BMW F 800 R 4th Edition (US) (2011) Owner’s Manual

Rider's Manual (US Model)

F 800 R

BMW Motorrad

The Ultimate

Riding Machine

Motorcycle/Retailer Data

Motorcycle data

Model

Vehicle Identification Number

Color number

First registration

Registration number

Retailer Data

Contact in Service

Ms./Mr.

Phone number

Retailer's address/phone number (com­pany stamp)

Welcome to BMW

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

you maintain your motorcycle's
reliability and safety, as well as its
value.
If you have 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

BMW Motorrad.

Table of Contents

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

1 General instructions . ... 5

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

Abbreviations and

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

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

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

Currentness of this man-

ual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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

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

General view, right side . . . . . 13

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

Under center fairing

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

Multifunction switch, left .. . . 16

Multifunction switch,

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

Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3 Status indicators . . . .... 21

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 22

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

Warning and indicator

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

Service display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Kilometers driven after
reaching the reserve

quantity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 26

Tire inflation pressures . . . . . . 26

Warning indicators . . . . . . . . . . 27

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

Steering and ignition

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

Electronic immobilizer

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

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

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

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

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

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 44

Emergency ON/OFF

switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Heated handlebar grips . . . . . 45

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

5 Riding .. .. . . .... .. .. .. .. .. 53

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . 54

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Starting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Breaking in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Parking your motorcycle . . . . 60

Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Securing motorcycle for

transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

6 Technology in

detail .. . . .... .. .. .. .. .. .. . 65

Brake system with BMW

Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

TPC Tire Pressure Con-

trol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

7 Accessories . . . .... .. .. .. 71

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 72

Onboard sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Topcase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

8 Maintenance . .. .. .. .. . . . 79

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 80

Onboard tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Rims and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Front wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Lamps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Fairings and panels . . . . . . . 103

Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

9 Care .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 111

Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Washing your motorcy-

cle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Cleaning sensitive motorcy-

cle parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Paint care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Protective wax coating . . . . 114

Storing motorcycle . . . . . . . . 114

Returning motorcycle to

use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

10 Technical data . . .... 115

Troubleshooting chart . . . . . 116

Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 117

Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 122

Running gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Wheels and tires . . . . . . . . . . 123

Electrical system . . . . . . . . . . 124

Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Riding specifications . . . . . . 128

11 Service . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 129

Reporting safety

defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

BMW Motorrad Service . . . 131
BMW Motorrad Mobility

Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Maintenance work . . . . . . . . . 131

Confirmation of mainte-

nance work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Confirmation of service . . . . 138

12 Index .... .. .. .. .. .. .. . 140

General instructions

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

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

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

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

Currentness of this manual . . . . . . . . . . 7

1

5

z

General instructions

Overview

1

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

6

overview of your motorcycle. All
maintenance and repair work car­ried out on your motorcycle will
be documented in Chapter 11.
Proof of the maintenance work
performed is a prerequisite for
generous treatment of claims.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember
to hand over this Rider's Manual;
it is an important part of the mo­torcycle.

Abbreviations and

z

General instructions

symbols

Indicates warnings that

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

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

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

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.

TPC/

Tire Pressure Control

RDC

(TPC).

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 BMW is equipped with
options or accessories not de­scribed in this Rider's Manual,
then this equipment is described

in a separate set of instructions.

Technical data

All dimensions, weights and out­puts in this Rider's Manual refer
to the Deutsches Institut für Nor­mung e. V. (DIN) and comply with
its tolerance regulations. Ver­sions for individual countries may
differ.

Currentness of this manual

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 center fairing panel . . . . . . . . . . 15

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

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

Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2

9

z

Overviews

2

10

z

Overviews

General view, left side

1 Payload table (on steering-

head bearing at left)

2 Seat lock ( 50)
3 Engine oil fill location and

oil dipstick ( 81)

2

11

z

Overviews

2

12

z

Overviews

General view, right side

1 Fuel filler opening ( 61)
2 Adjusting spring preload

( 47)

3 Vehicle Identification

Number, type plate (on
steering-head bearing)

4 Brake-fluid reservoir, front

( 84)

5 Coolant level indicator (be-

hind side panel) ( 86)

6 Onboard socket ( 72)
7 Adjusting damping ( 48)
8 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear

( 85)

2

13

z

Overviews

Underneath seat

2

1 Tools for adjusting spring

14

z

Overviews

preload ( 47)

2 Standard tool kit ( 80)
3 Rider's Manual (US Model)
4 Storage space

with first-aid kit

Storing first-aid kit

5 Tire inflation pressure table
6 Storage space

with service toolkit
Storing service tool kit
( 80)

OA

OA

Under center fairing panel

1 Battery ( 106)
2 Storage space

with tire repair kit

Storing tire repair kit

OA

2

15

z

Overviews

Multifunction switch,

2

left

16

1 Headlight high beam and

flasher ( 43)

2 – With onboard computer

(OE)
Select display in extended
area ( 40)

3 Hazard warning flashers

( 44)

4 Turn signals ( 43)

z

Overviews

5 Horn

Multifunction switch, right

1 with heated handlebar

2 Starter button ( 56)
3 Emergency ON/OFF

OE

grips

Heated hand grip ( 45)

switch ( 44)

2

17

z

Overviews

Instrument cluster

2

1 Warning and indicator

18

z

Overviews

lights ( 24)

2 Speedometer
3 Setting clock ( 39).

with onboard

computer
Operation of stopwatch
( 41)

4 Multifunction display

( 22)

5 Selecting readings ( 40).

Resetting tripmeter
( 41).

6 Ambient light sensor (for

brightness adjustment of
instrument lighting)

with anti-theft alarm
Anti-theft alarm indicator

light (see anti-theft alarm
operating instructions)

with onboard

computer
Engine speed warning
( 58)

OE

OE

OE

7 Tachometer

2

19

z

Overviews

2

20

z

Overviews

Status indicators

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

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

Warning and indicator lights . . . . . . . . . 24

Service display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Kilometers driven after reaching the

reserve quantity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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

Tire inflation pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Warning indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

3

21

z

Status indicators

Multifunction display

3

1 Trip odometer ( 40)
2 Warning for electronic en-

22

z

Status indicators

gine management ( 31)

3 with onboard

computer
Stopwatch ( 41)

4 Time ( 39)
5 with Tire Pressure Con-

trol (TPC/RDC)
Tire inflation pressures
( 26)

6 Coolant-temperature warn-

ing indicator ( 30)

7 Service is due ( 25)
8 Reading display range

( 40)

9 with onboard

computer

Symbols for illustrating dis­play reading ( 23)

OE

OE

OE

10 – With onboard computer

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

11 – With onboard computer

(OE)
Gear indicator, "N" is
shown for Neutral

12 – With onboard computer

(OE)
Fuel level
The horizontal bars over
the filling station symbol
indicate the remaining fuel
quantity. The top cross
bar is shown enlarged and
is equal to a considerably
higher fuel level than the
other cross bars.

