in the motor­cycle, vary the throttle opening
and engine-speed range fre­quently; avoid riding at constant

engine rpm for prolonged peri­ods.
Try to do most of your rid­ing during this initial period on
twisting, fairly hilly roads, avoid­ing high-speed main roads and
highways if possible.
Comply with the rpm limits for
running in.

Running-in speed

<5000 min

Do not omit the first inspection
after 500 - 1200 km.

-1

Brake pads

New brake pads have to bed
down before they can achieve
their optimum friction levels. You
can compensate for this initial re­duction in braking efficiency by
exerting greater pressure on the
levers.

New brake pads can ex-

tend stopping distance by a
significant margin.
Apply the brakes in good time.

Tyres

New tyres have a smooth sur­face. This must be roughened by
riding in a restrained manner at
various heel angles until the tyres
are run in. This running in pro­cedure is essential if the tyres are
to achieve maximum grip.

Tyres do not have their full

grip when new and there
is a risk of accidents at extreme
angles of heel.
Avoid extreme angles of heel.

Speed

with on-board computer

OE

5

61

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Riding

Redline warning

5

62

Activating redline warning

them down until the reading
changes.

Off-roading

After off-roading

BMW Motorrad recommends
checking the following after riding
the motorcycle off-road:

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Riding

The redline warning indicates
that engine revolutions have
reached the rev. counter's red
segment. The anti-theft alarm
telltale light 1 flashes red to in­dicate that the engine is red­lining.
The signal remains active un­til you shift up or reduce engine
speed. You can activate or deac­tivate the redline warning.

Press button 1 and button 2
at the same time and hold
them down until the reading
changes.

FLASH (redline warning) ap-

pears, along with ON or OFF.
Repeatedly press button 1 until
the reading shows the mode
you want.

ON: Redline warning activated.
OFF: Redline warning deactiv-

ated.
To save the setting, press
button 1 and button 2 at
the same time and hold

Tyre pressure

Tyre pressures reduced for

off-road riding impair the
motorcycle's handling character­istics on surfaced roads and can
lead to accidents.
Always check that the tyre pres­sures are correct.

Brakes

When riding on loose sur-

faces or muddy roads, the
brakes may fail to take effect
immediately because of dirt or
moisture on the discs or brake
pads.

Apply the brakes in good time
until the brakes have been
cleaned.

The brake pads will wear

more rapidly if you ride fre­quently on unsurfaced tracks or
poor roads.
Check the thickness of the brake
pads more frequently and replace
the brake pads in good time.

Spring preload and shock­absorber settings

The off-road settings for

spring preload and shock
absorber damping characteristic
will impair the motorcycle's hand­ling characteristics on surfaced
roads.
If you have been off-roading, re­member to correct spring preload
and shock-absorber damping
characteristics before you return
to surfaced roads.

Rims

BMW Motorrad recommends
checking the rims for damage
after off-roading.

Air filter element

Engine damage due to

clogged air filter element.
If you ride in dusty terrain check
the air filter element for clogging
at shorter intervals; clan or re­place as necessary.

Operation in very dusty condi­tions (desert, steppes, or the like)
necessitates the use of air filter
elements specially designed for
conditions of this nature.

Brakes

How can stopping
distance be minimised?

Each time the brakes are applied,
a load distribution shift takes
place with the load shifting for­ward from the rear to the front
wheel. The sharper the motor­cycle decelerates, the more load
is shifted to the front wheel. The
higher the wheel load, the more
braking force can be transmitted
without the wheel locking.
To optimise stopping distance,
apply the front brakes rapidly and
keep on increasing the force you
apply to the brake lever. This
makes the best possible use of
the dynamic increase in load at
the front wheel. Remember to
pull the clutch at the same time.
In the "panic braking situations"
that are trained so frequently
braking force is applied as rap­idly as possible and with the

5

63

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Riding

rider's full force exerted on the
brake levers; under these circum-

5

stances the dynamic shift in load

64

distribution cannot keep pace
with the increase in deceleration
and the tyres cannot transmit the
full braking force to the surface
of the road. Under these circum­stances the front wheel can lock
up.

