2002 BMW MOTORRAD R 1150 RT Rider's Manual (in English)

3
63
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brake system - general
Oil and grease on brakes
d Warning:
Brake discs and pads must be
free from oil or grease.
Dirt or mud on brakesWhen riding on loose surfaces
or muddy roads, the brakes
may fail to take effect immedi-
ately because of dirt or mois-
ture on the discs or brake pads.
d Warning:
The brakes must first be
applied until the discs and
pads are clean.
Dirt on the brakes increases
the rate of pad wear.
d Warning:
If the brake lever can be moved
right to the limit of its travel, this
indicates a mechanical or
hydraulic fault. The brake sys-
tem is defective.
Immediately consult a specialist
workshop, preferably an autho-
rised BMW Motorrad dealer.
10r22bkg3.book Seite 63 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
64
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
Sensitive electronic
control
It takes skill and sensitive con-
trol of the brakes to pull up
safely on a motorcycle. If the
front wheel brake locks and the
wheel skids, the necessary lon-
gitudinal and lateral stabilising
forces are lost, and a fall can
result.
For this reason, the rider sel-
dom makes full use of available
braking performance in an
emergency. BMW Integral ABS is the latest-
generation BMW ABS develop-
ment: by preventing both
wheels from locking and opti-
mising braking-force distribu-
tion by means of the integral
function, it offers much
improved braking performance
(
b 66).
Full use is made of technical
braking capacity to minimise
braking distances, even when
road conditions are poor.
When the motorcycle is ridden
in a straight line, the BMW Inte-
gral ABS is able to handle
emergency braking safely.
10r22bkg3.book Seite 64 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
65
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
Safety marginBut remember: the potentially
shorter braking distances
which BMW Integral ABS per-
mits must not be used as an
excuse for careless riding. ABS
is primarily a means of ensuring
a safety margin in genuine
emergencies.
–You have to familiarise your-
self with the new, electroni-
cally assisted braking. Try the
brakes several times when
you take your motorcycle out
for the first time. Find out for
yourself how the brakes feel
– Never ride without due care
and attention, or assume that
good fortune will protect you
from your own foolhardiness
– Keep within the permitted
speed limits –
Take care when cornering.
When you apply the brakes on
a corner, the motorcycle's
weight and momentum take
over and even BMW Integral
ABS is unable to counteract
their effects.
10r22bkg3.book Seite 65 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
66
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
Fully integral brakesThe integral brake function
interlinks the front and rear
brakes, so both wheels are
braked when you operate the
brake lever.
The electronic controller in the
BMW Integral ABS computes
the ideal braking-force distribu-
tion between front and rear
wheels, and applies the brakes
accordingly.
The ideal baking-force distribu-
tion depends on load and is
recalculated every time the ABS
controller comes into action.
In a fully integral brake configu-
ration , the integral braking
function is activated by either
the handbrake lever or the foot-
brake lever.
Brake servoThe hydraulic pump in the BMW
Integral ABS actively boosts the
braking force acting on the
wheel when the brakes are
applied.
By boosting the braking force in
this way, the BMW Integral ABS
achieves higher braking effi-
ciency than standard brake
systems.
ABS
anti-lock brake system
ABS prevents the wheels lock-
ing under heavy braking, thus
contributing significantly to
road safety.
10r22bkg3.book Seite 66 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
67
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION
If the BMW Integral ABS develops
a fault, a RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION only is available in the
brake circuits in question.
The RESIDUAL BRAKING FUNC-
TION is the braking efficiency
without the hydraulic servo assist-
ance of the BMW Integral ABS.
Under these circumstances,
therefore, you must apply CON-
SIDERABLY higher pressure to
the brake levers in question in
order to apply the brakes, and
lever travel is longer.
When the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active, the ABS
function is unavailable in the
brake system in question.
When the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active, the integral
braking function is partially or
entirely unavailable.
d Warning:
When the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active, maintain a
defensive riding style and pro-
ceed immediately to the near-
est specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.
\f Note:
When the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active, it is advis-
able to set adjuster A
(
b 25) on the front-brake lever
to position 4.
The RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active under the
following circumstances:
– Ignition off
– Before and during self-diag-
nosis (
b 68)
– Fault in the BMW Integral ABS
(
b 71)
\f Note:
When the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active for both
brake circuits, the noise of the
pump is no longer audible when
you operate the brake levers.
10r22bkg3.book Seite 67 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
68
Starting – Riding – Parking
Self-diagnosis with pull-
away test
The BMW Integral ABS per-
forms self-diagnosis and a
pull-away test to ensure
its operability.
Self-diagnosis is performed
automatically when you switch
on the ignition.
d Warning:
Self-diagnosis is not perfor-
med unless both brake levers
are in their fully released posi-
tions.
Only the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is available until
self-diagnosis is
completed (b 67). 
Release the brake levers, if
necessary
 Switching on the ignition
Initially:
– ABS warning light 1:
Flashes at 4 Hz
– General warning light 2:
ON
bSelf-diagnosis is in
progress
Then:
– ABS warning light 1:
flashes at 1 Hz
– General warning light 2:
OFF
bSelf-diagnosis successfully
completed
*n depending on national-market
specification
1*
2
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
10r22bkg3.book Seite 68 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
69
Starting – Riding – ParkingStart the engine.
 Move off
– ABS warning light 1:
OFF (as of approx. 5 km/h
(3 mph) road speed)
bPull-away test successfully
completed
bBMW Integral ABS
is available
\f Note:
Flashing at 1 Hz = 1 flash per
second (slow flashing)
Flashing at 4 Hz = 4 flashes per
second (fast flashing)
\f Note:
Starting on gradients:
Always switch on the ignition
with gear engaged, clutch lever
released and both brake levers
released.
Self-diagnosis cannot be per-
formed if you do not follow this
procedure.
When self-diagnosis com-
pletes, apply the brakes, disen-
gage the clutch, and start the
engine.
*n depending on national-market
specification
1*
2
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
10r22bkg3.book Seite 69 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12

3
70
Starting – Riding – Parking
d Warning:
If the BMW Integral ABS fails
in both brake circuits, a RESI-
DUAL BRAKING FUNCTION
only is available! (b 67)
d Warning:
If the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION (
b 67) is active,
maintain a defensive riding
style and proceed immediate-
ly to a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.
*n depending on national-market
specification
d Warning:
If there is a fault in the ABS
system, the reserves of safety
normally afforded by ABS are
not available until the defect
has been put right.
There is a risk of dropping the
machine if the brakes are ap-
plied too hard and the front
wheel locks or the rear wheel
lifts clear of the ground as a
result of a high level of front
tyre adhesion. Have the
defect rectified immediately
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW Motorad dealer.
1*
2
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS
10r22bkg3.book Seite 70 Freitag, 27. Januar 2006 12:43 12