BMW F 700 GS 2nd 2013 Owner's manual

Rider's Manual

F 700 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 vehicle'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.

01 41 8 550 291

*01418550291*

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

Actuality . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7

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

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

General view, right side . . . . . 13

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

Underneath the trim

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

Multifunction switch, left . . . . 16

Multifunction switch,

right . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17

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

3 Status indicators . .. .. .. 21

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 22

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

Warning and telltale

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

Fuel level . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . 25

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

Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 26

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

Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 27

4 Operation . .. . .. .. .. .. .. . . 39

Ignition switch . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 40

Electronic immobiliser

(EWS) . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 41

Clock . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 41

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Stopwatch. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 43

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 46

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 46

Emergency off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Grip heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . .. . . 48

BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . 49

Clutch . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 50

Brakes . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 51

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 52

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Damping . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 53

Electronic Suspension Ad-

justment ESA . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 55

Tyres . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Seat . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 57

Helmet holder . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 58

Rider's Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

5 Riding .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . 61

Safety instructions . . . . . . .. . . 62

Checklist . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Starting. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . 64

Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 67

Speed . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 67

Off-roading . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 68

Brakes . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 69

Parking your motorcycle . . . . 70

Refuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Securing motorcycle for

transportation . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 73

6 Engineering details . .. . . 75

Brake system with

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . .. . . 76

Electronic engine manage­ment with BMW Motorrad

ASC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 78

Tyre pressure monitoring

RDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 79

7 Accessories . .. .. .. . .. .. . 81

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 82

Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Luggage . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 83

Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Topcase. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 86

8 Maintenance . . . .. .. .. . .. 91

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 92

Toolkit. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 92

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Clutch . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 99

Rims and tyres . . . .. . . . . . . . 100

Chain . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 101

Wheels . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 103

Front-wheel stand . . . . . .. . . 109

Bulbs . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 117

Jump starting . . . .. . . . . . . . . 118

Battery . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 119

9 Care ... . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. 123

Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Washing motorcycle. . . . . . . 124

Cleaning easily damaged

components .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . 124

Paint care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Protective wax coating . . . . 126

Laying up motorcycle . . . . . 126

Restoring motorcycle to

use . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 126

10 Technical data . . .. . . 127

Troubleshooting chart . . . . . 128

Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 129

Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 131

Fuel . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 132

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Clutch . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 134

Transmission . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 134

Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 135

Running gear . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Brakes . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 136

Wheels and tyres . . . . . . . . . . 136

Electrics . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 137

Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Dimensions . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 139

Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 140

Riding specifications . . . . . . 141

11 Service . . .. . .. .. .. .. .. 143

BMW Motorrad Service . . . 144
BMW Motorrad Mobility

services . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 144

Maintenance work . . . . .. . . . 144

Confirmation of mainten-

ance work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Confirmation of service . . . . 151

12 Appendix . .. .. .. .. . .. . 153

Certificate . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 154

13 Index .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 155

General instructions

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

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

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

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

Actuality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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
product 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.

Technical data.

OE Optional extra

The motorcycles are as­sembled complete with
all the BMW Motorrad
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

ASC Automatic Stability Con-

trol.

ESA Electronic Suspension

Adjustment.

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.

Actuality

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

Multifunction switch, left . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Multifunction switch, right . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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

2

9

z

General views

2

10

z

General views

General view, left side

1 Power socket ( 82)
2 Seat lock ( 57)
3 Engine-oil filler neck and

oil dipstick ( 93)

2

11

z

General views

2

12

z

General views

General view, right side

1 Fuel filler neck ( 71)
2 Adjuster, spring preload

( 52)

3 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear

( 98)

4 Brake-fluid reservoir, front

( 97)

5 VIN, type plate (on

steering-head bearing)

6 Coolant level indicator (be-

hind side panel) ( 98)

7 Adjuster for damping char-

acteristic ( 53)

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 ( 92)
3 Payload table
4 Table of tyre pressures
5 Helmet holder ( 58)
6 Rider's Manual (in rear of

vehicle)

with anti-theft alarm

OE

(DWA)
Rider's Manual (below con­trol unit) ( 59)

7 Tool for adjusting spring

preload ( 52)

OA

Underneath the trim panel

1 Battery ( 119)
2 Air-filter housing ( 117)

2

15

z

General views

Multifunction switch,

2

left

16

1 High-beam headlight and

headlight flasher ( 45)

2 Select display ( 42).

with on-board com-

OE

puter
Resetting the average val­ues ( 43).

3 Hazard warning flashers

( 46)

4 Operation of the flashing

z

General views

turn indicators ( 46)

5 Horn
6 with Electronic Suspen-

sion Adjustment (ESA)
Operating ESA ( 55)

7 Operating the ABS

( 48)

with Automatic Stability

Control (ASC)
Operating the ASC
( 49)

OE

OE

Multifunction switch, right

1 with heated handlebar

2 Starter button ( 64)
3 Emergency off switch (kill

OE

grips
Grip heating control
( 47)

switch) ( 47)

2

17

z

General views

Instrument panel

2

1 Warning and telltale lights

18

z

General views

( 24)

2 Speedometer
3 Setting clock ( 41).

with on-board com-

OE

puter
Operation of the stopwatch
( 43)

4 Multifunction display

( 22)

5 Select display ( 42).

Resetting tripmeter
( 43).

