2003 BMW MOTORRAD F 650 GS wheel

2
Introduction
12
i
General information and
controls
General view, left side ........... 4
General view, right side ......... 5
Cockpit ................................. 6
Telltale and warning lights ..... 7
Ignition switch and
steering lock ...................... 8-9
Odometer/clock .................. 10
Hazard warning flashers ...... 11
Handlebar fitting ............ 12-13
Seat .................................... 14
Topcase .........................15-16
System case .................. 17-21 Safety check
Checklist ........................ 22-23
Engine oil ....................... 24-25
Fuel ................................ 26-27
Handlebar levers ............ 28-29
Brakes ........................... 30-34
Shock-absorbers ................ 35
Spring preload .................... 36
Drive chain ......................... 37
Loads............................. 38-39
Wheels ........................... 40-42
Coolant .............................. 43
Lights ............................. 44-45
Contents
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23
Safety check
2
Checklist
For this reason, check the
details in the following sections
before you start the journey:
– Fuel level
– Clutch-lever play
–Brake pressure
– Brake fluid levels (front and rear)
– Operation of the ABS warning
light
–Drive chain
– Shock-absorber setting and
spring preload
– Wheel rim and tyre condition,
spokes, tread depth and tyre
pressures
–Loading
– Coolant level
–Lights – Check regularly (every time
you stop for fuel), on the basis
of the following section:
– Engine oil level
(every second stop for fuel)
– Brake pads
If you encounter any problems
or difficulties, please contact
your BMW motorcycle dealer.
He will provide the necessary
advice and assistance.
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37
Safety check
2
Drive chain
Checking the chain
e Attention:
Chain tension has an effect on
the rate of wear of the drive
chain and the chain sprocket,
and it also affects travel of the
rear suspension.
Lubricate the chain regularly.
Before riding off, always check
the chain tension and check the
drive chain for damage and
wear.
Always make sure that there is
no load on the motorcycle when
you check the chain.  Place the motorcycle on its
main stand [Dakar: side stand]
– Make sure the ground is level and firm.
 Chain stretch is not uniform, so turn the rear wheel until
you find the point at which the
chain is at its tightest
 When the chain is at its tight-
e s t , p u sh it f u l ly u p a t po s it i o n 1
 Check chain slack: specifica-
tion
A 35...45 mm
(1.38...1.77 inch)
[Dakar: 40...50 mm
(1.57...1.97 inch)],
adjust the drive chain as
necessary (b Maintenance
Instructions)
A
1
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39
Safety check
2
e Attention:
Do not exceed the gross weight
limit of 380 kg (838 lbs).
Do not exceed the wheel load
limits of 124 kg (273 lbs) at the
front and 256 kg (564 lbs) at the
rear.
Set the shock absorbers,
spring preload and tyre pres-
sures to suit gross weight
(b 35, 36, 41). The total weight is the sum of:
– motorcycle with full tank
–rider
–passenger
– luggage
Accessories and loads
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40
Safety check
2
Checking wheel rims
d Warning:
Have damaged wheel rims
checked and, if necessary,
replaced by a specialist work-
shop, preferably an author-
ised BMW motorcycle dealer.
Checking wheel spokes
d Warning:
Before riding off, always
make sure that the spokes
are in perfect condition.
Always have damaged
spokes and irregular spoke
tension rectified immediately
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
Wheels
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41
Safety check
2
Wheels
 Place the motorcycle on its main stand [Dakar: side
stand]
– Make sure the ground is level and firm.
 Tap spokes with a screw- driver and listen for the cor-
rect ringing sound
L Note:
If the note varies, spoke tension
is uneven (some spokes too
loose or too tight).
Checking tyre pressures
d Warning:
Incorrect tyre pressures have
a considerable influence on
handling and on tyre life.
Tyre pressures must be cho-
sen to suit the total weight on
the motorcycle. Never exceed
either the motorcycle’s gross
weight or the individual wheel
load limits (b39). Tyres cold:
 Unscrew and remove valve
cap
 Check/correct tyre pressure
Tyre pressures: front rear
One-up 1.9 bar 2.1 bar (27.56 psi) (30.46 psi)
Two-up and
luggage 2.1 bar 2.3 bar (30.46 psi) (33.36 psi)
 Firmly retighten the valve caps (b42)
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Safety check
2
Wheels
Securing valve caps
d Warning:
At high road speeds, tyre
valves have a tendency to
open as a result of centrifugal
force.
Use only metal valve caps
with rubber seals. Valve caps
that are screwed on well pre-
vent air from escaping sud-
denly.
Checking tyre tread depth
d Warning:
Comply with local legal re-
quirements concerning mini-
mum tread depth. Worn tyres
can impair handling.
 Measure tread depth at the centre of the tyre tread
BMW's minimum tread depth
recommendation:
Front ..................2 mm (0.08 in)
Rear ...................3 mm (0.12 in)
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64
Starting – Riding – Parking
ABSOE – familiarisation phase
Sensitive electronic con-
trol
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.
Anti-lock braking at both
wheels greatly reduces the risk
of accidents even when road
conditions are poor, and short-
ens braking distance by making
more efficient use of the motor-
cycle’s braking capability.
ABS helps optimise safety in
emergency-braking situations
when the motorcycle is travel-
ling in a straight line.
Extra safety reservesBut remember: the potentially
shorter braking distances
which ABS permits must not be
used as an excuse for careless
riding. ABS is primarily a means
of ensuring a safety margin in
genuine emergencies.
– 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 ABS is unable
to counteract their effects
OEOptional extra
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