BMW F 800 GS Adventure 2014 Owner's manual

Rider's Manual (US Model)

F 800 GS Adventure

BMW Motorrad

The Ultimate

Riding Machine

Motorcycle/Dealer Data

Motorcycle data

Model

Vehicle identification number

Color number

Initial registration

License plate

Dealer Data

Contact in Service

Ms./Mr.

Phone number

Dealer's address/phone number (company
stamp)

Welcome to BMW

Congratulations on choosing a
motorcycle from BMW Motorrad
and welcome to the community
of BMW motorcycle owners and
riders. Familiarize yourself with
your new motorcycle so that you
can ride it safely and confidently
in all highway traffic situations.

Suggestions and complaints

If you have any questions con­cerning your motorcycle, your au­thorized BMW Motorrad retailer
is always happy to provide advice
and assistance.

We wish you many miles of safe
and enjoyable riding on your
BMW

About this Rider's Manual

Please read this Rider's Manual
carefully before starting to use
your new BMW. It contains im­portant information on how to
operate the controls and how to
get the most benefit from your
BMW's advanced 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.

BMW Motorrad.

01 41 8 554 527

*01418554527*

Table of Contents

1 General instructions . ... 5

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

Abbreviations and

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

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

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

Notice concerning current sta-

tus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 Overviews . .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. 9

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

General view, right side . . . . . 13

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

Under fairing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Multifunction switch, left . . . . 16

Multifunction switch,

right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3 Displays . . .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. 21

Warning and indicator

lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 24

Warning displays . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Onboard computer

display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Fuel level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Service display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Outside temperature . . . . . . . . 35

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

Steering and ignition

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

Electronic immobilizer

(EWS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Stopwatch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 45

Emergency on/off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Heated grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 47

BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . 48

Riding mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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

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

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

ESA Electronic Suspension

Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Breaking in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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

Off-road riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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

Parking your motorcycle . . . . 70

Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Fuel quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Fastening motorcycle for

transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

6 Technology in

detail .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . 75

Riding mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Brake system with

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 77

Engine management with

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

7 Maintenance . . . .. .. .. . .. 81

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

Onboard tool kit .. . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Wheel rims and tires . . . . . . . . 90

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Front wheel stand . . . . . . . . . 101

Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Fairings and panels . . . . . . . 109

Air filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

8 Accessories . .. .. .. . .. . 115

General instructions . . . . . . . 116

Onboard sockets . . . . . . . . . . 116

Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Aluminum case. . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Aluminum Top Case . . . . . . 120

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

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

Washing your vehicle . . . . . . 124

Cleaning sensitive vehicle

parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

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

Protective wax coating . . . . 126

Storing the motorcycle . . . . 126

Returning 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

Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

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

Wheels and tires . . . . . . . . . . 136

Electrical system . . . . . . . . . . 138

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

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

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

Performance data . . . . . . . . . 140

11 Service . . .. .. . .. .. .. .. 141

Reporting safety

defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

BMW Motorrad Service . . . 143
BMW Motorrad Mobility

Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Maintenance proce-

dures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Confirmation of mainte-

nance work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Confirmation of service . . . . 150

12 Index . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 152

General instructions

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

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

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

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

Notice concerning current status . . . . 7

1

5

z

General instructions

Overview

1

This Rider's Manual has been
designed to provide quick and ef-

6

ficient orientation. The quickest
way for you to find information
on specific topics is to consult
the comprehensive index at the
back of the manual. If you would
like to start with an introductory
overview of your motorcycle, you
can find the desired information
in Chapter 2. Chapter 11 records
all of the maintenance and re­pair operations that have been
performed. Documentation con­firming performance of scheduled
maintenance is a precondition

z

General instructions

for generous handling of out-of­warranty claims and goodwill war­ranty treatment.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, remember to hand
over this Rider's Manual; it is an
important part of the motorcycle.

Abbreviations and symbols

Indicates warnings that it is

imperative to observe for
your own safety and the safety
of others, and to protect your
product against damage.

Special information on op-

erating and inspecting your
motorcycle as well as mainte­nance and adjustment proce­dures.

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 ac­cessory or equipment­dependent information.

Tightening torque.

Technical data.

OE Optional equipment

BMW Motorrad optional
extras are already com­pletely installed during
motorcycle production.

OA Optional accessory

BMW optional acces­sories can be purchased
and installed at your au­thorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Electronic immobilizer.

EWS

DWA

Anti-theft alarm.

ABS Anti-Lock Brake System.

ASC Automatic Stability Con-

trol.

Electronic suspension

ESA

adjustment.

Equipment

When you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various
items of custom equipment. This
Rider's Manual describes optional
equipment (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 motorcycle comes with
equipment not described here,

you can find the descriptions in a
separate manual.

Technical data

All dimensions, weights and per­formance data contained this
Rider's Manual refer to the Ger­man DIN standards and comply
with their tolerance specifications.
Versions for individual countries
may differ.

Notice concerning current status

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. In addition,
BMW Motorrad cannot guarantee
the total absence of errors. 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

Overviews

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

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

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

Under fairing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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

Multifunction switch, right . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2

9

z

Overviews

2

10

z

Overviews

General view, left side

1 Onboard power socket

( 116)

2 Seat lock ( 57)
3 Engine oil fill location and

oil dipstick ( 83)

2

11

z

Overviews

2

12

z

Overviews

General view, right side

1 Fuel filler cap ( 71)
2 Adjusting spring preload

( 53)

3 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear

( 87)

4 Brake-fluid reservoir, front

( 86)

5 Vehicle identification

number, type plate (on
steering-head bearing)

6 Coolant level indicator (be-

hind side fairing) ( 88)

7 Adjusting damping ( 54)

2

13

z

Overviews

Underneath seat

2

1 Storage space

14

z

Overviews

with first-aid kit

Storing first-aid kit

2 Standard tool kit ( 82)
3 Rider's Manual (US Model)
4 Payload table
5 Tire inflation pressure table
6 Helmet holder ( 58)
7 Tools for adjusting spring

preload ( 53)

OA

Under fairing

1 Battery ( 112)
2 Air cleaner housing

( 110)

2

15

z

Overviews

Multifunction switch,

2

left

16

1 High-beam headlight and

headlight flasher ( 44)

2 Select display readings

( 40).

with onboard

computer
Resetting average data
( 41).

3 Hazard warning flashers

z

Overviews

( 45)

4 Not included in standard

equipment

with additional LED

headlight
Auxiliary headlight ( 44)

5 Turn indicator ( 45)
6 Horn
7 Not included in standard

equipment

with Electronic Suspen-

sion Adjustment (ESA)
ESA ( 55)

OE

OE

OE

8 ABS ( 47)

with Automatic Stability
Control (ASC)

ASC ( 48)

OE

2

17

z

Overviews

Multifunction switch,

2

right

18

1 Not included in standard

equipment

with heated handlebar

OE

grips
Heated grips ( 46).

2 Not included in standard

equipment

with off-road mode ABS

z

Overviews

and ASC
Off-road mode ( 49)

3 Starter ( 64)
4 Emergency on/off switch

(kill switch) ( 46)

OE

Instrument cluster

1 Warning and indicator

lamps ( 22)

2 Speedometer
3 Set the clock ( 39).

with onboard

computer
Operation of stopwatch
( 42)

4 Multifunction display

( 24)

5 Select display readings

( 40).
Resetting trip odometer
( 41).

OE

2

19

z

Overviews

6 Ambient light sensor (for

2

20

z

Overviews

instrument lighting control)

with anti-theft alarm sys-

tem (DWA)
Anti-theft alarm system in­dicator lamp (see anti-theft
alarm system operating in­structions)

with onboard

computer
Engine speed warning
( 67)

7 Tachometer

OE

OE

Displays

Warning and indicator lamps . . . . . . . . 22

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Warning displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Onboard computer display . . . . . . . . . . 33

Fuel level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Service display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

3

21

z

Displays

Warning and indicator

3

lamps

22

1 ABS ( 31)
2 Not included in standard

equipment

with Automatic Stability

Control (ASC)
ASC ( 32)

3 Fuel reserve ( 33)

( 29)

4 Universal warning lamp

z

Displays

(appears together with
warnings in display panel)
( 25)

5 High-beam headlight
6 Turn indicator, right
7 Not included in standard

equipment

with additional LED

headlight
Auxiliary headlight ( 44)

8 Idle
9 Turn indicator, left

OE

OE

The ABS symbol can be
shown differently depend-

ing on the country.

3

23

z

Displays

Multifunction display

3

1 Warning lamp for elec-

24

z

Displays

tronic engine management
( 30)

2 Not included in standard

equipment

with heated handlebar

OE

grips
Display of the selected
heated handlebar grip set­ting ( 46)

3 Not included in standard

equipment

with onboard

computer
Stopwatch ( 42)

4 Time ( 39)
5 Coolant-temperature warn-

ing indicator ( 29)

6 Service is due ( 34)
7 Reading display area of the

odometer ( 40)

OE

8 Not included in standard

equipment

with onboard
computer

Onboard computer dis­plays ( 40)
Onboard computer sym­bols ( 33)

9 Coolant temperature dis-

play

10 Not included in standard

equipment

with onboard
computer

Gear indicator, "N" is
shown for Neutral

11 Fuel level ( 33)
12 Not included in standard

equipment

with off-road mode ABS
and ASC

Setting riding mode
( 49)

OE

OE

OE

13 A warning appears in the

reading display area of the
odometer ( 25)

14 A trip odometer is dis-

played ( 40)

Warning displays

Displays

Warnings are displayed with the
corresponding warning lamps.