13 – With onboard computer

(OE)
Reading display range
( 40)

14 A warning appears in the

reading display range
( 27)

Meaning of symbols

with onboard computer

Distance driven after reach­ing reserve quantity in mls

( 25)

Average consumption in
mpg

Average speed in mph

Current consumption in
mpg

Ambient temperature in °F
( 26)

OE

3

23

z

Status indicators

Warning and indicator

3

lights

24

1 Oil-pressure warning light

( 31)

2 with BMW Motorrad

3 Fuel-reserve warning light

4 General warning light, in

5 High-beam headlight indi-

z

Status indicators

6 Indicator light for right turn

7 Neutral indicator light
8 Indicator light for left turn

ing on the country.

OE

ABS
ABS warning light ( 32)

( 30)

conjunction with warn­ing indicators in display
( 27)

cator light

indicator

indicator

The ABS symbol can be
shown differently depend-

Service display

If the time remaining until the
next service lies within a month,
the service date 1 is briefly dis­played following the pre-ride
check. The month and year are
shown with two and four dig­its respectively separated by a
colon. In this example the display
means "March 2011".

If the motorcycle is driven long
distances annually, it is possible
that earlier service is required. If
the odometer reading for the ear­lier service lies within 621 miles
(1000 km), the remaining miles
(kilometers) 2 are counted down
in 62-mile (100-km) steps and
briefly displayed following the
pre-ride check.

If the service interval has

been exceeded, the general
warning light also lights up yellow
in addition to the date or mileage
display. The Service lettering 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.

Kilometers driven after reaching the reserve quantity

with onboard computer

After the fuel reserve quan-

tity is reached, the num­ber of kilometers driven since
that time are displayed. This
odometer is reset if the total fill­ing quantity which results during
refueling is greater than the re­serve quantity.

OE

3

25

z

Status indicators

Ambient temperature

3

with onboard computer

26

z

Status indicators

When the motorcycle is

stopped, the engine heat
can falsify the measurement
of the ambient temperature. If
the influence of the engine heat
becomes too great, -- is tem­porarily shown in the display.
If the ambient temperature drops
below 37 °F (3 °C), the tempera­ture display flashes as a warning
of possible icing-up. The display
automatically switches from any
other mode to the temperature
reading when the temperature
drops below this threshold for
the first time.

Tire inflation pressures

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

OE

OE

The displayed tire inflation pres­sures refer to a tire temperature
of 68 °F (20 °C). The figure on
the left side 1 indicates the front
tire's inflation pressure, while
the figure on the right 2 shows
the inflation pressure in the rear
tire. Immediately after switch­ing on the ignition, "-- --" is
displayed, as the transfer of the
inflation pressure values does not
begin until a speed of 19 mph
(30 km/h) is exceeded for the first
time.

If the warning triangle 3 is

also shown, a warning dis­play is concerned. Critical infla­tion pressure flashes.
The universal warning lamp lights
up in yellow when the critical fig­ure is at the limit of the approved
tolerance range. If the monitored
tire inflation pressure is outside
the specified range the universal
warning lamp will flash in red.

Additional information on the
BMW Motorrad Tire Pressure
Monitor is provided starting on
page ( 68).

Warning indicators

Warnings in multifunction
display

Warnings for which no separate
warning light is available, are in­dicated with the 'General' warn­ing light 1 in conjunction with a
warning or a warning symbol in
the multifunction display. The
'General' warning light shows red

or yellow, depending on the ur­gency of the warning.

If the display in the value area 2
shows a warning, then this is
symbolized with the warning tri­angle 3. These warnings can be
displayed in alternation with the
odometers ( 40).

The 'General' warning light is
shown in accordance with the
most urgent warning.

The possible warnings are listed
on the next page.

3

27

z

Status indicators

Overview of warning indicators

3

Warning light Displays Meaning

28

Lights up yellow + "EWS" is indi-

Lights up Fuel down to reserve ( 30)

cated

Electronic immobilizer is active ( 30)

Lights up red Flashes

Lights up yellow appears on the dis-

z

Status indicators

Flashes

Lights up yellow + "LAMP" is indi-

Lights up yellow

play

cated

"x.x °F" flashes

+ "dWA" is indi-

cated

Coolant temperature too high ( 30)

Engine in emergency-operation mode
( 31)

Engine oil pressure insufficient ( 31)

Bulb defective ( 31)

Ice warning ( 32)

Anti-theft alarm battery drained ( 32)

Warning light Displays Meaning

Flashes

Lights up

ABS self-diagnosis not completed
( 32)

ABS error ( 33)

3

29

Lights up yellow

Flashes red

+ "x.x" flashes Tire inflation pressure in limit area of

+ "x.x" flashes Tire inflation pressure outside permissi-

+ "--" or "--

--" is indicated

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

--" is indicated

Lights up yellow

+ "RdC" is indi-

cated.

permissible tolerance ( 33)

ble tolerance ( 33)

Transmission error ( 34)

Sensor defective or system fault ( 34)

Battery of tire-inflation pressure sensor
weak ( 35)

z

Status indicators

Electronic immobilizer is

3

active

30

z

Status indicators

General warning light 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 defective key re­placed, preferably by an autho­rized BMW Motorrad retailer.

Fuel down to reserve

Fuel-reserve warning light
lights up.

A fuel shortage can lead to
misfiring and to the engine

dying unexpectedly. Misfiring can

damage the catalytic converter,
and the engine dying unexpected
can lead to accidents.
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.

Fuel reserve

Approx. 3.2 quarts (Approx.
3 l)

Refueling ( 61).

Coolant temperature too
high

General warning light shows
red.

The temperature symbol
flashes.

Continued 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.

Checking coolant level ( 86).

If coolant level is too low:

Topping up coolant ( 86).

Possible cause:
The coolant temperature is too

high.

If possible, continue driving
in the part-load range to cool
down the engine.
In traffic jams, switch off the
engine, but keep the ignition
switched on so that the radia­tor fan continues to operate.
Should the coolant temperature
frequently be too high, have
the fault rectified as quickly as
possible by a specialized work-

shop, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Engine in emergency­operation mode

General warning light 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 en-

gine performance may not be
available.
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Engine oil pressure
insufficient

Engine oil-pressure warning

light flashes.
The oil pressure in the lubricating
oil circuit is too low. Stop imme­diately and switch off engine.

The warning on insufficient

engine oil pressure is no
substitute for the function of
an oil-level indicator. The cor­rect engine oil level can only be
checked on the oil dipstick.

Possible cause:
The engine oil level is too low.

Checking engine oil level
( 81).

If oil level is too low:

Topping up engine oil ( 82).

Possible cause:
The engine oil pressure is insuffi-

cient.

Driving with insufficient en-

gine oil pressure can result
in engine damage.
Do not continue driving.

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

Bulb defective

General warning light shows

yellow.

3

31

z

Status indicators

+ "LAMP" is indicated.

3

32

z

Status indicators

A defective bulb places

your safety at risk because
it is easier for other users to not
see the motorcycle.
Replace defective bulbs as
soon as possible; always carry a
complete set of spare bulbs if
possible.