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Riding

with BMW Motorrad ABS

BMW Motorrad ABS prevents
the front wheel from locking up.

Descending mountain
passes

There is a danger of the

brakes fading if you use
only the rear brakes when des­cending mountain passes. Under
extreme conditions, the brakes
could overheat and suffer severe
damage.
Use both front and rear brakes,

and make use of the engine's
braking effect as well.

Wet and dirty brakes

Wetness and dirt on the brake
discs and the brake pads dimin­ish braking efficiency.
Delayed braking action or poor
braking efficiency must be
reckoned with in the following
situations:

OE

Riding in the rain or through
puddles of water.
After the motorcycle has been
washed.
Riding on salted or gritted
roads.
After work has been carried on
the brakes, due to traces of oil
or grease.
Riding on dirt-covered surfaces
or off-road.

Wetness and dirt result in
poor braking efficiency.

Apply the brakes lightly while

riding to remove wetness and
dirt, or dismount and clean the
brakes.
Think ahead and brake in good
time until full braking efficiency is
restored.

Parking your motorcycle

Side stand

Switch off the engine.

If the ground is soft or un-

even, there is no guaran­tee that the motorcycle will rest
firmly on the stand.
Always check that the ground
under the stand is level and
firm.

Extend the side stand and
prop the motorcycle on the
stand.

The side stand is designed
to support only the weight

of the motorcycle.

Do not lean or sit on the
motorcycle with the side stand
extended.

If the camber of the roadway
permits, turn the handlebars all
the way to the left.

On a gradient, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se­lect 1st gear.

Centre stand

with centre stand

Switch off the engine.

If the ground is soft or un-

even, there is no guaran­tee that the motorcycle will rest
firmly on the stand.
Always check that the ground
under the stand is level and
firm.

Excessive movements

could cause the centre
stand to retract, and the

OE

motorcycle would topple in
consequence.
Do not lean or sit on the mo­torcycle with the centre stand
extended.

Extend the centre stand and
lift the motorcycle onto the
stand.

Refuelling

Fuel is highly flammable. A

naked flame close to the
fuel tank can cause a fire or ex­plosion.
Do not smoke. Never bring a
naked flame near the fuel tank.

Fuel expands when hot.

Fuel escaping from an
overfilled tank could make its way
onto the road surface. This could
cause a fall.
Do not overfill the fuel tank.

Fuel attacks plastics, which

become dull or unsightly.
Wipe off plastic parts immediately
if they come into contact with
fuel.

Leaded fuel will destroy the

catalytic converter.
Use only unleaded fuel.

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its side stand.

The volume of the tank can

be utilised to the full only
when the motorcycle is propped
on its side stand.

Open the protective cap.

5

65

z

Riding

5

66

Use the ignition key to unlock

z

Riding

the fuel filler cap and pop the
cap open.

tank past the bottom edge of
the filler neck.

When refuelling after run-

ning on reserve, make sure
that you top up the tank to a
level above reserve, as other­wise the sensor will not be able
to register the new level. If the
sensor cannot register the new
level neither the fuel-level read­ing nor the range readout can be
updated.

Recommended fuel
grade

Regular, unleaded
91 ROZ/RON
87 AKI

Usable fuel capacity

Reserve fuel

approx. 4 l

Press the fuel tank cap down
firmly to close.
Remove the key and close the
protective cap.

Secure the motorcycle for transportation

Make sure that all components
that might come into contact
with straps used to secure the
motorcycle are adequately pro­tected against scratching. Use
adhesive tape or soft cloths, for
example, for this purpose.

Refuel with fuel of the grade
stated below; do not fill the

approx. 16 l

5

67

The motorcycle can topple

and fall on its side.
Make sure that the motorcycle
cannot topple sideways.

Push the motorcycle onto the
transportation flat and hold it in
position: do not place it on the
side stand or centre stand.

Risk of damaging compon-

ents.
Take care not to trap
components such as brake lines
or wires.

At the front, secure the straps
to the bottom fork bridge on
both sides and tighten the
straps.

At the rear, secure the straps
to the rear frame on both sides
and tighten the straps.
Tighten all the straps uniformly;
the motorcycle's suspension
should be compressed as
tightly as possible front and
rear.

