BMW R 1200 RT 1st Edition 2005 Owner's manual
Rider's Manual
R 1200 RT
BMW Motorrad
Freude am Fahren
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
motorcycle's reliability and
safety, as well as its value.
If you have any questions
concerning your motorcycle,
your authorised BMW Motorrad dealer will gladly provide
advice and assistance.
We hope that you will enjoy
riding your BMW and that all
your journeys will be pleasant
and safe.
BMW Motorrad.
Table of Contents
You can also consult the index at the end of this Rider's
Manual if you want to find a
particular topic or item of information.
1 General instructions . . . 5
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Abbreviations and
symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 6
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Technical data. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 General views . . . . . . . . . 9
General view, left side . . . 11
General view, right
side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Underneath the seat . . . . . 15
Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . 16
Handlebar fitting, right . . . 17
Instrument cluster . . .. . . . 18
Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3 Status indicators . . . . . 21
Multifunction display . .. . . 22
Warning and telltale
lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ABS warning light . . . . . . . 23
Function indicators . . . . . . 23
Warnings, general . . . . . . . 23
ABS warning
indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Ignition switch and
steering lock . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Electronic immobiliser
(EWS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Hazard warning
flashers . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Odometer and
tripmeters . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 41
Clock . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . 42
Multifunction display . .. . . 42
On-board computer
Cruise-control
OE
system
................ 46
OE
... 43
Emergency off switch (kill
switch) . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . 48
OE
Grip heating
Seat heating
........... 49
OE
.......... 49
Clutch . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 51
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Lights . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . 52
Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . 55
Stowage compartment .. . 56
Front and rear seats . . .. . 57
Helmet holder . . . . .. . . .. . 60
Mirrors . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . 60
Windscreen . .. . . . . . . . . . . 61
Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . 61
Shock absorbers . . . . . . . . 62
Electronic Suspension
Adjustment ESA
OE
....... 63
Tyres . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
5 Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Safety instructions . . . . . . . 68
Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Starting . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Pulling away . .. . . . . . . . . . . 72
Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Parking your
motorcycle . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 77
Refuelling . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . 84
Brake system, general . . . 85
Brake system with BMW
Integral ABS . . . . . . . .. . . .. 86
6 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . 89
General instructions . . . . . 90
Power socket . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 93
Case. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Topcase
OA
.............. 96
7 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . 99
General instructions . . . . 100
Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Overview, toolkit . . . . . . . . 100
Supplementary kit
OA
.... 100
Overview, supplementary
kit ..................... 101
Engine oil . .. . . .. . . .. . . . 101
Brake system,
general . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Brake pads . . . . . . . .. . . . . 103
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Clutch . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . 107
Tyres . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Rims . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Wheels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Front wheel stand . . . .. . 114
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . 125
Battery . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
8 Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Care products . . . . .. . . . . 132
Washing the
motorcycle . . .. . . . . . . . . . 132
Cleaning easily damaged
components. . . .. . . . . . . . 133
Paint care . . .. . . .. . . . . . . 134
Protective wax
coating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Laying up the
motorcycle . . .. . . . . . . . . . 134
Restoring motorcycle to
use .................... 135
9 Technical data . . . . . . . 137
Troubleshooting
chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 138
Threaded fasteners . .. . . 138
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Riding specifications . . . . 141
Clutch . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . 142
Transmission . . . .. . . .. . . 142
Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . 143
Running gear . . . . . .. . . .. 143
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Wheels and tyres . . . . . . . 145
Electrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Frame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
10 Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
BMW Motorrad
service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
BMW Motorrad service
quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 152
BMW Motorrad Service
Card: On-the-spot
breakdown
assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
BMW Motorrad service
network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Maintenance work . . . . . . 153
Maintenance
schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Confirmation of
maintenance work . . . . . . 155
Confirmation of
service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
General instructions
Overview. . ...................... 6
Abbreviations and symbols ...... 6
Equipment ...................... 7
Technical data . ................. 7
Currency . . ...................... 7
1
5
z
General instructions
Overview
1
Chapter 2 of this Rider's
Manual will provide you with
6
an initial overview of your
motorcycle. All maintenance
and servicing work on the
motorcycle is documented in
Chapter 10. This record of
the maintenance work you
have had performed on your
motorcycle is a precondition
for generous treatment of
claims submitted after the
warranty period has expired.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember to hand over this Rider's
Manual; it is an important part
z
General instructions
of the motorcycle.
Abbreviations and symbols
Indicates warnings that
you must comply with for
reasons of your safety and the
safety of others, and to protect your motorcycle against
damage.
Specific instructions on
how to operate, control,
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.
OE Optional extra
Your motorcycle was
assembled complete
with all the BMW
optional extras you
ordered.
OA Optional accessory
You can obtain optional accessories through
your authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer; optional accessories
have to be retrofitted
to the motorcycle.
EWS Electronic immobiliser
(Elektronische Wegfahrsicherung).
DWA Anti-theft alarm (Diebs-
tahlwarnanlage)
ABS Anti-lock brake system
ESA Electronic Suspension
Adjustment
Electronic Suspension
Adjustment.
