BMW F 800 R 6th 2013 Owner's manual

Rider's Manual

F 800 R

BMW Motorrad

The Ultimate

Riding Machine

Motorcycle data/dealership details

Motorcycle data

Model

Vehicle Identification Number

Colour code

Date of first registration

Registration number

Dealership details

Person to contact in Service department

Ms/Mr

Phone number

Dealership address/phone number (com­pany stamp)

Welcome to BMW

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

BMW Motorrad dealer will gladly
provide advice and assistance.

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

BMW Motorrad.

01 41 8 550 171

*01418550171*

Table of Contents

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

1 General instructions ... . 5

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

Abbreviations and

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

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

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

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

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

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

General view, right side . . . . . 13

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

Underneath the centre trim

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

Multifunction switch, left . . . . 16

Multifunction switch,

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

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

3 Status indicators . .. .. .. 19

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 20

Meaning of symbols . . . .. . .. . 21

Warning and telltale

lights . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 22

Service-due indicator .. . . . . . . 23

Kilometres travelled after fuel

down to reserve . . . . . . . . . .. . . 23

Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 24

Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 25

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

Ignition switch/steering

lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 36

Electronic immobiliser

(EWS) . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 37

Clock . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 37

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Stopwatch. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 39

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 41

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 42

Emergency off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Heated handlebar grips . . .. . 43

Clutch . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 44

Brakes . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 44

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 45

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Damping . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 46

Tyres . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Seat . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 49

5 Riding .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . 51

Safety instructions . . . . . . .. . . 52

Checklist . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Starting. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . 54

Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 55

Speed . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 56

Brakes . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 57

Parking your motorcycle . . . . 58

Refuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Secure motorcycle for trans-

portation . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

6 Engineering details . .. . . 63

Brake system with

BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . .. . . 64

Tyre pressure monitoring

RDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 66

7 Accessories . .. .. .. . .. .. . 69

General instructions . . . . . . . . . 70

Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Luggage . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 71

Topcase. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 71

8 Maintenance . . . .. .. .. . .. 75

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

Toolkit. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 76

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Coolant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Clutch . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 84

Rims and tyres . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 85

Chain . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 85

Wheels . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Front-wheel stand . . . . . .. . . . . 94

Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Jump starting . . . .. . . . . . . . . 103

Battery . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 104

9 Care ... . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. 107

Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Washing motorcycle. . . . . . . 108

Cleaning easily damaged

components .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . 108

Paint care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Laying up motorcycle . . . . . 110

Protective wax coating . . . . 110

Restoring motorcycle to

use . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 110

10 Technical data . . .. . . 111

Troubleshooting chart . . . . . 112

Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 113

Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 115

Fuel . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. 116

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Clutch . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 117

Transmission . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 117

Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 118

Running gear . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Brakes . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 119

Wheels and tyres . . . . . . . . . . 119

Electrics . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 120

Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Dimensions . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 122

Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 123

Riding specifications . . . . . . 123

11 Service . . .. . .. .. .. .. .. 125

BMW Motorrad Service . . . 126
BMW Motorrad Mobility

services . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 126

Maintenance work . . . . .. . . . 126

Confirmation of mainten-

ance work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Confirmation of service . . . . 133

12 Appendix . .. .. .. .. . .. . 135

Certificate . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 136

13 Index .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 137

General instructions

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

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

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

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

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

1

5

z

General instructions

Overview

1

An important aspect of this
Rider's Manual is that it can

6

be used for quick and easy
reference. Consulting the
extensive index at the end of
this Rider's Manual is the fastest
way to find information on a
particular topic or item. Chapter
2 will provide you with an initial
overview of your motorcycle. All
the necessary maintenance and
servicing work on the motorcycle
is documented in Chapter 11.
This record of the maintenance
work you have had performed on
your motorcycle is a precondition

z

General instructions

for generous treatment of
goodwill claims.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW please remember to
hand over this Rider's Manual; it
is an important part of the motor­cycle.

Abbreviations and symbols

Indicates warnings that you

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

Specific instructions on

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

Indicates the end of an
item of information.

Instruction.

Result of an activity.

Reference to a page with
more detailed informa­tion.

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

Tightening torque.

Technical data.

OE Optional extra

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

OA Optional accessory

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

Electronic immobiliser.

EWS

DWA

Anti-theft alarm.

Anti-lock brake system.

ABS

Tyre pressure monitoring.

RDC

Equipment

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

described, its description can be
found in a separate manual.

Technical data

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

Currency

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

the basis of the data, illustrations
or descriptions in this manual.

1

7

z

General instructions

1

8

z

General instructions

General views

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

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

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

Underneath the centre trim

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

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

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

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

2

9

z

General views

2

10

z

General views

General view, left side

1 Payload table (on left on

steering-head bearing)

2 Seat lock ( 49)
3 Engine-oil filler neck and

oil dipstick ( 77)

2

11

z

General views

2

12

z

General views

General view, right side

1 Fuel filler neck ( 59)
2 Adjuster, spring preload

( 45)

3 VIN, type plate (on

steering-head bearing)

4 Brake-fluid reservoir, front

( 81)

5 Coolant level indicator (be-

hind side panel) ( 83)

6 Power socket ( 70)
7 Adjuster for damping char-

acteristic ( 46)

8 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear

( 82)

2

13

z

General views

Underneath the seat

2

1 Tool for adjusting spring

14

z

General views

preload ( 45)

2 Standard toolkit ( 76)
3 Rider's Manual
4 Stowage

with first-aid kit

Location of the first-aid kit

5 Table of tyre pressures
6 Stowage

with service toolkit
Location of the service
toolkit ( 76)

OA

OA

Underneath the centre trim panel

1 Battery ( 104)
2 Stowage

with tyre repair kit
Location of the tyre repair
kit

OA

2

15

z

General views

Multifunction switch,

2

left

16

1 High-beam headlight and

headlight flasher ( 41)

2 – with on-board computer

(OE)
Selecting reading in exten­ded area ( 38)

3 Hazard warning flashers

( 42)

4 Operation of the flashing

turn indicators ( 41)

5 Horn

z

General views

Multifunction switch, right

1 with heated handlebar

2 Starter button ( 54)
3 Emergency off switch (kill

OE

grips
Operation of the heated
handlebar grips ( 43)

switch) ( 42)

2

17

z

General views

Instrument panel

2

1 Warning and telltale lights

18

z

General views

( 22)

2 Speedometer
3 Set clock ( 37).

with on-board com-

OE

puter
Operation of the stopwatch
( 39)

4 Multifunction display

( 20)

5 Select display ( 38).

Reset the tripmeter
( 38).