Warnings for which no separate
warning lamp is available are in­dicated by the 'universal' warn­ing lamp 1 in conjunction with
a warning notice or a warning
symbol in the multifunction dis­play. The universal warning lamp
lights up in either yellow or red
depending on the urgency of the
warning.

3

25

z

Displays

3

26

Adjacent to the numerical data
display 2 a warning triangle 3

z

Displays

may also appear. These warn­ings alternate with the odometers
( 40).

The universal warning lamp lights
up for the most urgent warning.

The following page contains a list
of potential warnings.

Overview of warning indicators
Warning and indicator

lamps

Lights up yellow + "EWS" is indi-

Lights up Fuel down to reserve ( 29)

Warning symbols in the
display panel

cated

Meaning

Electronic immobilizer is active ( 29)

3

27

Lights up red Flashes

Lights up yellow Appears on the dis-

Lights up yellow + "LAMP" is indi-

Lights up yellow

Flashes

play

cated

"x.x °F" flashes

+ "dWA" is indi­cated

Coolant temperature too high ( 29)

Engine in emergency-operation mode
( 30)

Bulb defective ( 30)

Outside temperature warning ( 31)

DWA Battery drained ( 31)

ABS self-diagnosis not completed
( 31)

z

Displays

Warning and indicator

3

lamps

28

Lights up

Warning symbols in the
display panel

Meaning

ABS deactivated ( 31)

z

Displays

Lights up

Flashes rapidly

Flashes slowly

Lights up

Lights up

ABS error ( 32)

ASC intervention ( 32)

ASC self-diagnosis not completed
( 32)

ASC deactivated ( 32)

ASC error ( 32)

Electronic immobilizer is
active

General warning lamp
shows yellow.

+ "EWS" is indicated.

Possible cause:
The key being used is not autho-

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

Remove other motorcycle keys
from the ignition key ring.
Use the reserve key.
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible at an au­thorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Fuel down to reserve

Fuel-reserve warning lamp
lights up.

Fuel shortage can lead to

engine misfires. This can
result in unexpected engine de­activation (accident hazard) and
damage to the catalytic con­verter.
Do not drive to the extent that
the fuel tank is completely
empty.

Possible cause:
At the most, the fuel tank still

contains the reserve fuel quantity.

Reserve fuel quantity

min 2.9 quarts (min 2.7 l)

Refueling ( 71).

Coolant temperature too
high

General warning lamp

shows red.

The temperature symbol
flashes.

Driving with an overheated

engine can result in engine
damage.
Be sure to observe the measures
listed below.

Possible cause:
Coolant level is too low.

Check coolant level ( 88).

If coolant level is too low:

Top up coolant ( 89).
Have the coolant system
checked at an authorized
workshop, preferably an
authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Possible cause:
The coolant temperature is too

high.

If possible, continue driving
in the part-load range to cool
down the engine.

3

29

z

Displays

Should the coolant temperature
frequently be too high, have

3

the coolant system checked

30

as quickly as possible by an
authorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Engine in emergency­operation mode

z

Displays

General warning lamp
shows yellow.

Engine symbol appears on
the display.

The engine is in the emer-

gency 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 di-

agnosed a fault. In exceptional
cases, the engine stops and can
no longer be started. Otherwise,
the engine runs in the emer­gency operating mode.

Continued driving is possible,
however the accustomed en­gine performance may not be
available.
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible at an au­thorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Bulb defective

General warning lamp
shows yellow.

+ "LAMP" is indicated.

Failure of a bulb on the
motorcycle is a safety risk

because it potentially makes the

motorcycle less noticeable to
other road users.
Replace defective bulbs as soon
as possible; it is best always to
carry a complete set of spare
bulbs on the motorcycle.

Possible cause:
Bulb defective.

Locate defective bulb with vi­sual check.
Replacing low and high-beam
bulbs in headlight ( 103).
Replacing parking light bulb
( 104).
Replace the LED for brake and
rear light ( 106).
Removing bulbs in front and
rear turn indicators ( 106).
with additional LED
headlight

Replace auxiliary driving light
( 108).

OE

Outside temperature
warning

with onboard computer

"x.x °F" (outside temperature)
flashes.
Possible cause:

The outside temperature mea­sured at the vehicle is lower than
37 °F (3 °C).

The outside temperature

warning does not mean that
there is no risk of black ice form­ing at measured temperatures
above 37 °F (3 °C).
At low outside temperatures, icy
conditions must especially be ex­pected on bridges and in shady
road areas.

Think well ahead when driving.

OE

DWA Battery drained

with anti-theft alarm system

OE

(DWA)

General warning lamp
shows yellow.

+ "dWA" is indicated.

This fault message is only

shown for a short time im­mediately following the Pre-Ride­Check.

Possible cause:
The anti-theft alarm system bat-

tery has no capacity. The oper­ation of the anti-theft alarm sys­tem is no longer ensured with
the vehicle battery disconnected.

Contact an authorized work­shop, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

ABS self-diagnosis not
completed

ABS warning lamp flashes.

Possible cause:
The ABS is not available because

the self-diagnosis has not been
completed. To check the wheel
sensors, the motorcycle must be
driven a few yards.

Ride off slowly. It must be
noted that the ABS function
is not available until the self­diagnosis has been completed.

ABS deactivated

ABS warning lamp lights
up.

Possible cause:
The ABS system has been deac-

tivated by the rider.

Activating ABS function
( 48).

3

31

z

Displays

ABS error

3

32

z

Displays

ABS warning lamp lights
up.

Possible cause:
The ABS control unit has de-

tected an error.

It remains possible to continue
riding. It must be noted that
the ABS function is not avail­able. Observe additional infor­mation on special situations
which can lead to ABS fault
codes ( 78).
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible at an au­thorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

ASC intervention

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning lamp flashes

rapidly.
ASC has detected instability at
the rear wheel and responded by
reducing the torque. The warn­ing lamp flashes longer than the
duration of the ASC interven­tion. This feature continues to
furnish the rider with visual feed­back confirming that the system
has initiated active closed-loop
intervention even after the critical
situation has passed.

ASC self-diagnosis not
completed

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning lamp flashes

slowly.

Possible cause:
The self-diagnosis was not com-

pleted; the ASC function is not
available. So that the ASC self­diagnosis can be completed,

the engine must be running and
the motorcycle must be moved
at a speed of at least 3.1 mph
(5 km/h).

Ride off slowly. It must be
noted that the ASC function
is not available until the self­diagnosis has been completed.

ASC deactivated

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning lamp lights
up.

Possible cause:
The ASC system has been deac-

tivated by the driver.

Switch on ASC.

ASC error

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

ASC warning lamp lights
up.

Possible cause:
The ASC control unit has de-

tected an error.

It remains possible to con­tinue riding. Please be aware
that ASC functionality is no
longer available. Observe addi­tional information on situations
which can lead to an ASC error
( 79).
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible at an au­thorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Onboard computer display

with onboard computer

Distance covered since the
fuel reached the reserve

level ( 33)

OE

Average fuel consumption

Average speed

Current fuel consumption

Outside temperature
( 35)

Fuel level

Due to the complex fuel tank ge­ometry, the fill level cannot be
determined in the upper filling
range. For this reason, the fuel
level indicator only details the
lower half of the filling range.

If the fill level indicator reaches
the 1/2-mark 1, the fuel tank is
still half full. Now, the fill level is
exactly displayed.
If the reserve quantity is reached,
the fuel warning lamp is switched
on.

Fuel reserve

The fuel level at which the re­serve warning lamp actually lights
up will vary according to dynamic
riding conditions: substantial in­tank fuel motion (from frequent
changes in lean angles when
cornering, frequent braking and
acceleration) makes it more diffi-

3

33

z

Displays

cult for the system to determine
when the fuel falls to the reserve

3

level. However, the quantity indi-

34

cated as the fuel reserve on the
rear cover represents the mini­mum in the tank when the lamp
initially lights up.

After the fuel warning lamp

is switched on, the distance
driven since this point in time is
indicated.

z

Displays

The distance, which can still be
driven with the reserve quantity,
depends on the driving style (on
the consumption) and on the fuel
level when the warning lamp was
initially activated (see the expla­nation above).
The odometer for the fuel re­serve is reset if the fuel level af­ter refueling is greater than the
reserve quantity.

Service display

If the time remaining until the
next service will elapse within
one month, the service date 1
appears briefly following the Pre­Ride-Check. The month and
year are shown with two and four
digits respectively separated by a
colon. In this example the display
means "June 2014.".

If the vehicle covers high annual
mileages then shorter service in­tervals may be required. When
the odometer reading for the re­calculated early service falls to
within 621 miles (1000 km), the
remaining miles (kilometers) 1
are counted down in 62-miles
steps (100-km steps). They are
briefly displayed following the
Pre-Ride-Check.

When a service date

elapses without service, the
universal warning lamp lights up
in yellow, appearing together with
the date and mileage (kilometer)

display. The "Service" message
is displayed continuously.

If the service display

appears more than a month
before the service date, the
stored date must be adjusted
in the instrument cluster. This
situation can occur if the battery
has been disconnected for a
longer time.
Consult a certified workshop,
preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer, for
setting of the date.

Outside temperature

with onboard computer

When the outside temper-

ature drops below 37 °F
(3 °C) the temperature display
responds by flashing a warning
indicating possible ice formation
on the road surface. The display
automatically switches from any
other mode to the temperature

OE

reading when the temperature
drops below this threshold for
the first time.
Engine heat can lead to spurious
readings of outside temperature
when the motorcycle is station­ary. When the effects of engine
heat on the monitored tempera­ture become excessive the dis­play responds by temporarily
reverting to -- as the display
reading.

