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55
Safety check
2
Headlight basic setting
Note:
Do not prop the motorcycle on
the centre or side stand.
• Check tyre pressures and cor-
rect if necessary.
• Set the spring-strut adjuster to the position for one-up riding
–Make sure lever 2 is horizontal
(neutral position)
• Position the motorcycle on a
level surface 10 metres (33 feet)
(headlight) from a light-coloured
wall, and with the rider's weight
(approx. 85 kg/187 lbs) on the
seat
• Measure the distance H from
the ground to the centre of the
headlight
• Transfer this height H to the wall
and draw a cross on the wall at
this point • Draw a second cross
(x = 10 cm/3.94 in) lower
• Switch on the low-beam headlight
• Turn adjusting screw 1 to
align the headlight in such a
way that the light-dark cutoff
starts in the middle of the bot-
tom cross and rises to the
right to the height of the upper
cross, before dropping again
•Adjusting screw 1: – Turn screw counter-clock-wise: higher
– Turn screw clockwise: lower
Note:
Have the headlight basic set-
ting checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Lights
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3
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 cov-
ered 1,000 kilometres (approx.
600 miles), the engine is not yet
fully run in.
Attention:
BMW Integral ABS incorporates
a brake booster, so braking ef-
ficiency is significantly higher
than with conventional brake
systems.
Warning:
The tyres need to cover a cer-
tain distance before they ac-
quire their full road grip
( 65).
If you ride at high speed, always
bear in mind that various
boundary conditions such as
the spring preload setting and
the shock absorber setting, an
unbalanced luggage load,
loose clothing, low tyre pres-
sure, poor tyre tread, and so on,
can affect the handling of your
motorcycle.
Your first journey
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57
Starting – Riding – Parking
Your first journey
Safe motorcycling does not
depend on the motorcycle
alone.
Your own skill and common-
sense are needed too.
The key to genuine safety on
the road is a sensible balance
between the motorcycle's tech-
nical features and the rider's
skill, so that together they form
a single efficient unit.
Riding safely in traffic calls for a
sense of responsibility to your
passenger and to other road
users. Warning:
Do not ride the motorcycle af-
ter drinking alcoholic bever-
ages. Even small amounts of
alcohol or drugs, particularly
if taken in conjunction with
medicines, will adversely af-
fect your perception and your
ability to assess situations
and make decisions, and also
slow down your reflexes.
Take to the road now by all
means, but think carefully about
everything you do.
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3
Important notes
Risk of fatal injuryYour motorcycle is equipped
with Digital Motor Electronics
(Motronic) and a high-power
ignition system.
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.
BMW Integral ABS
Warning:
When the ignition is switched
off or if the BMW Integral ABS
fails, only a RESIDUAL BRAK-
ING FUNCTION remains availa-
ble for slowing the motorcycle
(
77).
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.
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.
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Important notes
Catalytic converter
Attention:
To avoid damage to the cata-
lytic converter:
• Do not run the fuel tank dry
• Push-start only when the
engine is cold
• Do not run the engine with a
spark-plug cap detached
• Do not exceed the engine- speed limits marked on the
revolution counter
• Comply with all specified
maintenance intervals
• Stop the engine at once if it
misfires
• In the event of misfiring or a severe drop in engine power,
consult a specialist work-
shop, preferably an author-
ised BMW motorcycle dealer
If misfiring or malfunction of the
fuel-air mixture preparation sys-
tem causes unburned fuel to
reach the catalytic converter,
there is a risk of it overheating
and being damaged.
Risk of fireHigh temperatures occur at the
exhaust system, particularly if a
catalytic converter is installed.
Warning:
Make sure that whether riding
or standing still or when the
motorcycle is parked, no eas-
ily flammable material
(for example hay, grass,
leaves, clothing or luggage
etc.) can come into contact
with the hot exhaust system.
Do not allow the engine to
idle unnecessarily or for a
lengthy period when the mo-
torcycle is at a standstill
— risk of overheating or fire.
Ride away immediately after
starting the engine.
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3
Placing motorcycle on
side stand
Warning:
For safety reasons, never sit
on the motorcycle with the
side stand extended.
Attention:
Stop the engine before using
the side stand.
Make sure the surface under
the stand is firm.
On a gradient, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se-
lect 1st gear. • Switch off the ignition
• 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
• Hold the motorcycle upright and balanced
• U s e y o u r le f t f o o t a t t h e e x t e n -
sion pin to extend the side
stand fully (arrow)
• Slowly lean the motorcycle to the side until its weight is
taken by the stand and dis-
mount from the motorcycle
• Turn the handlebars to full left
lock (
11)
• Check that the motorcycle
is firmly supported
Side stand
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Removing motorcycle
from side stand
Warning:
If the motorcycle is fitted with
BMW Integral ABS, only the
RESIDUAL BRAKING FUNC-
TION is available when the igni-
tion is switched off (
77) .
Make sure the side stand is
fully retracted before you ride
off.
– Allowing the motorcycle to roll with the side stand
extended represents a
safety risk. • Turn the ignition key to the “
R”
or “ ON” position (
11)
– handlebars unlocked
• Both feet on the ground, no weight on the motorcycle
• 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
• Sit on the motorcycle and use your left foot to retract the
side stand
Side stand
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3
Placing motorcycle on
main (centre) stand
Warning:
For safety reasons, never sit
on the motorcycle with the
main stand extended.
Attention:
Stop the engine before using
the main stand.
Make sure the surface under
the stand is firm.
• Switch off the ignition
• Hold the left handlebar grip
with your left hand • Hold the lifting handle with
your right hand
• Place your right foot on the
extension pin of the main
stand and press it down until
the curved shoes of the stand
touch the ground
• Place your right foot on the
tread surface of the stand
• Apply all your body weight to the stand
• Pull the motorcycle to the rear and upwards until it rests on
the main stand
• Check that the motorcycle
is firmly supported
Main (centre) stand
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