6 Ambient-light brightness

sensor (for adapting the
brightness of the instru­ment lighting)

with anti-theft alarm

OE

(DWA)

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

with on-board com-

OE

puter

Redline warning ( 68)

7 Rev. counter

2

19

z

General views

2

20

z

General views

Status indicators

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

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

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

Fuel level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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

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

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

Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

3

21

z

Status indicators

Multifunction display

3

1 Warning for engine elec-

22

z

Status indicators

tronics ( 33)

2 with heated handlebar

3 with on-board com-

4 Time ( 41)
5 with tyre pressure monit-

6 Warning for coolant tem-

7 Service due ( 25)
8 Values area ( 42)
9 with on-board com-

OE

grips
Display showing chosen
level of grip heating
( 47)

OE

puter
Stopwatch ( 43)

oring (RDC)
Tyre pressures ( 26)

perature ( 32)

OE

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

OE

10 Coolant temperature dis-

play

11 – with on-board computer

(OE)
Gear indicator; "N" indic­ates neutral

12 Fuel level ( 25)
13 – with on-board computer

(OE)
Values area ( 42)

14 A warning is shown in the

values area ( 27)

15 Trip meter ( 42)

Meaning of symbols

with on-board computer

Distance travelled after fuel
down to reserve ( 25)

Average consumption

Average speed

Current consumption

Ambient temperature
( 26)

OE

3

23

z

Status indicators

Warning and telltale

3

lights

24

1 ABS warning light ( 34)
2 with Automatic Stability

Control (ASC)
ASC warning light ( 35)

3 Warning light for fuel down

to reserve ( 25) ( 32)

4 General warning light, in

combination with warnings
in the display ( 27)

5 High-beam headlight tell-

tale light

6 Telltale light for right turn

z

Status indicators

indicators

7 Telltale light for neutral
8 Telltale light for left turn

indicators

The ABS symbol might dif­fer, depending on the spe-

cifics of national regulations.

OE

Fuel level

Due to the complex shape of the
fuel tank, it is impossible to de­termine the fuel level when the
tank is approaching capacity. For
this reason, the fill-level indicator
only displays the bottom half of
the filling capacity in detail.

If the fill-level indicator reaches
the 1/2-mark 1, the fuel tank
is half-full. From then on, the
fill-level will be displayed more
precisely.
If the fuel reserve is reached, the
fuel warning light will come on.

Fuel reserve

The amount of fuel present in
the fuel tank when the fuel warn­ing light is switched on is de­pendent on vehicle dynamics.
The more the fuel moves in­side the tank (due to regularly
changing angles of heel, fre­quent braking and acceleration),
the more difficult it becomes to
determine the reserve volume.
For this reason, the fuel reserve
volume cannot be displayed ex­actly.

with on-board computer

After the fuel warning light

comes on, the distance that
has travelled since this time is
displayed.
The distance that can still be
travelled using the reserve
volume depends on the style of
driving (usage) and the amount
of fuel remaining at the time the
light came on.

OE

The odometer for the fuel re­serve is reset when the amount
of fuel is greater than the reserve
volume.

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 and year are
displayed with two and four di­gits respectively, separated by a
colon. In the example, the display
represents “June 2014”.

3

25

z

Status indicators

3

26

If the vehicle 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. When the
countdown distance to the odo-

z

Status indicators

meter reading at which a service
is due drops below 1000 km,
the distance is counted down in
steps of 100 km 1 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 accompanied 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.

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 ex-

OE

cessive, -- temporarily appears
on the display.
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.

Tyre pressures

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

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

3

27

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.

The detailed description of
BMW Motorrad RDC starts on
page ( 79).

Warnings

Mode of presentation

Warnings are indicated by the
corresponding warning lights.

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.

z

Status indicators

3

28

A reading in values area 2
that constitutes a warning
is accompanied by warning
triangle 3. These warnings can
alternate with the odometer
readings ( 42).

z

Status indicators

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

The possible warnings are listed
on the next page.

