2002 BMW MOTORRAD R 1150 RT ABS

2
30
Safety check
Checking front brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the mini-
mum level (MIN mark)
 Place motorcycle on centre
stand
– Make sure the ground is
level and firm 
Place the handlebars in full
left lock.
 Check brake fluid level in
sight glass
MIN Minimum level
(top of
marking ring)
\f Note:
The brake fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir remains
constant despite wear of the
brake pads.
MIN
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
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2
31
Safety check
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
Checking rear brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the
MIN mark on the brake
fluid reservoir
 Place motorcycle on centre
stand
–Make sure the ground is
level and firm 
Slacken off screw 1
 Take off cover 2 and check
brake fluid level
MIN Minimum level
\f Note:
The brake fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir remains
constant despite wear of the
brake pads.
MIN
1
2
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2
36
Safety check
2
1
Shock-absorber adjustment
d Warning:
Before the journey starts, ad-
just the rear shock absorber to
suit the gross weight and load
on the motorcycle.
 Place motorcycle on centre
stand (
b 48)
 Adjust the shock absorber by
inserting a screwdriver with
extension through hole 1 in
the footrest plate Basic setting
(solo):
 Turn adjusting screw 2 in
direction indicated by arrow H
(clockwise) as far as it will go
 Turn adjusting bolt 2 anti-clo-
ckwise through 180 degrees
in the direction of the arrow S
Hard setting “H ”:
 Tighten adjusting screw 2 fully
Soft setting “S ”:
 Slacken off adjusting screw 2
fully
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2
37
Safety check
Suspension spring preload
d Warning:
Before the journey starts, ad-
just spring preload according
to the gross weight. If spring
preload is changed, the shock
absorber has to be adjusted
accordingly.
Adjusting suspension
spring preload
 Place motorcycle on centre
stand
 Slacken off screw 1
 Remove cover 2 Basic setting, solo:

Turn knob 3 as far as it will go
counter-clockwise as indi-
cated by the “LOW ” arrow
 Turn knob 3 one turn clock-
wise as indicated by the
“ HIGH” arrow
Setting for two-up and lug-
gage:
 Turn handwheel 3 fully to the
right in the direction of the
"HIGH" arrow
2
1
3
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2
41
Safety check
Accessories and loads
Correct loading
d Warning:
Overloading can impair the
handling of your motorcycle.
 Make sure that weight is dis-
tributed evenly between the
left and right sides of the
motorcycle
 Pack heavy items at the bot-
tom of the cases
 Max. load in each case (left
and right): 10 kg
(approx. 22 lbs)
 Max. load on luggage grid
and in tank-top rucksack
OA:
5 kg (approx. 11 lb) each
 Check that fastenings are
correctly positioned and tight
d Warning:
With cases installed, it is ad-
visable not to exceed
130 km/h (80 mph).
e Attention:
Do not exceed the gross weight
limit of 490 kg (992 lb).
Do not exceed the wheel load
limits of 200 kg (441 lbs) at the
front and 330 kg (728 lbs) at the
rear.
Reset the suspension spring
preload and the shock absorb-
ers to match the total weight
(
b 36, 37, 39).
The total weight consists of:
– Motorcycle with full tank
– Rider
– Two-up
–Luggage
OA Optional accessories
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3
42
Starting – Riding – Parking
Handling your motorcycle
safely
Each motorcycle has a charac-
ter all its own. It is time now for
you to familiarise yourself with
the way your own motorcycle
behaves:
–Acceleration
– Roadholding
– Cornering
– Braking …
These are all things you need to
become familiar with.
Please remember too that if the
motorcycle has not yet covered
1,000 kilometres (600 miles),
the engine is not yet fully run in.
e Attention:
BMW Integral ABS incorpo-
rates a brake booster, so brak-
ing efficiency is significantly
higher than with conventional
brake systems.
d Warning:
The tyres need to cover a cer-
tain distance
before they acquire their full
road grip (b 51).
When riding at high speed,
a l w a y s b e a r i n m i n d t h a t v a r i o u s
boundary conditions such as:
settings of the spring and
shock-absorber system, unbal-
anced loading, loose clothing,
low tyre pressures, worn tyres,
etc.,can affect the handling of
your motorcycle.
Your first journey
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3
44
Starting – Riding – Parking
Important notes
BMW Integral ABSMotorcycle equipped with
BMW Integral ABS (
b 64)
d Warning:
When the ignition is switched
off or if the BMW Integral ABS
fails, only a RESIDUAL BRAK-
ING FUNCTION remains
available for slowing the
motorcycle (
b 67).
Under these circumstances
you must apply CONSIDERA-
BLY higher pressure to the
brake levers in order to apply
the brakes, and lever travel is
longer!
Risk of poisoningExhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, which is colourless
and odourless but highly toxic.
d Warning:
Inhaling the exhaust fumes
therefore represents a health
hazard and can even cause
loss of consciousness with
fatal consequences.
Do not run the engine in an
enclosed space.
Risk of fatal accidentYour motorcycle is equipped
with Digital Motor Electronics
(Motronic) and high-power
ignition system.
d Warning:
When the engine is running or
the ignition switched on, nev-
er touch electrically live parts
of the ignition system or the
digital engine electronics.
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3
47
Starting – Riding – Parking
Removing motorcycle
from side stand
d Warning:
If the motorcycle is fitted with
BMW Integral ABS, only RESI-
DUAL BRAKING FUNCTIONA-
LITY is available when the
ignition is switched off (
b 67).
Make sure the side stand is fully
retracted before you ride off.
– Riding with the side stand
extended is a safety risk. 
Ignition key in the “R ” or “ON ”
position (
b 9)
– Handelbar lock disengaged
 Keep both feet on the ground
 Hold the left handlebar grip
with your left hand
 Keep your right hand on the
right handlebar grip and the
handbrake lever
 Slowly raise the motorcycle to
the upright position and keep
it balanced
 Use your left foot to push
back the side stand
Side stand
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