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Riding

5

68

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Riding

Engineering details

Brake system with BMW Motorrad

ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Tyre pressure monitoring RDC . . . . . 72

6

69

z

Engineering details

Brake system with

6

BMW Motorrad ABS

70

with BMW Motorrad ABS

How does ABS work?

The amount of braking force that
can be transferred to the road
depends on factors hat include
the coefficient of friction of the
road surface. Loose stones, ice
and snow or a wet road all have
much lower coefficients of fric­tion than a clean, dry asphalt sur­face. The lower the coefficient
of friction, the longer the braking
distance.

z

Engineering details

If the rider increases braking
pressure to the extent that brak­ing force exceeds the maximum
transferrable limit, the wheels
start to lock and the motorcycle
loses its directional stability; a fall
is imminent. Before this situation
can occur, ABS intervenes and
adapts braking pressure to the
maximum transferrable braking

force, so the wheels continue
to turn and directional stability
is maintained irrespective of the

OE

condition of the road surface.

What are the effects of
surface irregularities?

Humps and surface irregularit­ies can cause the wheels to lose
contact temporarily with the road
surface; if this happens the brak­ing force that can be transmit­ted to the road can drop to zero.
If the brakes are applied under
these circumstances the ABS
has to reduce braking force to
ensure that directional stability
is maintained when the wheels
regain contact with the road sur­face. At this instant the BMW
Motorrad ABS must assume an
extremely low coefficient of fric­tion, so that the wheels will con­tinue to rotate under all imagin­able circumstances, because this
is the precondition for ensuring

directional stability. As soon as
is registers the actual circum­stances, the system reacts in­stantly and adjusts braking force
accordingly to achieve optimum
braking.

Rear wheel lift

Under very severe and sudden
deceleration, however, under
certain circumstances it is pos­sible that the BMW Motorrad
ABS will be unable to prevent
the rear wheel from lifting clear
of the ground. If this happens
the outcome can be a highsiding
situation in which the motorcycle
can flip over.

Severe braking can cause

the rear wheel to lift off the
ground.
When you brake, bear in mind
that ABS control cannot be relied
on in all circumstances to prevent
the rear wheel from lifting clear of
the ground.

What is the design
baseline for BMW
Motorrad ABS?

Within the limits imposed by
physics, BMW Motorrad ABS en­sures directional stability on any
surface. The system is not op­timised for special requirements
that apply under extreme com­petitive situations off-road or on
the track.

Special situations

The speeds of the front and rear
wheels are compared as one
means of detecting a wheel's
incipient tendency to lock. If
the system registers implaus­ible values for a lengthy period
the ABS function is deactivated
for safety reasons and an ABS
fault message is issued. Self-dia­gnosis has to complete before
fault messages can be issued.
In addition to problems with the
BMW Motorrad ABS, exceptional

riding conditions can lead to a
fault message being issued.

Exceptional riding
conditions:

Riding for a lengthy period with
the front wheel lifted off the
ground (wheelie).
Rear wheel rotating with the
motorcycle held stationary by
applying the front brake (burn­out).
Heating up with the motorcycle
on the centre stand or an auxil­iary stand, engine idling or with
a gear engaged.
Rear wheel locked for a lengthy
period, for example while des­cending off-road.

If a fault message is issued on
account of exceptional riding
conditions as outlined above, you
can reactivate the ABS function
by switching the ignition off and
on again.

What significance
devolves on regular
maintenance?

Invariably, a technical sys-

tem cannot perform beyond
the abilities dictated by its level
of maintenance.
In order to ensure that the BMW
Motorrad ABS is always main­tained in optimum condition, it
is essential for you to comply
strictly with the specified inspec­tion intervals.

Reserves for safety

The potentially shorter braking
distances which BMW Motorrad
ABS permits must not be used
as an excuse for careless riding.
ABS is primarily a means of en­suring a safety margin in genuine
emergencies.
Take care when cornering. When
you apply the brakes on a corner,
the motorcycle's weight and

6

71

z

Engineering details

momentum take over and even
BMW Motorrad ABS is unable to

6

counteract their effects.