Warnings, overview
Warning and telltale

lights

lights up yellow + "EWS" appears

lights up Fuel down to reserve ( 32)

Warning symbols on
the display

on the display

Meaning

Electronic immobiliser active ( 32)

3

29

lights up red

lights up yellow appears on the dis-

lights up yellow + "LAMP" appears

lights up yellow + "DWA" appears

flashes ABS self-diagnosis not completed

flashes Coolant temperature too high ( 32)

play

on the display

"x.x °C" flashes

on the display

Engine in emergency-operation mode
( 33)

Bulb defective ( 33)

Outside temperature warning ( 33)

DWA battery flat ( 34)

( 34)

z

Status indicators

Warning and telltale

3

lights

30

lights up

Warning symbols on
the display

Meaning

ABS deactivated ( 34)

lights up

quick-flashes ASC intervention ( 35)

slow-flashes ASC self-diagnosis not completed

lights up

z

Status indicators

lights up

lights up yellow

flashes red + "x.x" flashes

ABS fault ( 34)

( 35)

ASC deactivated ( 35)

ASC fault ( 35)

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

tolerance ( 36)

Tyre pressure outside permitted toler­ance ( 36)

Warning and telltale
lights

Warning symbols on
the display

+ "--" or "--

--" appears on

the display

lights up yellow + "--" or "--

--" appears on

the display

lights up yellow

+ "RdC" appears
on the display

Meaning

Signal transmission disrupted ( 36)

Sensor defective or system error
( 37)

Battery of tyre-pressure sensor weak
( 38)

3

31

z

Status indicators

Electronic immobiliser

3

active

32

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.

A shortage of fuel can res-

ult in misfires. This can
cause the engine to switch off
unexpectedly (risk of accident)
and damage the catalytic con­verter.
Do not run the fuel tank dry.

Possible cause:
The fuel tank contains no more

than the reserve quantity of fuel.

Reserve fuel

min 2.7 l

Refuelling ( 71).

Coolant temperature too
high

General warning light shows

red.

The temperature symbol

flashes.

Riding 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.

Checking coolant level ( 98).

If the coolant level is too low:

Topping up coolant ( 99).

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.
Unusual engine response is a
possibility.
Adapt your style of riding accord­ingly. Avoid accelerating sharply
and overtaking.

Possible cause:
The engine control unit has dia-

gnosed a fault. In exceptional
cases, the engine stops and re­fuses to start. Otherwise, the en­gine runs in emergency operating
mode.

You can continue to ride, but
bear in mind that the usual en-

gine performance might not be
available.
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.

+ "LAMP" appears on the
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 ( 111).
Replacing parking-light bulb
( 112).
Replacing LED for brake light
and tail light ( 113).
Replace light sources for
turn indicators front and rear
( 113).

Outside temperature
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.

OE

3

33

z

Status indicators

The ambient temperature

3

34

warning does not mean that
there is no risk of 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.

DWA battery flat

with anti-theft alarm (DWA)

z

Status indicators

General warning light shows

yellow.

+ "DWA" appears on the

display.

This error message appears

only briefly after the pre­ride 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 vehicle's
battery is disconnected.

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

ABS self-diagnosis not
completed

ABS warning light flashes.

OE

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.

ABS deactivated

ABS warning light shows.

Possible cause:
The rider has switched off the

ABS system.

Activate ABS function ( 49).

ABS fault

ABS warning light shows.

Possible cause:
The ABS control unit has detec-

ted a fault.

You can continue to ride. Bear
in mind that the ABS function
is not available. Bear in mind
the more detailed information
on certain situations that can
lead to ABS fault messages
( 77).

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

ASC intervention

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning light quick-

flashes.
The ASC has detected a degree
of instability at the rear wheel
and has intervened to reduce
torque. The warning light flashes
for longer than ASC intervention
lasts. This affords the rider visual
feedback on control intervention
even after the critical situation
has been dealt with.

ASC self-diagnosis not
completed

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning light slow­flashes.

Possible cause:
Self-diagnosis did not complete,

so the ASC function is not avail­able. The engine must be run­ning and the motorcycle must
reach a speed of at least 5 km/h
in order for ASC self-diagnosis to
complete.

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

ASC deactivated

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning light shows.

Possible cause:
The rider has switched off the

ASC system.

Activate ASC.

ASC fault

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning light shows.

Possible cause:
The ASC control unit has detec-

ted a fault. The ASC function is
not available.

You can continue to ride. Bear
in mind that the ASC function
is not available. Bear in mind
the more detailed information
on situations that can lead to
an ASC fault ( 78).
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a

3

35

z

Status indicators

specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad

3

dealer.

36

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:

z

Status indicators

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

section entitled "Engineering
details".

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.

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

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

Out-of-tolerance tyre pres­sures impair the motor-

cycle's handling characteristics.

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
vehicle 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 "-- --" ap­pears on the display.

Possible cause:
The vehicle has not yet

accelerated 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 ( 79).

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 "-- --" ap­pears 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:
1 or 2 RDC sensors have failed.

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

3

37

z

Status indicators

Possible cause:

3

A system error has occurred.

Have the fault rectified by a

38

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.

z

Status indicators

+ "RdC" appears on the
display.

This error message appears
only briefly after the pre-

ride check completes.

Possible cause:
The tyre-pressure battery is al-

most at full capacity. There is no
assurance of how long the tyre
pressure control system can re­main operational.