Possible cause:
Bulb defective.

Locate defective bulb with vi­sual check.
Replacing low-beam and high­beam bulb ( 98).
Replacing parking light bulb
( 99).
Replacing brake light and tail

light bulbs ( 100).
Replacing front and rear turn
indicator bulbs ( 101).

Ice warning

with onboard computer

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

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

The ice 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,
black ice must especially be ex­pected on bridges and in shady
road areas.

Think well ahead when driving.

OE

Anti-theft alarm battery
drained

with anti-theft alarm

OE

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "dWA" is indicated.

This error message is only
displayed for a short time

following the pre-ride check.

Possible cause:
The anti-theft alarm battery has

no capacity. The operation of the
anti-theft alarm is no longer en­sured with the motorcycle battery
disconnected.

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

ABS self-diagnosis not
completed

with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS warning light flashes.

OE

Possible cause:
The ABS function is not avail-

able, 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 error

with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS warning light lights up.

Possible cause:
The ABS control unit has de-

tected an error. The ABS func­tion is not available.

Continued driving is possible.
It must be noted that the ABS
function is not available. Ob­serve additional information on

OE

situations which can lead to an
ABS error ( 67).
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Tire inflation pressure in
limit area of permissible
tolerance

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

Possible cause:
The measured tire inflation pres-

sure is in the limit area of the
permissible tolerance.

Correct tire inflation pressure in
accordance with instructions on

OE

General warning light shows
yellow.

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

back of cover of Rider's Man­ual.

Before adjusting the tire in-

flation pressure, observe
the information on temperature
compensation and on inflation
pressure adjustment in the chap­ter "Technology in detail".

Tire inflation pressure
outside permissible
tolerance

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

Possible cause:
The measured tire inflation pres-

sure is outside the permissible
tolerance.

OE

General warning light

flashes red.

+ "x.x" (the critical infla-

tion pressure) flashes.

3

33

z

Status indicators

Check tire for damage and
drivability.

3

If it is still possible to drive with

34

tire:

Incorrect tire inflation pres-

sure result in poorer han­dling of the motorcycle.
Always adapt your driving style
to the incorrect tire inflation
pressure.

Correct tire inflation pressure at
next opportunity.
Have the tire checked for dam­age by a specialized workshop,
preferably an authorized BMW

z

Status indicators

Motorrad retailer.
If you are unsure about the driv­ability of the tire:

Do not continue driving.

Inform roadside service.

Have the tire checked for dam-

age by a specialized workshop,

preferably an authorized BMW

Motorrad retailer.

Transmission error

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

Possible cause:
The motorcycle's speed has

not exceeded the threshold of
approx.19 mph (30 km/h). The
TPC/RDC sensors do not trans­mit their signal until a speed
above this threshold is reached
( 68).

Watch TPC/RDC display at
higher speed. A permanent
fault has not occurred until the
general warning light also lights
up. In this case:
Have fault eliminated by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

OE

+ "--" or "-- --" is in-

dicated.

Possible cause:
There is a fault in the radio con-

nection to the TPC/RDC sensors.
Possible causes are radio sys­tems in the surrounding area,
which interfere with the connec­tion between the TPC/RDC con­trol unit and the sensors.

Watch the TPC/RDC display in
another environment. A per­manent fault has not occurred
until the general warning light
also lights up. In this case:
Have fault eliminated by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Sensor defective or
system fault

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

OE

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "--" or "-- --" is in-

dicated.

Possible cause:
Wheels without installed TPC/

RDC sensors are mounted.

Retrofit wheel set with TPC/
RDC sensors.

Possible cause:
One or two TPC/RDC sensors

have failed.

Have fault eliminated by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Possible cause:
A system fault has occurred.

Have fault eliminated by a spe-

cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Battery of tire-inflation
pressure sensor weak

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

following the pre-ride check.

Possible cause:
The battery of the tire inflation

pressure sensor no longer has
its full capacity. The operation of
the tire inflation pressure control
is only ensured for a limited time.

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

OE

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "RdC" is indicated.

This error message is only
displayed for a short time

3

35

z

Status indicators

3

36

z

Status indicators

Operation

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

Electronic immobilizer EWS . . . . . . . . . 39

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

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

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

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

Turn indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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

Emergency ON/OFF switch . . . . . . . . . 44

Heated handlebar grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

4

37

z

Operation

Steering and ignition

4

lock

38

Keys

Two main keys and one emer­gency key are provided with the
vehicle. The emergency key fea­tures a light, compact design, al­lowing it to be carried in a wallet,
etc. This key is intended for use
when no main key is immediately
available, and is not suitable for

z

Operation

continuous use.
Should you lose your keys please
refer to the information regarding
the electronic immobilizer (EWS)
( 39).
The ignition lock, tank lock and
seat lock are operated with the
same key.

with case
with Topcase

The cases and the Topcase can
also be ordered with locks for
the same key on request. Please
contact a specialist service fa­cility for this purpose, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

OA

OA

Switching on ignition

Turn key to position 1.
Parking lights and all function
circuits switched on.
Engine can be started.

Pre-ride check is performed.
( 56)
with BMW Motorrad ABS

ABS self-diagnosis is
performed. ( 57)

Switching off ignition

Turn key to position 2.
Light switched off.
Handlebars not locked.
Key can be removed.
Electrically powered acces­sories remain operational for
a limited period of time.
Battery can be recharged via
onboard socket.

OE

Locking handlebars

Turn handlebars to left.

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

Electronic immobilizer EWS

The electronics in the motorcycle
determine the data stored in the
ignition key via a ring antenna in
the ignition switch. The engine

management system does not
enable engine starting until the
key has been detected as "au­thorized" for your motorcycle.

A spare key attached to

the same ring as the igni­tion key used to start the engine
could "irritate" the electronics,
in which case the enabling sig­nal for starting is not issued. The

EWS warning is shown in the

multifunction display.
Always store the spare key sepa­rately from the ignition key.

If you lose a key, you can have it
disabled by your BMW Motorrad
partner. For this purpose, you
have to bring along all other keys
that belong to the motorcycle.
The motor can no longer be
started using a disabled key;
however, a disabled key can be
enabled again.
Replacement 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 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.

4

39

z

Operation

4

40

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

z

Operation

desired hours are shown.
Press and hold button until
minutes 3 flash.
Press button repeatedly until
desired minutes are shown.
Press and hold button until
minutes no longer flash.

Setting is completed.

Display

Selecting readings

Switch on ignition.

Press button 2 to select dis-

play in value area 3.
The following values can be dis­played:

Total kilometers (in illustration)

Tripmeter 1 (Trip I)

Tripmeter 2 (Trip II)

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

Warnings if necessary

with onboard computer

Press button 4 to select dis-

play in value area 5.
The following values can be dis­played:

Ambient temperature (°F)

OE

Tire inflation pressures

OE

Average speed in mph

Average consumption in
mpg

Current consumption in
mph

Distance driven since
reaching reserve quantity in

mls

Resetting tripmeter

Switch on ignition.
Select desired tripmeter.

