BMW R 1200 RT 3rd Edition 2006 Owner's manual
Rider's Manual
R 1200 RT
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
motorcycle's reliability and
safety, as well as its value.
If you have questions concerning your motorcycle, your
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer will gladly provide advice and assistance.
We hope that you will enjoy
riding your BMW and that all
your journeys will be pleasant
and safe.
BMW Motorrad.
Table of Contents
You can also consult the index at the end of this Rider's
Manual if you want to find a
particular topic or item of information.
1 General instructions . . . 5
Overview . . ............... 6
Abbreviations and
symbols . . . ............... 6
Equipment ............... 7
Technical data ........... 7
Currency . . ............... 7
2 General views . . . . . .... 9
General view, left side . . . 11
General view, right
side..................... 13
Underneath the seat . . . . . 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 . . . . . .............. 24
ABS warning light . . . . . . . 24
Telltale light, cruise
OE
control
................ 24
Function indicators . . . . . . 24
Warnings, general . . . . . . . 25
Warnings issued by the
tyre pressure monitoring
system (RDC)
ABS warnings . .......... 37
ASC warnings
OE
......... 32
OE
......... 39
4 Operation . . . .......... 43
Ignition switch and
steering lock . . .......... 44
Electronic immobiliser
(EWS) . . . . . .............. 45
Hazard warning
flashers . . . .............. 46
Odometer and
tripmeters . .............. 47
Multifunction display . . . . . 48
Clock . . . . . .............. 49
Tyre pressure control
OE
RDC
.................. 49
Residual range .......... 50
On-board computer
Cruise-control
OE
system
............... 54
OE
... 50
Emergency off switch (kill
switch) . . . . .............. 57
Grip heating
Seat heating
OE
........... 57
OE
.......... 58
Clutch . . . . .............. 60
Brakes . . . . .............. 60
Lights . . . . . .............. 61
Headlight . .............. 62
Turn indicators .......... 63
Stowage compartment . . . 64
Automatic Stability Control
OE
ASC
.................. 65
Front and rear seats . . . . . 66
Helmet holder . .......... 69
Mirrors . . . . .............. 70
Windscreen . .. .......... 70
Spring preload .......... 70
Shock absorbers . . . . . . . . 71
Electronic Suspension
Adjustment ESA
OE
....... 73
Tyres . . ................. 74
5 Riding . . . . . . .......... 77
Safety instructions . . . . . . . 78
Checklist . . . . . . .......... 80
Starting ................. 80
Running in . . . . .......... 83
Parking your
motorcycle . . . . .......... 84
Refuelling . . . . . .......... 86
Tyre pressure control
OE
RDC
.................. 87
Brake system, general . . . 88
Brake system with BMW
Motorrad Integral ABS . . . 89
Electronic engine
management with BMW
Motorrad ASC
OE
......... 92
6 Accessories .......... 95
General instructions . . . . . 96
Power socket . .......... 96
Luggage . . . . . . .......... 97
Case. . . ................. 98
Topcase
OA
............. 100
7 Maintenance . . . ..... 103
Feneral instructions ..... 104
Toolkit . ................ 104
Engine oil . . . . . ......... 105
Brake system,
general ................ 107
Brake pads. . . . ......... 108
Brake fluid . .. . ......... 109
Clutch . ................ 111
Tyres . . ................ 112
Rims . . . ................ 112
Wheels. ................ 112
Front-wheel stand . ..... 119
Bulbs . . ................ 120
Jump starting . ......... 130
Battery . ................ 132
8 Care . ................ 137
Care products . ......... 138
Washing the
motorcycle . . . . ......... 138
Cleaning easily damaged
components. . . ......... 139
Paint care . . . . . ......... 140
Protective wax
coating ................ 140
Laying up the
motorcycle . . . . ......... 140
Restoring motorcycle to
use .................... 141
9 Technical data . . ..... 143
Troubleshooting
chart . . . ................ 144
Threaded fasteners ..... 145
Engine . ................ 146
Riding specifications . . . . 148
Clutch . ................ 149
Transmission . . ......... 149
Final drive . . . . . ......... 150
Running gear . . ......... 150
Brakes . ................ 151
Wheels and tyres . . ..... 151
Electrics . . . . . . ......... 152
Frame. . ................ 154
Dimensions . . . ......... 154
Weights ................ 155
10 Service ............. 157
BMW Motorrad
service . . . . ............. 158
BMW Motorrad service
quality . . . . ............. 158
BMW Motorrad Service
Card: on-the-spot
breakdown
assistance ............. 159
BMW Motorrad service
network . . . ............. 159
Maintenance work . .. . . . 159
Maintenance
schedules . ............. 160
Confirmation of
maintenance work . . . . .. 161
Confirmation of
service . . . . ............. 166
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
goodwill claims.