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

Operation

Ignition switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Electronic immobiliser (EWS) . . . . . . . 41

Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Stopwatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Emergency off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Grip heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Electronic Suspension Adjustment

ESA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Helmet holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Rider's Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

4

39

z

Operation

Ignition switch

4

Keys

40

You receive 2 ignition keys.
Please consult the information on
the electronic immobiliser (EWS)
if a key is lost or mislaid ( 41).
Ignition lock, tank filler cap lock
and seat lock are all operated
with the same key.

with cases
with topcase

z

Operation

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
( 65).
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed. ( 66)
with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)
ASC self-diagnosis is per-

formed. ( 66)

Switch off the ignition

Turn the key to position 2.

Lights switched off.

Handlebars not locked.

Key can be removed.

Electrically powered accessor-

ies remain operational for a lim-

ited 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 electronic design of the
motorbike allows it to access
data stored in the ignition key
by means of a ring antenna loc­ated in the ignition switch. The
engine control unit will only allow

the engine to be started if the
key is identified as “authorised”.

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 lose your key, you can
have it barred by your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer. If you
wish to do this, you will need to
bring all other keys for the motor­bike with you.
The engine cannot be started by
a barred key, but a key that has
been barred can subsequently be
reactivated.
You can obtain emergency/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

41

z

Operation

4

42

Press and hold down button 1
until the hours number 2
flashes.

z

Operation

Repeatedly press the button
until the hours number is cor­rect.
Press and hold down the but­ton until the minutes number 3
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 display

Switch on the ignition.

Press button 1 to select the

reading in values area 2.
The following values can be dis­played:

Odometer (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 1 to select the

reading in values area 2.
The following values can be dis­played:

Ambient temperature (°C)

Average speed in km/h

Average consumption in
l/100 km

Current consumption in
l/100 km

OE

Distance travelled after fuel
down to reserve in km

Resetting tripmeter

Switch on the ignition.
Select the desired tripmeter.

Press and hold down button 1
until the tripmeter reading is
reset.

Resetting the average
values

with on-board computer

Switch on the ignition.

OE

Select average consumption or
average speed.

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

Stopwatch

with on-board computer

OE

Stopwatch

You can switch from the odo­meter reading to a stopwatch 2.
The readout is in hours, minutes,
seconds and tenths of a second,
with dots as separators.
By swapping the functions of
button 1 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

43

z

Operation

use button 1 to operate the on­board computer.

4

The stopwatch continues to time

44

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 comes
on automatically under the fol­lowing conditions:

If the engine is started
If the vehicle is pushed while
the ignition is on.

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

Push switch 1 forward to
switch on the high-beam
headlight.
Pull switch 1 back to operate
the headlight flasher.

Parking light

Switch off the ignition.

4

45

z

Operation

4

46

Immediately after switching off
the ignition, push button 1 to
the left and hold it in this po-

z

Operation

sition until the parking lights
come on.
Switch the ignition on and off
again to switch off the parking
lights.

Turn indicators

Operating the flashing
turn indicators

Switch on the ignition.

The turn indicators are can-

celled automatically after
you have ridden for approximately
10 seconds and covered a dis­tance of about 300 m.

Push button 1 to the left to
switch on the left flashing turn
indicators.
Push button 1 to the right to
switch on the right flashing turn
indicators.
Centre button 1 to cancel the
flashing turn indicators.

Hazard warning flashers

Operate 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

47

Press button 1 to switch on
the hazard warning flashers.
Ignition can be switched off.
Press button 1 again 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 Engine switched off
b Normal operating position

(run)

Grip heating

with heated handlebar grips

Operating grip heating

Start the engine.

The heating in the heated

handlebar grips can be ac­tivated only when the engine is
running.

OE

z

Operation

The increase in power con-

4

48

z

Operation

sumption caused by hav­ing the heated handlebar grips
switched on can drain the battery
if you are riding at low engine
speeds. If the charge level is low,
the heated handlebar grips are
switched off to ensure the bat­tery's starting capability.

Repeatedly press button 1 until
the desired heating stage ap­pears on the display.

The handlebar grips have two­stage heating. Stage two 2 is
for heating the grips quickly: it
is advisable to switch back to
stage one as soon as the grips
are warm.

50 % heating power

100 % heating power

The selected heating stage will
be saved if you allow a certain
length of time to pass without
making further changes.

BMW Motorrad ABS

Deactivate ABS function

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

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

ABS warning light shows.

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)
Initially, the ASC symbol

changes status. Press and
hold down button 1 until the
ABS warning light responds.
Under these circumstances
there is no change in the ASC
setting.
Release button 1 within two
seconds.

ABS warning light remains
ON.

The ABS function is deactiv­ated.

Activate 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.

An ABS fault has occurred

if the ABS warning light
shows when the motorcycle ac­celerates to a speed in excess
of 5 km/h after the ignition was
switched off and then on again.

BMW Motorrad ASC

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

Deactivate ASC function

Switch on the ignition.

