BMW R 1200 S 2006 Owner's Manual

Rider's Manual (US Model)

R 1200 S

BMW Motorrad

The Ultimate Riding

Machine

Motorcycle/Retailer Data

Motorcycle data

Model

Vehicle Identification Number

Color number

First registration

Registration number

Retailer Data

Contact in Service

Ms./Mr.

Phone number

Retailer's address/phone number
(company stamp)

Welcome to BMW

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

rad retailer is always happy
to provide advice and assis­tance.

We wish you many miles of
safe and enjoyable riding

BMW Motorrad.

Table of Contents

You can also use the index at
the end of this Rider's Manual
to find a specific topic.

1 General instructions . . . 5

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

Abbreviations and

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

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

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

Currentness of this

manual . . . . ............... 7

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

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

side..................... 13

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

Left handlebar fitting . . . . . 15

Handlebar fitting, right . . . 16

Instrument cluster . . . . . . . 17

Headlight . .............. 18

3 Status indicators . . . . . 19

Multifunction display . . . . . 20

Warning and indicator

lights . . . . . .............. 20

ABS warning lamp

OE

..... 20

Function indicators . . . . . . 20

General warning

indicators . .............. 21

ABS warning
indicators

OE

............. 26

4 Operation . . . .......... 29

Ignition switch and

steering lock . . .......... 30

Electronic immobilizer. . . . 31

Hazard warning

flashers . . . .............. 32

Tripmaster .............. 33

Clock . . . . . .............. 35

Emergency ON/OFF

switch . . . . .............. 36

Heated hand grips

OE

..... 36

Clutch . . . . .............. 37

Brakes . . . . .............. 37

Lights . . . .. .............. 38

Headlight . .............. 39

Turn indicators .......... 40

Front and rear seats . . . . . 42

Helmet holder . .......... 43

Mirrors . . . . .............. 44

OE

ABS

.................. 44

Chassis settings . . . . . .. . . 45

Settings on standard

running gear . . .......... 45

Settings on sport running

OE

gear

.................. 47

Tires . . . . . . .............. 51

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

Safety instructions . . . . . . . 54

Checklist . . .............. 56

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

Running in .............. 58

Parking your

motorcycle .............. 59

Refueling . . .............. 60

General brake system . . . . 61

Brake system with BMW
Motorrad ABS

OE

......... 62

6 Accessories .......... 65

General instructions . . . . . 66

Onboard socket . . . . . . . . . 66

7 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . 69

General instructions . . . . . 70

Onboard toolkit .......... 70

Supplemental onboard
toolkit for sport running

gear (OE) . .. . . . .......... 70

Engine oil . . . . . .......... 71

General brake system . . . . 72

Brake pads. . . . .......... 72

Brake fluid . . . . .......... 74

Clutch . ................. 76

Tires . . . ................. 76

Rims . . . ................. 77

Wheels. ................. 77

Front wheel stand . . . . . . . 83

Rear wheel stand . . . . . . . . 84

Lamps . ................. 85

Jump-starting . .......... 91

Battery . ................. 92

8 Care . ................. 97

Care products . .......... 98

Washing your

motorcycle . . . . .......... 98

Cleaning sensitive

motorcycle parts . . ...... 99

Paint care . . . . . ......... 100

Protective wax

coating ................ 100

Storing motorcycle ..... 100

Returning motorcycle to

use .................... 100

9 Technical data . . ..... 103

Troubleshooting

chart . .. ................ 104

Threaded fasteners ..... 105

Engine . ................ 106

Riding specifications . . . . 108

Clutch . ................ 108

Transmission . . ......... 108

Rear-wheel drive . . ..... 109

Running gear . . ......... 109

Brakes . ................ 111

Wheels and tires . . . ..... 111

Electrical system . . ..... 112

Frame. . ................ 114

Dimensions . . . ......... 114

Weights ................ 115

10 Service . . . . ......... 117

BMW Motorrad

Service ................ 118

BMW Motorrad Service

Quality . ................ 118

BMW Motorrad Service
Card - On-the-spot
breakdown

assistance . . . . ......... 119

BMW Motorrad Service

Network................ 119

Maintenance work . ..... 119

Maintenance

schedules . . . .. ......... 120

Confirmation of

maintenance work . ....