72

Tyre pressure monitoring RDC

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

Function

A sensor integrated into each
tyre measures the air temperat­ure and the air pressure inside
the tyre and transmits this in­formation to the control unit.

Each sensor has a centrifugal-

z

Engineering details

force tripswitch that does not
enable transmission of the meas­ured values until the motorcycle
has accelerated to about 30 km/
h. The display shows -- for
each tyre until the tyre-pressure
signal is received for the first
time. The sensors continue to
transmit the measured-value sig-

nals for approximately 15 minutes
after the motorcycle comes to a
stop.

The control unit can adminis­trate four sensors, so two dif­ferent sets of wheels with RDC
sensors can be alternated on
the motorcycle. An error mes­sage is issued if wheels without
sensors are fitted to a motorcycle
equipped with an RDC control
unit.

Temperature
compensation

Tyre pressure is a temperature­sensitive variable: pressure in­creases as tyre temperature rises
and decreases as tyre temper­ature drops. Tyre temperature
depends on ambient temperat­ure, on the style of riding and the
duration of the ride.

The tyre-pressure readings
shown by the multifunction
display are temperature­compensated; the reference tyre
temperature for these readings
is always 20 °C. The air lines
available to the public in petrol
stations and motorway service
areas have gauges that do not
compensate for temperature; the
reading shown by a gauge of
this nature is the temperature­dependent tyre pressure. In
most instances, therefore, these
gauge readings will not tally with
the pressures shown by the
multifunction display.

Tyre-pressure ranges

The RDC control unit differenti­ates between three tyre-pressure
ranges, all of which are paramet­erised for the motorcycle:

Tyre pressure within permitted
tolerance.
Tyre pressure close to limit of
permitted tolerance.
Tyre pressure outside permit­ted tolerance.

A warning is also issued if tyre
pressure drops sharply but stays
within the permitted tolerance.

Pressure adaptation

Compare the RDC readings
on the multifunction display
with the value in the table on
the inside cover of the Rider's
Manual. Then use the air line to
compensate for the difference
between the RDC reading and
the value in the table.

Example: According to the
Rider's Manual, tyre pressure
should be 2.5 bar, but the
reading in the multifunction
display is 2.3 bar. The gauge on
the air line shows 2.4 bar. You

must now increase tyre pressure
by the 0.2 bar difference
between the value in the table
and the RDC reading; when the
air-line gauge shows 2.6 bar,
the tyre is inflated to the correct
pressure.

6

73

z

Engineering details

6

74

z

Engineering details

Accessories

General instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Topcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

7

75

z

Accessories

General instructions

7

BMW Motorrad recommends
the use of parts and accessories

76

for your motorcycle that are ap­proved by BMW for this purpose.
Genuine BMW parts and ac­cessories and other products
which BMW has approved can
be obtained from your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer, together
with expert advice on their install­ation and use.
These parts and products have

z

Accessories

been tested by BMW for safety,
function and suitability. BMW
accepts product liability for them.
Conversely, BMW is unable to
accept any liability whatsoever
for parts and accessories which it
has not approved.
Also bear in mind the informa­tion on the effect of wheel size
on suspension-control systems
( 97).

BMW Motorrad cannot

examine or test each
product of outside origin to
ensure that it can be used on
or in connection with BMW
motorcycles without constituting
a safety hazard. Country-specific
official authorisation does not
suffice as assurance. Tests
conducted by these instances
cannot make provision for all
operating conditions experienced
by BMW motorcycles and,
consequently, they are not
sufficient in some circumstances.
Use only parts and accessor­ies approved by BMW for your
motorcycle.

Whenever you are planning
modifications, comply with all the
legal requirements. Make sure
that the motorcycle does not
infringe the national road-vehicle
construction and use regulations
applicable in your country.

Power sockets

Notes on use of power sockets:

automatic shutdown

Power sockets are shut down
automatically under the following
circumstances:

If battery charge state is too
low to maintain the motor­cycle's start capability
If maximum load capability as
stated in the technical data is
exceeded
When the engine is being
cranked on the starter

Operating electrical
accessories

You can start using electrical ac­cessories only when the ignition
is switched on. The accessory
remains operational if the igni­tion is subsequently switched off.
The power sockets are switched
off approximately 15 minutes
after the ignition is switched off,

in order to prevent overloading of
the on-board electrics.