Equipment
When you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various items of custom equipment. This Rider's Manual
describes optional extras (OE)
offered by BMW and selected optional accessories (OA).
This explains why the manual
may also contain descriptions
of equipment which you have
not ordered. Please note, too,
that your motorcycle might
not be exactly as illustrated
in this manual on account of
country-specific differences.
If your BMW was supplied
with equipment not described
in this Rider's Manual, you will
find these features described
in separate manuals.
Technical data
All dimensions, weights and
power ratings stated in the
Rider's Manual are quoted
to the standards and comply
with the tolerance requirements of the Deutsche 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 en-
tertained 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 . . ......... 15
Handlebar fitting, left . ......... 16
Handlebar fitting, right ......... 17
Instrument cluster ............. 18
Headlight . .................... 19
2
9
z
General views
2
10
z
General views
General view, left side
1 Adjuster for headlight
beam throw underneath
the instrument cluster
( 54)
2 Brake-fluid reservoir
( 105)
3 Radio operating unit (OE)
4 Power socket ( 90)
5 On-board socket (OE)
( 90)
6 Adjuster, rear shock ab-
sorber ( 62)
7 Oil sight glass ( 101)
8 Filler neck, engine oil
( 102)
2
11
z
General views
2
12
z
General views
General view, right side
1 Seat lock ( 57)
2 Switch, rear-seat heating
(OE), underneath the rear
seat ( 50)
3 Mount for tank rucksack
(OE)
4 Filler neck, fuel tank
( 84)
5 Clutch-fluid reservoir
6 Electrically adjustable
windscreen ( 61)
7 Stowage compartment
or radio compartment
( 56)
2
13
z
General views
2
14
z
General views
Underneath the seat
1 Height adjuster, front
seat ( 58)
2 Battery ( 126)
3 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear
( 106)
4 Adjuster, spring preload,
rear ( 61)
5 Toolkit ( 100)
6 Type plate
7 Helmet holder ( 60)
8 Table of tyre pressures
9 Label, payload
2
15
z
General views
Handlebar fitting, left
2
1 Switch for cruise-control
16
z
system (OE) ( 46)
2 Radio operating unit (OE)
3 ESA button (OE) ( 63)
4 Pushbutton, windscreen
adjustment ( 61)
5 Pushbutton, horn
6 Pushbutton, left flash-
ing turn indicators and
hazard warning flashers
( 55) ( 40)
7 Switch, high-beam head-
light and headlight flash-
General views
er ( 53)
Handlebar fitting, right
1 On-board computer but-
ton (OE) ( 43)
2 Emergency off switch (kill
switch) ( 48)
3 Pushbutton, starter
4 with OE Heated handle-
bar grips:
Grip heating ( 49)
5 Pushbutton, right flash-
ing turn indicators and
hazard warning flashers
( 55) ( 40)
6 Cancel button, flashing
turn indicators ( 56)
7 Front-seat heating switch
( 50)
2
17
z
General views
Instrument cluster
2
1 Speedometer
2 Warning and telltale
18
z
lights ( 23)
3 Multifunction display
4 Rev. counter
5 Anti-theft alarm telltale
light
6 Button for setting clock
and dimming display
( 42) ( 42)
7 Control, odometer ( 41)
8 Sensor for instrument
cluster lighting
General views
The instrument-cluster
lighting has automatic
day and night switchover.
Headlight
1 High-beam headlight
2 Low-beam headlight
3 Side lights
2
19
z
General views
2
20
z
General views
Status indicators
Multifunction display . . ......... 22
Warning and telltale lights. . .... 23
ABS warning light ............. 23
Function indicators . . . ......... 23
Warnings, general ............. 23
ABS warning indicators ........ 30
3
21
z
Status indicators
Multifunction display
3
1 Fuel gauge ( 23)
2 Panel for radio (see in-
22
z
structions for use for radio)
3 Panel for warnings
( 23)
4 Gear indicator ( 23)
5 Engine temperature
readout ( 23)
6 Tripmeter or panel for
on-board computer (OE)
readings ( 41) ( 43)
7 Panel for clock, seat
heating (OE), display
Status indicators
dimmer and ESA (OE)
( 42) ( 49) ( 42)
( 63)
8 Odometer and tripmeters
( 41)
Warning and telltale lights
1 Telltale light, left turn in-
dicator
2 Telltale light, high-beam
headlight
3 Telltale light, neutral
4 ABS warning light
5 Telltale light, right turn
indicator
6 Warning light, general
7 Telltale light,
cruise control system
ABS warning light
The way in which the ABS
warning light indicates status
can differ in some countries.
Alternative for the ABS
warning light.
Function indicators
Fuel capacity
The horizontal bars be-
low the fuel-pump symbol indicate the remaining
quantity of fuel.
Gear
Shows which gear is en-
gaged.
If no gear is engaged, the
gear indicator displays 0;
the 'neutral' telltale light also
lights up.
Engine temperature
The horizontal bars
below the temperature
symbol indicate the engine
temperature.