6 Photo-electric cell (for ad-

apting the brightness of
the instrument lighting)

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

with on-board com-

OE

puter
Redline warning ( 56)

7 Rev. counter

OE

Status indicators

Multifunction display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Meaning of symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Warning and telltale lights . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Service-due indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Kilometres travelled after fuel down

to reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Ambient temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

3

19

z

Status indicators

Multifunction display

3

1 Trip meter ( 38)
2 Warning for engine elec-

20

z

Status indicators

tronics ( 29)

3 with on-board com-

4 Time ( 37)
5 with tyre pressure monit-

6 Warning for coolant tem-

7 Service due ( 23)
8 Values area ( 38)
9 with on-board com-

10 – with on-board computer

OE

puter
Stopwatch ( 39)

oring (RDC)
Tyre pressures ( 24)

perature ( 28)

OE

puter
Symbols explaining the
readings shown in the val­ues area ( 21)

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

OE

11 – with on-board computer

(OE)
Gear indicator; "N" indic­ates neutral

12 – with on-board computer

(OE)
Fuel level
The horizontal bars above
the fuel-pump symbol
indicate the remaining
quantity of fuel. The top
bar is larger than the oth­ers and the quantity of fuel
it represents is significantly
larger

13 – with on-board computer

(OE)
Values area ( 38)

14 A warning is shown in the

values area ( 25)

Meaning of symbols

with on-board computer

Distance travelled after fuel
down to reserve ( 23)

Average consumption

Average speed

Current consumption

Ambient temperature
( 24)

OE

3

21

z

Status indicators

Warning and telltale

3

lights

22

1 Oil-pressure warning light

( 29)

2 ABS warning light ( 31)
3 Warning light for fuel down

to reserve ( 28)

4 General warning light, in

combination with warnings
in the display ( 25)

5 High-beam headlight tell-

tale light

6 Telltale light for right turn

indicators

7 Telltale light for neutral

z

Status indicators

8 Telltale light for left turn

indicators

The ABS symbol might dif­fer, depending on the spe-

cifics of national regulations.

Service-due indicator

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

2011.

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

If service is overdue, the
due date or the odometer

reading at which service was due

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

If the service-due indicator

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

Kilometres travelled after fuel down to reserve

with on-board computer

Once the fuel has dropped

to the reserve level, the
reading shows the kilometres

OE

3

23

z

Status indicators

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

3

brings the total quantity of fuel

24

on board back above the reserve
level.

Ambient temperature

with on-board computer

When the motorcycle is at

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

z

Status indicators

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

OE

Tyre pressures

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

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

If warning triangle 3 also

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

The detailed description of
BMW Motorrad RDC starts on
page ( 66).

Warnings

Warnings in multifunction
display

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

A reading in values area 2
that constitutes a warning
is accompanied by warning
triangle 3. These warnings can
alternate with the odometer
readings ( 38).

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

The possible warnings are listed
on the next page.

3

25

z

Status indicators

Warnings, overview

3

Warning and telltale

26

lights

Lights up yellow + "EWS" appears

Lights up Fuel down to reserve ( 28)

Warning symbols on
the display

on the display

Meaning

Electronic immobiliser active ( 28)

Lights up red Flashes

Lights up yellow Appears on the dis-

z

Status indicators

Flashes

Lights up yellow + "LAMP" appears

Lights up yellow + "DWA" appears

play

on the display

"x.x °C" flashes

on the display

Coolant temperature too high ( 28)

Engine in emergency-operation mode
( 29)

Insufficient engine oil pressure ( 29)

Bulb defective ( 29)

Outside temperature warning ( 30)

DWA battery flat ( 30)

Warning and telltale
lights

Flashes

Lights up

Warning symbols on
the display

Meaning

ABS self-diagnosis not completed
( 31)

ABS fault ( 31)

3

27

Lights up yellow

Flashes red

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

+ "x.x" flashes

+ "--" or "--

--" appears on

the display

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

--" appears on

the display

Lights up yellow

+ "RdC" appears

on the display

tolerance ( 31)

Tyre pressure outside permitted toler­ance ( 31)

Signal transmission disrupted ( 32)

Sensor defective or system error
( 33)

Battery of tyre-pressure sensor weak
( 33)

z

Status indicators

Electronic immobiliser

3

active

28

z

Status indicators

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "EWS" appears on the
display.

Possible cause:
The key being used is not au-

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

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

Fuel down to reserve

Warning light for fuel down
to reserve shows.

A shortage of fuel can res-

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

Possible cause:
The fuel tank contains no more

than the reserve quantity of fuel.

Fuel reserve

approx. 3 l

Refuelling ( 59).

Coolant temperature too
high

General warning light shows

red.

The temperature symbol

flashes.

Riding when the engine is

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

Possible cause:
If the coolant level is too low.

Check the coolant level ( 83).

If the coolant level is too low:

Topping up coolant ( 83).

Possible cause:
The coolant temperature is too

high.

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

an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Engine in emergency­operation mode

General warning light shows
yellow.

Engine symbol appears on
the display.

The engine is running in

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

Possible cause:
The engine control unit has dia-

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

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

gine performance might not be
available.
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Insufficient engine oil
pressure

Warning light for engine-oil

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

The insufficient oil pres-

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

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

Check engine oil level ( 77).

If the oil level is too low:

Top up the engine oil ( 78).

Possible cause:
The engine-oil pressure is insuffi-

cient.

Riding when engine-oil

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

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

Bulb defective

General warning light shows

yellow.

+ "LAMP" appears on the

display.

3

29

z

Status indicators

A defective bulb places

3

30

z

Status indicators

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

Possible cause:
Bulb defective.