. 121
Confirmation of

service . ................ 126

General instructions

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

Abbreviations and symbols . . . . . . 6

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

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

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

1

5

z

General instructions

Overview

1

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

6

initial overview of your motor­cycle. All maintenance and
repair work carried out on
your motorcycle will be docu­mented in Chapter 10. Proof
of the maintenance work per­formed is a prerequisite for
generous treatment of claims.
Should you want to sell your
BMW one day, please also re­member to turn over the Rid­er's Manual to the new owner;
it is an important part of your
motorcycle.

z

General instructions

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.

Special information on

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

Indicates the end of an
item of information.

Instruction.

Result of an activity.

Reference to a page
with more detailed in­formation.

Indicates the end
of accessory or
equipment-dependent
information.

Tightening torque.

Technical data.

OE Optional equipment

BMW equipment avail­able only as a factory
installed option.

OA Optional accessories

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

Electronic immobilizer.

EWS

ABS Anti-Lock Brake Sys-

tem.

DWA Anti-theft alarm.

Equipment

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

Technical data

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

Currentness of this manual

The high safety and quality
standards of BMW motorcy­cles are maintained by con­stant development work on
designs, equipment and ac­cessories. Because of this,
your motorcycle may differ
from the information supplied
in the Rider's Manual. In ad­dition, BMW Motorrad cannot
guarantee the total absence
of errors. We hope you will
appreciate that no claims can
be entertained on the basis of

the data, illustrations or de­scriptions in this manual.

1

7

z

General instructions

1

8

z

General instructions

Overviews

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

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

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

Left handlebar fitting . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . . . 16

Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2

9

z

Overviews

2

10

z

Overviews

General view, left side

1 Headlight adjustment

(vertical) beneath instru­ment cluster ( 40)

2 Seat lock ( 42)
3 Adjuster, spring preload,

rear ( 45)

4 Adjusting rear damping

on standard running gear
( 45)

5 Oil sight glass ( 71)
6 Filler neck, engine oil

( 72)

7 Adjusting front damping

on sport running gear
(OE) ( 45)

8 Adjusting front spring

preload on sport running
gear (OE) ( 45)

9 Clutch fluid reservoir

( 76)

2

11

z

Overviews

2

12

z

Overviews

General view, right side

1 Onboard socket ( 66)
2 Fill location for fuel

( 60)

3 Brake-fluid reservoir,

front ( 74)

4 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear

( 75)

5 Adjusting rear rebound-

stage damping on sport
running gear (OE) ( 45)

6 Adjusting rear pressure-

stage damping on sport
running gear (OE) ( 45)

2

13

z

Overviews

Underneath seat

2

1 Hook wrench
2 Unlocking passenger

14

z

seat ( 42)

3 Table of tire pressures
4 Onboard toolkit ( 94)
5 Battery ( 94)

Overviews

Left handlebar fitting

1 Tripmaster button

( 33)

2 ABS button (OE) ( 44)
3 Pushbutton, horn
4 Button for left turn indi-

cator and hazard warning
flashers ( 40) ( 32)

5 Switch, high-beam head-

light and headlight flash­er ( 38)

2

15

z

Overviews

Handlebar fitting, right

2

1 Emergency ON/OFF

16

z

switch ( 36)

2 Pushbutton, starter

( 56)

3 With OE Heated handle-

bar grips:
Heated hand grips
( 36)

4 Button for right turn indi-

cator and hazard warning
flashers ( 41) ( 32)

Overviews

5 Off button for turn indica-

tor and hazard warning
flashers ( 41) ( 33)

Instrument cluster

1 Speedometer
2 Tachometer
3 Warning and indicator

lights ( 21)

4 Multifunction display

( 21)

5 Indicator light for anti-

theft alarm (OE) and sen­sor for instrument cluster
lighting

6 Clock setting and Trip-

master operation ( 35)
( 33)

The instrument-cluster
lighting has automatic

day and night switchover.