Cable routing

The cables from the power sock­ets to the auxiliary devices must
be routed in such a way that
they:

Do not impede the rider
Do not restrict the steering
angle or obstruct handling
Cannot be trapped

Luggage

Lashing luggage

Loop the luggage straps over
the bar between the motor­cycle and stops 1.

Position luggage strap 2 as
shown here with a stuffbag as
example.
Check that the luggage is se­cure.

Case

with case

OA

7

77

z

Accessories

Opening cases

7

78

Turn key 1 in the case lock to
right angles with the forward
direction of travel.

z

Accessories

Press and hold down yellow
latch 2 and pull up carry
handle 3.

Push yellow button 4 down
and at the same time open the
lid of the case.

Closing cases

Turn the lock with the key until
it is at right angles to the for­ward direction of travel.
Close the case lid.
The lid engages with an aud­ible click.

Closing the carry handle

while the case lock is in
line with the forward direction of
travel can result in damage to the
locking tongue.
Make sure that the case lock is
at right angles to the forward dir­ection of travel when you close
the carry handle.

Close carry handle 3.
Turn the key in the case lock
in line with the forward direc­tion of travel and remove the
key from the lock.

Adjusting case volume

Open the case and remove all
its contents.

Engage pivot lever 1 at the top
limit position to set the case to
minimum volume.
Engage pivot lever 1 at the
bottom limit position to set the
case to maximum volume.
Close the case.

Remove the cases

Turn key 1 in the case lock to
right angles with the forward
direction of travel.
Press and hold down yellow
latch 2 and pull up carry
handle 3.

Pull red release lever 4 up.
Latching flap 5 pops up.
Fully open the latching flap.
Take a firm grip of the handle
and lift the case out of the
holder.

7

79

z

Accessories

Installing cases

7

80

Push red release lever 4 down.
Latching flap 5 engages.
Close the carry handle.
Turn the key parallel with the
direction of travel and remove.

Topcase

with topcase

OA

Fully open latching flap 5, if ne­cessary pulling up red release
lever 4.

z

Accessories

Position the case in case car­rier 6, then pivot it until it is
seated at mount 7.

Push latching flap 5 down as
far as it will go and hold it in
this position.

Opening topcase

Turn key 1 in the topcase lock
to the vertical position.
Press and hold down yellow
latch 2 and pull out carry
handle 3.

Push yellow button 4 forward
and at the same time push the
topcase lid up.

Close the topcase

Press down firmly on the top­case lid to close.

Closing the carry handle

while the topcase lock is
horizontal can result in damage
to the locking tongue.
Make sure that the topcase lock
is vertical when you close the
carry handle.

Close carry handle 3.
The handle engages with an
audible click.
Turn the key in the topcase
lock to the horizontal position
and remove the key from the
lock.

Adjusting topcase volume

Open the topcase and remove
all its contents.

Engage pivot lever 1 at the
front limit position to set the
case to maximum volume.
Engage pivot lever 1 at the
rear limit position to set the
case to minimum volume.
Close the topcase.

7

81

z

Accessories

Removing topcase

7

82

Turn key 1 in the topcase lock
to the vertical position.
Hold down yellow latch 2 and

z

Accessories

push carry handle 3 down.

Pull red lever 4 back as far as it
will go.
Latching flap 5 pops up.
Fully open latching flap 5.
Take a firm grip of the handle
and lift the topcase out of the
holder.

Installing topcase

Fully open latching flap 5, if
necessary pulling red release
lever 4 to the rear.

7

83

Engage the topcase in front
holders 6 of the topcase carrier
plate.
Press the topcase onto the
topcase carrier plate at the
rear.