Visually inspect to ascertain
which bulb is defective.
Replacing bulbs for low-beam
headlight and high-beam head­light ( 95).
Replacing bulb for parking light
( 96).
Replacing bulb for brake light
and rear light ( 98).
Replacing bulbs for front and
rear turn indicators ( 99).

Outside temperature
warning

with on-board computer

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

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

The ambient temperature

warning does not mean that
there is no risk of ice forming at
measured temperatures above
3 °C.
Always take extra care when
temperatures are low; remember
that the danger of black ice form­ing is particularly high on bridges
and where the road is in shade.

Ride carefully and think well
ahead.

OE

DWA battery flat

with anti-theft alarm

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "DWA" appears on the
display.

This error message appears
only briefly after the pre-

ride check completes.

Possible cause:
The integral battery in the anti-

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

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

OE

ABS self-diagnosis not
completed

ABS warning light flashes.

Possible cause:
The ABS function is not

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

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

ABS fault

ABS warning light shows.

Possible cause:
The ABS control unit has detec-

ted a fault.

You can continue to ride. Bear
in mind that the ABS function

is not available. Bear in mind
the more detailed information
on certain situations that can
lead to ABS fault messages
( 65).
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Tyre pressure close
to limit of permitted
tolerance

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light shows
yellow.

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

Possible cause:
Measured tyre pressure is close

to the limit of permitted toler­ance.

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

Before you adjust tyre pres-

sure, read the information
on temperature compensation
and adjusting pressure in the
section entitled "Engineering
details".

Tyre pressure outside
permitted tolerance

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light

flashes red.

+ "x.x" (critical pressure)

flashes.

3

31

z

Status indicators

Possible cause:

3

Measured tyre pressure is out­side permitted tolerance.

32

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

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

Out-of-tolerance tyre pres-

sures impair the motor­cycle's handling characteristics.
Adapt your style of riding
accordingly.

Correct the tyre pressure at the

z

Status indicators

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

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

Do not continue your journey.

Notify the breakdown service.
Have the tyre checked for
damage by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Signal transmission
disrupted

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

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

pears on the display.

Possible cause:
The vehicle has not yet

accelerated past the threshold of
approximately 30 km/h. The RDC
sensors do not start transmitting
signals until the motorcycle
reaches a speed above this
threshold ( 66).

Increase speed above this
threshold and observe the RDC
readings. Assume that a per­manent fault has not occurred

unless the 'General' warning
light comes on to accompany
the symptoms. Under these
circumstances:
Have the fault rectified by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Possible cause:
Wireless communication with the

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

Move to another location and
observe the RDC readings. As­sume that a permanent fault
has not occurred unless the
'General' warning light comes
on to accompany the symp­toms. Under these circum­stances:

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

Sensor defective or
system error

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light shows
yellow.

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

pears on the display.

Possible cause:
Motorcycle is fitted with wheels

not equipped with RDC sensors.

Fit wheels and tyres equipped
with RDC sensors.

Possible cause:
1 or 2 RDC sensors have failed.

Have the fault rectified by a
specialist workshop, preferably

an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.

Possible cause:
A system error has occurred.

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

Battery of tyre-pressure
sensor weak

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

General warning light shows
yellow.

+ "RdC" appears on the

display.

This error message appears
only briefly after the pre-

ride check completes.

Possible cause:
The tyre-pressure battery is al-

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

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

3

33

z

Status indicators

3

34

z

Status indicators

Operation

Ignition switch/steering lock . . . . . . . . . 36

Electronic immobiliser (EWS) . . . . . . . 37

Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Stopwatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Hazard warning flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Emergency off switch (kill

switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Heated handlebar grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

4

35

z

Operation

Ignition switch/steering

4

lock

36

Keys

You receive 2 ignition keys.
Please consult the information on
the electronic immobiliser (EWS)
if an ignition key is lost or mislaid
( 37).
Ignition switch/steering lock, fuel
filler cap lock and seat lock are all
operated with the same key.

z

Operation

Switching on ignition

Parking lights and all function
circuits switched on.
Engine can be started.
Pre-ride check is performed
( 54).
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed ( 55).

Switching off ignition

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

Lock the handlebars

Turn the handlebars all the way
to left.

Turn the ignition key to posi-

tion 1.

Turn the ignition key to posi­tion 2.
Lights switched off.
Handlebars not locked.
Ignition key can be removed.

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

Electronic immobiliser (EWS)

The electronic design of the
motorbike allows it to access
data stored in the ignition key
by means of a ring antenna loc­ated in the ignition switch. The
engine control unit will only allow
the engine to be started if the
key is identified as "authorised".

A spare key attached to

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

If you lose your key, you can
have it barred by your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer. If you
wish to do this, you will need to

bring all other keys for the motor­bike with you.
The engine cannot be started by
a barred key, but a key that has
been barred can subsequently be
reactivated.
You can obtain emergency/extra
keys only through an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer. The keys
are part of an integrated security
system, so the dealer is under an
obligation to check the legitimacy
of all applications for replace­ment/extra keys.

Clock

Set clock

Attempting to set the clock

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

Switching on ignition ( 36).

Press and hold down button 1
until the hours number 2
flashes.
Repeatedly press the button
until the hours number is cor­rect.
Press and hold down the but­ton until the minutes number 3
flashes.
Repeatedly press the button
until the minutes number is
correct.
Hold down the button until the
minutes number stops flashing.
This completes the process.

4

37

z

Operation

Reading

4

Select display

38

Switching on ignition ( 36).

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

Tyre pressures

Average consumption

Current consumption

z

Operation

Press button 2 to select the

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

Odometer (shown)

Tripmeter 1 (Trip I)

Tripmeter 2 (Trip II)

Warnings, if applicable

with on-board computer

Press button 4 to select the

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

Ambient temperature

Average speed

OE

Distance travelled after fuel
down to reserve

Resetting tripmeter

Switch on the ignition.
Select the desired tripmeter.

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

Resetting average values

with on-board computer

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

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

OE

Stopwatch

with on-board computer

OE

Stopwatch

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

use button 2 to operate the on­board computer.
The stopwatch continues to time
in the background if you switch
back temporarily to the odometer
reading. Similarly, the stopwatch
continues timing if you temporar­ily switch off the ignition.