The outside temperature

warning does not mean that
there is no risk of black ice form­ing at measured temperatures
above 37 °F (3 °C).
At low outside temperatures, icy
conditions must especially be ex­pected on bridges and in shady
road areas.

3

35

z

Displays

3

36

z

Displays

Operation

Steering and ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Electronic immobilizer (EWS) . . . . . . . 39

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

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Stopwatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Emergency on/off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Heated grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Riding mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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

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

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

ESA Electronic Suspension Adjust-

ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

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

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

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

4

37

z

Operation

Steering and ignition

4

lock

38

Keys

You are provided with 2 ignition
keys.
Should you lose your keys please
refer to the information regard­ing the electronic immobilizer
(EWS) ( 39).
A single key fits the steering and
ignition lock, the fuel filler cap

z

Operation

and the seat lock.

with aluminum case
with aluminum topcase

On request, the aluminum cases
and the aluminum topcase can
also be ordered with locks for
the same key. Please contact
an authorized workshop for this
purpose, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

OA

OA

Switching on ignition

Insert key into the steering and
ignition lock. Turn key to posi­tion 1.
Parking lamps and all function
circuits are switched on.
Engine can be started.
Pre-Ride Check in progress.
( 65)
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed. ( 65)
with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)
ASC self-diagnosis in progress.

( 66)

Switching off ignition

Turn key to position 1.
Light is switched off.
Handlebars are not locked.
Key can now be removed.
Electrically powered acces­sories remain operational for
a limited period of time.
Battery can be charged via on­board socket.

Locking handlebars

Turn handlebars to left.

Turn key to position 1 while
moving handlebars slightly.
Ignition, lights and all electrical
circuits are switched off.
Handlebars are locked.
Key can now be removed.

Electronic immobilizer (EWS)

The motorcycle's electronic
circuitry monitors the data stored
in the ignition key through a
ring antenna incorporated in the
steering and ignition lock. The
engine management system
does not enable engine starting

until this key is recognized as
"authorized" for your motorcycle.

A further 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 is shown in the

multifunction display.
Always store further vehicle keys
separately from the ignition key.

If you lose your vehicle key, you
can have it disabled by your au­thorized BMW Motorrad retailer.
When having a key disabled you
should also bring all of the mo­torcycle's remaining keys with
you.
The engine can no longer be
started using a disabled key;
however, a disabled key can be
enabled again.
Emergency and spare keys are
only available through an autho-

rized BMW Motorrad retailer.
The keys are part of an inte­grated security system, so the
retailer is under an obligation to
check the legitimacy of all ap­plications for replacement/extra
keys.

Clock

Setting the clock

Attempting to set the clock

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

Switch on ignition ( 38).

4

39

z

Operation

4

40

Press and hold button 1 until
hours 2 flash.
Press button 1 repeatedly until

z

Operation

desired hours are shown.
Press and hold button 1 until
minutes 3 flash.
Press button 1 repeatedly until
desired minutes are shown.
Press and hold button 1 until
minutes do not flash anymore.
Setting is completed.

Display

Selecting display readings

Switch on ignition ( 38).

Press button 1 to select the

display in value area 2.
The following values can be indi­cated:

Total miles (in illustration)

Trip odometer 1 (Trip I)

Trip odometer 2 (Trip II)

with onboard computer

Press button 1 to select the

display in value area 2.
The following data can be dis­played:

Outside temperature

Average speed

Average fuel consumption

OE

Warnings if necessary

Current fuel consumption

Distance covered since the
fuel reached the reserve

level

Press button 3 to select the

display in value area 4.
The following values can be indi­cated:

Total miles (in illustration)

Trip odometer 1 (Trip I)

Trip odometer 2 (Trip II)

Warnings if necessary

Resetting trip odometer

Switch on ignition ( 38).

Select desired trip odometer.

Press and hold button 1 until
trip odometer 2 has been re­set.

with onboard computer

Press and hold button 1 un­til trip odometer 2 has been
reset.

OE

Resetting average data

with onboard computer

Switch on ignition ( 38).
Select average fuel consump­tion or average speed.

OE

4

41

z

Operation

4

42

Press and hold button 1, main­taining pressure until the dis­played figure resets.

z

Operation

Stopwatch

with onboard computer

OE

Stopwatch function

As an alternative to the odome­ter, the stopwatch 1 can be dis­played. The display consists of
hours, minutes, seconds and
tenths of a second separated by
dots.
The stopwatch continues to run
in the background when the dis­play is temporarily switched over
to the odometer. The stopwatch
also continues to run when the
ignition is temporarily switched
off.

Operating stopwatch

If necessary, switch over from
odometer to stopwatch with
button 1.
With stopwatch stopped, press
button 2 to start stopwatch.
With stopwatch running, press
button 2 to stop stopwatch.
Press and hold button 2 to re­set stopwatch.

Lap timer

To enable improved operation
of the stopwatch while driving
(as a lap timer), the functions of
button 1 on the handlebar fitting
and the functions of button 2 can
be interchanged. The stopwatch
and the odometer are then oper­ated using button 1; the onboard
computer must be operated us­ing button 2.

Interchanging button
functions

Switch on ignition ( 38).
Press and hold button 1 and
button 2 simultaneously until
display changes.

FLASH (engine speed warn-

ing indicator) and ON or OFF
are shown.
Press button 2.

LAP (Lap-Timer) and ON or
OFF are shown.

Press button 1 repeatedly until
desired state is shown.

ON: operation of stopwatch

with INFO button on handlebar
fitting.

OFF: operation of stopwatch

with button 2 in instrument
cluster.
To save the setting made,
press and hold button 1 and
button 2 simultaneously until
the display changes.

Lights

Parking lamps

The parking lamps come on au­tomatically when the ignition is
switched on.

The parking lights are a

strain on the battery. Do
not leave the ignition switched
on longer than absolutely
necessary.

4

43

z

Operation

Lowbeam headlamp

4

The lowbeam headlamp is auto­matically switched on under the

44

following conditions:

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

With the engine switched

off, you can switch on the
lights by switching on the high­beam headlight with the ignition

z

Operation

switched on or by operating the
headlight flasher.

High-beam headlamp and
headlight flasher

Press switch 1 toward front to
switch on high beams.
Pull switch 1 rearward to oper­ate headlight flasher.

Parking light

Switch off ignition ( 38).

Immediately after switching off
the ignition, push button 1 to
the left and hold it until the
parking lights come on.
Switch ignition on and then off
again to switch off parking light.

Operating auxiliary
headlight

with additional LED
headlight

Start the engine ( 64).

OE

Press button 1 to switch on
the auxiliary headlights.

The indicator lamp of
the auxiliary headlights is

switched on.

If the engine is switched off
while the auxiliary headlights
are on, then they will automat­ically resume operation when
the engine is restarted.
Press button 1 again to switch
off the auxiliary headlights.

Turn indicators

Operating turn indicators

Switch on ignition ( 38).
Press button 1 to the left to
switch on the left-side turn in­dicators.
Press button 1 to the right to
switch on the right-side turn
indicators.
Press button 1 to switch off
the turn indicators.

After driving for approx.
ten seconds or after cov-

ering a distance of approx. 980 ft

(300 m), the turn indicators are
automatically switched off.

Hazard warning flashers

Operating hazard warning
flashers

Switch on ignition ( 38).

The hazard warning flash-

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

If a turn indicator button is

pressed with the ignition
switched on, the flashing function
replaces the emergency flashing
function as long as the button is
pressed. If the turn indicator but­ton is released, the emergency
flasher function becomes active
again.

4

45

z

Operation

4

46

Emergency on/off switch (kill switch)

Press button 1 to switch on
hazard warning flashers.
Ignition can be switched off.

z

Operation

Press button 1 again to switch
off hazard warning flashers.

1 Emergency on/off switch

(kill switch)

Operating the emergency

ON/OFF switch when riding
can cause the rear wheel to lock
and thus cause a fall.
Do not operate the emergency
ON/OFF switch when riding.

The engine can be switched
off easily and quickly using the
emergency on/off switch.

A Engine switched off
B Operating position

Heated grips

with heated handlebar grips

Start the engine ( 64).

The heated grips option
can only be activated when

the engine is running.

The increase in power con-

sumption caused by the
heated grips can drain the bat­tery if you are riding at low en­gine speeds. If the battery is in­adequately charged, the heated

OE

grips are switched off to ensure
starting capability.

Press button 1 repeatedly un­til desired heating level 2 is

shown.
The handlebar grips can be
heated at two different levels.
The second level is used for fast
heating of the grips; the switch
should then be switched back to
the first level.

50 % heating output

100 % heating output

If no further changes are made
the selected heating level is
adopted as the setting.
To switch off the heated grip,
press button 1 repeatedly until
heated grip symbol 2 is not
shown anymore in the display.

BMW Motorrad ABS

Deactivating ABS function

Switch on ignition ( 38).

Switch the ABS function off
at standstill only.

Press and hold button 1, main­taining pressure until the ABS
warning lamp's display status
changes.

ABS warning lamp lights
up.

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)
The ASC symbol's status

changes first. Press and
hold button 1 until the ABS
warning lamp reacts. In this
case, the ASC setting does not
change.
Release button 1 within two
seconds.

4

47

z

Operation

ABS warning lamp remains

4

48

on.

ABS function is deactivated.

Activating ABS function

z

Operation

Switch on ignition ( 38).

Switch the ABS function on
at standstill only.

Press and hold button 1, main­taining pressure until the ABS
warning lamp's display status
changes.