Push latching flap 5 fully
closed and hold it in this
position.
Push red release lever 4 for­ward.
The latching flap engages.
Close the carry handle.
Turn the key to the horizontal
position and remove.

z

Accessories

7

84

z

Accessories

Maintenance

General instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Rims and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

8

85

z

Maintenance

General instructions

8

The "Maintenance" chapter de­scribes straightforward proced-

86

ures for checking and replacing
certain wear parts.
Special tightening torques are lis­ted as applicable. The tightening
torques for the threaded fasten­ers on your motorcycle are listed
in the section entitled "Technical
data".
You will find information on more
extensive maintenance and repair

z

Maintenance

work in the Repair Manual on
DVD for your motorcycle, which
is available from your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.

Some of the work calls for spe­cial tools and a thorough know­ledge of motorcycle technology.
If you are in doubt consult a
specialist workshop, preferably
your authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Toolkit

Standard toolkit

1 Screwdriver handle
2 Reversible screwdriver

blade
With star-head and plain­tip ends

Replacing turn indic­ator bulbs, front and rear
( 108).
Replacing number-plate
light bulbs ( 109).
Removing battery
( 116).

3 Open-ended spanner

Width across flats 17

Adjusting mirror arm
( 48).

4 Torx wrench, T40

Adjusting headlight beam
throw ( 52).

5 Reversible screwdriver

blade
With star-head and Torx
T25

Remove the centre trim
panel ( 111).

Tools service set

with service toolkit

OA

BMW Motorrad has assembled
a tools service set that is ideal
for carrying out extended service
work (e.g. removing and installing
wheels) on this motorcycle. You
can obtain the tools set from
your authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Engine oil

Checking engine oil level

The engine can seize if the

oil level is low, and this can
lead to accidents.
Always make sure that the oil
level is correct.

The oil level varies with

the temperature of the
oil. The higher the temperature,
the higher the level of oil in the
sump. Checking the oil level with
the engine cold or after no more
than a short ride will lead to mis­interpretation; this in turn, means
that the engine will be operated
with the incorrect quantity of oil.
In order to ensure that the en­gine oil level is read correctly,
check the oil level only after a
lengthy trip.

Wipe the area around the oil
filler neck clean.
Allow the engine to idle until
the fan starts up, then allow it
to idle one minute longer.
Switch off the engine.
Make sure the engine is at op­erating temperature and hold
the motorcycle upright.
with centre stand

Check that the engine is at op­erating temperature, make sure

OE

the ground is level and firm
and place the motorcycle on its
centre stand.

Remove oil dipstick 1.

Use a dry cloth to wipe gauge
length 2 clean

8

87

z

Maintenance

Seat the oil dipstick on the oil
filler neck, but do not engage

8

the threads.

88

Remove the oil dipstick and
check the oil level.

z

Maintenance

Engine oil, specified level

Between MIN and MAX
marks

If the oil level is below the MIN
mark:

Top up the engine oil ( 88).

If the oil level is above the MAX
mark:

Have the oil level corrected
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Install the oil dipstick.

Top up the engine oil

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Wipe the area around the filler
neck clean.

Remove oil dipstick 1.

Damage to the engine

can result if it is operated
without enough oil, but the same
also applies if the oil level is too
high.
Always make sure that the oil
level is correct.

Top up the engine oil to the
specified level.
Checking engine oil level
( 87).
Install the oil dipstick.

Brake system

Check operation of the
brakes

Pull the handbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.
Press the footbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.

If pressure points are not clearly
perceptible:

Incorrect working practices

endanger the reliability of
the brakes.
Have all work on the brake sys­tem undertaken by trained and
qualified specialists.

Have the brakes checked by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Checking brake-pad
thickness, front brakes

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

Visually inspect the left and
right brake pads to ascertain
their thickness. Viewing direc­tion: Between wheel and front
suspension toward brake cal­iper 1.

Brake-pad wear limit,
front

min 1.0 mm (Friction pad
only, without backing
plate. The wear indicators
(grooves) must be clearly
visible.)

If the wear indicating marks are
no longer clearly visible:

Brake pads worn past the

minimum permissible thick­ness can cause a reduction in
braking efficiency and under
certain circumstances they can

8

89

z

Maintenance

cause damage to the brake sys­tem.

8

In order to ensure the dependab-

90

ility of the brake system, do not
permit the brake pads to wear
past the minimum permissible
thickness.

