BMW F 800 GS 2009 Owner's Manual

Welcome to BMW

We congratulate you on your choice of a motorcycle from BMW and welcome you to the community of BMW riders. Familiarise yourself with your new motorcycle so that you can ride it safely and confidently in all traffic situations.

Please read this Rider's Manual carefully before starting to use your new BMW motorcycle. It contains important information on how to operate the controls and how to make the best possible use of all your BMW's technical features.

In addition, it contains information on maintenance and care to help you maintain your motorcycle's reliability and safety, as well as its value.

If you have questions concerning your motorcycle, your authorised

BMW Motorrad dealer will gladly provide advice and assistance.

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

BMW Motorrad.

Table of Contents

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

1 General instructions .... 5

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Abbreviations and

symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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

General view, left side . . . . . . . 11 General view, right side . . . . . 13 Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . 14 Underneath the trim pan-

el . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . . . . 16 Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . 17 Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3 Status indicators ....... 21

Standard status indicat-

ors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Status indicators with on-

board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Standard warnings . . . . . . . . . . 24 Warnings issued by the onboard computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ABS warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Anti-theft alarm warnings . . . . 32

4 Operation................ 35

Ignition switch and steering

lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Electronic immobiliser

EWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Odometer and

tripmeters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 On-board computer . . . . . . . . . 39 Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 46 Emergency off switch (kill switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Grip heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 48 Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Helmet holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

5 Riding .................... 57

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . 58 Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Starting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Riding off-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Parking your motorcycle . . . . 65 Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Securing motorcycle for transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

6 Engineering details..... 71

Brake system with BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

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

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 76 Power socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Topcase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

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

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 86 Toolkit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . 104 Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Air filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

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

Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Washing motorcycle. . . . . . . 120 Cleaning easily damaged components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Paint care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Protective wax coating . . . . 122 Laying up motorcycle . . . . . 122 Restoring motorcycle to

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

10 Technical data ...... 123

Troubleshooting chart . . . . . 124 Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 125 Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 130 Running gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Wheels and tyres. . . . . . . . . . 132 Electrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Riding specifications . . . . . . 135

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

BMW Motorrad service. . . . 138 BMW Motorrad service

quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 BMW Motorrad mobility services - roadside assist-

ance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 BMW Motorrad service

network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Maintenance work . . . . . . . . . 139 Confirmation of mainten-

ance work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Confirmation of service . . . . 145

General instructions

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Abbreviations and symbols . . . . . . . . . . 6 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1

5 instructionsGeneral

1

6

General instructions

Overview

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

Abbreviations and symbols

Indicates warnings that you must comply with for reasons of your safety and the safety

of others, and to protect your motorcycle against damage.

Specific instructions on how to operate, control, ad-

just or look after items of equipment on the motorcycle.

Indicates the end of an item of information.

Instruction.

Result of an activity.

Reference to a page with more detailed information.

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

Tightening torque.

Item of technical data.

OE	Optional extra
	The motorcycles are as-
	sembled complete with
	all the BMW optional ex-
	tras originally ordered.
OA	Optional accessory
	You can obtain option-
	al accessories through
	your authorised BMW
	Motorrad dealer; optional
	accessories have to be
	retrofitted to the motor-
	cycle.
EWS	Electronic immobiliser.
DWA	Anti-theft alarm (Dieb-
	stahlwarnanlage)
ABS	Anti-lock brake system

Equipment

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

If your BMW was supplied with equipment not described in this Rider's Manual, you will find these features described in separate manuals.

Technical data

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

Currency

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

1

7 instructionsGeneral

1

8

General instructions

General views

General view, left side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 General view, right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Underneath the trim panel . . . . . . . . . . 15 Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

2

9 viewsGeneral

2

10

General views

General view, left side

1Power socket ( 76)

2Seat lock ( 54)

3Engine-oil filler neck and oil dipstick ( 87)

2

11

General views

2

12

General views

General view, right side

1Fuel filler neck ( 67)

2Brake-fluid reservoir, rear ( 92)

3Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) (on steering-head bearing)

Type plate (on steeringhead bearing)

4Brake-fluid reservoir, front ( 91)

5Coolant level indicator (behind side panel) ( 92) Coolant filler neck (behind side panel) ( 93)

6Adjuster for spring preload, rear ( 51)

7Adjuster for damping characteristic, rear suspension ( 52)

2

13

General views

2

14

General views

Underneath the seat

1Location of first-aid kit (OA)

2Toolkit

3Payload table

4Table of tyre pressures

5Helmet holder ( 55)

6Rider's Manual

7Tool for adjusting spring preload ( 51)

Underneath the trim				2
panel
1	Battery ( 114)		15
2	Intake air silencer	( 112)
			General views

2

16

General views

Handlebar fitting, left

1with on-board computerOE

Operating the on-board computer ( 39)

2with BMW Motorrad ABSOE

Operating the ABS ( 48)

3Horn

4Flashing turn indicators, left ( 46)

Hazard warning flashers ( 46)

5High-beam headlight and

headlight flasher ( 45)

Handlebar fitting, right

1Emergency off switch (kill switch) ( 47)

2Starter button ( 60)

3with heated handlebar gripsOE

Grip heating ( 47)

4Flashing turn indicators, right ( 46)

Hazard warning flashers ( 46)

5Cancel button, flashing turn indicators ( 46) Pushbutton, cancel hazard warning flashers ( 46)

2

17

General views

2

18

General views

Instrument panel

1Telltale lights ( 22)

2Speedometer

3Operation of the clock ( 38)

4Multifunction display ( 22)

5Operating the odometer ( 38)

with on-board computerOE

Operation of the stopwatch ( 43)

