Page 56 of 168

Riding454
Safety instructionsSpeedWhen riding at high speed,
various marginal conditions
can adversely affect the han-
dling characteristics of the
motorcycle:
– Adjustment of the spring-strut and shock absorber
system
– Unequally distributed load
– Loose clothing
– Insufficient tyre pressure
– Poor tyre tread
–etc.Correct loading
Overloading can ad-
versely affect the riding
stability of the motorcycle.
Never exceed the motor-
cycle's permissible gross
weight (
b
140). c
Alcohol and drugs
Even small amounts of al-
cohol or drugs can con-
siderably adversely affect your
perception, judgement and
ability to make decisions, as
well as your reflexes. Taking
medication can increase these
effects.
Do not ride your motorcycle
after consuming alcohol,
drugs and/or medication.c
Risk of poisoningExhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, which is colourless
and odourless but highly toxic.
Inhaling the exhaust
fumes therefore repre-
sents a health hazard and can
even cause loss of conscious-
ness with fatal consequences. Do not inhale exhaust fumes.
Do not run the engine in an en-
closed space.
c
High voltage
Touching live parts of the
ignition system with the
engine running can lead to
electric shocks.
Do not touch parts of the igni-
tion system when the engine is
running. c
Catalytic converterIf misfiring causes unburned
fuel to enter the catalytic con-
verter, there is a danger of
overheating and damage.
For this reason, observe the
following points:
Page 59 of 168
457Riding
Before you startSwitching on the ignition See the notes on the elec-tronic immobiliser (EWS)
(b
24).
Kill switch 1 in operating
position A.
Switch on the ignition.
» Pre-ride check is performed.
» With BMW Integral ABS
OE:
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed.
Pre-ride checkA pre-ride check is performed
after you switch on the igni-
tion. All the warning lights and
warning symbols are checked
to make sure that they are in
working order. The multifunc-
tion display shows the follow-
ing in the order in which they
are described below: Phase 1
General warning light
lights up red.
Engine oil pressure
symbol is displayed.
Battery charge current
symbol is displayed.
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459Riding
Check that all the lights and
symbols are activated in the
pre-ride check.c
If a light or symbol is not
displayed:
Have the fault rectified as quickly as possible by a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW motor-
cycle dealer.
Once the pre-ride check com-
pletes, the various gauges and
indicators show their current
values.
The pre-ride check is
aborted if you start the
engine before it completes. c
If the motorcycle is equipped
with BMW Integral ABS, the
ABS self-diagnosis routine is
performed as well.
ABS
OE
self-diagnosis
The BMW Integral ABS per-
forms self-diagnosis and a
pull-away test to ensure its
operability (
b
63). Self-diag-
nosis is performed automati-
cally when you switch on the
ignition.
Self-diagnosis is not per-
formed unless both brake
levers are in their fully released
positions. Only the residual
braking function (
b
77) is
available until self-diagnosis
completes. Release the brake levers.
Switch on the ignition.
Phase 1
General warning light
lights up.
ABS warning light flashes
4 times per second.
Self-diagnosis is in progress.
Phase 2 ABS warning light flashes
once per second.
Self-diagnosis is complete.
The warning light goes out
when the pull-away test
completes (
b
63).
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Riding460
If you switch on the igni-
tion while the brakes are
applied, then start the engine
and ride off immediately, the
BMW Integral ABS remains in
its residual braking function
mode (b
77). Self-diagnosis is
performed as soon as the
brake levers are in their fully
released positions for the first
time. Until this completes the
ABS function is not available;
the same applies to power as-
sistance for the brakes.
Wait for ABS self-diagnosis to
complete before you start the
engine. c Starting on gradients:
Switch on the ignition
with gear engaged, clutch
lever released and both brake
levers released. When self-
diagnosis completes, apply
the brakes, disengage the
clutch, and start the engine. c
Side standYou cannot start the motorcy-
cle with the side stand
extended and a gear engaged.
The engine will switch itself off
if you start it with the gearbox
in neutral and then engage a
gear before retracting the side
stand.
GearboxYou can start the engine when
the gearbox is in neutral or if
you pull the clutch with a gear
engaged. Switch on the igni-
tion before you pull the clutch.
When the gearbox is in neutral,
the green neutral telltale light
is on and the gear indicator in
the multifunction display
shows 0.Starting
Do not turn the throttle
twistgrip when starting
the engine. At ambient tem-
peratures below 0 °C, disen-
gage the clutch after switching
on the ignition.c
Page 63 of 168
461Riding
• Switch on the ignition.
• Press starter button1.
» The engine starts.
• Observe instruments and display for warnings and
information (
b
20).
The start attempt is auto-
matically interrupted if
battery voltage is too low.
Recharge the battery before
you start the engine (
b
116)
or use jump leads and a donor
battery to start (
b
115). c High engine speeds while
the engine is cold accel-
erate engine wear.
Avoid high engine speeds
when the engine is cold. c
Consult the trouble-
shooting chart below if
the engine refuses to start. c
Page 64 of 168
Riding462
Troubleshooting chartFault: Engine does not start or only starts with difficulty.
Possible causeRemedy see pageKill switch activatedKill switch in operating position (
b
57)
Side stand extended, gear
engaged Fully retract the side stand (
b
69)
Gear engaged, clutch not
disengaged Select neutral or pull clutch lever (
b
60)
Clutch pulled when ignition was
OFF Switch on the ignition, then pull the clutch
lever (
b
57)
No fuel in tank Refuel (
b
73)
Battery not adequately charged Recharge the battery (
b
116)
Page 71 of 168
469Riding
Removing motorcycle
from side stand
Brake servo assistance is
not available when the ig-
nition is off; the motorcycle
can start to roll.
Particularly when the motorcy-
cle is parked on a gradient,
switch on the ignition and wait
for the ABS to complete its
self-diagnosis (
b
59). c
• Unlock the ignition lock, switch on the ignition.
• Wait for ABS self-diagnosis
to complete.
• From the left, grip the han-
dlebars with both hands.
• Pull the handbrake lever.
• Swing your right leg over the seat and lift the motorcycle
to the upright position. • Hold the motorcycle upright
and balanced.
• Sit on the motorcycle and use your left foot to retract
the side stand.
An extended side stand
can catch on the ground
when the motorcycle is mov-
ing and lead to a fall.
Retract the side stand before
moving the motorcycle. c
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473Riding
Pushing motorcycle off
centre stand
OE
Brake servo assistance is
not available when the ig-
nition is off; the motorcycle
can start to roll.
Particularly when the motorcy-
cle is parked on a gradient,
switch on the ignition and wait
for the ABS to complete its
self-diagnosis (b
59). c
• Unlock the ignition lock, switch on the ignition.
• Wait for ABS self-diagnosis
to complete.
• Place your left hand on the
left handlebar grip.
• Grip the rear grab handle with your right hand.
• Push the motorcycle forward off the centre stand. • Check that the centre stand
has fully retracted.
Fuel
Fuel is flammable and
explosive.
Do not smoke. Never bring a
naked flame near the fuel
tank. c
Fuel expands under the
influence of high temper-
atures and exposure to
sunlight.
Do not fill the tank past the
bottom edge of the filler
neck. c
Fuel can damage plastic
parts.
Do not permit fuel to come into
contact with body panels. c
Fuel grade
Leaded fuel will destroy
the catalytic converter.
Use only unleaded fuel. c
The engine is designed to run
on:
– Super Plus (premium) unleaded (98 RON)
Use fuel of this grade by pref-
erence, in order to achieve
rated performance and fuel
consumption.
You can also run the engine on
fuel of the following grade:
– Super unleaded (95 RON)