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 pro-
tect 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.
Indicates the end of
a passage relating to
specific accessories or
items of equipment.
Tightening torque.
Item of technical data.
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.
Electronic immobiliser
EWS
(Elektronische Wegfahrsicherung).
DWA
Anti-theft alarm (Diebstahlwarnanlage)
Anti-lock brake system
ABS
ESA Electronic Suspension
Adjustment
Electronic Suspension
Adjustment.
Tyre pressure control
RDC
(ReifenDruck-Control)
ASC Automatic Stability
Control.
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. 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 . . . . . . . . . . . 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
( 63)
2 Brake-fluid reservoir
( 109)
3 Radio operating panel
(OE), see instructions for
use for radio
4 Power socket ( 96)
5 On-board socket (OE)
6 Adjuster, rear shock ab-
sorber ( 72)
7 Oil sight glass ( 105)
8 Filler neck, engine oil
( 106)
2
11
z
General views
2
12
z
General views
General view, right side
1 Seat lock ( 66)
2 Switch, rear-seat heat-
ing, underneath the rear
OE
seat
3 Mount for tank rucksack
(OA)
4 Filler neck, fuel tank
( 86)
5 Clutch-fluid reservoir
6 Electrically adjustable
windscreen ( 70)
7 Stowage compartment
or radio compartment
( 64)
( 59)
2
13
z
General views
2
14
z
General views
Underneath the seat
1 Height adjuster, front
seat ( 67)
2 Battery ( 132)
3 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear
( 110)
4 Adjuster, spring preload,
rear ( 70)
5 Toolkit ( 104)
6 Type plate
7 Helmet holder ( 69)
8 Table of tyre pressures
9 Label, payload
2
15
z
General views
Handlebar fitting, left
2
1 Switch, cruise-control
16
2 Pushbutton, ASC
3 Radio operating unit (OE)
4 Pushbutton, ESA
5 Pushbutton, windscreen
6 Pushbutton, horn
7 Pushbutton, left flashing
z
General views
8 Switch, high-beam head-
OE
system
( 65)
( 73)
( 70)
turn indicators ( 63),
Pushbutton, hazard
warning flashers ( 46)
light and headlight flasher ( 61)
( 54)
OE
OE
Handlebar fitting, right
1 Pushbutton, on-board
computer
2 Emergency off switch (kill
switch) ( 57)
3 Pushbutton, starter
4 Grip heating switch
( 57)
5 Pushbutton, right flashing
turn indicators ( 63),
Pushbutton, hazard
warning flashers ( 46)
6 Cancel button, flashing
turn indicators ( 64),
Pushbutton, cancel
hazard warning flashers
( 47)
7 Front-seat heating
switch
OE
OE
( 50)
( 58)
OE
2
17
z
General views
Instrument cluster
2
1 Speedometer
2 Warning and telltale
18
z
lights ( 24)
3 Multifunction display
4 Rev. counter
5 Telltale light, anti-theft
alarm (OE)
6 Adjuster, clock ( 49),
Display dimmer ( 48)
7 Control, odometer
( 47)
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 . . . . . . 24
ABS warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Telltale light, cruise
control
Function indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Warnings, general . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Warnings issued by the tyre
pressure monitoring system
(RDC)
ABS warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
ASC warnings
OE
..................... 24
OE
....................... 32
OE
.............. 39
3
21
z
Status indicators
Multifunction display
3
1 Fuel gauge ( 24)
2 Panel for radio (see in-
22
z
structions for use for radio)
3 Panel for warnings
( 25)
4 Gear indicator ( 24)
5 Engine temperature
readout ( 24)
6 Display, on-board