You have the option of de-

activating the ASC function
while the motorcycle is on the
move.

4

49

z

Operation

4

50

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

z

Operation

ASC warning light shows.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

ASC warning light remains
ON.

The ASC function is deactiv­ated.

Activate ASC function

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

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

completed it starts flashing.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

The ASC warning light re­mains off or continues to

flash.

The ASC function is activated.

You also have the option of
switching the ignition off and
then on again.

An ASC fault has occurred

if the ASC warning light
shows when the motorcycle ac­celerates to a speed in excess
of 5 km/h after the ignition was
switched off and then on again.

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
handbrake lever unless the mo­torcycle is at a standstill.

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.

4

51

z

Operation

Mirrors

4

Adjust the mirrors

52

Adjusting mirror arm

Locknut (mirror) to
clamping piece

Joining compound: Multi­wax spray

20 Nm

Push the protective cap over
the threaded fastener.

z

Operation

Turn the mirror to the correct
position.

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.

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.

Adjust spring preload for
rear wheel

Removing seat ( 57).

Remove on-board toolkit 1.

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

Basic setting of spring
preload, rear

with lowered suspension

Turn the adjuster as far as
it will go counter-clockwise,
then back it off 5 clicks
(One-up riding without
luggage)

Stow the on-board toolkit in its
correct position.
Installing seat ( 58).

OE

4

53

z

Operation

Your motorcycle's hand-

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

Turn the dial counter­clockwise as far as it will
go (One-up riding without
luggage)

Turn the dial counter-clock­wise as far as it will go, then
make 12 clockwise rotations
(One-up riding with luggage)

Turn the dial clockwise as
far as it will go (Passenger
operation with luggage)

Damping

Setting

Damping must be adapted to suit
the condition of 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
requires firmer damping, a re-

duction in spring preload re­quires softer damping.

4

54

Adjust the damping for
rear wheel

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

z

Operation

Adjust the damping charac­teristic by turning adjusting
screw 1.

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

Basic setting of rear-sus­pension damping charac-

teristic

without Electronic Suspen­sion Adjustment (ESA)

OE

Basic setting of rear-sus­pension damping charac-

teristic

Turn the adjusting screw as
far as it will go in the clock­wise direction and then back
it off one and a half turns
(One-up without luggage)

Turn the adjusting screw as
far as it will go in the clock­wise direction and then back
it off one and a half turns
(One-up with luggage)

Turn the adjusting screw as
far as it will go in the clock­wise direction and then back
it off 1 turn (Two-up with
luggage)

Electronic Suspension Adjustment ESA

with Electronic Suspension

Adjustment (ESA)

Possible settings

With the help of Electronic
Suspension Adjustment (ESA),
you can calibrate the rear-wheel
damping to the terrain with ease.
Three settings are available for
damping.

Call up settings

Switch on the ignition.

OE

Press button 1 to view the cur­rent setting.

The currently selected damping
is shown on the multifunction
display at 1. The meanings of
the readings are as follows:

COMF: Comfortable damping

characteristic

NORM: Normal damping char-

acteristic

SPORt: Sporty damping

characteristic

The setting shows briefly, then
disappears automatically.

Adjust the chassis and
suspension

Switch on the ignition.

Press button 1 to view the cur­rent setting.

4

55

z

Operation

To make different adjustment to
the damping:

4

Repeatedly press button 1 until

56

the setting you want to use
appears on the display.

You can adjust the damping
characteristic while the mo-

torcycle is on the move.

The setting shown on the dis­play is automatically accepted
as the damping characteristic

z

Operation

if you allow a certain length of
time to pass without pressing
button 1.
The ESA indicator disappears
from the display as soon as
adjustment completes.

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.
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, tyre cold)

2.2 bar (two-up and/or with
luggage, tyre cold)

Tyre pressure, rear

2.5 bar (one-up, tyre cold)

2.9 bar (two-up and/or with
luggage, tyre cold)

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.

If there are doubts about

the correct headlight range,
seek the advice of a specialist
workshop, preferably an author­ised BMW Motorrad dealer.

Adjusting headlight beam
throw

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

Removing seat

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

4

57

z

Operation

4

58

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

Installing seat

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

z

Operation

front part of the seat.

Lift seat 2 at the front and re­lease the key.

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

Helmet holder

Securing helmet to
motorcycle

Removing seat ( 57).

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 ( 58).

Rider's Manual

Stowing the Rider’s
Manual

Tuck the Rider’s Manual(s) into
the pocket provided.

Make the opening side of the
pocket as narrow as possible,
then fasten the velcro 1.
Stowing the pocket in the rear
of the vehicle.

with anti-theft alarm (DWA)

Slightly raise the leads 2.
Push the pocket backwards
underneath the cables and rear
frame strut 3 until the rolled­up edge of the pocket is below
the rear frame strut.
Remove protective film 4 and
attach the velcro to the pocket
in such a way that it cannot
slide around any further.