Operating stopwatch

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

4

39

z

Operation

4

40

When the stopwatch is
stopped, press button 2 to
start timing with the stopwatch.

z

Operation

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

Changing button
functions

Press button 1 and button 2

at the same time and hold

them down until the reading

changes.

FLASH (redline warning) ap-

pears, along with ON or OFF.

Press button 2.

LAP (Lap-Timer) and ON or

OFF appear.

Repeatedly press button 1 until

the reading shows the mode

you want.

ON: Stopwatch operated by

means of the INFO button on
the handlebar fitting.

OFF: Stopwatch operated by

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

Lights

Side light

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

The side lights place

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

Low-beam headlight

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

High-beam headlight and
headlight flasher

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

Parking light

Switch off the ignition.

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

Turn indicators

Operating flashing turn
indicators

Switch on the ignition.

The turn indicators are can-

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

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

4

41

z

Operation

Hazard warning

4

flashers

42

Operating hazard warning
flashers

Switch on the ignition.

The hazard warning flash-

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

z

Operation

If you press a turn-indic-

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

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

Emergency off switch (kill switch)

1 Emergency off switch (kill

switch)

Operating the kill switch

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

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

a Engine switched off
b Normal operating position

(run)

Heated handlebar grips

with heated handlebar grips

Operate the heated
handlebar grips

Start the engine.

The heating in the heated

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

OE

The increase in power con-

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

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

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

50 % heating power

100 % heating power

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

4

43

z

Operation

Clutch

4

Adjusting clutch lever

44

z

Operation

Attempting to adjust the

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

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

the span between the clutch
lever and the handlebar grip.

The adjusting screw is
easier to turn if you push

the clutch lever forward.

Brakes

Adjust the handbrake
lever

Changing the position of

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

Attempting to adjust the

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

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

The adjusting screw is
easier to turn if you push

the handbrake lever forward.

Mirrors

Adjusting mirrors

Adjusting mirror arm

Locknut (mirror) to
clamping piece

Joining compound: Multi­Wax spray

20 Nm

Push the protective cap over
the threaded fastener.

4

45

Turn the mirror to the correct
position.

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

Spring preload

Setting

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

Adjusting spring preload
for rear wheel

Remove the seat ( 49).

z

Operation

4

46

Remove on-board toolkit 1.

z

Operation

Your motorcycle's hand-

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

Adjust the damping characteristic
to suit spring preload.

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

Basic setting of spring
preload, rear

Turn adjusting screw as far
as it will go counter-clock­wise, then back it off 12
clicks. (Full load of fuel, with
rider 85 kg)

Stow the on-board toolkit in its
correct position.
Install the seat ( 49).

Damping

Setting

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

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

Adjust the damping for
rear wheel

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

If you want to increase damp­ing, turn adjusting screw 1
clockwise.
If you want to reduce damping,
turn adjusting screw 1 counter­clockwise.

Basic setting of rear-sus­pension damping charac-

teristic

Turn adjusting screw as far
as it will go clockwise, then
back it off 3/4 turns (Full
load of fuel, with rider 85 kg)

Tyres

Checking tyre pressure

Incorrect tyre pressures im-

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

At high road speeds, tyre

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

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

Check tyre pressures against
the data below.

Tyre pressure, front

2.5 bar (Tyre cold)

Tyre pressure, rear

2.9 bar (Tyre cold)

If tyre pressure is incorrect:

Correct tyre pressure.

Headlight

Adjusting headlight for
driving on left/driving on
right

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

4

47

z

Operation

workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad

4

dealer.

48

Headlight beam throw and
spring preload

Headlight beam throw is gener­ally kept constant when spring
preload is adjusted to suit load.
However, a spring preload ad­justment might not suffice if
the motorcycle is very heavily

z

Operation

loaded. Under these circum­stances, headlight beam throw
has to be adjusted to suit the
weight carried by the motorcycle.

If there are doubts about

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

Adjusting headlight beam
throw

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

Beam-throw basic setting

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

Headlight to headlight
bracket

8 Nm

Seat

Removing seat

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

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

Lift the seat at the rear and
release the key.
Remove the seat and place it,
upholstered side down, on a
clean surface.

Installing seat

Engage the seat in holder 2.
Firmly press down on the seat
at the rear.
The seat engages with an aud­ible click.

4

49

z

Operation

4

50

z

Operation

Riding

Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Parking your motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Refuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Secure motorcycle for transporta-

tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

5

51

z

Riding

Safety instructions

5

Rider's equipment

52

The following clothing will protect
you for every journey:

Helmet
Motorcycling jacket and
trousers
Gloves
Boots

z

Riding

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

Correct loading

Overloading and imbal-

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

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

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

with tank rucksack
Note the maximum permissible

payload of the tank bag.

≤5 kg

with tankbag
Note the maximum permissible

payload of the tankbag.

≤5 kg

OA

OA

Payload of tank bag

OA

Payload of tankbag

Speed

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

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

Risk of poisoning

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

Inhaling the exhaust fumes
therefore represents a

health hazard and can even

cause loss of consciousness with
fatal consequences.
Do not inhale exhaust fumes.
Do not run the engine in an en­closed space.

Catalytic converter

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

Do not run the fuel tank dry
Do not attempt to start or run
the engine with a spark-plug
cap disconnected
Stop the engine immediately if
it misfires
Use only unleaded fuel
Comply with all specified main­tenance intervals

Unburned fuel will destroy
the catalytic converter.

Note the points listed for protec­tion of the catalytic converter.

Risk of overheating

Cooling would be

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

Tampering

Tampering with motor-

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

cycle in any way that could result
in tuned performance.

Checklist

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

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

At regular intervals:

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

5

53

z

Riding

Starting

5

Starting engine

54

z

Riding

Gearbox lubrication is en-

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

Switch on the ignition.
Pre-ride check is performed
( 54).
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed ( 55).
Select neutral or, if a gear is
engaged, pull the clutch lever.

You cannot start the mo-

torcycle with the side stand
extended and a gear engaged.
The engine will switch itself off
if you start it with the gearbox in

neutral and then engage a gear
before retracting the side stand.

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

Press starter button 1.

The start attempt is auto-

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

The engine starts.