computer
Tripmeter (motorcycles
without on-board
computer) ( 47), RDC
Status indicators
display (motorcycles
without on-board
computer)
7 Clock ( 49), Panel for
seat heating
Panel for display dimmer
( 48), Panel for ESA
( 73)
OE
OE
( 50),
( 49)
OE
( 58),
OE
8 Odometer (motorcycles
with on-board computer)
( 47)
3
23
z
Status indicators
Warning and telltale
3
lights
24
1 Telltale light, left turn in-
dicator
2 Telltale light, high-beam
z
headlight
Status indicators
3 Telltale light, neutral
4 ABS warning light
5 Telltale light, right turn
indicator
6 ASC warning light (OE)
7 Warning light, general
ABS warning light
The way in which the ABS
warning light indicates status
can differ in some countries.
Alternative for the ABS
warning light.
Telltale light, cruise
control
1 Telltale light, cruise con-
OE
trol
Function indicators
Fuel capacity
The column below the
fuel-pump symbol indicates the remaining quantity of
fuel.
Gear
Shows which gear is en-
gaged.
If no gear is engaged, the
gear indicator shows N and
the 'neutral' telltale light also
lights up.
Engine temperature
The column below the
temperature symbol indicates the engine temperature.
ASC intervention (OE)
ASC warning light quick-
flashes.
The ASC has detected a de-
gree of instability at the rear
wheel and has intervened to
reduce torque. The warning
light flashes for one second
longer than ASC intervention
lasts. This affords the rider
visual feedback on control intervention even after the critical situation has been dealt
with.
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. If two
or more warnings occur at the
same time, all the appropriate
warning lights and warning
symbols appear.
3
25
z
Status indicators
Warnings, overview
3
Mode of presentation Meaning
26
Lights up yellow The EWS! warn-
ing appears on
the display.
Lights up yellow Flashes
Electronic immobiliser active ( 28)
Fuel down to reserve ( 28)
Lights up yellow Appears on the
Flashes red Appears on the
z
Status indicators
Lights up red Appears on the
Lights up yellow Appears on the
Lights up yellow Appears on the
display
display
Shows accompanied by the
Oil warning
display
display
Appears on the
display
display
Engine electronics ( 28)
Insufficient engine oil pressure
( 29)
Engine-oil level too low ( 29)
Insufficient battery charge current
( 30)
Rear light bulb defective ( 30)
Front light bulb defective ( 31)
Bulbs defective ( 31)
Mode of presentation Meaning
Flashes with temperature reading
Appears on the
display, accompanied by the letters
DWA.
Lights up yellow Appears on the
display, accompanied by the letters
DWA.
Ice warning ( 31)
Battery of anti-theft alarm (OE) weak
( 32)
Anti-theft alarm battery flat (OE)
( 32)
3
27
z
Status indicators
Electronic immobiliser
active
3
28
z
Status indicators
General warning light
lights up yellow.
The
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.
Have the defective key replaced, preferably by an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Fuel down to reserve
General warning light
lights up yellow.
Symbol for fuel down to
reserve flashes.
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 estimated residual
range appears on the
display.
The fuel tank contains no
more than the reserve quantity of fuel.
Reserve fuel
4l
Refuelling ( 86)
Engine electronics
General warning light
lights up 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
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