ABS warning lamp goes
out; if self-diagnosis has

not been completed, it begins to
flash.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

ABS warning lamp remains
off or continues to flash.

ABS function is now activated.
As an alternative, the ignition
can also be switched off and
then on again.

If the ABS warning lamp

lights up after switching
the ignition off and on followed
by continued driving over 3 mph
(5 km/h), an ABS error has
occurred.

BMW Motorrad ASC

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

Deactivating ASC function

Switch on ignition ( 38).

The ASC function can
also be deactivated while

driving.

Press and hold button 1, main­taining pressure until the ASC
warning lamp's display status
changes.

ASC warning lamp lights
up.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

ASC warning lamp contin­ues to light up.

ASC function is deactivated.

Activating ASC function

Switch on ignition ( 38).

The ASC function can
also be switched on while

riding.

Press and hold button 1, main­taining pressure until the ASC
warning lamp's display status
changes.

ASC warning lamp goes

out; if self-diagnosis has
not been completed, it begins to
flash.

Release button 1 within two
seconds.

ASC warning lamp remains
off or continues to flash.

ASC function is activated.
As an alternative, the ignition
can also be switched off and
then on again.

If the ASC warning light

lights up after switching
the ignition off and on and then
continued driving over 3 mph
(5 km/h), an ASC error has
occurred.

Riding mode

with off-road mode ABS and

OE

ASC

Riding mode

BMW Motorrad has evolved two
application scenaria for your mo­torcycle, allowing you to select
the one that is best suited to
your current conditions:

ROAD: highway operation
ENDURO: off-road mode

The system then dials in the
ideal wheel slip rate for the
closed-loop control provided by
ABS and ASC on every type of
road surface.

Detailed information regard-

ing the off-road mode can
be found in the section entitled
"Technology in detail."

Selecting off-road mode

Precondition: Road mode is acti­vated.

Off-road mode (Enduro)

is not intended for normal
road operation. Switching the
off-road mode (Enduro) on dur­ing road operation can result in
unstable riding conditions when
braking in ABS or accelerating in
ASC. This results in a danger of
falling.

4

49

z

Operation

Switch off-road mode (Enduro)
during off-road riding on only.

4

Switch on ignition ( 38).

50

If a riding mode was se-

lected prior to switching the
ignition off, it remains further ac­tive after switching the ignition on
again.

z

Operation

Press button 1.
The mode setting function is
active.
Symbol for road mode 2
flashes.

Press button 1 again.
Symbol for off-road mode 2
flashes.
While riding: The off-mode
road is now activated, provided
that the conditions for selecting
a different driving mode indi­cated below are satisfied:
Throttle grip in neutral position
Brakes not engaged
Clutch disengaged
At standstill: Activation takes
place after approx. 2 seconds.
Symbol for off-road mode 2 is
displayed continuously.

Symbol for road mode disap­pears.

Adjust road operation

Prerequisite: Off-road mode is
active.

Switch on ignition ( 38).

If a riding mode was se-

lected prior to switching the
ignition off, it remains further ac­tive after switching the ignition on
again.

Press button 1.
Mode adjustment is active.

Symbol for off-road mode 2
flashes.

Press button 1 again.
Symbol for road operation 2
flashes.
While riding: The "highway
operation" mode will be ac­tivated as soon as all of the
conditions listed below are sat­isfied:
Throttle grip in neutral position
Brakes not engaged
Clutch disengaged
At standstill: Activation takes
place after approx. 2 seconds.

Symbol for road operation 2 is
continuously displayed.
Symbol for off-road mode is
hidden.

Clutch

Adjusting clutch lever

Adjusting the clutch lever

while driving can lead to
accidents.
Only adjust the clutch lever when
the motorcycle is stationary.

Turn adjusting screw 1 clock­wise to increase distance be-

tween clutch lever and handle­bar grip.
Turn adjusting screw 1 coun­terclockwise to decrease dis­tance between clutch lever and
handlebar grip.

The adjusting screw can be

turned more easily if you
press the clutch lever forward
when doing so.

Brakes

Adjusting handbrake lever

Changing the position of

the brake-fluid reservoir can
allow air to penetrate the brake
system.
Do not reposition the handlebar
controls on the handlebars or the
handlebars in their mounts.

Adjusting the handbrake

lever while driving can lead
to accidents.
Only adjust the handbrake

4

51

z

Operation

lever when the motorcycle is
stationary.

4

52

z

Operation

Turn adjusting screw 1 clock­wise to increase distance be­tween handbrake lever and
handlebar grip.
Turn adjusting screw 1 coun­terclockwise to decrease dis­tance between handbrake lever
and handlebar grip.

The adjusting screw can

be turned more easily if
you press the handbrake lever
forward when doing so.

Mirrors

Adjusting mirrors

Move mirror into desired po­sition by twisting the housing
and the mirror arm.

Adjusting mirror arm

Slide protective cap 1 up over
screw connection on mirror
arm.
Loosen the nut 2.
Turn mirror arm into desired
position.
Tighten the nut to the spec­ified torque while holding the
mirror arm to ensure that it
does not move out of position.

Locknut (mirror) on
clamping piece

Joint compound: Multi-Wax
Spray

Locknut (mirror) on
clamping piece

15 lb/ft (20 Nm)

Slide protective cap over
threaded fastener.

Spring preload

Setting

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

Adjust spring preload at
rear wheel

Remove the seat ( 57).

Remove toolkit 1.

Your motorcycle's han-

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

Adjust damping characteristic to
changed spring preload.

To increase spring preload,
turn adjustment wheel 1 clock­wise using toolkit.
To decrease spring preload,
turn adjustment wheel 1 coun­terclockwise using toolkit.

Basic setting of spring
preload, rear

Turn adjustment wheel coun­terclockwise as far as possible
(One-up without load)

Turn adjustment wheel as far
as possible counterclockwise,
then 12 turns clockwise (One­up with load)

Turn adjustment wheel clock­wise as far as possible (Two­up and load)

Remount toolkit.
Install the seat ( 58).

4

53

z

Operation

Damping

4

Setting

54

Damping must be adjusted to the
road conditions and the spring
preload.

A rough road surface requires
softer damping than a smooth
road surface.
An increase in spring preload
requires firmer damping, a re­duction in spring preload re-

z

Operation

quires softer damping.

Adjusting damping on rear
wheel

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

Adjust damping via adjusting
screw 1.

To increase damping, turn ad­justing screw 1 in arrow direc­tion H.

To reduce damping, turn ad­justing screw 1 in arrow direc­tion S.

Basic setting of rear
wheel rear-wheel damp-

ing

without Electronic Suspen­sion Adjustment (ESA)

Turn adjusting screw as far
as possible clockwise, then
turn back 1.5 turns (One-up
without load)

Turn adjusting screw as far as
possible clockwise, then turn
back 1.5 turns (One-up with
load)

Turn adjusting screw as far
as possible clockwise, then
turn back 1 turn (Two-up with
load)

OE

ESA Electronic Suspension Adjustment

with Electronic Suspension

Adjustment (ESA)

Adjustment options

You can use the ESA Electronic
Suspension Adjustment feature
to adapt damping on the rear
wheel to the road surface. Three
damping settings are available.

Viewing current setting

Switch on ignition ( 38).

OE

Press button 1 to display the
current setting.

COMF Comfortable damping
NORM Normal damping
SPORt Sporty damping

The display automatically dis­appears again after a short
time.

Setting suspension
compliance

Switch on ignition ( 38).

4

55

z

Operation

The adjusted damping is shown
in the multifunction display, in
area 1. The displays provide the
following information:

Press button 1 to display cur­rent setting.

To select a different setting for
damping action:

4

Press button 1 repeatedly until

56

the desired setting appears in
the multifunction display.

The damping cannot be ad­justed while the motorcycle

is being ridden.

If button 1 remains unpressed
for an extended period, the dis­played damping setting is acti-

z

Operation

vated.
The ESA display disappears
once the setting procedure has
been completed.

Tires

Checking tire pressure

Incorrect tire inflation pres-

sure results in poorer hand­ing characteristics of the motor­cycle and reduces the life of the
tires.

Ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.

At high road speeds, ver-

tically installed tire valves
have a tendency to open on their
own.
To avoid a sudden loss of tire in­flation pressure, use valve caps
with a rubber sealing ring for
valves installed vertically to the
wheel rim and tighten firmly.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Check tire pressures against
data below.

Tire pressure, front

31.9 psi (2.2 bar) (One-up,
with cold tires)

36.3 psi (2.5 bar) (Driver with
passenger and/or load, with
cold tire)

Tire pressure, rear

36.3 psi (2.5 bar) (One-up,
with cold tires)

42.1 psi (2.9 bar) (Driver with
passenger and/or load, with
cold tire)

If the tire pressure is incorrect:

Correct tire pressure.

Headlight

Adjusting headlight for
RHD/LHD traffic

If the motorcycle is ridden in a
country where vehicles are driven
in the opposite lane relative to
your own country, its asymmetric
low-beam headlight will tend to
blind oncoming traffic.
Have the headlight adjusted for
these conditions by an authorized
service facility, preferably an au­thorized BMW Motorrad retailer.

Ordinary adhesive tape

damages the plastic lens.
To prevent damage to the plastic
lens, consult a specialized work­shop, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Headlamp range and
spring preload

The headlamp range generally
remains constant due to the ad­justment of the spring preload to
the loading state.
However, in the case of very high
payloads, the available spring
preload adjustment might not be
adequate. In this case, the head­lamp range must be adjusted to
the weight.