Have the brake pads replaced
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Check the brake pad

z

Maintenance

thickness, rear brakes

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

Visually inspect the brake pads
to ascertain their thickness.
Viewing direction: from the rear
toward brake caliper 1.

Brake-pad wear limit,
rear

min 1.0 mm (Friction pad
only, without backing plate.
The wear indicators must be
clearly visible.)

If the wear indicating mark is no
longer visible:

Brake pads worn past the

minimum permissible thick­ness can cause a reduction in
braking efficiency and under
certain circumstances they can

cause damage to the brake sys­tem.
In order to ensure the dependab­ility of the brake system, do not
permit the brake pads to wear
past the minimum permissible
thickness.

Have the brake pads replaced
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Check the brake-fluid
level, front brakes

A low fluid level in the

brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.
Check the brake-fluid level at
regular intervals.

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and hold the motor­cycle upright.

with centre stand
Make sure the ground is level

and firm and place the motor­cycle on its centre stand.

Move the handlebars to the
straight-ahead position.

Check the brake fluid level in
front reservoir 1.

Wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level

in the reservoir to sink.

OE

Brake fluid level, front
(visual inspection)

DOT4 brake fluid

It is impermissible for the
brake fluid level to drop be­low the MIN mark.

If the brake fluid level drops be­low the permitted level:

Have the defect rectified as
quickly as possible by a spe­cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

8

91

z

Maintenance

Check the brake-fluid

8

level, rear brakes

92

z

Maintenance

A low fluid level in the

brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.
Check the brake-fluid level at
regular intervals.

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and hold the motor­cycle upright.
with centre stand

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its centre stand.

OE

Check the brake fluid level in
rear reservoir 1.

Wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level

in the reservoir to sink.

Brake fluid level, rear
(visual inspection)

DOT4 brake fluid

It is impermissible for the
brake fluid level to drop be­low the MIN mark.

If the brake fluid level drops be­low the permitted level:

Have the defect rectified as
quickly as possible by a spe­cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Coolant

Check the coolant level

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

Topping up coolant

8

93

Check the coolant level in
expansion tank 1. Viewing
direction: From in front,
between windscreen and right
side panel.

Coolant, specified level

Antifreeze

between MIN and MAX
marks on the expansion tank

If the coolant drops below the
permitted level:

Top up the coolant.

Open cap 1 of the expansion
tank.
Using a suitable funnel, top up
with coolant until the level is
correct.
Close the cap of the expansion
tank.

Clutch

Checking clutch operation

Pull the clutch lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.

z

Maintenance

If the pressure point is not clearly
perceptible:

8

Have the clutch checked by a

94

specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Check the clutch play

Turn the handlebars all the way
to left

z

Maintenance

Pull clutch cable 1 as far as
possible away from the clutch
lever.

Measure clutch play A
between the handlebar fitting
and the clutch cable.

Clutch play

3 mm (Handlebars turned
fully left, between handlebar
fitting and clutch cable)

Clutch play is out of tolerance:

Adjusting clutch play ( 94).

Adjusting clutch play

Slacken nut 3.
To increase clutch play: screw
nut 2 up.

To reduce clutch play: screw
nut 2 down.
Check the clutch play ( 94).
Repeat the steps in this pro­cedure until clutch play is set
correctly.
Tighten nut 3.

Rims and tyres

Checking rims

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Visually inspect the rims for
defects.
Have damaged rims checked
and, if necessary, replaced by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Check the tyre tread
depth

Your motorcycle's handling

and grip can be impaired
even before the tyres wear to
the minimum tyre tread depth
permitted by law.
Have the tyres changed in good
time before they wear to the
minimum permissible tread
depth.

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Measure the tyre tread depth
in the main tread grooves with
wear marks.

Tyres have wear indicators

integrated into the main
tread grooves. The tyre is worn
out when the tyre tread has worn
down to the level of the marks.
The locations of the marks are
indicated on the edge of the tyre,

e.g. by the letters TI, TWI or by
an arrow.

If the tyre tread is worn to min­imum:

Replace tyre or tyres, as applic­able.

Chain

Lubricating chain

Dirt, dust and inadequate

lubrication will result in ac­celerated wear and significantly
shorten the drive chain's useful
life.
Clean and lubricate the drive
chain at regular intervals.