If the engine refuses to start,
consult the troubleshooting
chart in the section entitled
"Technical data" ( 112).

Pre-ride check

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

Phase 1

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

Phase 2

The general warning light
changes from yellow to red.

Phase 3

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

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

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

ABS self-diagnosis

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

few metres for the wheel-speed
sensors to be tested.

Phase 1

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

ABS warning light flashes.

Phase 2

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

ABS warning light flashes.

ABS self-diagnosis
completed

The ABS warning light goes out.

Make sure that all the warning
and telltale lights come on in
the pre-ride check.

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

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

Running in

Engine

Until the first running-in check,
vary the throttle opening and
engine-speed range frequently;
avoid riding at constant engine
rpm for prolonged periods.
Try to do most of your rid­ing during this initial period on
twisting, fairly hilly roads, avoid­ing high-speed main roads and
highways if possible.

5

55

z

Riding

Comply with the rpm limits for
running in.

5

56

z

Riding

Running-in speed

<5000 min

Do not omit the first running-in
check after 500 - 1200 km.

-1

Brake pads

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

New brake pads can extend

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

Tyres

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

New tyres do not provide

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

Speed

with on-board computer

OE

Redline warning

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

Activating redline warning

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

FLASH (redline warning) ap-

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

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

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

them down until the reading
changes.

Brakes

How can stopping
distance be minimised?

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

braking force is applied as rap­idly as possible and with the
rider's full force applied to the
brake levers; under these circum­stances the dynamic shift in load
distribution cannot keep pace
with the increase in deceleration
and the tyres cannot transmit the
full braking force to the surface
of the road.

Under these circumstances the
front wheel can lock up.

BMW Motorrad ABS prevents
the front wheel from locking up.

Descending mountain
passes

There is a danger of the

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

5

57

z

Riding

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

5

braking effect as well.

58

Wet and dirty brakes

Wetness and dirt on the brake
discs and the brake pads dimin­ish braking efficiency.
Delayed braking action or poor
braking efficiency must be

z

Riding

reckoned with in the following
situations:

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

Wetness and dirt result in

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

Parking your motorcycle

Side stand

Switch off the engine.

If the ground is soft or un-

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

The side stand is designed

to support only the weight
of the motorcycle.
Do not lean or sit on the

motorcycle with the side stand
extended.

Extend the side stand and prop
the motorcycle on the stand.
If the camber of the roadway
permits, turn the handlebars all
the way to the left.
On a gradient, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se­lect 1st gear.

Centre stand

with centre stand

Switch off the engine.

If the ground is soft or un-

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

Excessive movements

could cause the centre

OA

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

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

Refuel

Fuel grade

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

Leaded fuel will destroy the

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

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

Recommended fuel
grade

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

Refuelling

Fuel is highly flammable. A

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

Fuel expands when hot.

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

Fuel attacks plastics, which

become dull or unsightly.

Wipe plastic parts immediately
after contact with fuel.

Leaded fuel will destroy the

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

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

The volume of the tank can

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

Open the protective cap.

5

59

z

Riding

5

60

Use the ignition key to unlock

z

Riding

cap 1 of the fuel tank and pop
the cap open.

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

tank past the bottom edge of
the filler neck.

If filling occurs after the fuel

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

The "Usable fuel capacity"

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

Usable fuel capacity

approx. 16 l

Fuel reserve

approx. 3 l

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

Secure motorcycle for transportation

Make sure that all components
that might come into contact
with straps used to secure the
motorcycle are adequately pro­tected against scratching.

The motorcycle can topple
and fall on its side.

Secure motorcycle against top-

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

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

5

61

Risk of damaging compon-

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

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

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

z

Riding

5

62

z

Riding

Engineering details

Brake system with BMW Motorrad

ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Tyre pressure monitoring RDC . . . . . 66

6

63

z

Engineering details

Brake system with

6

BMW Motorrad ABS

64

How does ABS work?

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

z

Engineering details

ing force exceeds the maximum
transferable limit, the wheels start
to lock and the motorcycle loses
its directional stability; a fall is
imminent. Before this situation
can occur, ABS intervenes and
adapts braking pressure to the
maximum transferable braking
force. The wheels continue to

turn and the driving stability is
retained irrespective of the road
condition.

What are the effects of
surface irregularities?

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

circumstances, the system re­acts instantly and adjusts braking
force accordingly to achieve op­timum braking.

Rear wheel lift

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

Severe braking can cause

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

What is the design
baseline for
BMW Motorrad ABS?

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

Special situations

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

riding conditions can lead to a
fault message being issued.

Exceptional riding
conditions:

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

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

What significance
devolves on regular
maintenance?

Invariably, a technical sys-

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

Reserves for safety

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

6

65

z

Engineering details

momentum take over and even
BMW Motorrad ABS is unable to

6

counteract their effects.

66

Tyre pressure monitoring RDC

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

Function

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

Each sensor has a centrifugal-

z

Engineering details

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

the measured-value signals for
approximately 15 minutes after
the motorcycle comes to a stop.

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

Temperature
compensation

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

The tyre-pressure readings
shown by the multifunction
display are temperature­compensated; the reference tyre
temperature for these readings
is always 20 °C. The gauges
on forecourt air lines do not
compensate for temperature.
The tyre pressure recorded
depends on tyre temperature. In
most instances, therefore, these
gauge readings will not tally with
the pressures shown by the
multifunction display.

Tyre-pressure ranges

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

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

Pressure adaptation

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

Example: according to the
Rider's Manual, tyre pressure
should be 2.5 bar, but the
reading in the multifunction
display is 2.3 bar. The gauge on
the air line shows 2.4 bar. You
must now increase tyre pressure
by the 0.2 bar difference
between the value in the table
and the RDC reading; when the
air-line gauge shows 2.6 bar,
the tyre is inflated to the correct
pressure.