If there are questions

whether the headlight
range is correct, consult a
specialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Headlamp range
adjustment

Loosen screws 1 on left and
right.
Adjust headlight by tilting
slightly.
Tighten screws 1 on left and
right.

Basic headlight range
adjustment

Loosen screws 1 on left and
right.
Adjust headlight by tilting
slightly so that tip 2 points to
marking 3.
Tighten screws 1 on left and
right.

Seat

Removing the seat

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

4

57

z

Operation

4

58

Take off seat and place on
a clean surface with rubber
buffers facing downward.

Installing the seat

Turn seat lock 1 to left with
ignition key and hold while
pressing seat downward at

z

Operation

front to support movement.

Raise seat 2 at front and re­lease key.

Insert seat in brackets 1.
Firmly press down on seat at
front.
The seat's detent mechanism
will be heard to engage.

Helmet holder

Securing helmet on
motorcycle

Remove the seat ( 57).

Fasten helmet on helmet
holder 1 on left or right using a
steel cable.

If the helmet is secured
on the left-hand side of

the motorcycle, damage can be
caused by the hot end muffler.
Attach the helmet to the right­hand side of the motorcycle if
possible.

The helmet catch can

scratch the paneling.
When hooking on the helmet,
watch the position of the helmet
lock.

Guide steel cable through hel­met and bracket and position
as shown.
Install the seat ( 58).

4

59

z

Operation

4

60

z

Operation

Riding

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

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

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

Breaking in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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

Off-road riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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

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

Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Fuel quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Fastening motorcycle for trans-

port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

5

61

z

Riding

Safety instructions

5

Rider's equipment

62

The following clothing protects
you while riding:

Helmet
Rider's suit
Gloves
Boots

This applies even to short

z

Riding

journeys, and to every season
of the year. Your authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer will be
happy to advise you and has
the correct clothing for every
purpose.

Correcting loading

Overloading and imbal-

anced loads can adversely
affect the motorcycle's handling.
Do not exceed the gross weight
limit and observe the loading
information.

Adjust spring preload, suspen­sion damping rate settings and
tire inflation pressures for the
current gross vehicle weight.
with aluminum case

Make sure that weight is uni­formly distributed between
right and left.
Pack heavy pieces of luggage
to bottom and inside of cases.
Observe maximum payload and
top speed as indicated on label
in case.

with aluminum topcase
Observe maximum payload and

top speed as indicated on label
in topcase.

with tank rucksack
Observe maximum payload of

tank rucksack.

Payload of tank rucksack

max 11 lbs (max 5 kg)

OA

OA

OA

with rear softbag
Observe maximum payload of

the rear bag.

Payload of rear bag

max 3 lbs (max 1.5 kg)

OA

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.:

Incorrect settings of spring­strut and shock absorber sys­tem
Imbalanced load
Loose clothing
Insufficient tire inflation pres­sure
Poor tire tread
Installed luggage systems such
as cases, topcases, and tank
rucksacks. Observe the max-

imum permissible speed indi­cated on the label in the re­spective luggage system.

Risk of poisoning

Exhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, which is colorless and
odorless but highly toxic.

Inhaling 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 closed
rooms.

Burn hazard

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.
After parking the motorcycle,
make sure that nobody 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 must be observed:

Do not run the fuel tank dry
Do not run the engine with the
spark-plug cap removed
Stop the engine immediately if
it misfires
Use unleaded fuel only
Comply with all specified main­tenance intervals

Unburned fuel will destroy

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

Danger of overheating

Cooling would be inade-

quate 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. After starting, ride
off immediately.

Modifications

Modifications of the mo-

torcycle (e.g. engine man­agement system, throttle valves,
clutch) can cause damage to the
affected components and fail­ure of safety-related functions.
Damage caused in this way is
not covered by the warranty.
Do not make any modifications.

5

63

z

Riding

Checklist

5

Use the following checklist to
verify important functions, set-

64

tings, and wear limits.

Before every journey:

Brakes
Front and rear brake fluid levels
Clutch function
Damping setting and spring
preload

z

Riding

Tread depth and tire inflation
pressure
Firm seating of cases and lug­gage

At regular intervals:

Engine oil level (every time you
refuel)
Brake pad wear (during every
third stop for refueling)
Tension and lubrication of drive
chain

Starting

Starting the engine

Transmission lubrication

is only ensured when the
engine is running. Insufficient lu­brication can lead to transmission
damage.
Do not allow the motorcycle to
roll for longer periods or push it
over longer distances with the
engine switched off.

Switch on ignition ( 38).
Pre-Ride Check in progress.
( 65)
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed. ( 65)
with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)
ASC self-diagnosis in progress.

( 66)
Engage neutral, or pull back
clutch lever if a gear is en­gaged.

You cannot start the mo-

torcycle with the side stand
extended and a gear engaged.
The engine will switch itself off if
it is started with the transmission
in neutral and then a gear is en­gaged before retracting the side
stand.

For cold starts and at low
ambient temperatures: pull the
lever to disengage the clutch
and twist the throttle grip
slightly.

Press starter button 1.

The starting attempt is

automatically interrupted
if battery voltage is too low.
Recharge the battery before
you attempt to start the engine
again, or use jumper cables and
a donor battery to start.
More detailed information can
be found in the "Maintenance"
chapter under "Jump-starting."

Engine starts.
If the engine fails to start, the
troubleshooting chart in chap­ter "Technical Data" may pro­vide assistance. ( 128)

Pre-Ride Check

When the ignition is switched
on the instrument cluster per­forms a test routine including the
analog display instruments as
well as the warning and indica­tor lamps - this is the "Pre-Ride­Check." Starting the engine be­fore the test routine is completed

will cancel the remainder of the
routine.

Phase 1

The needles on the tachometer
and speedometer rotate to their
end positions. Simultaneously all
warning and indicator lamps are
activated sequentially.

Phase 2

The universal warning lamp
changes from yellow to red.

Phase 3

The needles on the tachome­ter and speedometer return to
their initial positions. At the same
time, the previously activated
warning and indicator lamps are
now switched off in reverse se­quence.

If one of the needles fails to
move, or if one of the warning
and indicator lamps fails to light
up:

Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible at an au­thorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

ABS self-diagnosis

The self-diagnosis routine
is determining whether
BMW Motorrad ABS is ready for
operation. The self-diagnosis
routine runs automatically when
you switch on the ignition. To
check the wheel speed sensors,
the motorcycle must be driven a
few yards.

Phase 1

Check on system components
monitored by the diagnostic sys­tem while vehicle is parked.

ABS warning lamp flashes.

5

65

z

Riding

Phase 2

5

Check wheel sensors while start­ing off.

66

ABS warning lamp flashes.

ABS self-diagnosis
completed

ABS warning lamp goes out.

z

Riding

Watch all warning and indicator

lamps on the display.
An ABS error is indicated follow­ing completion of the ABS self­diagnosis routine.

It remains possible to continue

riding. It must be noted that

the ABS function is not avail-

able.

Have the malfunction corrected

as soon as possible at an au-

thorized workshop, preferably

an authorized BMW Motorrad

retailer.

ASC self-diagnosis

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

The self-diagnosis routine
is determining whether the
BMW Motorrad Integral ASC
is ready for operation. The
self-diagnosis routine runs
automatically when you switch on
the ignition.

Phase 1

Check on system components
monitored by the diagnostic
system while vehicle is parked.

ASC warning lamp flashes
slowly.

Phase 2

The diagnostic system evalu­ates status of monitored sys­tem components while vehicle
is underway (at least 3.1 mph
[5 km/h]).

ASC warning lamp flashes
slowly.

ASC self-diagnosis
completed

ASC warning lamp goes out.

Watch all warning and indicator

lamps on the display.
If an ASC error is indicated fol­lowing completion of the ASC
self-diagnosis routine:

It remains possible to continue

riding. Please be aware that

ASC functionality is no longer

available.

Have the malfunction corrected

as soon as possible at an au-

thorized workshop, preferably

an authorized BMW Motorrad

retailer.

Breaking in

Engine

While running in the motorcy­cle, vary the throttle opening
and engine-speed range fre­quently; avoid driving for long
periods at a constant speed.
Choose curvy, slightly hilly sec­tions of road if possible.
Observe the engine run-in
speeds.

Engine run-in speed

<5000 min

Observe mileage, after which
the running-in check should be
performed.

311...746 miles
(500...1200 km)

-1

Mileage until running-in
check

Brake pads

New brake pads must be run in
before they achieve their opti­mum friction force. This initial
reduction in braking efficiency
can be compensated for by ex­erting greater pressure on the
brake levers.

New brake pads can extend

stopping distance by a sig­nificant margin.
Brake early.

Tires

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

New tires do not provide

full tire traction. Accident
hazards exist in particular on wet
roads and at extreme angles.

Always think well ahead and
avoid extreme angles.

Speed

with onboard computer

Engine speed warning

The engine speed warning
signals to the rider that the red
engine speed range has been
reached. The red indicator
lamp 1 flashes to furnish this
signal.
This signal lamp continues to
flash until the rider either upshifts
to a higher gear or reduces the

OE

5

67

z

Riding

engine speed. It can be activated
or deactivated by the rider.

5

68

Activating engine speed
warning

z

Riding

Switch on ignition ( 38).
Press and hold button 1 and
button 2 simultaneously until
display changes.

FLASH (engine speed warn-

ing indicator) and ON or OFF
are shown.
Press button 1 until desired
state is shown.

ON: engine speed warning acti-

vated.

OFF: engine speed warning

deactivated.
To save the setting made,
press and hold button 1 and
button 2 simultaneously until
the display changes.