6Telltale light, anti-theft alarm (OE)

Sensor for instrument lighting

with on-board computerOE

Warning light for engine rpm ( 44)

7 Rev. counter

The instrument-cluster lighting has automatic day 2

and night switchover. 19

General views

2

20

General views

Headlight

1Low-beam headlight

2High-beam headlight

3Side light

Status indicators

Standard status indicators . . . . . . . . . . 22

Status indicators with on-board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Standard warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Warnings issued by the on-board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

ABS warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Anti-theft alarm warnings . . . . . . . . . . . 32

3

21

Status indicators

	3		Standard status			Telltale lights
			indicators
	22		Multifunction display
	indicators
					2		Flashing turn indicators,
					1		High-beam headlight
	Status						left
			1	Clock ( 38)	3
							Idle
			2	Odometer and tripmeters
					4		Flashing turn indicators,
				( 38)
							right

Service-due indicator

If the next service is due in less than one month, the date for the next service 1 is shown briefly after the Pre-Ride Check completes. The month is shown as a two-digit number and the year as a four-digit number, with a colon as separator, so in this example the next service is due in March 2007.

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

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

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

If the sevice-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.

Status indicators with on-board computer

with on-board computerOE

Multifunction display

1Status-indicator panel of the on-board computer ( 39)

2Gear indicator ( 23)

3Coolant temperature ( 24)

4Fuel capacity ( 24)

Gear indicator

The gear engaged or N for neutral appears on the

display.

If no gear is engaged, the 'neutral' telltale light also

lights up.

3

23

Status indicators

3

24

Status indicators

Coolant temperature

The horizontal bars above the temperature symbol

indicate the coolant temperature.

Fuel capacity

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

the others and the quantity of fuel it represents is significantly larger.

Once you have refuelled, the gauge briefly shows the original level, before the reading is updated.

Standard warnings

Mode of presentation

Warnings are indicated by the warning lights 1 or by the 'General' warning light 2 showing in combination with a text warning or a warning symbol in the multifunction display. 'General' warning light 2 shows red or yellow, depending on the urgency of the warning.

Warning symbols 1 and 2 can appear on the multifunction display. Text warnings such as 3, for example, appear in the odometer panel and are accompanied by warning-triangle symbol 4.

If two or more warnings occur at the same time, all the appropriate warning lights and warning symbols appear. You can call up text warnings to alternate with the odometer readings ( 38). The status of the 'General' warning light matches the most urgent warning.

The possible warnings are listed	3
on the next page.
	25
	Status indicators

3

26

Status indicators

Warnings, overview
Telltale lights	Status indicators	Meaning
Lights up yellow	Appears on the dis-	Electronic immobiliser active ( 27)
	play
	EWS appears on
	the display.
Lights up		Fuel down to reserve ( 27)
Lights up red	Flashes	Coolant temperature too high	( 27)
Lights up yellow	Appears on the dis-	Engine in emergency-operation mode
	play	( 28)
Flashes		Insufficient engine oil pressure	( 28)
Lights up yellow	Appears on the dis-	Bulb defective ( 28)
	play

LAMP appears on the display.

	Electronic immobiliser	Lack of fuel can result in	Continuing to ride when the
	active	the engine misfiring and	engine is overheated could
	General warning light shows	cutting out unexpectedly. Mis-	result in engine damage.
	yellow.	firing can damage the catalytic	You must comply with the in-
		converter; a hazardous situation	structions below.
	Warning-triangle symbol
		can result if the engine cuts out	Possible cause:
	appears on the display.	unexpectedly.
			If the coolant level is too low.
	EWS appears on the display.	Do not run the fuel tank dry.
			Check the coolant level ( 92).
		Possible cause:
	Possible cause:		If the coolant level is too low:
	The key being used is not au-	The fuel tank contains no more	Top up the coolant ( 93).
	thorised for starting, or commu-	than the reserve quantity of fuel.	Possible cause:
	nication between key and engine	Reserve fuel
			The coolant temperature is too
	electronics is disrupted.
	Remove all other vehicle keys		high.
	from the same ring as the igni-	approx. 4 l	If possible, ride in the part-load
	tion key.	Refuelling ( 67).	range to cool down the engine.
	Use the reserve key.		In traffic jams, switch off the
	Have the defective key re-	Coolant temperature too	engine, but leave the ignition
	placed, preferably by an au-	high	switched on so that the radiat-
	thorised BMW Motorrad dealer.		or fan continues to operate.
		General warning light shows	If the coolant temperature is
	Fuel down to reserve	red.
			frequently too high, have the
	Warning light for fuel down	The temperature symbol	fault rectified as soon as pos-
	to reserve shows.	flashes.	sible by a specialist workshop,

3

27

Status indicators

3

28

Status indicators

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. Engine power might be reduced and this can cause hazardous situations, particularly if you attempt to overtake other road users.

Engine power level might be lower than normal: adapt your style of riding accordingly.

Possible cause:

The engine control unit has diagnosed a fault. In exceptional cases, the engine stops and refuses to start. Otherwise, the en-

gine runs in emergency operating mode.

You can continue to ride, but bear in mind that the usual engine power might not be available.

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

Insufficient engine oil pressure

Warning light for engine-oil pressure flashes.

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

The insufficient oil pressure warning does not fulfil

the function of an oil gauge. The only way of checking whether the oil level is correct is to check with the oil dipstick.

Possible cause:

The engine-oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level ( 87).

If the oil level is too low:

Top up the engine oil ( 88).

Possible cause:

The engine-oil pressure is insufficient.

Riding when engine-oil

pressure is low can result in engine damage.

Do not continue your journey.

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

Bulb defective

General warning light shows yellow.