2004 BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 S wheel

343Operation
To make the loops accessible:
• Remove the seat and turn it
around.
• Pull loops1 out of retaining
brackets3.
• Turn the seat around and
refit.
MirrorsAdjusting mirrors• Move the mirrors into the
desired position by pressing
lightly on one of the corners.Spring preloadAdjusting spring preload
on the rear wheel
Adjusting the spring
preload while the motor-
cycle is being ridden can lead
to accidents.Adjust the spring preload
only when the motorcycle is
stationary.c
The spring preload must be
adapted to the load of the
motorcycle. An increase in the
load requires an increase in
the spring preload; less weight
requires a correspondingly
lower spring preload.
• Place the motorcycle on the
centre stand
OA or side
stand, ensuring that the
ground is firm and level.

Operation344
To increase the spring
preload:
• Turn handwheel 1 in the
direction of arrow HIGH.
To decrease the spring
preload:
• Turn handwheel 1 in the
direction of arrow LOW.Basic setting for solo
operation:
• Turn handwheel 1 in the
arrow direction LOW up to
the limit position.
• Turn 15 clicks in the arrow
direction HIGH.
One click corresponds to
a half turn of the hand-
wheel. The range of adjust-
ment comprises 15 turns. The
basic setting is based on a
motorcycle with a full fuel
tank and one person weighing
85 kg.c
Adjustments to the
spring preload and shock
absorbers that are not co-ordi-
nated lead to a deterioration in
the handling characteristics of
your motorcycle.
Adapt the damping action of
the spring preload.c
Shock absorbersAdjusting the shock
absorber on the rear
wheelThe damping must be adapted
to the spring preload. An
increase in the spring preload
requires stronger damping, a
reduction in the spring preload
requires softer damping.
• Place the motorcycle on the
centre stand
OA or side
stand, ensuring that the
ground is firm and level.

345Operation
• Adjust the rear wheel shock
absorber using a screwdriver
to turn adjusting screw 1.
To increase the damping:• Turn adjusting screw 1 in the
direction of arrow H.
To decrease the damping:
• Turn adjusting screw 1 in the
direction of arrow S.
Basic setting for solo
operation:
• Turn adjusting screw 1 in the
direction of the arrow H up to
the limit position.
• Turn adjusting screw 1 one
and a half turns in the direc-
tion of the arrow S.
The range of adjustment
comprises three and a
half turns of adjusting screw.
The basic setting is based on a
motorcycle with a full fuel
tank and one person weighing
85 kg.cAdjustments to the
spring preload and shock
absorbers that are not co-ordi-
nated lead to a deterioration in
the handling characteristics of
your motorcycle.
Adapt the damping action of
the spring preload.c
ESA
OE
You can use the Electronic
Suspension Adjustment, ESA,
to make the following
adjustments:
On the front wheel:
– Rebound-stage damping
On the rear wheel:
– Rebound and compression
damping
– Spring preload

347Operation
If button1 is not pressed for
longer than one second, the
shock absorbers are set as
displayed.
During the setting procedure,
the display flashes.Adjusting the spring
preloadThe spring preload cannot be
adjusted while the motorcycle
is being ridden.
Three adjustments are possi-
ble; these are shown in the
field3 as follows:Solo operation
Solo operation with
luggage
Operation with pillion
passenger (and luggage)
•Start the engine.
• Press button1 briefly.
» The current setting is
displayed.
• Press button1 once for
longer than one second.
» Starting from the current
status, the display is in the
following order:– Solo operation
– Solo operation with
luggage
– Operation with pillion
passenger (and luggage)
If button1 is not pressed for
longer than one second, the
spring preload will be set as
displayed. During the setting
procedure, the display flashes.
WheelsChecking the tyre
pressure
Incorrect tyre pressure
adversely affects the
handling characteristics of the
motorcycle and can lead to
accidents.
Ensure that the tyres are at the
correct pressure.c

Operation348
Incorrect tyre pressure
reduces the operating life
of the tyres.
Ensure that the tyres are at the
correct pressure.c
The tyre pressures required
can be found in the technical
data (b 126).
At high road speeds, tyre
valves have a tendency
to open as a result of centrifu-
gal force.
To avoid sudden loss of tyre
pressure, use a metal valve
cap with rubber sealing ring on
the rear wheel and tighten it
securely.c

Riding450
Safety instructionsSpeedWhen riding at high speed,
various marginal conditions
can adversely affect the
handling 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.
Do not exceed the permissible
gross weight and permissible
wheel loads (
b 137).c
Alcohol and drugs
Even small amounts of
alcohol or drugs can
considerably 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 exhaust fumes is
a health hazard and can
lead to loss of consciousness
or death.
Do not inhale exhaust fumes.
Do not run the engine in en-
closed spaces.cHigh voltage
Touching live parts of the
ignition system with the
engine running can lead to
electric shocks.
Do not touch any parts of the
ignition system when the en-
gine is running.c

469Riding
Wet brakes
After washing the motor-
cycle, after riding through
water or when it is raining, the
braking effect can be delayed
due to damp brake discs and
brake pads.
Note that there will be an
extended braking distance
until the brakes have dried out
or the act of braking itself dries
them.c
Salt on brakes
The brakes may fail to
take effect immediately if
the motorcycle was ridden on
salt-covered roads and the
brakes were not applied for
some time.
Note that there will be an
extended braking distance until the salt layer on the brake
discs and brake pads is
removed by braking.c
Oil or grease on the brake
Oil and grease deposits
on brake discs and pads
considerably reduce the
braking effect.
Especially after repair and
maintenance work, make sure
that the brake discs and brake
pads are free of oil and
grease.c
Dirt or mud on brakes
When riding on loose sur-
faces or muddy roads,
the brakes may fail to take ef-
fect immediately because of
dirt or moisture on the discs or
brake pads.
Note that there will be an extended braking distance
until the brakes have been
cleaned by braking.c
BMW Integral ABSSensitive 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
longitudinal and lateral stabil-
ising forces are lost, and a fall
can result. For this reason, the
rider seldom makes full use of
available braking performance
in an emergency.
BMW Integral ABS provides
improved braking deceleration
by means of anti-lock braking
for both wheels and braking
force distribution by means of
the integral braking function
(b 50, 69). Making full use of

Riding470
the motorcycle’s technical
braking capacity will minimise
braking distances noticeably,
even when road conditions are
poor.When riding straight
ahead, the BMW Integral ABS
enables secure, optimised
emergency braking which
corresponds to the
circumstances.
Reserves for safety
The potentially shorter braking
distances which BMW Integral
ABS permits must not be used
as an excuse for careless rid-
ing. ABS is primarily a means
of ensuring a safety margin in
genuine emergencies.
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.
Integral braking
The integral braking function
activates the front and rear
brakes jointly, which means
that both wheels are braked
when one brake lever is
pressed. The electronics in the
BMW Integral ABS controls
the braking force distribution
between the front and rear
brakes. Braking-force distribu-
tion depends on load and is
recalculated every time the
ABS controller comes into
action. Partial integral braking
Your motorcycle is fitted with
partial integral braking. In this
partially integral brake configu-
ration, the integral braking
function is activated only when
you pull the handbrake lever.
The footbrake lever acts only
on the rear brake.
Braking power assistance
On braking, BMW Integral
ABS boosts the brake force on
the wheel by means of a
hydraulic pump. By boosting
the braking force in this way,
BMW Integral ABS achieves
higher braking efficiency than
standard brake systems.