Off-road riding

After driving offroad

BMW Motorrad recommends
that the following be observed
after driving offroad:

Tire inflation pressure

A tire inflation pressure re-

duced for offroad driving
leads to poorer handling of the
motorcycle on paved roads and
can result in accidents.
Ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.

Brakes

When the motorcycle is

ridden on loose surfaces
or muddy roads, the brakes may
fail to take effect immediately
because of dirt or moisture on
the disks or brake pads.
Brake early until the brakes are
braked clean.

Driving on unpaved or dirty

roads leads to increased
brake pad wear.
Check the brake pad thickness
more often and replace the brake
pads sooner.

Spring preload and damping

Spring preload and damp-

ing values that have been
changed for offroad use reduce
handling characteristics on paved
surfaces.
Before returning to on-road use,
reset correct spring preload and
correct damping.

Rims

BMW Motorrad recommends
checking the rims for possible
damage after riding offroad.

Air cleaner insert

Engine damage due to

soiled air filter insert.
When driving in dusty terrain,
check air filter insert for soiling
at short intervals and clean or re­place if necessary.

Use under very dusty conditions
(deserts, savannas, etc.) requires
the use air cleaner inserts spe­cially developed for these kinds
of applications.

Brakes

How do you achieve
the shortest stopping
distances?

The dynamic load distribution be­tween the front and rear wheel
changes during braking. The
heavier you brake, the greater
the weight transfer to the front
wheel. Increases in the load at
an individual wheel are accom­panied by a rise in the effective
braking force that the wheel can
provide.
To achieve the shortest possible
braking distance, the front brake
must be applied quickly and with
increasing force. This procedure
provides ideal exploitation of the
extra weight transfer to the front
wheel. The clutch should also be
disengaged at the same time.
With the "forced braking" of­ten practiced in which the brake
pressure is generated as quickly

as possible and with great force,
the dynamic load distribution
cannot follow the increased de­celeration and the braking force
cannot be completely transferred
to the road surface.
Locking up of the front wheel is
prevented by the BMW Motorrad
ABS.

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.

5

69

z

Riding

Wet, soiled brakes

5

Moisture and dirt on the brake
rotors and the brake pads result

70

in a decrease in the braking ac­tion.
Delayed or poorer braking action
must be expected in the follow­ing situations:

When driving in the rain and
through puddles.

z

Riding

After washing the vehicle.
When driving on roads spread
with salt.
After working on the brakes
due to oil or grease residues.
When driving on soiled roads
or offroad.

Poor braking action due to

moisture and dirt.
Brake until brakes are dry or
clean; clean if necessary.
Brake early until the full braking
action is available again.

Parking your motorcycle

Side stand

Switch off 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.

Fold out side stand and park
motorcycle.
If the slope of the road permits,
turn the handlebars to the left.
On a grade, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se­lect 1st gear.

Center stand

with center stand

Switch off 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 result in the center
stand retracting, and the vehicle
could topple as a result.
Do not sit on the motorcycle
while it is resting on the center
stand.

Fold out center stand and jack
up motorcycle.
On a grade, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se­lect 1st gear.

OE

Refueling

Fuel is highly flammable.

Fire at the fuel tank can
result in fire and explosion.
Do not smoke. Never bring a
naked flame near the fuel tank.

Fuel expands when ex-

posed to heat. When the
tank is overfilled, fuel can escape
and get onto the road. This re­sults in a danger of falling.
Do not overfill the fuel tank.

Fuel attacks plastic sur-

faces, making them cloudy
or unattractive.
Immediately wipe off plastic parts
after contact with fuel.

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

The available fuel tank vol-

ume can only be optimally
used with the vehicle standing on
the side stand.

Open protective cap 1.
Unlock cap 2 on fuel tank with
motorcycle key and fold it up
to open.

Refuel with a fuel meeting the
specifications below, continu-

ing until fuel is no higher than
lower edge of filler neck.

When refueling after run-

ning on reserve, make sure
that you top up the tank to a
level above reserve, as other­wise the sensor will not be able
to register the new level and the
fuel warning lamp will not be
switched off.

The "usable fuel quantity"

indicated in the Technical
data is the fuel quantity, which
can be refueled, if the fuel tank
was completely emptied, i.e., if
the engine dies off due to lack of
fuel.

Usable fuel quantity

Approx. 6.3 gal (Approx. 24 l)

5

71

z

Riding

5

72

z

Riding

Reserve fuel quantity

min 2.9 quarts (min 2.7 l)

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

Fuel quality

For the best fuel economy, the
gasoline should be sulfur-free or
very low in sulfur content.

Leaded fuel will destroy the

catalytic converter.
Do not refuel with leaded gaso­line or gasoline with metallic
additives, e. g. manganese or
Iron.

Ethanol E85 might damage

the engine and fuel supply
system.
Do not refuel with E85, i.e. fuel

with an ethanol content of 85 %,
or with Flex Fuel.

Fuels with a maximum ethanol
content of 10 %, i. e., E10,
may be used for refueling.
Ethanol should satisfy the qual­ity standards for US (ASTM
4806–xx) and Canada (CGSB-

3.511–xx). “xx” - comply with
the current standard in each
case.

Recommended fuel qual­ity

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

with regular unleaded gaso­line (RON 91)

OE

Recommended fuel qual­ity

Regular unleaded (minor re­strictions with regard to power
and fuel consumption), (max.
10 % ethanol, E10)
87 AKI (91 ROZ/RON)
87 AKI

Fastening motorcycle for transport

Protect all component surfaces
against which straps are routed
against scratching. For exam­ple, use adhesive tape or soft
cloths.

5

73

The motorcycle can tip

away to the side and fall
over.
Secure motorcycle against tip­ping away to the side, prefer­ably with the help of a second
person.

Push motorcycle onto transport
surface, and do not place on
side stand or center stand.

Components can be dam-

aged.
Do not pinch components, e.g.
brake lines or wiring harnesses.

Fasten straps at front on both
sides on lower fork bridge and
tension.

Fasten straps at rear on both
sides on rear frame and ten­sion.
Tension all straps evenly; the
vehicle should be pulled down
against its springs with the sus­pension compressed as much
as possible.

z

Riding

5

74

z

Riding

Technology in detail

Riding mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Brake system with BMW Motorrad

ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Engine management with

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

6

75

z

Technology in detail

Riding mode

6

with off-road mode ABS and

OE

ASC

76

Selection

Two riding modes are available to
allow you to set the motorcycle's
suspension to the condition of
the road surface:

ROAD: highway operation
ENDURO: off-road riding

Specially adapted settings for the
ABS and ASC are provided for
each of the two riding modes.
ABS and/or ASC can be
switched off in each mode; the

z

Technology in detail

following explanations always
refer to the activated systems.

ABS

The rear wheel lift assistant is
active in both modes.
In the ROAD mode, the ABS
response characteristics are

calibrated for highway opera­tion.
In the ENDURO mode ABS is
calibrated for off-road operation
using knobby off-road tires.

ASC

The front wheel lift assistant is
active in both modes.
In the ROAD mode, the ASC
response characteristics are
calibrated for highway opera­tion.
In the ENDURO mode, ASC is
calibrated for off-road opera­tion.

Changing the setting

The process of changing the
ABS and ASC riding modes
while the motorcycle is underway
is only possible under certain
conditions:

No drive torque at rear wheel
No brake pressure in the brake
system.

To maintain these conditions:

Throttle grip must be twisted
back,
no pressure against the brake
levers,
the clutch must be disengaged

or

motorcycle must be stopped
with the ignition switched on.

First the desired riding mode is
preselected. The new selection
is not activated until the specified
conditions are present in all af­fected systems.

Brake system with BMW Motorrad ABS

How does ABS work?

The maximum braking force that
can be transferred to the road
surface is partially dependent on
the friction coefficient of the road
surface. Gravel, ice, snow and
wet roads offer a considerably
lower friction coefficient than a
dry, clean asphalt surface. The
poorer the friction coefficient of
the road surface is, the longer
the braking distance will be.
If the maximum transferable brak­ing force is exceeded when the
rider increases the brake pres­sure, the wheels begin to lock
and driving stability is lost, and
a fall can result. Before this sit­uation occurs, ABS is activated
and the brake pressure is ad­justed to the maximum transfer­able braking force. This enables
the wheels to continue to turn

and maintains driving stability re­gardless of the road surface con­dition.

What happens when
rough roads are
encountered?

Rough roads can briefly lead to
a loss of contact between the
tires and the road surface. The
transferable braking force is then
reduced to zero. If braking is car­ried out in this situation, ABS
must reduce the brake pressure
to ensure driving stability when
restoring contact to the road.
At this point in time, ABS must
assume extremely low friction
coefficients (gravel, ice, snow)
so that the wheels turn in every
imaginable case and driving sta­bility is ensured. After detecting
the actual conditions, the system
adjusts the optimum brake pres­sure.

Lifting off rear wheel

During extremely heavy and rapid
decelerations it is possible that
the ABS cannot prevent the rear
wheel from lifting off the ground.
In these cases, the motorcycle
can also flip end over end.

Heavy braking can lead to

the rear wheel lifting off the
ground.
When braking, bear in mind
that the ABS control cannot
always be relied on to prevent
the rear wheel from lifting off the
ground.

What are the design
characteristics of the
BMW Motorrad ABS?

The BMW Motorrad ABS en­sures driving stability on any sur­face within the limits of driving
physics. The system is not op­timized for special requirements
resulting under extreme weather

6

77

z

Technology in detail

conditions offroad or on the race­track.