Press and hold button 2 until
tripmeter has been reset.

Resetting average data

with onboard computer

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

Press and hold button 1 until
displayed value has been reset.

OE

Stopwatch

with onboard computer

OE

Stopwatch

As an alternative to the odome­ter, the stopwatch 3 can be dis­played. The display consists of
hours, minutes, seconds and
tenths of a second separated by
dots.
In enable improved operation of
the stopwatch while driving (as
a lap timer), the functions of the
button 2 and the functions of the
INFO button on the handlebar
can be interchanged. The stop­watch and the odometer are then
operated with the INFO button;

4

41

z

Operation

the onboard computer must be
operated with the button 2.

4

The stopwatch continues to run

42

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

z

Operation

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.

Interchanging button
functions

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 lights

The parking lights switch 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.

Low-beam headlight

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

With the engine switched

off, you can switch on the
lights by switching on the high­beam headlight with the ignition
switched on or by operating the
headlight flasher.

High-beam headlight and
headlight flasher

Press switch 1 toward front to
switch on high-beam headlight.
Pull switch 1 downward to op­erated headlight flasher.

Parking light

Switch off ignition.

Press button 1 to left and hold
immediately after switching
off ignition until parking light
is switched on.
Switch ignition on and then off
again to switch off parking light.

Turn indicators

Operating turn signal

Switch on ignition.

After driving for approx.

ten seconds or after cov­ering a distance of approx. 980 ft
(300 m), the turn indicators are
automatically switched off.

4

43

z

Operation

4

44

Press button 1 toward left to
switch on left-hand turn signal.
Press button 1 toward right

z

Operation

to switch on right-hand turn
signal.
Press button 1 into center po­sition to switch off turn signals.

Hazard warning flashers

Operating hazard warning
flashers

Switch on ignition.

The hazard warning flash-

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

If 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.

Press button 1 to switch on
hazard warning flashers.

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

Emergency ON/OFF switch

1 Emergency ON/OFF

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

The increase in power con-

sumption caused by the
heated hand grips can drain the
battery if you are riding at low
engine speeds. If the battery is
inadequately charged, the heated
hand grips are switched off to
ensure starting capability.

The handlebar grips can be
heated at two different levels.
The second level 2 is used for
fast heat-up of the grips; then
the switch should be switched
back to the first level.

4

45

z

Operation

Heated handlebar grips

with heated handlebar grips

Operating heated
handlebar grips

Start engine.

The heated hand grips op­tion can only be activated

when the engine is running.

OE

Press button 1 repeatedly until
desired heating level is shown.

50 % heating output

100 % heating output

If no further changes are made,
the selected heating level is
set.

Clutch

4

Adjusting clutch lever

46

z

Operation

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
lever when the motorcycle is
stationary.

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

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 nut to specified torque
while holding mirror arm in
place.

Locknut (mirror) on
clamping adapter

15 lb/ft (20 Nm)

Slide protective cap over
threaded fastener.

Spring preload

Setting

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

Adjusting spring preload
for rear wheel

Remove seat ( 50).

Remove toolkit 1.

4

47

z

Operation

4

48

Your motorcycle's han­dling will suffer if you do

not match the spring-preload and

z

Operation

damping-characteristic settings.
Adjust the damping characteristic
to suit the spring preload.

To increase spring preload,
turn handwheel 2 clockwise
using toolkit.
To decrease spring preload,

turn handwheel 2 counter­clockwise using toolkit.

Basic setting of spring
preload, rear

Turn adjusting screw coun­terclockwise as far as pos­sible and then turn back 12
clicks (Full tank of gas, with
rider 187 lbs (85 kg))

Remount toolkit.
Installing seat ( 51).

Damping

Setting

The 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 re­quires softer damping.

Adjusting damping on rear
wheel

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

To increase damping, turn ad­justing screw 1 clockwise.
To decrease damping, turn ad­justing screw 1 counterclock­wise.

Basic setting of rear
wheel rear-wheel damp-

ing

Turn adjusting screw clock­wise as far as possible and
then turn back 3/4 clicks
(Full tank of gas, with rider
187 lbs (85 kg))

Tires

Checking tire pressure

Incorrect tire inflation pres-

sure results in poorer han­dling characteristics of the motor­cycle and reduces the life of the
tires.
Ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.

At high road speeds, tire

valves installed perpen­dicular to the wheel rim have a
tendency to open as a result of
centrifugal force.
To avoid a sudden loss of tire in-

flation 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

36.3 psi (2.5 bar) (With tire
cold)

Tire pressure, rear

42.1 psi (2.9 bar) (With tire
cold)

If tire pressure is too low:

Correct tire pressure.

Headlight

Adjusting headlight for
RHD/LHD traffic

If the motorcycle is ridden in a
country where the opposite rule
of the road applies, its asymmet­ric low-beam headlight will tend
to dazzle oncoming traffic.
Have the headlight adjusted to
the relevant conditions by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably an
authorized BMW Motorrad re­tailer.

Headlight range and
spring preload

The headlight range generally
remains constant due to the ad­justment of the spring preload to
the loading state.
Spring preload adjustment may
only be insufficient when the mo­torcycle is very heavily loaded.
In this case, the headlight range
must be adjusted to the weight.

4

49

z

Operation

If you are unsure whether

4

50

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

Adjusting headlight range

z

Operation

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

Remove seat

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

Turn seat lock 1 to left with
ignition key and hold while
pressing seat downward at rear
to support movement.

Raise seat at rear and release
key.

Take off seat and place on a
clean surface with upholstered
side facing downward.

Installing seat

Mount seat in bracket 2.
Firmly press down on the seat
at the rear.
The seat's detent mechanism
will be heard to engage.

4

51

z

Operation

4

52

z

Operation

Riding

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Breaking in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Parking your motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Securing motorcycle for trans-

port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

5

53

z

Riding

Safety instructions

5

Rider's equipment

54

Do not ride without the correct
clothing. Always wear:

Helmet
Rider's suit
Gloves
Boots

This applies even to short jour-

z

Riding

neys, 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.

Correct 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 setting of spring
preload, damping characteristic

and tire inflation pressures to
suit total weight.
with case

Ensure that case volumes on
left and right are equal.
Make sure that weight is uni­formly distributed between
right and left.
Pack heavy items of luggage
downwards and inwards.
Observe maximum payload and
top speed according to label in
case.

with Topcase
Observe maximum payload and

top speed according to label in
Topcase.

with tank rucksack
Observe maximum payload of

tank rucksack.

OA

OA

OA

Payload of tank rucksack

≤11 lbs (≤5 kg)

with tank bag
Observe maximum payload of

tank bag.

Payload of tank bag

≤11 lbs (≤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:

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

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.

Catalytic converter

If misfiring causes unburned fuel
to enter the catalytic converter,
there is a danger of overheating
and damage.
For this reason, observe the fol-

lowing points:

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.