6

67

z

Engineering details

6

68

z

Engineering details

Accessories

General instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Topcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

7

69

z

Accessories

General instructions

7

70

z

Accessories

BMW Motorrad cannot

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

BMW has conducted extens­ive testing of the parts and ac­cessory products to establish
that they are safe, functional and
suitable. Consequently, BMW
accepts product liability. BMW

accepts no liability whatsoever for
parts and accessories that it has
not approved.
Whenever you are planning
modifications, comply with all
the legal requirements. Make
sure that the vehicle does not
infringe the national road-vehicle
construction and use regulations
applicable in your country.
Also bear in mind the informa­tion on the effect of wheel size
on suspension-control systems
( 87).
Your BMW Motorrad dealer can
offer expert advice on the choice
of genuine BMW parts, accessor­ies and other products.
You can check out the entire
range of optional accessories
from BMW Motorrad by visit­ing out website: "www.bmw-

motorrad.com".

Power sockets

Connection of electrical
devices

You can start using electrical
devices connected to the mo­torcycle's sockets only when
the ignition is switched on.

Cable routing

The cables from the power
sockets to the auxiliary devices
must be routed in such a way
that they do not impede the
rider.
The cable routing should not
restrict the steering angle or
obstruct handling.
The cables must not be
trapped.

Automatic shutdown

The sockets will be automat­ically switched off during the
start procedure.

The power supply to the sock­ets is switched off no more
than 15 minutes after the igni­tion is switched off, in order to
prevent overloading of the on­board electrics. Low-wattage
electrical accessories might not
be recognised by the vehicle’s
electronics. In such cases,
power sockets are switched
off very shortly after the ignition
is turned off.
If the battery charge state is
too low to maintain the mo­torcycle's start capability, the
power sockets are switched off.
The power sockets are also
switched off when the max­imum load capability as stated
in the technical data is ex­ceeded.

Luggage

Lashing luggage

Remove the seat ( 49).

Pull luggage strap 1 through
underneath the seat in the vi­cinity 2 of the filler neck of the
fuel tank. Make sure that the
strap is in front of the ribs on
the underside of the seat.
Install the seat ( 49).
Position the luggage strap ap­propriately to hold the item
of luggage and route it to the
rear.

Pass luggage strap 1 through
grab handles 3 and pull it tight.
Check that the luggage is se­cure.

Topcase

with topcase

OA

7

71

z

Accessories

Opening topcase

7

72

Turn the key to the OPEN po­sition in the topcase lock.

z

Accessories

Push lock barrel 1 forward.
Lever 2 pops up.

Pull the release lever all the
way up.
The lid of the topcase opens.

Closing topcase

Push release lever 1 down until
it engages.
Turn the key in the topcase
lock to the LOCK position and

remove the key from the lock.
Pull release lever 1 all the way
up.
Close the lid of the topcase
and hold it down. Check that
nothing is trapped between the
lid and the case.

Removing the topcase

7

73

Turn the key to the

RELEASE position in the

topcase lock.
The handle pops out.

Pull handle 1 up as far as it will
go.
Lift the topcase at the rear and
remove it from the luggage
carrier.

Installing topcase

Pull the handle up as far as it
will go.

Hook the topcase into position
on the luggage carrier. Make
sure that hooks 4 are securely
seated in the corresponding
keepers 5.

z

Accessories

7

74

Push handle 3 down until it
engages.
Turn the key in the topcase
lock to the LOCK position and

z

Accessories

remove the key from the lock.

Maintenance

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

Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Rims and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

8

75

z

Maintenance

General instructions

8

The "Maintenance" chapter de­scribes straightforward proced-

76

ures for checking and replacing
certain wear parts.
Special tightening torques are lis­ted as applicable. The tightening
torques for the threaded fasten­ers on your vehicle are listed in
the section entitled "Technical
data".
Further information on mainten­ance and repair works is available

z

Maintenance

from your BMW Motorrad author­ised dealer in the form of a DVD.

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

Toolkit

Standard toolkit

1 Screwdriver handle

2 Reversible screwdriver

blade
With cross recess and Torx
T25

Replacing bulbs for front
and rear turn indicators
( 99).
Replacing bulb for brake
light and rear light
( 98).
Removing battery
( 105).
Removing body panels.

3 Open-ended spanner

Width across flats 17

Adjust the mirror arm
( 45).

4 Torx wrench, T40

Adjusting headlight beam
throw ( 48).

Service toolkit

with service toolkit

OA

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

Engine oil

Check engine oil level

The oil level varies with

the temperature of the
oil. The higher the temperature,
the higher the level of oil in the
sump. Checking the oil level with
the engine cold or after no more

than a short ride will lead to mis­interpretation of oil level.
In order to ensure that the en­gine oil level is read correctly,
check the oil level only after at
engine operating temperature.

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

Check that the engine is at op­erating temperature, make sure
the ground is level and firm
and place the motorcycle on its
centre stand.

OA

The motorcycle can topple

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

Remove oil dipstick 1.

8

77

z

Maintenance

8

78

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

z

Maintenance

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

Engine oil, specified level

Between MIN and MAX
marks

Engine oil, quantity for
topping up

products recommended by
BMW Motorrad

max 0.4 l (Difference
between MIN and MAX)

If the oil level is below the MIN
mark:

Top up the engine oil ( 78).

If the oil level is above the MAX
mark:

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

Install the oil dipstick.

Topping up engine oil

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

Remove oil dipstick 1.

Damage to the engine

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

Top up the engine oil to the
specified level.
Check engine oil level ( 77).
Install the oil dipstick.

Brake system

Check operation of brakes

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

clearly perceptible.
If pressure points are not clearly
perceptible:

Have the brakes checked by a

specialist workshop, preferably

an authorised BMW Motorrad

dealer.

Check front brake pad
thickness

Make sure the ground is level

and firm and place the motor-

cycle on its stand.

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

8

79

z

Maintenance

8

80

Brake-pad wear limit,
front

z

min 1.0 mm (Friction pad

Maintenance

only, without backing
plate. The wear indicators
(grooves) must be clearly
visible.)

If the wear indicating marks are
no longer clearly visible:

Brake pads worn past the

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

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

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

Check rear brake pad
thickness

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

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

Brake-pad wear limit,
rear

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

If the wear indicating mark is no
longer visible:

Brake pads worn past the

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

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

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

Check brake-fluid level,
front brakes

A low fluid level in the

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

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

with centre stand
Make sure the ground is level

and firm and place the motor­cycle on its centre stand.

Move the handlebars to the
straight-ahead position.