Lubricate the drive chain every
1000 km at the latest. Lubric­ate the chain more frequently if
the motorcycle is ridden in wet,
dusty or dirty conditions.

Switch the ignition off and se­lect neutral.

Clean the drive chain with a
suitable cleaning product, dry it
and apply chain lubricant.
Wipe off excess lubricant.

Checking chain sag

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Turn the rear wheel until it
reaches the position with the
lowest amount of chain sag.

Use a screwdriver to push the
chain up and down and meas­ure difference A.

8

95

z

Maintenance

8

96

z

Maintenance

Chain deflection

30...40 mm (Motorcycle with
no weight applied, supported
on its side stand)

with lowered suspension

20...30 mm (Motorcycle with
no weight applied, supported
on its side stand)

If measured value is outside per­mitted tolerance:

Adjusting chain sag ( 96).

Adjusting chain sag

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

OE

Slacken quick-release axle
nut 1.
Slacken locknuts 2 on left and
right.
Use adjusting screws 3 on left
and right to adjust chain sag.
Checking chain sag ( 95).
Make sure that scale read­ings 4 are the same on left and
right.
Tighten locknuts 2 on left and
right.

Locknut of the final-drive
chain tensioning screw

19 Nm

Tighten quick-release axle
nut 1 to the specified tight­ening torque.

Rear quick-release axle
in swinging arm

100 Nm

Checking chain wear

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.

Accelerated wear.
If a component of the

sprocket with mounting parts is

found to be worn, the entire set
has to be replaced.

Pull the chain back at the rear­most point of the sprocket.
The top of the teeth are still
between the chain links (a): the
chain is OK.
The chain is being pulled out
over the top of the teeth (b):
contact a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.

Wheels

Tyre recommendation

For each size of tyre BMW
Motorrad tests certain makes,
and approves those that it
certifies as roadworthy. If BMW
Motorrad has not approved the
wheels and tyres, it cannot
assess their suitability or provide
any guarantee of road safety.

Use only wheels and tyres ap­proved by BMW Motorrad for
your type of motorcycle.
You can obtain detailed informa­tion from your authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer or on the Inter­net at www.bmw-motorrad.com.

Effect of wheel size on
ABS

Wheel size is very important as a
parameter for the ABS. In partic­ular, the diameter and the width
of a motorcycle's wheels are pro­grammed into the control unit
and are fundamental to all cal­culations. Any change in these
influencing variables, caused for
example by a switch to wheels
other than those installed ex­works, can have serious effects
on the performance of the con­trol systems.
The sensor rings are essential
for correct road-speed calcula­tion, and they too must match

the motorcycle's control sys­tems and consequently cannot
be changed.
If you decide that you would like
to fit non-standard wheels to
your motorcycle, it is very im­portant to consult a specialist
workshop beforehand, prefer­ably an authorised BMW Motor­rad dealer. In some cases, the
data programmed into the control
units can be changed to suit the
new wheel sizes.

RDC label

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

8

97

z

Maintenance

8

98

Incorrect tyre fitting can

damage the RDC sensors.
Be sure to explain to the au­thorised BMW Motorrad dealer

z

Maintenance

or the specialist workshop that
the wheel is fitted with an RDC
sensor.

If the motorcycle is equipped
with RDC, each wheel rim bears
an adhesive label indicating the
position of the RDC sensor.
When changing the tyre, take
care not to damage the RDC
sensor. Be sure to draw the
attention of the authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer or specialist

workshop to the fact that the
wheel is fitted with an RDC
sensor.

Removing front wheel

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
with BMW Motorrad ABS

Remove screw 1 and remove
the speed sensor from its
bore.

Place the motorcycle on a suit­able auxiliary stand.

OE

with centre stand
Make sure the ground is level

and firm and place the motor­cycle on its centre stand.

Raise front of motorcycle until
the front wheel can turn freely.
BMW Motorrad recommends
the BMW Motorrad front-wheel
stand for lifting the motorcycle.
Install the front-wheel stand
( 103).

Release axle clamping screw 2.
Remove axle 3, while support­ing the wheel.

OE