Checklist

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

Brakes
Front and rear brake fluid levels
Clutch
Damping setting and spring
preload
Tread depth and tire inflation
pressure
Firm seating of cases and lug­gage

At regular intervals:

Engine oil level (every time you
refuel)

5

55

z

Riding

Brake pad wear (during every
third stop for refueling)

5

Tension and lubrication of drive

56

chain

Starting

Starting the engine

Transmission lubrication
is only ensured when the

engine is running. Insufficient lu-

z

Riding

brication 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.
Pre-ride check is performed.
( 56)

with BMW Motorrad ABS
ABS self-diagnosis is

performed. ( 57)
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.

OE

Press starter button 1.

The start attempt is auto-

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

Engine starts.
If the engine fails to start, the
troubleshooting table in the
chapter "Technical Data" may
provide assistance. ( 116)

Pre-ride check

After the ignition is switched on,
the instrument cluster conducts
a test of the pointer instruments
and the warning and indicator
lights, i.e. the "Pre-Ride-Check".
The test is aborted if the engine
is started before it is completed.

Phase 1

The pointers of the tachometer
and speedometer are run up to
the end stop. At the same time,

all warning and indicator lights
are switched on consecutively.

Phase 2

The general warning light
changes from yellow to red.

Phase 3

The pointers of the tachometer
and speedometer are run back.
At the same time, all switched-on
warning and indicator lights are
switched off consecutively in the
reverse order.

If a pointer has not been moved,
or if one of the warning and
indicator lights has not been
switched on:

If it was not possible to

switch on the warning
lights, possible malfunctions
cannot be indicated.
Watch all warning and indicator
lights on the display.

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

ABS self-diagnosis

with BMW Motorrad ABS

The readiness for operation
of the BMW Motorrad ABS is
checked by the self-diagnosis.
Self-diagnosis is performed
automatically when you switch on
the ignition. To check the wheel
sensors, the motorcycle must be
driven a few yards.

Phase 1

Checking the diagnosable
system components while
stopped.

ABS warning light flashes.

OE

Phase 2

Checking wheel sensors while
starting off.

ABS warning light flashes.

ABS self-diagnosis
completed

The ABS warning light goes
out.

If an ABS fault is indicated after
the ABS self-diagnosis is com­pleted:

Continued driving is possible.
It must be noted that the ABS
function is not available.
Have the malfunction corrected
as soon as possible by a spe­cialized workshop, preferably
an authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

5

57

z

Riding

Breaking in

5

The first 620 mls

58

(1,000 km)

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.

z

Riding

Observe the engine run-in
speeds.

Engine run-in speed

<5000 min

Have the first inspection carried
out after 300 - 750 mls (500 -

1200 km).

-1

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 heel angles until the tires
are run in. This running in proce­dure is essential if the tires are to
achieve maximum grip.

New tires have not

achieved their full adhesion
yet. There is a danger of

accidents when driving at
extreme angles.
Avoid extreme angles.

Speed

with onboard computer

Engine speed warning

The engine speed warning sig­nals to the driver that the red
engine speed range has been
reached. This signal is shown in
red by the flashing of the anti­theft alarm indicator light 1.
The signal is maintained until the
transmission is upshifted or the
engine speed is reduced. It can

OE

be activated or deactivated by
the driver.

Activating engine speed
warning

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 ac-

tivated.

OFF: engine speed warning

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

Brakes

How is the shortest
braking distance
achieved?

The dynamic load distribution
between the front and rear wheel
changes during braking. The
heavier you brake, the more
the front wheel is loaded. The
greater the wheel load, the more
braking force can be transferred.
To achieve the shortest possible
braking distance, the front brake
must be applied quickly and with
increasing force. This optimally
utilizes the dynamic load increase
on the front wheel. At the same
time, the clutch should also be

actuated. 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. The front wheel can lock
up.

with BMW Motorrad ABS

Locking up of the front wheel is
prevented by the BMW Motorrad
ABS.

OE

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.

5

59

z

Riding

Use both front and rear brakes,
and make use of the engine's

5

braking effect as well.

60

Wet, soiled brakes

Moisture and dirt on the brake
disks and the brake pads result in
a decrease in the braking action.
Delayed or poorer braking action
must be expected in the follow-

z

Riding

ing situations:

When driving in the rain and
through puddles.
After washing the motorcycle.
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.

Fold out side stand and park

motorcycle.

The side stand is designed

to support only the weight
of the motorcycle.
Do not lean or sit on the
motorcycle with the side stand
extended.

If the 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
motorcycle would topple as a
result.
Do not sit on the motorcycle
while it is resting on the center
stand.

OA

Fold out center stand and jack

up motorcycle.

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.
Wipe off any fuel that gets onto

plastic parts immediately.

Leaded fuel will destroy the

catalytic converter.
Use only unleaded 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.

Unlock fuel tank cap 1 with
ignition key and fold up.

Refuel with quality listed below
at most until lower edge of filler
neck is reached.

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. Other­wise neither the fill level nor the
range display can be updated.

5

61

z

Riding

5

62

Recommended fuel qual­ity

Super unleaded
89 AKI (95 ROZ/RON)
89 AKI

Usable fuel quantity

Securing motorcycle for transport

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

z

Approx. 3.6 gal (Approx.

Riding

13.5 l)

Fuel reserve

Approx. 3.2 quarts (Approx.
3 l)

Press fuel tank cap down firmly
to close.

Remove key and close protec­tive cap.

Components can be dam-

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

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

The motorcycle can tip

away to the side and fall
over.
Secure the motorcycle against
tipping away to the side.

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

5

63

Fasten straps at rear on both
sides on passenger footrests
and tighten them.
Tension all straps evenly; the
motorcycle should be pulled
down against its springs with
the suspension compressed as
much as possible.

z

Riding

5

64

z

Riding

Technology in detail

Brake system with BMW Motorrad

ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

TPC Tire Pressure Control . . . . . . . . . . 67

6

65

z

Technology in detail

Brake system with

6

BMW Motorrad ABS

66

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
poorer 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 brak-

z

Technology in detail

ing force is exceeded when the
driver increases the brake pres-

sure, the wheels begin to block
and driving stability is lost, and a
fall can result. Before this situa­tion occurs, ABS intervenes and
adjusts the brake pressure to the
maximum transferable braking
force. This enables the wheels

to continue to turn and maintains
driving stability regardless of the
road surface condition.

OE

What happens when
rough roads are
encountered?

Bumpy or rough roads can briefly
lead to a loss of contact between
the tires and the road surface,
until the transferable braking
force is 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,
the BMW MotorradABS must
assume extremely low friction co­efficients (gravel, ice, snow) so
that the running wheels turn in
every imaginable case and the
driving stability is ensured. After
detecting the actual conditions,
the system adjusts the optimum
brake pressure.

Lifting off rear wheel

However, during extremely heavy
and rapid decelerations it is pos­sible that the BMW Motorrad
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 be relied
on in all circumstances 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
conditions offroad or on the race­track.