Check the brake fluid level in
front reservoir 1.

Wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level

in the reservoir to sink.

OA

8

81

z

Maintenance

8

82

Brake fluid level, front
(visual inspection)

z

Brake fluid, DOT4

Maintenance

Do not permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark.

If the brake fluid level drops be­low the permitted level:

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

Check the brake-fluid
level, rear brakes

A low fluid level in the

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

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

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

OA

Check the brake fluid level in
rear reservoir 1.

Wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level

in the reservoir to sink.

Coolant

Checking coolant level

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

8

83

Brake fluid level, rear
(visual inspection)

Brake fluid, DOT4

Do not permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark.

If the brake fluid level drops be­low the permitted level:

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

Check the coolant level in ex­pansion tank 1. Viewing direc­tion: from in front through the
opening in the side panel to
the expansion tank.

Minimum quantity of
coolant

Do not permit the fluid level
to drop below the MIN mark
on the reservoir

If the coolant drops below the
permitted level:

Top up the coolant.

Topping up coolant

Remove the right side panel
( 101).

z

Maintenance

8

84

Open cap 1 of the expansion
tank.
Top up coolant to specified
level.

z

Maintenance

Close the cap of the expansion
tank.
Install the right side panel
( 102).

Clutch

Checking clutch function

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

If the pressure point is not clearly
perceptible:

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

Checking the clutch play

Operate the clutch lever until
resistance can be felt whilst
observing the notch between
edges 1 and 2 in the manual
valve.
The inner edge 1 of the brake
cable should be able to move
up to the edge 2 of the manual
valve.

Clutch play is out of tolerance:

Adjust clutch play ( 84).

Adjust clutch play

Move the rubber grommet 1 to
one side.
Slacken nut 2.
To increase clutch play: screw
the adjusting screw 3 into the
manual valve.
To reduce clutch play: un­screw the adjusting screw 3
from the manual valve.
Checking the clutch play
( 84).

Tighten nut 2 while holding the
adjusting screw 3 in position.
Fasten the rubber grommet 1
over the nut.

Rims and tyres

Checking rims

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

Check the tyre tread
depth

Your motorcycle's handling

and grip can be impaired
even before the tyres wear to
the minimum tyre tread depth
permitted by law.

Have the tyres changed in good
time before they wear to the
minimum permissible tread
depth.

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

Wear indicators are built

into the main profile
grooves on each tyre. The tyre
is worn out when the tyre tread
has worn down to the level of
the marks. The locations of the
marks are indicated on the edge
of the tyre, e.g. by the letters TI,
TWI or by an arrow.

If the tyre tread is worn to min­imum:

Replace tyre or tyres, as applic­able.

Chain

Lubricating chain

Dirt, dust and inadequate

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

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

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

8

85

z

Maintenance

Check chain sag

8

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor-

86

cycle on its stand.
Turn the rear wheel until it
reaches the position with the
lowest amount of chain sag.

z

Maintenance

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

Chain deflection

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

If measured value is outside per­mitted tolerance:

Adjust chain sag ( 86).

Adjust chain sag

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

Slacken quick-release axle
nut 1.
Slacken locknuts 2 on left and
right.
Use adjusting screws 3 on left
and right to adjust chain sag.
Check chain sag ( 86).
Make sure that scale read­ings 4 are the same on left and
right.
Tighten locknuts 2 on left and
right to the specified tightening
torque.

Locknut of the final-drive
chain tensioning screw

19 Nm

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

Rear quick-release axle
in swinging arm

100 Nm

Checking the chain wear

Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Engage 1st gear.
Turn the rear wheel in the nor­mal direction of travel until the
chain is tensioned.
Measure the length of the
chain over 9 rivets below the
rear wheel swinging arm.

Permissible chain length

max 144.30 mm (measured
over 9 pins, chain pulled
taut)

If the chain has stretched to the
maximum permissible length:

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

Wheels

Tyre recommendation

For each size of tyre
BMW Motorrad tests certain
makes, and approves those
that it certifies as roadworthy. If
BMW Motorrad has not approved
the wheels and tyres, it cannot
assess their suitability or provide
any guarantee of road safety.
Use only wheels and tyres ap­proved by BMW Motorrad for
your type of motorcycle.
You can obtain detailed
information from your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer or on
the Internet at www.bmw­motorrad.com.

Effect of wheel size on
ABS

The wheel size has a large in­fluence on the functionality of
the ABS system. In particular,
the diameter and the width of a

8

87

z

Maintenance

vehicle's wheels are programmed
into the control unit and are fun-

8

damental to all calculations. Any

88

change in these influencing vari­ables, caused for example by a
switch to non-standard installed
wheels, can have serious effects
on the performance of the con­trol systems.
The sensor rings are essential
for correct road-speed calcula­tion, and they too must match
the motorcycle's control sys­tems and consequently cannot

z

Maintenance

be changed.
If you decide that you would like
to fit non-standard wheels to
your motorcycle, it is very im­portant to consult a specialist
workshop beforehand, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer. In some cases, the data
programmed into the control
units can be changed to suit the
new wheel sizes.

RDC adhesive label

with tyre pressure monitoring

OE

(RDC)

Incorrect tyre fitting can

damage the RDC sensors.
Be sure to explain to the au­thorised BMW Motorrad dealer
or the specialist workshop that
the wheel is fitted with an RDC
sensor.

If the motorcycle is equipped
with RDC, each wheel rim bears
an adhesive label indicating the
position of the RDC sensor.

Removing front wheel

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

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

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 disc on reas­sembly.
Do not operate the handbrake
lever when the brake calipers
have been removed.

Remove screws 2 of the brake
calipers on left and right.

Force the brake pads 3 slightly
apart by rocking brake caliper 4
back and forth against brake
disc 5.
Mask off the parts of the wheel
rim that could be scratched in
the process of removing the
brake callipers.
Carefully pull the brake callipers
back and out until clear of the
brake discs.

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

with centre stand
Make sure the ground is level

and firm and place the motor­cycle on its centre stand.

Raise front of motorcycle until
the front wheel can turn freely.
BMW Motorrad recommends
the BMW Motorrad front-wheel
stand for lifting the motorcycle.
Install the front-wheel stand
( 94).