2

17

z

Overviews

Headlight

2

1 Low-beam headlight
2 High-beam headlight

18

3 Parking lights

z

Overviews

Status indicators

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

Warning and indicator lights . . . 20

ABS warning lamp

Function indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

General warning indicators. . . . . 21

ABS warning indicators

OE

.......... 20

OE

...... 26

3

19

z

Status indicators

Multifunction display

3

20

1 Area for warning symbols

( 21)

2 Gear indicator ( 20)
3 Engine-oil temperature

z

display ( 20)

Status indicators

4 Display, Tripmaster

( 33)

5 Clock ( 35)

Warning and indicator lights

1 Indicator light, left turn

indicator

2 Indicator light, high-beam

headlight

3 Warning light, general
4 Indicator light, neutral
5 ABS warning light (OE)
6 Indicator light, right turn

indicator

ABS warning lamp

In some countries a different
display of the ABS warning
lamp is possible.

Alternative display of
ABS warning lamp.

OE

Function indicators

Gear

Engaged gear is indicat-

ed.
If no gear is engaged, the
gear indicator displays N and
the 'neutral' indicator light
lights up.

Engine oil temperature

The lateral bars under

the temperature symbol
show the engine oil tempera­ture level.

General warning indicators

Display

General warnings are dis­played by means of texts and
symbols in the multifunction
display. In some cases, an
additional general warning
light lights up red or yellow.
A number of warnings may be
issued simultaneously.

3

21

z

Status indicators

Overview of warning indicators

3

Display Meaning

22

Lights up yellow EWS! warning

Lights up yellow

Lights up yellow Is indicated

appears.

FUEL! warning

appears.

Electronic immobilizer is active
( 23)

Fuel down to reserve ( 23)

Engine electronics ( 23)

Flashes red 4x
per second

Lights up red Is indicated Battery charge current insufficient

Lights up yellow

z

Status indicators

Lights up yellow

Lights up yellow

Is indicated Engine oil pressure insufficient

LAMPR! warning

appears.

LAMPF! warning

appears.

LAMPS! warning

appears.

DWA! warning

appears.

DWA! warning

appears.

( 24)

( 24)

Rear bulb defective ( 25)

Front bulb defective ( 25)

Bulbs defective ( 25)

Anti-theft alarm battery weak ( 26)

Anti-theft alarm battery drained
( 26)

Electronic immobilizer is
active

General warning lamp
lights up yellow.

EWS! warning appears.

The key being used is not au­thorized for starting, or com­munication between the key
and engine electronics is dis­rupted.

Remove other vehicle keys
from the ignition key ring.
Use the reserve key.
Have the defective key re­placed, preferably by an
authorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.

Fuel down to reserve

General warning lamp
lights up yellow.

FUEL! warning appears.

A fuel shortage can lead

to misfiring and to the
engine dying unexpectedly.
Misfiring can damage the cat­alytic converter, and the en­gine dying unexpected can
lead to accidents.
Do not drive until the fuel tank
is completely empty.

The Tripmaster indicates

the probable residual op­erating range.

At the most, the fuel tank
still contains the reserve fuel
quantity.

Reserve share of fuel
capacity

1.1 gal (4 l)

Refueling ( 60)

Engine electronics

General warning lamp

lights up yellow.

Engine electronics sym­bol is displayed.

The engine is running

in emergency operating
mode. Engine power may be
reduced, and this can cause
hazardous situations, particu­larly if you attempt to overtake
other road users.
Adapt your style of riding to
the reduced level of engine
power.

The engine-electronics con­trol unit has diagnosed a fault.
In exceptional cases, the en­gine stops and can no longer
be started. Otherwise, the
engine runs in emergency op­erating mode.

Continued driving is pos­sible, however the accus­tomed engine performance
may not be available.
Have the malfunction cor­rected as soon as possible

3

23

z

Status indicators

by a specialized workshop,
preferably an authorized

3

BMW Motorrad retailer.