Warnings, general
Mode of presentation
General warnings are displayed by means of plain-text
messages and symbols in the
multifunction display. In some
cases, they are accompanied by the 'General' warning
light showing red or yellow. A
number of warnings may be
issued simultaneously.
3
23
z
Status indicators
Warnings, overview
3
Mode of presentation Meaning
24
z
Status indicators
lights up yellow EWS! warning
appears on the
display
lights up yellow appears on the
display
lights up yellow appears on the
display
lights up red appears on the
display
lights up red appears on the
display
lights up yellow appears on the
display
appears on the
display
lights up yellow appears on the
display
appears on the
display
Electronic immobiliser active ( 26)
Fuel down to reserve ( 26)
Engine electronics ( 26)
Insufficient engine oil pressure
( 27)
Insufficient battery charge current
( 27)
Rear light bulb defective ( 28)
Front light bulb defective ( 28)
Bulbs defective ( 28)
Ice warning ( 29)
Mode of presentation Meaning
appears on the
display, accompanied by the letters
DWA.
lights up yellow appears on the
display, accompanied by the letters
DWA.
Anti-theft alarm battery weak ( 29)
Anti-theft alarm battery flat ( 29)
3
25
z
Status indicators
Electronic immobiliser active
3
26
General warning light
shows yellow.
EWS! warning appears on
the display.
The key being used is not authorised 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.
z
Status indicators
Have the defective key replaced, preferably by an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Fuel down to reserve
General warning light
shows yellow.
Fuel reserve symbol appears on the display and
flashes 10 times.
Lack of fuel can result
in the engine misfiring
and cutting out unexpectedly. Misfiring can damage
the catalytic converter; a hazardous situation can result if
the engine cuts out unexpectedly.
Do not run the fuel tank dry.
The Tripmaster calcu-
lates the residual operating range and shows this
estimated figure on the display.
The fuel tank contains no
more than the reserve quantity of fuel.
Reserve fuel
4l
Refuelling ( 84)
Engine electronics
General warning light
shows yellow.
Engine electronics symbol appears on the dis-
play.
The engine is running
in emergency operating
mode. Engine power might
be reduced and this can
cause hazardous situations,
particularly if you attempt to
overtake other road users.
Engine power level might be
lower than normal: adapt your
style of riding accordingly.
The engine electronics control
unit has diagnosed 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 engine power might
not be available.
Have the fault rectified as
soon as possible by a specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad dealer.
Insufficient engine oil pressure
General warning light
shows red.
Engine oil pressure symbol appears on the dis-
play.
The oil pressure in the lubeoil system is too low.
The insufficient oil
pressure warning does
not fulfil the function of an
oil gauge. The only way of
checking whether the oil level
is correct is to check the oil
sight glass.
A low oil level is one reason
why a warning indicating insufficient oil pressure is issued.
Checking the engine oil
level ( 101)
Topping up the engine oil
( 102)
If the warning indicating insufficient engine oil level is
issued and a check indicates
that the engine oil level is correct:
Other engine problems
besides a low oil level
can cause the insufficient engine oil pressure warning to
be issued. Continuing to ride
in these cases can cause engine damage.
If this warning is issued and a
check indicates that the engine oil level is correct: Do
not continue your journey.
Do not continue your journey.
Have the fault rectified as
soon as possible by a specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad dealer.
Insufficient battery charge
current
General warning light
shows red.
Battery charge current
symbol is displayed.
A discharged battery can
result in the engine cutting out unexpectedly, causing a hazardous situation.
Have faults rectified as soon
as possible.
If the battery is not char-
ging, continuing to ride
can cause it to discharge
completely, in which case it
will suffer irreparable damage.
3
27
z
Status indicators
If possible, do not continue
your journey.
3
Battery is not being charged.
28
You can continue to
ride until the battery is
discharged. Bear in mind,
however, that the engine
could cut out suddenly
and that the battery could
discharge until completely
flat, in which case it might
have suffered irreparable
damage.
Have the fault rectified as
soon as possible by a specialist workshop, preferably
z
Status indicators
an authorised BMW Motorrad dealer.
Rear light bulb defective
General warning light
shows yellow.
Defective bulb symbol
with arrow pointing to
the rear appears on the display.
A defective bulb places
your safety at risk because it is easier for other
users to oversee you and
your motorcycle.
Replace defective bulbs as
soon as possible; always
carry a complete set of spare
bulbs if possible.
Rear light or brake light bulb
defective.
Replacing brake-light, rear
light and rear-indicator
bulbs ( 123)
Front light bulb defective
Defective bulb symbol
with arrow pointing to
the front appears on the display.
A defective bulb places
your safety at risk because it is easier for other
users to oversee you and
your motorcycle.
Replace defective bulbs as
soon as possible; always
carry a complete set of spare
bulbs if possible.
Low-beam headlight, highbeam headlight, side-light or
turn-indicator bulb defective.
Replacing high-beam headlight bulb ( 116)
Replacing left low-beam
headlight bulb ( 118)
Replacing right low-beam
headlight bulb ( 119)
Replacing parking-light bulb
( 120)
Replacing front turn indicator bulb ( 123)
Bulbs defective
General warning light
shows yellow.
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