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 fault is indicated. The
condition for a fault message is
the completed self-diagnosis.
In addition to problems on the
BMW Motorrad ABS, unusual
driving conditions can also lead
to a fault message.

Unusual driving conditions:

Driving on the rear wheel
(wheely) for a longer period.
Rear wheel spinning in place
with front brake pulled (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 message result
due to one of the driving condi­tions described above, 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 inspection intervals 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.
Take care when cornering. When
you apply the brakes on a cor­ner, the motorcycle's weight and
momentum take over and even
BMW Motorrad ABS is unable to
counteract their effects.

TPC Tire Pressure Control

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

OE

6

67

z

Technology in detail

Function

6

A sensor is located in each tire,
which measures the air temper-

68

ature and the inflation pressure
inside the tire and sends these
values to the control unit.

The sensors are equipped with
a centrifugal controller, which
does not enable the transmis­sion of the measured values until
a speed of approx. 18.5 mph
(30 km/h) is reached. Before ini­tial reception of the tire inflation
pressure, -- is shown in the dis­play for each tire. The sensors
continue to transmit the mea­sured values for approx. 15 min-

z

Technology in detail

utes after the motorcycle comes
to a stop.

The control unit can manage four
sensors, and as a result two sets
of wheels with TPC/RDC sen­sors can be driven. If a TPC/RDC
control unit is installed without

the wheels being equipped with
sensors, an error message is out­put.

Temperature
compensation

The tire inflation pressure is tem­perature dependent, i.e. it in­creases or decreases together
with the tire temperature. The
tire temperature is dependent on
the ambient temperature and on
the driving style and duration.

The tire inflation pressures are
shown temperature-compen­sated in the multifunction display;
they refer to a tire temperature
of 68 °F (20 °C). No temperature
compensation takes place in the
inflation pressure testers at filling
stations, i.e. the measured tire in­flation pressure is dependent on
the tire temperature. As a result,
the values displayed there do
not match the values shown in

the multifunction display in most
cases.

Tire inflation pressure
ranges

The TPC/RDC control unit distin­guishes between three inflation
pressure ranges matched to the
motorcycle:

Inflation pressure within the
permissible tolerance.
Inflation pressure at the limits
of the permissible tolerance.
Inflation pressure outside the
permissible tolerance.

Adjusting inflation
pressure

Compare the TPC/RDC value in
the multifunction display with the
value on the back cover of the
Rider's Manual. The difference
between the two values must be
compensated with the air pres­sure tester at the filling station.

Example: According to the
Rider's Manual, the tire inflation
pressure is to be 36 psi (2.5 bar),
however 33 psi (2.3 bar) is
shown in the multifunction
display. The tester at the
filling station indicates 34.8 psi
(2.4 bar). This value must be
increased by 3 psi (0.2 bar) to

37.8 psi (2.6 bar) in order to
produce the correct tire inflation
pressure.

6

69

z

Technology in detail

6

70

z

Technology in detail

Accessories

General instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Onboard sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Topcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

7

71

z

Accessories

General instructions

7

BMW Motorrad recommends
the use of parts and accessories

72

for your motorcycle that are ap­proved by BMW for this purpose.
Your authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer is the right place to go
for genuine BMW parts and ac­cessories,other BMW approved
products, and expert advice on
their installation and use.
These parts and products have
been tested by BMW for safety,

z

Accessories

function and suitability. BMW
accepts product liability for these
products.
Conversely, BMW is unable to
accept any liability whatsoever
for parts and accessories which it

has not approved.
Observe the information on the
importance of tire sizes for chas­sis control systems ( 90).

BMW Motorrad cannot ex-

amine or test each product
of outside origin to ensure that it
can be used on or in connection
with BMW motorcycles without
constituting a safety hazard. Nor
is this guarantee provided when
the official approval of a specific
country has been granted. Tests
conducted by these instances
cannot make provision for all op­erating conditions experienced by
BMW motorcycles and, conse­quently, they are not sufficient in
some circumstances.
Use only parts and accessories
approved by BMW for your
motorcycle.

Whenever you are planning mod­ifications, comply with all the le­gal requirements. The motorcy­cle must not infringe on national
road-vehicle construction and
use regulations of your country.

Onboard sockets

Information on using onboard
sockets:

automatic switch-off

Onboard sockets are switched off
automatically under the following
conditions:

In case of insufficient battery
voltage to maintain the ability
to start the motorcycle
If the maximum loadability
specified in the technical data
is exceeded
During starting

Connection of electrical de­vices

Additional devices connected to
onboard sockets can only be put
into operation when the ignition
is switched on. These sockets
are switched off approx. 15 min­utes after switching off the igni­tion to reduce the strain on the
onboard electrical system.

Cable routing

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

Do not impede the rider
Do not restrict the steering an­gle and the driving characteris­tics
Cannot be trapped

Luggage

Lashing down luggage

Remove seat ( 50).

Pull luggage belt 1 through
under seat in area 2 of fuel­tank fill location. Make sure
that belt is in front of bars on
underside of seat.
Installing seat ( 51).
Guide luggage belt along piece
of luggage in area provided to
rear.

Pull luggage belt 1 through
grab handles 3 and lash down.
Check piece of luggage for se­cure hold.

Case

with case

OA

7

73

z

Accessories

Opening case

7

74

Turn lock barrel into OPEN po­sition.

z

Accessories

Pull gray release lever 1
(OPEN) upward.
Lock straps 2 open.

Pull gray release lever (OPEN)
upwards again while simultane­ously pulling case lid 3 out of
retainer.

Closing case

Also press locks 3 of lock
straps into locking devices 2
until they engage.

Adjusting case volume

Only close case lid.
Press locks 1 of case lid into
locking devices 2 until they
engage.

Press case lid against case
body.
The case volume is adapted to
the contents.

Remove case

7

75

Press lock straps 1 outward
and pull out upward.
The maximum volume has
been set.

Turn lock barrel into RELEASE
position.

Close lock straps.

Pull black release lever 1 (RE­LEASE) upwards while simul­taneously pulling the case out­ward.
Then lift case out of lower
mounting.

Mounting case

Hook case into lower mounting.

z

Accessories

7

76

Secure hold

Pull black release lever 1 (RE­LEASE) upwards while simulta­neously pushing the case into
upper mounting 2.

z

Accessories

Press black release lever (RE­LEASE) downward until it en­gages.
Turn key in case lock in the
direction of travel and remove.

If a case wobbles or is difficult to
fit, it must be adapted to the gap
between the upper and lower
mounting.

Use the screws 1 inside the case
for this purpose.

Topcase

with Topcase

OA

Opening Topcase

Turn key in Topcase lock to
OPEN position.

Press lock barrel 1 forward.
Unlocking lever 2 pops up.

Pull up release lever com­pletely.
Topcase lid opens.

Closing Topcase

Pull up red release lever 2
completely.
Close Topcase lid and hold.
Check that nothing is trapped
between lid and case.

Press release lever 2 down un­til it engages.
Turn key in Topcase lock into
LOCK position and remove.