6

78

Special situations

To detect the tendency of the
wheels to lock up, the speeds
of the front and rear wheel are
compared. If implausible values
are detected over a longer period
of time, the ABS function is de­activated for safety reasons and
an ABS error is indicated. The
condition for a fault code is the
completed self-diagnosis.
Unusual driving conditions can
lead to a fault code as well:

Driving on the rear wheel
(wheelie) for a longer period.

z

Technology in detail

Rear wheel spinning in place
with front brake engaged (burn
out).
Heating up on the main or aux­iliary stand at idle or with gear
engaged.

Locked-up rear wheel for a
longer period of time, e.g.
when riding downhill offroad.

Should a fault code occur due to
an unusual driving condition, the
ABS function can be reactivated
by switching the ignition off and
then on again.

How important is regular
maintenance?

Any technical system is al-

ways only as good as its
maintenance condition.
To ensure that the
BMW Motorrad ABS is in an
optimally maintained condition, it
is vital that the specified running­in checks be complied with.

Reserves for safety

But remember: 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.

Be careful in curves. When

you apply the brakes in a
curve, the motorcycle's weight
and momentum take over and
even BMW Motorrad ABS is un­able to counteract their effects.
The rider is always responsible
for adapting his/her driving style.
Do not reduce the additional
safety provided with risky
driving.

Engine management with BMW Motorrad ASC

with Automatic Stability Control

OE

(ASC)

How does ASC work?

The BMW Motorrad ASC com­pares the wheel speeds of the
front and rear wheels. Differ­ences in the relative rotation
speeds allow the system to de­termine the slip rate, and thus
the stability reserves at the rear
wheel. The engine-management
system adapts the engine torque
when the slip limit is exceeded.

What are the design
characteristics of the
BMW Motorrad ASC?

BMW Motorrad ASC has been
designed to provide the rider with
extra assistance during motor­cycle operation on public roads.
The extent to which the rider af­fects ASC control can be con­siderable (weight shifts when
cornering, loose luggage on the
motorcycle), especially when ap­proaching the limits imposed by
the laws of physics.

The ENDURO riding mode
should be activated for off­road riding. In this mode ASC's
closed-loop intervention is
delayed to allow controlled drifts.
The system is not optimized for
the special conditions encoun­tered under extreme weather
during off-road and racing use.
BMW Motorrad ASC can be
switched off for these conditions.

Even with ASC, the laws of

physics cannot be overrid­den. The rider is always respon­sible for adapting his/her driving
style.
Do not reduce the additional
safety provided with risky
driving.

Special situations

As lean angles increase, accel­eration potential is also progres­sively restricted by the laws of
physics. This can result in de-

layed acceleration when coming
out of very tight curves.

The system compares the rota­tion speeds of the front and rear
wheels to detect any tendency
of the rear wheel to spin or break
loose. If the system registers im­plausible data for an extended
period of time it will deactivate
the ASC functionality as safety
precaution and a display will alert
you to ASC error. A self-diagno­sis routine must be completed
before the error will be displayed.
The following unusual operating
conditions may lead to automatic
deactivation of BMW Motorrad
ASC:

Riding on the rear wheel only
(wheelie).
Rear wheel spinning in place
with front brake engaged (burn
out).

6

79

z

Technology in detail

Warm-up on the main or aux­iliary stand at idle or with gear

6

engaged.

80

ASC is reactivated by switching
the ignition off and on and then
riding at a speed above 3 mph
(5 km/h).

If the front wheel loses contact
with the ground under extreme
acceleration, the ASC reduces
the engine torque until the front
wheel makes contact with the
ground again.
In this case, BMW Motorrad
recommends twisting back the
throttle grip somewhat to return

z

Technology in detail

to stable dynamic operating con­ditions as quickly as possible.

On slippery surfaces the throt­tle grip should never be sud­denly twisted back completely
unless the clutch lever is pulled
back at the same time. The en­gine's braking torque could cause

the rear wheel to lock, resulting
in unstable vehicle conditions.
BMW Motorrad ASC is unable to
intervene effectively under these
conditions.

Maintenance

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

Onboard tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Wheel rims and tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Front wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Fairings and panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Jump-starting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

7

81

z

Maintenance

General instructions

7

The "Maintenance" chapter de­scribes work involving the check-

82

ing and replacement of wear
parts that can be performed with
a minimum of effort.
If special tightening torques are
to be taken into account for
assembly, these are listed. An
overview of all required tightening
torques is contained in the
chapter "Technical Data".
Further information about main-

z

Maintenance

tenance and repair work can be
obtained on DVD through your
authorized BMW Motorrad re­tailer.

Special tools and thorough spe­cialized knowledge are required
to carry out some of the work.
If you are in doubt, consult an
authorized workshop, preferably
your authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Onboard tool kit

Standard tool kit

1 Screwdriver handle
2 Reversible screwdriver in-

sert
with Phillips and straight
blade

Removing bulbs in front
and rear turn indicators
( 106).
Replacing bulb in license
plate lamp ( 107).
Remove battery
( 113).

3 Open-ended wrench

Wrench size: 17 mm

Adjust mirror arm
( 52).

4 Torx wrench T40

Headlamp range adjust­ment ( 57).

5 Reversible screwdriver in-

sert
with Phillips PH1 and Torx
T25

Remove center fairing
panel ( 109).

Service tool kit

with service toolkit

OA

For more extensive work (such as
wheel removal and installation),
BMW Motorrad has put together
a service tool kit matched to your
motorcycle. You can purchase
this tool kit from your authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

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 a short

trip leads to misinterpretations of
the oil fill quantity.
To ensure that the display of the
engine oil level is correct, only
check the oil level with the en­gine at operating temperature.

Wipe area around oil filler loca­tion clean.
Allow engine to idle until fan
starts, then let it continue run­ning for an additional minute.

To minimize environmental

impact, BMW Motorrad rec­ommends occasionally checking
the engine oil following a ride of
at least 30 miles (50 km).

Switch off engine.
Make sure ground is level and
firm and hold motorcycle at op­erating temperature vertically.
with center stand
Make sure ground is level and
firm and place motorcycle at

OE

operating temperature on its
center stand.

The motorcycle can tip

away to the side and fall
over.
Secure motorcycle against tip­ping away to the side, prefer­ably with the help of a second
person.

Remove oil dipstick 1.

7

83

z

Maintenance

7

84

Clean measuring scale 2 using
a dry cloth.
Position oil dipstick on oil filler
opening, but do not screw

z

Maintenance

in.

Remove oil dipstick and read
fluid level.

Specified level of engine
oil

Between MIN and MAX mark­ing

Engine oil, quantity for
topping up

Viscosity rating

max 0.4 quarts (max 0.4 l) (Dif­ference between MIN and
MAX)

If the oil level is below MIN mark:

Top up engine oil ( 84).

If oil level is above MAX mark:

Have fluid level corrected by an
authorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Install oil dipstick.

Topping up engine oil

Both too little and too

much engine oil can lead to
engine damage.
Always make sure that the oil
level is correct.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Clean the area adjacent to the
oil filler opening.

Remove oil dipstick 1.
Add engine oil up to specified
level.
Check engine oil level ( 83).
Install oil dipstick.

Brake system

Checking brake operation

Actuate the handbrake lever.
Pressure point must be clearly
perceptible.
Actuate the footbrake lever.
Pressure point must be clearly
perceptible.

If no clear pressure points are
perceptible:

Have the brakes checked at an
authorized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Checking front brake pad
thickness

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

Visually inspect left and right
brake pads from the front to
determine their thickness. Di­rection of view: between wheel

and front suspension to brake
calipers 1 and 2.

Front brake-pad wear
limit

min 0.04 in (min 1.0 mm)
(Only friction material without
carrier plate. Wear markings
(grooves) must be clearly visi­ble.)

If the wear indicators are no
longer clearly visible:

Dropping below the mini­mum pad thickness leads

to reduced braking performance

7

85

z

Maintenance

and may result in damage to the
brakes.

7

In order to ensure the operating

86

reliability of the brake system,
make sure that the brake pads
are not worn beyond their mini­mum thickness.

Have the brake pads replaced
by an authorized workshop,
preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Checking rear brake pad

z

Maintenance

thickness

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

Conduct a visual inspection of
the brake pad thickness. Direc­tion of view: from rear at brake
caliper 1.

Rear brake-pad wear
limit

min 0.04 in (min 1.0 mm)
(Only friction material without
carrier plate.)

If brake pads are worn:

Dropping below the mini-

mum pad thickness leads
to reduced braking performance
and may result in damage to the
brakes.

In order to ensure the operating
reliability of the brake system,
make sure that the brake pads
are not worn beyond their mini­mum thickness.

Have the brake pads replaced
by a specialist service facil­ity, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Checking front brake fluid
level

A low fluid level in the

brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.
Check brake fluid level
regularly.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and hold motorcycle verti­cally.

with center stand
Make sure ground is level and

firm and place motorcycle on
its center stand.

Move handlebars into straight­ahead position.

Check brake fluid level in front
brake-fluid reservoir 1.

The brake fluid level in the
brake-fluid reservoir drops

due to brake pad wear.

OE

Front brake fluid level
(visual check)

Brake fluid, DOT4

The brake fluid level must not
fall below the MIN mark.

If brake fluid level falls below the
approved level:

Have the defect corrected as
soon as possible by an autho­rized workshop, preferably an
authorized BMW Motorrad re­tailer.

Checking rear brake fluid
level

A low fluid level in the

brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.
Check brake fluid level
regularly.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and hold motorcycle verti­cally.
with center stand

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

OE

7

87

z

Maintenance

7

88

Coolant

Checking coolant level

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Turn handlebars to the right.