OE

4

59

z

Operation

4

60

z

Operation

Riding

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Off-roading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Parking your motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Refuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Securing motorcycle for transporta-

tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

5

61

z

Riding

Safety instructions

5

Rider's equipment

62

The following clothing will protect
you for every journey:

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 cases

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.

max 5 kg

with rear softbag
Note the maximum payload of

the rear softbag.

max 1.5 kg

OA

OA

Payload of tank bag

OA

Payload of rear softbag

Speed

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

Spring-strut and shock-ab­sorber system not set up cor­rectly
Imbalanced load
Loose clothing
Insufficient tyre pressure
Poor tyre tread
Added luggage systems such
as cases, topcase and tank
rucksack.

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.

Risk of burn injury

Engine and exhaust system

become very hot when the
vehicle is in use. There is a risk
of burn injuries by contact with
hot surfaces.
When you park the motorcycle
make sure that no-one comes
into contact with the engine and
exhaust system.

Catalytic converter

If misfiring causes unburned fuel
to enter the catalytic converter,
there is a danger of overheating
and damage.
The following guidelines must be
observed:

5

63

z

Riding

Do not run the fuel tank dry
Do not attempt to start or run

5

the engine with a spark-plug

64

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

z

Riding

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 function
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

Start engine

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
( 65).
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed. ( 66)
with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)
ASC self-diagnosis is per-

formed. ( 66)
Select neutral or, if a gear is
engaged, pull the clutch lever.

You cannot start the mo-

torcycle 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.

When starting a cold engine
at low ambient temperatures:
disengage the clutch and turn
the twistgrip slightly to open
the throttle.

Press starter button 1.

The start attempt is auto-

matically interrupted if bat­tery voltage is too low. Recharge
the battery before you start the
engine, or use jump leads and a
donor battery to start.

The engine starts.
If the engine refuses to start,
consult the troubleshooting
chart in the section entitled
"Technical data" ( 128).

Pre-ride check

The instrument panel runs a test
of the instruments and the telltale
and warning lights when the ig­nition is switched on: this is the
so-called "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 to
the starting position on their
scales. At the same time, all the
warning lights and telltale lights

5

65

z

Riding

switched on in the initial phase
are switched off in reverse se-

5

quence.

66

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

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

z

Riding

dealer.

ABS self-diagnosis

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-speed
sensors to be tested.

Phase 1

Test of the diagnosable system
components with the vehicle at a
standstill.

ABS warning light flashes.

Phase 2

Test of the wheel-speed sensors
as the vehicle pulls away from
rest.

ABS warning light flashes.

ABS self-diagnosis
completed

The ABS warning light goes out.

Make sure that all the warning
and telltale lights come on in

the pre-ride check.
After the ABS self-diagnosis
completes, an indicator show­ing an ABS fault will appear.

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.

ASC self-diagnosis

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

BMW Motorrad ASC performs
self-diagnosis to ensure its op­erability. Self-diagnosis is per­formed automatically when you
switch on the ignition.

Phase 1

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

ASC warning light slow­flashes.

Phase 2

Test of the diagnosis-compat­ible system components while
the motorcycle is on the move
(speed at least 5 km/h)).

ASC warning light slow­flashes.

ASC self-diagnosis
completed

The ASC warning light goes
out.

If an indicator showing an ASC
fault appears when ASC self­diagnosis completes:

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

Running in

Engine

Until the first running-in check,
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 running-in
check 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 extend

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.

New tyres do not provide

full grip straight away. Wet
roads and extremely sharp in­clines pose a risk of accident.
Ride carefully and avoid
extremely sharp inclines.

Speed

with on-board computer

OE

5

67

z

Riding

Redline warning

5

68

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:

z

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

69

z

Riding

rider's full force applied to the
brake levers; under these circum-

5

stances the dynamic shift in load

70

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.

z

Riding

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:

Riding in the rain or through
puddles of water
After the vehicle 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.

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.

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

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

OE

Extend the centre stand and lift
the motorcycle onto the stand.
On a gradient, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se­lect 1st gear.

Refuel

Fuel grade

For optimum fuel consumption,
fuel should be sulphur-free or as
low-sulphur as possible.

Leaded fuel will destroy the

catalytic converter.
Do not attempt to run the vehicle
on leaded fuel or fuel with metal­lic additives, e.g. manganese or
iron.

Fuels with a maximum Ethanol
content of 10 %, i.e. E10, can
be fuelled.

Recommended fuel
grade

Super unleaded (max. 10 %
ethanol, E10)
95 ROZ/RON
89 AKI

with regular unleaded (RON

OE

91)

Regular unleaded (slight
power- and consumption­related restrictions) (max. 10
% ethanol, E10)
91 ROZ/RON
87 AKI

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.

5

71

z

Riding

Fuel expands when hot.

5

72

z

Riding

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 plastic parts immediately
after contact with 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.
Use the ignition key to unlock
the fuel filler cap and pop the
cap open.