24

Engine oil pressure
insufficient

General warning lamp
flashes red four times

per second.

Engine oil pressure sym­bol is displayed.

The oil pressure in the lubri­cating oil circuit is too low.

The warning on insuf-

z

Status indicators

ficient engine oil pres­sure is no substitute for the
function of an oil-level indica­tor.The correct engine oil level
can only be checked at the oil
sight glass.

The cause of the warning on
insufficient engine oil pressure
can be an insufficient engine
oil level.

Checking engine oil level
( 71)

When oil level is too low:

Topping up engine oil
( 72)

If the warning on insufficient
engine oil pressure appears
despite a correct engine oil
level:

In addition to an insuf-

ficient engine oil level,
other problems in the engine
can lead to the warning on in­sufficient engine oil pressure.
Continuing to ride in these
cases can cause engine dam­age.
If this warning appears, do
not continue to ride even
though the engine oil level
might be correct.

Do not continue driving.
Have the malfunction cor­rected as soon as possible
by a specialized workshop,

preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Battery charge current
insufficient

General warning lamp
lights up red.

Battery charge current
symbol is displayed.

A discharged battery can

result in the engine cut­ting out unexpectedly, caus­ing a hazardous situation.
Have faults eliminated as
soon as possible.

If the battery is no longer

charged, continued
driving can lead to deep
discharging, and therefore to
the destruction of the battery.
If possible, do not continue
driving.

The battery is not being
charged.

Continued driving is possi­ble until the battery is dis­charged. However, the en­gine can die suddenly and
the battery can be exhaus­tively discharged and there­fore destroyed.
Have the malfunction cor­rected as soon as possible
by a specialized workshop,
preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

Rear bulb defective

General warning lamp
lights up yellow.

LAMPR! warning appears.

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.

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

Front bulb defective

LAMPF! warning appears.

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, parking light
or turn indicator bulb defec­tive.

Replacing high-beam/low­beam bulb ( 85)
Replacing side light bulb
( 87)
Replacing front turn indica­tor bulb ( 89)
Replacing rear turn indicator
bulb ( 90)

Bulbs defective

General warning lamp
lights up yellow.

LAMPS! warning appears.

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.

3

25

z

Status indicators

A combination of several bulb

3

defects is present.

See the fault descriptions

26

above.

Anti-theft alarm battery
weak

DWA! warning appears.

The anti-theft alarm battery
no longer has its full capacity.
The operation of the anti-theft
alarm is only ensured for a
limited time with the motorcy­cle battery disconnected.

Contact a specialized work­shop, preferably an autho-

z

Status indicators

rized BMW Motorrad retail­er.

Anti-theft alarm battery
drained

General warning lamp
lights up yellow.

DWA! warning appears.

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

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

ABS warning
indicators

Display

ABS warnings are indicated
by the ABS warning light. The
warning light can light up con­tinuously or flash 1x per sec­ond.
The ABS warning lamp
is shown in two versions
depending on country:

OE

Display 1.

Display 2.

The warning indicators in this
chapter are described using
display 1.

Overview of warning indicators
Display Meaning

Flashes 1x per
second

Lights up

Self-diagnosis not completed
( 28)

ABS error ( 28)

3

27

Lights up

ABS deactivated ( 28)

z

Status indicators

Self-diagnosis not
completed

3

28

z

Status indicators

ABS warning lamp flash­es once per second.

The ABS function is not
available, because the
self-diagnosis has not
been completed. To check
the wheel sensors, the
motorcycle must be driven a
few yards.

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

ABS error

ABS warning lamp ON.

The ABS control unit has de­tected an error. The ABS
function is not available.

Continued driving is
possible. It must be noted

that the ABS function is
not available. Observe
additional information on
situations which can lead to
an ABS error ( 64).
Have the malfunction cor­rected as soon as possible
by a specialized workshop,
preferably an authorized
BMW Motorrad retailer.

ABS deactivated

ABS warning lamp ON.

The ABS system has been
deactivated by the driver.
With OE Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS):

Switching on ABS function
( 44)