Read brake fluid level at rear
brake-fluid reservoir 1.

The brake fluid level in the

z

Maintenance

brake-fluid reservoir drops

due to brake pad wear.

Rear brake fluid level (vi­sual check)

Brake fluid, DOT4

The brake fluid level must not
fall below the MIN mark.

If brake fluid level falls below the
approved level:

Have the defect corrected as
soon as possible by an autho­rized workshop, preferably an
authorized BMW Motorrad re­tailer.

Read off coolant level on ex­pansion tank 1. Viewing di­rection: from front through
windshield and right-hand side
panel.

Topping up coolant

an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Checking clutch pedal
free play

7

89

Coolant, specified level

Antifreeze and anti-corrosion
agents

Between MIN and MAX marks
on the expansion tank

If coolant level drops below ap­proved level:

Top up coolant ( 89).

Open cap 1 of expansion tank.
Add coolant up to specified
level using a suitable funnel.
Close cap of expansion tank.

Clutch

Check clutch function

Pull back the clutch lever.
Pressure point must be clearly

perceptible.
If no clear pressure point can be
felt:

Have the clutch checked by an

authorized workshop, preferably

Actuate the clutch lever un­til resistance can be felt. Ob­serve cut-out between edges 1
and 2 in the handlebar fitting.
The inner edge of cable
mount 1 should move to outer
edge 2 of the handlebar fitting.

z

Maintenance

7

90

Clutch cable play

0.2 in (5 mm) (Handlebars in
straight-ahead position)

If clutch pedal free play is outside
tolerance:

Adjust clutch pedal free play
( 90).

Adjusting clutch pedal
free play

z

Maintenance

Slide rubber grommet 1 to the
side.
Loosen the nut 2.

To increase clutch pedal free
play: turn adjusting screw 3
into handlebar fitting.
To decrease clutch pedal free
play: turn adjusting screw 3
out of handlebar fitting.
Check clutch pedal free play
( 89).
Tighten nut 2 while holding
adjusting screw 3 to ensure
that it does not move out of
position.
Pull rubber grommet 1 over the
nut.

Wheel rims and tires

Check wheel rims

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Subject wheel rims to visual
inspection for defects.
Have damaged rims checked
and, if necessary, replaced
by a specialist service facil-

ity, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Checking spokes

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Sweep across spokes with a
screwdriver handle or similar
item, paying attention to result-

ing series of notes.
If you hear an uneven series of
notes:

Have spokes checked by an

authorized workshop, preferably

an authorized BMW Motorrad

retailer.

Checking tire tread depth

The handling of your mo-

torcycle can already change
for the worse before the legally
prescribed minimum tread depth
is reached.
Have tires replaced even be­fore the minimum tread depth
is reached.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Measure tire tread depth in
main tread grooves with wear
indicators.

Tread wear marks are

integrated into the main
grooves on every tire. If the tire
tread has worn down to the
level of the marks, the tire is
completely worn. The locations
of the marks are indicated on
the edge of the tire, e.g. by the
letters TI, TWI or by an arrow.

When the minimum tread depth
is reached:

Replace the worn tires.

Chain

Lubricating chain

Dirt, dust and insufficient

lubrication will considerably
shorten the service life of the
drive chain.

Clean and lubricate the drive
chain regularly.

Lubricate drive chain at least
every 620 mls (1000 km). After
driving though water or dust
and dirt perform the lubrication
at shorter intervals.
Switch off ignition and engage
Neutral.
Clean drive chain with suitable
cleaning agent, dry and apply
chain lubricant.
Wipe off excess lubricant.

Check chain sag

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Turn the rear wheel until the
position with the lowest chain
sag is reached.

Press chain upward and down­ward using a screwdriver and
measure difference A.

Chain sag

1.4...1.8 in (35...45 mm) (Mo­torcycle unloaded on side
stand)

If the measured value is outside
the approved tolerance:

Adjusting chain sag ( 91).

Adjusting chain sag

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

7

91

z

Maintenance

7

92

Loosen quick-release axle
nut 1.
Loosen lock nuts 2 on left and
right.

z

Maintenance

Adjust chain sag with adjusting
screws 3 on left and right.
Check chain sag ( 91).
Ensure that the figures 4 indi­cating the adjustment settings
are identical on left and right.
Tighten locknuts 2 on left and
right with appropriate torque.

Locknut of drive-chain
tensioning screw

14 lb/ft (19 Nm)

Tighten quick-release axle
nut 1 to specified torque.

Rear-wheel quick-release
axle in swinging arm

74 lb/ft (100 Nm)

Check chain wear

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Engage 1st gear.
Rotate rear wheel toward front
of vehicle until the chain is ten­sioned.
Determine chain length below
the rear wheel swinging arm
with 9 rivets.

Permissible chain length

max 5.7 in (max 144.30 mm)
(Measured over 9 rivets, chain
tensioned)

If the chain has reached the max­imum approved length:

Contact an authorized service
facility, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Wheels

Tire recommendation

For every tire size,
BMW Motorrad has tested
certain tire brands and approved
those it has found to be
roadworthy. If you use wheels
and tires that have not been
approved, BMW Motorrad cannot
assess their suitability or provide
any guarantee as to their road
safety.
Use only wheels and tires that
BMW Motorrad has approved for
your type of motorcycle.
Extensive information is
available at your authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer or on
the Internet at www.bmw­motorrad.com.

Affect of wheel sizes
on suspension control
systems

The wheel sizes play a major role
for the ABS and ASC suspension
control systems. The diameter
and width of the wheels stored
in the control unit have particular
significance as the basis for all
necessary calculations. A change
in these sizes resulting from con­version to wheels not installed
as standard equipment can seri­ously affect the control comfort
of these systems.
The sensor reluctor rings re­quired for wheel speed detec­tion must also match the installed
control systems and may not be
replaced.
If you want to equip your
motorcycle with different wheels,
please speak to a specialist
service facility, and preferably a
BMW Motorrad retailer. In some
cases the data stored in the

control units can be adapted to
the new wheel sizes.

Removing front wheel

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

Remove screw 1 and take
wheel speed sensor out of
bore.

7

93

z

Maintenance

7

94

Once the calipers have

been removed, there is
a risk of the brake pads being
pressed together to the extent

z

Maintenance

that they cannot be slipped back
over the brake rotor on reassem­bly.
Do not operate the handbrake
lever when the brake calipers
have been removed.

Remove screws 1 of brake
calipers on left and right.

Push brake pads 1 slightly
apart by turning the brake
caliper 2 back and forth against
the brake rotor 3.
Mask off area of wheel rim that
could be scratched in process
of removing brake calipers.
Carefully pull brake calipers
back to remove them from the
brake rotors.

Place the motorcycle on an
auxiliary stand, preferably a
BMW Motorrad rear-wheel
stand. The rear-wheel stand
and its accessories are avail-

able through your authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.
with center stand

Place motorcycle on the center
stand, ensuring that it is rest­ing on a firm and level support
surface.

Raise front of motorcy­cle, preferably using a
BMW Motorrad front wheel
stand, continuing until the
wheel rotates freely.
Mounting front wheel stand
( 101).

OE

Push axle as far as possible
toward inside.

7

95

Unscrew axle clamping bolts 1
on right side.

Remove axle bolt 1.
Unscrew axle clamping bolts 2
on left side.

Remove axle 1 while support­ing the wheel.
Do not remove grease on axle.
Roll front wheel forward to re­move it.

Remove spacer bushing 1 on
left side from wheel hub.

Install front wheel

Malfunctions may occur

during control interventions
by ABS or ASC if a wheel other
than the standard wheel is in­stalled.
Please see the information on
the effect of wheel sizes on the
ABS and ASC chassis control
systems at the beginning of this
chapter.

z

Maintenance

Threaded fasteners not

7

96

tightened to the specified
torque can work loose or their
threads can suffer damage.
Always have the tightening
torques checked by a specialized
workshop, preferably an
authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

tion arrows on the tires or on the
rim.

Roll front wheel into front sus­pension.

Pinch bolt on quick-re­lease axle

z

Maintenance

Mount spacing bushing 1 on
left side on wheel hub.

The front wheel must be

installed right way round to
rotate in the correct direction.
Observe the direction of rota-

Lift front wheel and insert
axle 1 as far as possible.
Tighten right-hand axle clamp­ing screws 2 with specified
torque or use suitable tool to
brace for next work step.

Tightening sequence: Tighten
the screws 6 times, alternating
between one and the other
each time

14 lb/ft (19 Nm)

7

97

Tighten axle screw 1 to speci­fied torque.

Axle screw in front quick­release axle

22 lb/ft (30 Nm)

Tighten left-hand axle clamping
screws 2 to appropriate torque.

Pinch bolt on quick-re­lease axle

Tightening sequence: Tighten
the screws 6 times, alternating
between one and the other
each time

14 lb/ft (19 Nm)

If they have been tightened,
loosen right-hand axle clamping
screws 1 again.
Remove front wheel stand.

without center stand
Remove auxiliary stand.

Place right-hand and left-hand
brake caliper on brake rotor.

OE

z

Maintenance

7

98

Tighten screws 1 on left and
right to appropriate torque.

Brake caliper on tele-

z

Maintenance

scopic forks

28 lb/ft (38 Nm)

Insert ABS sensor into the bore
and install screw 1.
Remove adhesive tape from
wheel rim.
Operate brakes several times
until brake pads contact brake
disk.

Firmly compress spring forks
several times.

Tighten right axle clamping
screws 1 to specified tight­ening torque.