Do not fill the tank past the
bottom edge of the filler neck.

If filling occurs after the fuel

level has gone below the
reserve limit, the amount filled
must be greater than the reserve
amount for the new fuel level to
be recognised and the warning
light to switch off.

The “usable fuel capacity”

specified in the technical
data is the quantity that the fuel
tank could hold if it had been run
dry and the engine had cut out
due to a lack of fuel.

Usable fuel capacity

approx. 16 l

Reserve fuel

min 2.7 l

Press the fuel tank cap down
firmly to close.

Remove the key and close the
protective cap.

Securing motorcycle for transportation

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

The motorcycle can topple
and fall on its side.

Secure motorcycle against top-

pling; this is best done with the
support of a 2nd person.

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 vehicle's suspension should
be compressed as tightly as
possible front and rear.

5

73

z

Riding

5

74

z

Riding

Engineering details

Brake system with BMW Motorrad

ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Electronic engine management with

BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Tyre pressure monitoring RDC . . . . . 79

6

75

z

Engineering details

Brake system with

6

BMW Motorrad ABS

76

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.
If the rider increases braking
pressure to the extent that brak-

z

Engineering details

ing 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
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 always
be relied on 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
vehicle 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 should
be triggered due to one of
the above-described driving
conditions, the ABS function can
be re-activated by switching the
ignition off and then 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

77

z

Engineering details

momentum take over and even
BMW Motorrad ABS is unable to

6

counteract their effects.

78

Electronic engine management with BMW Motorrad ASC

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

How does ASC work?

The BMW Motorrad ASC system
compares the speed of rotation
of the front wheel and the rear
wheel. The differential is used to
compute slip as a measure of the

z

Engineering details

reserves of stability available at
the rear wheel. If slip exceeds a
certain limit the engine control in­tervenes, adapting engine torque
accordingly.

What is the design
baseline for
BMW Motorrad ASC?

BMW Motorrad ASC is designed
as an assistant system for the
rider and for use on public roads.
The extent to which the rider af­fects the ASC can be consider­able (weight shifts when corner­ing, items of luggage loose on
the motorcycle), especially when
style of riding takes rider and ma­chine close to the limits imposed
by physics.
The system is not optimised for
special requirements that apply
under extreme competitive situ­ations off-road or on the track.
You have the option of deactiv­ating the BMW Motorrad ASC
system for these circumstances.

Even ASC is constrained by

the laws of physics. Invari­ably, the rider bears responsibil­ity for assessing road and traffic

conditions and adopting his or
her style of riding accordingly.
Do not take risks that would neg­ate the additional safety offered
by this system.

Special situations

In accordance with the laws of
physics, the ability to accelerate
is restricted more and more as
the angle of heel increases. Con­sequently, there can be a per­ceptible lag in acceleration out of
very tight bends.

The speeds of the front and
rear wheels are compared as
one means of detecting the rear
wheel's incipient tendency to
spin or slip sideways. If the sys­tem registers implausible values
for a lengthy period the ASC
function is deactivated for safety
reasons and an ASC fault mes­sage is issued. Self-diagnosis

has to complete before fault
messages can be issued.
The BMW Motorrad ASC can
shut down automatically under
the exceptional riding conditions
outlined below.

Exceptional riding
conditions:

Riding for a lengthy period with
the rear wheel lifted off the
ground (wheelie) with ASC de­activated
Rear wheel rotating with the
vehicle 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

Accelerating the motorcycle to
a speed in excess of 5 km/h
after switching the ignition off
and then on again reactivates the
ASC.

If the front wheel lifts clear of the
ground under severe accelera­tion, the ASC reduces engine
torque until the front wheel re­gains contact with the ground.
Under these circumstances,
BMW Motorrad recommends
rolling the throttle slightly closed
so as to restore stability with the
least possible delay.

When riding on a slippery sur­face, never snap the throttle
twistgrip fully closed without
pulling the clutch at the same
time. Engine braking torque can
cause the rear wheel to lock, with
a corresponding loss of stability.
The BMW Motorrad ASC is un­able to control a situation of this
nature.

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 centrifugal­force tripswitch that does not
enable transmission of the meas­ured values until the vehicle 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 signals for ap­proximately 15 minutes after the
vehicle comes to a stop.

6

79

z

Engineering details

The control unit can administrate
four sensors, so two different

6

sets of wheels with RDC sensors

80

can be alternated on the vehicle.
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 tempera-

z

Engineering details

ture, 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 gauges

on forecourt air lines do not
compensate for temperature.
The tyre pressure recorded
depends on tyre temperature. 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

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.

Accessories

General instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Topcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

7

81

z

Accessories

General instructions

7

BMW Motorrad recommends
the use of parts and accessories

82

for your motorcycle that are ap­proved by BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW Motorrad authorised
dealer will offer you professional
advice in your selection of ori­ginal BMW parts and accessories
and other products approved by
BMW.
These parts and products have
been tested by BMW for safety,

z

Accessories

function and suitability. BMW
accepts product liability for them.
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 running-gear control systems
( 103).