Slacken axle clamping
screws 1.
Remove quick-release axle 2,
while supporting the wheel.

OA

8

89

z

Maintenance

Roll the front wheel forward to
remove.

8

90

Remove spacing bushing 3
from the left-hand side of the

z

Maintenance

wheel hub.

Installing front wheel

Malfunctions are possible

when the ABS system in­tervenes if non-standard wheels
are installed.
See the information on the effect
of wheel size on the ABS system
at the start of this chapter.

Threaded fasteners not

tightened to the specified
torque can work loose or their
threads can suffer damage.
Always have the security of the
fasteners checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an author­ised BMW Motorrad dealer.

Slip spacing bushing 3 onto
the left-hand side of the wheel
hub.

The front wheel must be

installed right way round to
rotate in the correct direction.
Note the direction-of-rotation ar-

rows on the tyre or the wheel
rim.

Roll the front wheel into posi­tion between the front forks.

Raise the front wheel, insert
quick-release axle 2 and
tighten to specified torque.

Quick-release axle in fork
leg

50 Nm

Tighten axle clamping screws 1
to the specified tightening
torque.

Clamp of quick-release
axle

20 Nm

Remove the front-wheel stand.

without centre stand
Remove the auxiliary stand.

Ease the brake calipers on to
the brake discs.

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

OA

Brake caliper on fork leg

30 Nm

Remove the adhesive tape
from the wheel rim.
Operate the brake several
times until the brake pads are
bedded.

Insert the speed sensor into
the bore and install screw 1.

Remove the rear wheel

Remove screw 1 and remove
the speed sensor from its bore.
Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the mo­torcycle on a suitable auxiliary
stand.

with centre stand
Make sure the ground is level

and firm and place the motor­cycle on its centre stand.

OA

8

91

z

Maintenance

8

92

Roll the rear wheel back until it
is clear of the swinging arm.

The sprocket and the

spacer sleeves on left
and right are loose fits in the
wheel. Make sure that these
parts are not damaged or lost on
removal.

Remove axle nut 2.
Slacken locknuts 3 on left and
right.
Slacken adjusting screws 4 on

z

Maintenance

left and right.
Remove adjusting plate 5 and
push the axle in as far as it will
go.

Remove quick-release axle 6
and remove adjusting plate 7.

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

Install the rear wheel

Malfunctions are possible

when the ABS system in­tervenes if non-standard wheels
are installed.
See the information on the effect
of wheel size on the ABS system
at the start of this chapter.

Threaded fasteners not

tightened to the specified
torque can work loose or their
threads can suffer damage.
Always have the security of the
fasteners checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an author­ised BMW Motorrad dealer.

Roll the rear wheel into the
swinging arm, making sure that
the brake disc passes between
the brake pads.

8

93

Roll the rear wheel as far
forward as possible and loop
chain 8 over the sprocket.

Seat left adjusting plate 7 in
the swinging arm and install
quick-release axle 6 in the
brake caliper and the rear
wheel.
Make sure that the axle fits
into the recess of the adjust­ing plate.

Install right adjusting plate 5.
Install nut 2, but do not tighten
it at this point.

without centre stand
Remove the auxiliary stand.

OA

z

Maintenance

8

94

Insert the speed sensor into
the bore and install screw 1.

Adjust chain sag ( 86).

z

Maintenance

Front-wheel stand

Installing 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
resting only on the front wheel
stand and the rear wheel can
topple.

Place the motorcycle on an aux­iliary stand before lifting the front
wheel with the BMW Motorrad
front-wheel stand.

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

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

Use basic stand (83 30 0 402

241) with front-wheel adapter
(83 30 0 402 242).

OA

Slacken adjusting screws 1.
Push the two adapters 2 apart
until the front forks fit between
them. Adjust the adapter studs
to suit the front suspension.
Use locating pins 3 to set the
front-wheel stand to the de­sired height.
Centre the front-wheel stand
relative to the front wheel and
push it against the front axle.

Align the two adapters 2 so
that the front forks are securely
seated.
Tighten adjusting screws 1.

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

with centre stand

If the motorcycle is raised

too far the centre stand will
lift clear of the ground and the
motorcycle could topple to one
side.
When raising the motorcycle,
make sure that the centre stand
remains on the ground. If ne­cessary, adjust the height of the
front-wheel stand.

OA

Make sure the motorcycle is
standing firmly.

Lighting

Replacing bulbs for low­beam headlight and high­beam headlight

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

Remove cover 1 for the high­beam headlight or cover 2 for
the low-beam headlight.

Disconnect plug 3.

Disengage spring clips 4 from
the fastenings and swing them
aside.
Remove bulb 5.

8

95

z

Maintenance

Replace the defective bulb.

8

96

z

Maintenance

Bulb for high-beam
headlight

H7 / 12 V / 55 W

Bulbs for the low-beam
headlight

H7 / 12 V / 55 W

Hold the bulb by the base only,
in order to keep the glass free
of foreign matter.

Close and lock spring clips 4.

Connect plug 3.

Replacing bulb for parking
light

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

Remove cover 2.

Install the bulb, making sure
that alignment is correct at po­sition 6.

Install cover 1 or cover 2, as
applicable.

Replace the defective bulb.

Bulb for parking light

W5W / 12 V / 5 W

Use a clean, dry cloth to hold
the bulb in order to keep the
glass free of foreign matter.

8

97

Remove bulb 3 for the parking
light from the bulb housing.

Remove the bulb from the bulb
holder.

Push the bulb into the bulb
socket.

Insert parking light 3 into the
bulb housing.

Install cover 2.

z

Maintenance

Replacing bulb for brake

8

light and rear light

Make sure the ground is level

98

and firm and place the motor­cycle on its stand.
Switch off the ignition.

z

Maintenance

Remove screws 1.
Ease the glass to the rear to
remove.

Remove bulb 2 for the brake
light and rear light.

Replace the defective bulb.

Bulb for tail light/brake
light

P21/5W / 12 V / 5 W / 21 W

Use a clean, dry cloth to hold
the bulb in order to keep the
glass free of foreign matter.

Install bulb 2 for the brake light
and rear light.

Hold the glass in position and
install screws 1.