7

77

z

Accessories

Removing Topcase

7

78

Turn key in Topcase lock to
RELEASE position.
Handle pops out.

z

Accessories

Pull up handle 3 completely.

Lift off Topcase at rear and pull
off luggage rack.

Mounting Topcase

Pull up handle as far as possi­ble.

Press handle 3 down until it

engages.

Turn key in Topcase lock into

LOCK position and remove.

Hook Topcase into luggage
rack. Make sure that hooks 4
are securely seated in corre­sponding mounts 5.

Maintenance

General instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Onboard tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Rims and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Front wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Fairings and panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Jump-starting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

8

79

z

Maintenance

General instructions

8

The "Maintenance" chapter de­scribes work involving the check-

80

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".
Information on additional main-

z

Maintenance

tenance and repair work is pro­vided in the Repair Manual for
your motorcycle on DVD, which
you can obtain from your autho­rized BMW Motorrad retailer.

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

Onboard tool kit

Standard tool kit

1 Screwdriver handle
2 Reversible screwdriver in-

sert
with Phillips and Torx T25
blade

Replacing front and
rear turn indicator bulbs
( 101).
Replacing brake light and
tail light bulbs ( 100).
Removing battery
( 108).
Removing body panels

3 Open-ended wrench

Wrench size: 17 mm

Adjusting mirror arm
( 47).

4 Torx wrench T40

Adjusting headlight range
( 50).

Service tool kit

with service toolkit

For expanded service work (e.g.
removing and installing wheels),
BMW Motorrad has put together
a service tool kit matched to your
motorcycle. You can purchase

OA

this tool kit from your authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Engine oil

Checking 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
and therefore to incorrect oil fill
quantities.
To ensure that the display of the
engine oil level is correct, only
check the oil level after a longer
trip.

Wipe area around oil filler loca-

tion clean.
Allow engine to idle until fan
starts, then let it continue run­ning for an additional minute.
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
operating temperature on its
center stand.

Remove oil dipstick 1.

OA

Wipe off the graduated sec­tion 2 with a dry cloth
Position oil dipstick on oil filler
opening, but do not screw in.
Remove oil dipstick and read
oil level.

8

81

z

Maintenance

8

82

Specified level of engine
oil

z

between MIN and MAX

Maintenance

marking

If oil level is below MIN mark:

Topping up engine oil ( 82).

If oil level is above MAX mark:

Have oil level corrected by
a specialized workshop,
preferably an authorized BMW
Motorrad retailer.

Install oil dipstick.

Topping up engine oil

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Wipe area around fill location
clean.

Remove oil dipstick 1.

Both too little and too

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

Add engine oil up to specified
level.
Checking engine oil level
( 81).

Install oil dipstick.

Brake system

Checking brake operation

Pull handbrake lever.
Pressure point must be clearly
perceptible.
Press footbrake lever.
Pressure point must be clearly

perceptible.
If no clear pressure points are
perceptible:

Have the brakes checked by a

certified 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 to ascertain their
thickness. Direction of view:
between wheel and front wheel
control to brake calipers 1.

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.)

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 specialized workshop,
preferably an authorized BMW
Motorrad retailer.

Checking rear brake pad
thickness

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

8

83

z

Maintenance

If the wear indicating marks are
no longer clearly visible:

to reduced braking performance
and may result in damage to the
brakes.

Dropping below the mini­mum pad thickness leads

Check the brake pad thickness
with visual inspection. Direc-

tion of view: from rear at brake
caliper 1.

8

84

Rear brake-pad wear

z

Maintenance

limit

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

If the wear indicating mark is no
longer visible:

Dropping below the mini­mum 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 specialized workshop,
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.

OA

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 a special­ist service facility, 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.

OA

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

The brake fluid level in the
brake-fluid reservoir drops

due to brake pad wear.

8

85

z

Maintenance

8

86

Coolant

Checking coolant level

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

Rear brake fluid level (vi­sual check)

z

Brake fluid (DOT4)

Maintenance

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

If brake fluid level drops below
permissible level:

Have the defect corrected as

soon as possible by a special­ized workshop, preferably an
authorized BMW Motorrad re­tailer.

Read off coolant level on ex­pansion tank 1. Viewing direc­tion: from front through open­ing of side panel at expansion
tank.

Minimum coolant quan­tity

may not fall below MIN mark
on expansion tank

If coolant level drops below ap­proved level:

Add coolant.

Topping up coolant

Removing right fairing side
panel ( 104).

Open cap 1 of expansion tank.
Add coolant up to specified
level.
Close cap of expansion tank.
Installing right side panel
( 105).

Clutch

Checking clutch operation

Pull the clutch lever.

Pressure point must be clearly

perceptible.
If no clear pressure point can be
felt:

Have the clutch checked

by a specialized workshop,

preferably an authorized BMW
Motorrad retailer.

Checking clutch play

Turn handlebars to left.

Pull clutch cable 1 as far away
from clutch lever as possible.
Measure clutch play A be­tween handlebar fitting and
clutch cable.

Clutch play

0.12 in (3 mm) (Turn han­dlebars to left, between han­dlebar fitting and clutch ca­ble)

If clutch play is outside tolerance:

Adjusting clutch play ( 87).

Adjusting clutch play

Loosen the nut 3.
To increase clutch play: turn
nut 2 upward.
To decrease clutch play: turn
nut 2 downward.

8

87

z

Maintenance

Checking clutch play ( 87).
Repeat work steps until clutch

8

play is correctly adjusted.

88

Tighten nut 3.

Rims and Tires

Checking rims

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Visually inspect rims for de­fects.
Have damaged rims checked
and, if necessary, replaced

z

Maintenance

by a specialized 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 be-

fore 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
indicating marks.

Tires have wear indicators

integrated into the main
tread grooves. 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 tires concerned.

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, carry out lubricate ear­lier accordingly.
Switch off ignition and engage
Neutral.
Clean drive chain with suitable
cleaning agent, dry and apply
chain lubricant.
Wipe off excess lubricant.

Checking 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.

If the measured value is outside
the permissible tolerance:

Adjust chain sag ( 89).

Adjust chain sag

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.

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

Chain sag

1.2...1.6 in (30...40 mm)
(Motorcycle unloaded on
side stand)

Loosen quick-release axle
nut 1.
Loosen lock nuts 2 on left and
right.
Adjust chain sag with adjusting
screws 3 on left and right.
Checking chain sag ( 88).

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)

Checking 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.

8

89

z

Maintenance

Determine chain length below
the rear wheel swing arm with

8

9 rivets.

90

z

Maintenance

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 a specialized work­shop, preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Wheels

Tire recommendation

For every size of tire, BMW
Motorrad has tested certain
makes 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.bmw-motorrad.com.