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 vehicle 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 connected to the
motorcycle's sockets only when
the ignition is switched on. The
accessory remains operational
if the ignition is subsequently
switched off. Approximately 15
minutes after ignition is turned

off, power sockets are switched
off to lessen the burden on the
on-board electrical system.
Low-wattage electrical accessor­ies might not be recognised
by the vehicle’s electronics. In
such cases, power sockets are
switched off very shortly after the
ignition is turned off.

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.

Cases

with cases

OA

7

83

z

Accessories

Opening cases

7

84

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

z

Accessories

Keep the yellow latch 2 held
and fold out the carry handle 3.

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

Close 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.

Removing cases

Turn key 1 in the case lock to
right angles with the forward
direction of travel.
Keep the yellow latch 2 held
and fold out the 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.

Installing cases

Turn the lock with the key until
it is at right angles to the for­ward direction of travel.

7

85

z

Accessories

7

86

Turn the key parallel with the
direction of travel and remove.

Topcase

with topcase

Opening 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.
Push red release lever 4 down.
Latching flap 5 engages.

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 the carry handle.

Turn key 1 in the topcase lock
to the vertical position.
Keep the yellow latch 2 held
and fold out the carry handle 3.

Adjusting topcase volume

Open the topcase and remove
all its contents.

7

87

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

Closing topcase

Turn key in the topcase lock to
the vertical position.

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.

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.

z

Accessories

Removing the topcase

7

88

Turn key 1 in the topcase lock
to the vertical position.
Keep the yellow latch 2 held

z

Accessories

and fold out the carry handle 3.

Pull back red release lever 4.

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

Turn key in the topcase lock to
the vertical position.

Engage the topcase in front
holders 1 of the topcase carrier
plate.
Press the topcase onto the
topcase carrier plate at the
rear.

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

Push latching flap 5 fully
closed and hold it in this
position.
Push red release lever 4 for­ward.
The latching flap engages.

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 the carry handle.
Turn the key to the horizontal
position and remove.

7

89

z

Accessories

7

90

z

Accessories

Maintenance

General instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Rims and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

8

91

z

Maintenance

General instructions

8

The "Maintenance" chapter de­scribes straightforward proced-

92

ures for checking and replacing
certain wear parts.
Special tightening torques are lis­ted as applicable. The tightening
torques for the threaded fasten­ers on your vehicle 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 vehicle, which is
available from your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.

Some of the work calls for spe­cial tools and a thorough know­ledge of the technology involved.
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

Replace light sources for
turn indicators front and
rear ( 113).
Replacing number-plate
light bulbs ( 115).
Removing battery
( 121).

3 Open-ended spanner

Width across flats 17

Adjusting mirror arm
( 52).

4 Torx wrench, T40

Adjusting headlight beam
throw ( 57).

5 Reversible screwdriver

blade
With cross recess and Torx
T25

Removing centre trim
panel ( 116).

Service toolkit

with service toolkit

OA

BMW Motorrad has assembled
a service toolkit 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

Check engine oil level

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 of oil level.
In order to ensure that the en­gine oil level is read correctly,
check the oil level only after at
engine operating temperature.

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

OE

The motorcycle can topple

and fall on its side.
Secure motorcycle against top­pling; this is best done with the
support of a 2nd person.

Remove oil dipstick 1.

8

93

z

Maintenance

8

94

Use a dry cloth to wipe gauge
length 2 clean.
Seat the oil dipstick on the oil
filler neck, but do not engage

z

Maintenance

the threads.
Remove the oil dipstick and
check the oil level.

Engine oil, specified level

Between MIN and MAX
marks

Engine oil, quantity for
topping up

Products recommended by
BMW Motorrad

max 0.4 l (Difference
between MIN and MAX)

If the oil level is below the MIN
mark:

Topping up engine oil ( 94).

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.

Topping up 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.
Check engine oil level ( 93).
Install the oil dipstick.

Brake system

Check operation of brakes

Pull the front brake 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.

Check front brake pad
thickness

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 cal­ipers 1.

8

95

z

Maintenance

8

96

Brake-pad wear limit,
front

z

min 1.0 mm (Friction pad

Maintenance

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

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 pad
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.)

If the brake pads are worn:

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 brake-fluid level,
front brakes

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.

OE

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.

Check the brake fluid level in
front reservoir 1.

Wear of the brake pads

causes the brake fluid level
in the reservoir to sink.

Brake fluid level, front
(visual inspection)

Brake fluid, DOT4

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

97

z

Maintenance

Check the brake-fluid

8

level, rear brakes

Make sure the ground is level

98

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.

z

Maintenance

A low fluid level in the

brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.

OE

Check the brake-fluid level at
regular intervals.

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)

Brake fluid, DOT4

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

Checking coolant level

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

Check the coolant level in
expansion tank 1. Viewing