Affect of wheel size on
ABS

The wheel sizes play a major role
with the ABS system. Especially
the diameter and width of the
wheels are stored in the control

unit as the basis for all neces­sary calculations. A change in
these sizes due to conversion to
others than the wheels installed
as standard equipment can seri­ously affect the control comfort
of these systems.
The sensor wheels required for
wheel speed detection must also
match the control systems in­stalled and may not be replaced.
If you want to equip your mo­torcycle with different wheels,
please speak to a specialized
workshop, and preferably a BMW
Motorrad retailer. In some cases
the data stored in the control
units can be adapted to the new
wheel sizes.

TPC/RDC sticker

with Tire Pressure Control
(TPC/RDC)

OE

BMW Motorrad retailer or the
specialized workshop of the TPC/
RDC sensor.

Removing front wheel

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
with BMW Motorrad ABS

OE

8

91

The TPC/RDC sensors can

be damaged in case of im­proper tire mounting.
Inform the authorized BMW
Motorrad retailer or the
specialized workshop on the fact
that the wheel is equipped with a
TPC/RDC sensor.

On motorcycles equipped with
TPC/RDC, a corresponding

sticker is located on the wheel
rim at the position of the TPC/
RDC sensor. During a tire
change it must be ensured
that the TPC/RDC sensor
is not damaged. Inform the

Remove screw 1 and take
speed sensor out of hole.

Once the calipers have

been removed, there is
a risk of the brake pads being
pressed together to the extent
that they cannot be slipped back
over the brake disk on reassem­bly.
Do not operate the handbrake
lever when the brake calipers
have been removed.

Remove screws 2 of brake
calipers on left and right.

z

Maintenance

8

92

Push brake pads 3 apart
slightly by rocking the brake
caliper 4 back and forth against
the brake disk 5.

z

Maintenance

Mask off area of wheel rim that
could be scratched in process
of removing brake calipers.
Carefully pull brake calipers
back and out until clear of
brake disks.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and place motorcycle on a
suitable auxiliary stand.

with center stand
Make sure ground is level and

firm and place motorcycle on
center stand.

Raise front of motorcycle until
the front wheel can turn freely.
BMW Motorrad recommends
the BMW Motorrad front-wheel
stand for lifting the motorcycle.
Mounting front wheel stand
( 96).

Loosen axle clamping
screws 1.
Remove quick-release axle 2
while supporting wheel.

OA

Roll front wheel forward to re­move.

Remove spacing bushing 3 on
left side from wheel hub.

Installing front wheel

Malfunctions may occur

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

Threaded fasteners not

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.

Mount spacing bushing 3 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-

tion arrows on the tires or on the
rim.

Roll front wheel into front
wheel guide.

Lift front wheel and install
quick-release axle 2 with
appropriate torque.

Quick-release axle in fork
leg

37 lb/ft (50 Nm)

Tighten axle clamping screws 1
to appropriate torque.

Pinch bolt of quick-re­lease axle

15 lb/ft (20 Nm)

Remove front wheel stand.

without center stand
Remove auxiliary stand.

Ease brake calipers onto brake
disks.

Tighten screws 2 of brake
calipers on left and right to ap­propriate torque.

OA

8

93

z

Maintenance

8

94

z

Maintenance

Brake caliper on fork leg

22 lb/ft (30 Nm)

Remove adhesive tape from
wheel rim.
Operate brakes several times
until brake pads contact brake
disk.

with BMW Motorrad ABS

Insert speed sensor in hole and
install screw 1.

Removing rear wheel

OE

Remove screw 1 and take
speed sensor out of hole.
Make sure ground is level and
firm and place motorcycle on a
suitable auxiliary stand.

with center stand
Make sure ground is level and

firm and place motorcycle on
center stand.

OA

Remove axle nut 2.
Loosen lock nuts 3 on left and
right.
Loosen adjusting screws 4 on
left and right.
Remove adjusting plate 5 and
slide axle as far as possible to­ward inside.

Roll rear wheel toward rear out
of swinging arm.

The chain sprocket and

the spacer sleeves on the
left and right are loosely inserted
in the wheel. When removing,
make sure that these parts are
not damaged or lost.

authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Roll rear wheel into swinging
arm while guiding brake disk
between brake pads.

8

95

Remove quick-release axle 6
and take out adjusting plate 7.

Installing rear wheel

by ABS if a wheel other than the
standard wheel is installed.
Please see the information on
the effect of wheel sizes on the
ABS system at the beginning of
this chapter.

Roll rear wheel as far forward
as possible and remove
chain 8 from chain sprocket.

torque can work loose or their
threads can suffer damage.
Always have the tightening
torques checked by a specialized
workshop, preferably an

Malfunctions may occur

during control interventions

Threaded fasteners not

tightened to the specified

Roll rear wheel as far forward
as possible and lay chain 8 on
chain sprocket.

z

Maintenance

8

96

Mount left-hand adjusting
plate 7 in swinging arm and
install quick-release axle 6 in
brake caliper and rear wheel.

z

Maintenance

Make sure that axle fits in
cutout of adjusting plate.

Insert right-hand adjusting
plate 5.
Install axle nut 2, however do
not tighten yet.

without center stand
Remove auxiliary stand.

OA

Insert speed sensor in hole and
install screw 1.

Adjust chain sag ( 89).

Front wheel stand

Mounting front wheel
stand

The BMW Motorrad front

wheel stand is not designed
to support the motorcycle with­out the assistance of an auxiliary
stand. A motorcycle standing on
the front wheel stand and the
rear wheel alone can fall over.
Place the motorcycle on an aux-

iliary stand before lifting the front
wheel with the BMW Motorrad
front-wheel stand.

Make sure ground is level and
firm and place motorcycle on a
suitable auxiliary stand.
with center stand

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

OA

Use basic stand (83 30 0 402

241) with front wheel mount
(83 30 0 402 242).
Loosen adjusting screws 1.
Push two mounts 2 far enough
apart that front forks fit be-

tween them. Adjust support
pin to match front suspension.
Use locating pins 3 to set front
wheel stand to desired height.
Center front wheel stand rela­tive to front wheel and push it
against front axle.

Align two mounts 2 so that
front forks rest securely on
them.
Tighten adjusting screws 1.

Apply uniform pressure to push
front wheel stand down and
raise motorcycle.

with center stand

If the motorcycle is raised

too far at the front the
center stand will lift clear of the
ground and the motorcycle could
topple to one side.
When raising the motorcycle,
make sure that the center stand
remains on the ground. Adjust
the height of the front wheel
stand if necessary.

OA

8

97

z

Maintenance

Ensure motorcycle is standing
securely.

8

98

Lamps

Replacing low-beam and
high-beam bulb

Make sure ground is level and
firm and park motorcycle.
Switch off ignition.

z

Maintenance

Remove cover 1 for high-beam
headlight or cover 2 for low­beam headlight.

Open connector 3.

Remove spring strap 4 from
detents and fold to side.
Take out bulb 5.

Replace defective bulb.

Bulb for high-beam
headlight

H7 / 12 V / 55 W

Bulbs for low-beam
headlight

H7 / 12 V / 55 W

To avoid contamination on the
bulb's glass surface, never
touch or hold the bulb any­where other than on its metal
socket base.