Page 154 of 162

Indexi152
Luggage
Safety information, 50
Strapping, 42MMotorcycle equipment, 5
Multifunction display, 14NNeutral, telltale light, 18PParking light, 38
Bulb, 15
Replacing the bulb, 108
Parking your motorcycle, 61, 65
Power socket,9,74,136
Pre-ride check, 53RRear light, replacing the 
bulb, 108
Rear shock absorber 
adjustment, 9Rear spring preload 
adjustment, 9
Rear wheel stand, 104
Replacement keys, 32
Resetting the odometer, 34
Residual braking function, 71
Residual range, 34
Restoring to use, 121
Rev. counter, 14
Rider’s equipment, 6
Running in
Brake pads, 58
General information, 58
SSafety check before a 
journey, 52
Safety instructions, 50
Seat
Installing, 41
Lock, 9
Placing down, 40
Removing, 40Securing the steering lock, 31
Sensor for instrument cluster 
lighting, 14
Shifting gear, 59
Side stand
Folding in, 63
Position on starting, 55
Unfolding, 61
Spark plugs, technical data, 135
Speed
Safety information, 50
Technical data, 138
Speedometer, 14
Splash guard, 116
Starter, 13
Starting, 56
Symbols, 4
TTechnical data
Bolt connections, 124
Dimensions and weights, 137
Electrical system, 135
Engine, 127 
     
        
        Page 159 of 162

E1BMW Motorrad Integral ABS
About BMW Motorrad Integral ABS
How does ABS work?
The maximum braking force 
it is possible to transfer to the 
carriageway depends, among 
other things, on the road 
surface's coefficient of friction. 
Gravel, ice and snow, and 
water on the road, have 
significantly poorer coeffi-
cients of friction than a dry, 
clean asphalt road surface. 
The poorer the road's coeffi-
cient of friction, the longer the 
braking distance.
If the maximum braking force it 
is possible to apply to the road 
is exceeded when the rider 
increases brake pressure, the 
wheels will begin to lock and 
directional stability is lost; a fall 
threatens. Before this situation 
can arise, ABS intervenes and adapts the braking pressure to 
the maximum braking force 
it is possible to transfer so that 
the wheels continue to turn 
and driving stability is main-
tained whatever the prevailing 
road conditions.
What happens with bumps 
in the road?
Corrugated road surfaces or 
bumps in the road can cause 
the tyres to temporarily lose 
contact with the road surface 
and hence the braking force it 
is possible to apply to drop to 
zero. If the brakes are applied 
in this situation, the ABS must 
reduce the braking pressure to 
ensure driving stability when 
contact with the road surface 
is restored. At this moment, 
BMW Motorrad Integral ABS must assume extremely low 
coefficients of friction (gravel, 
ice, snow) so that the wheels 
turn in any conceivable situa-
tion and thus the stability of 
the motorcycle is ensured. 
Once the actual circum-
stances are detected, the 
system will set the brake pres-
sure to the optimum value.
What do we observe during 
rider safety training?
Braking in which ABS has to 
intervene has, by comparison 
with normal braking, a signifi-
cantly higher demand for 
electricity which puts a heavy 
load on the battery. The 
battery is constantly being 
charged in normal riding so 
that it always has sufficient 
capacity available. Info_I_ABS_en_xx.fm  Seite 1  Dienstag, 19. Juli 2005  2:48 14 
     
        
        Page 160 of 162

BMW Motorrad Integral ABSE2
If the motorcycle is not to be 
ridden for several weeks, a 
trickle charger, which can be 
obtained from your BMW 
Motorrad dealer, should be 
connected or the battery 
disconnected and then 
recharged before starting 
riding again. 
During rider safety training, 
an unusual number of ABS-
controlled braking operations 
take place in rapid succession 
interspersed with periods of 
waiting and assessment in 
which the motorcycle is not 
being ridden. The battery is 
put under heavy load by the 
ABS control actions, but at 
the same time it is not being 
recharged as practically no 
riding is being done. 
In isolated cases, in this 
artificially created situation, braking operations in which 
the brake lever is operated 
with maximum force and 
extreme speed, in combina-
tion with declining on-board 
supply voltage, can bring the 
ABS up to its technical limits in 
which its control function is no 
longer fulfilled. 
Field observations carried out 
by BMW Motorrad indicate 
that a comparable situation 
has not arisen in traffic or even 
during training rides.
The following notes must 
be observed during safety 
training:
• check the warning and 
indicator lamps before any 
braking exercise
• ride the motorcycle over 
sufficient distance to charge 
the battery after a maximum 
of five braking exercises• switch off consumers such 
as seat and grip heating, 
radio, navigation system and 
accessories connected to 
the power sockets
• in pauses and discussions, 
switch off the ignition; if the 
engine is switched off with 
the emergency off switch, 
the lights and all electronic 
systems remain switched on 
and drain the battery
How can I achieve the 
shortest braking distance?
Dynamic load distribution 
between the front and rear 
wheels changes under 
braking. The heavier the 
brakes are applied, the more 
load is transferred to the front 
brake. The greater the load on 
the wheel, the more braking 
force can be transferred.Info_I_ABS_en_xx.fm  Seite 2  Dienstag, 19. Juli 2005  2:48 14 
     
        
        Page 161 of 162

E3BMW Motorrad Integral ABS
To achieve the shortest 
braking distance, it is neces-
sary to apply the front brake 
gradually and with increasing 
force. This makes best use of 
the dynamic increase in load 
on the front wheel. At the 
same time, the clutch should 
be disengaged. 
In emergency braking as it is 
often taught, in which the 
brake pressure is generated 
as quickly as possible and with 
all possible force, the dynamic 
load distribution cannot follow 
the increasing deceleration 
and the braking force cannot 
be completely transferred to 
the road. The ABS has to 
intervene to ensure that the 
front wheel does not lock up; 
this reduces the brake pres-
sure and the braking distance 
is extended.What happens if ABS control 
fails?
A fault in BMW Motorrad 
Integral ABS is indicated by a 
corresponding warning dis-
play in the instrument cluster.
If only ABS control fails, the 
Integral system and the brake 
servo action remain opera-
tional. If these systems also 
fail, the residual brake function 
is applied. In this case, the 
forces to be applied to the 
brake levers will be signifi-
cantly higher and the lever 
travel required will be longer. 
The residual brake function is 
a mechanical function and is 
always available in the event 
of the failure of the BMW 
Motorrad Integral ABS, 
whatever the battery condi-
tion. It meets all requirements 
of legislation around the world on the design of brakes for 
motor vehicles and allows the 
rider to brake the motorcycle. 
The following notes must be 
observed for riding with the 
residual braking function:
• set the brake lever to 
maximum travel
• always brake with both front 
and rear brakes
• where it is safe to do so, try 
out the brakes so that you 
can learn the brakes' 
response characteristics 
• be aware of the prevailing 
road conditions and adapt 
your braking force 
accordingly
• since this is an emergency-
run function, you should visit 
a specialist workshop, or 
better still a BMW Motorrad 
dealer, as quickly as 
possibleInfo_I_ABS_en_xx.fm  Seite 3  Dienstag, 19. Juli 2005  2:48 14 
     
        
        Page 162 of 162
BMW Motorrad Integral ABSE4
What is the role of regular 
maintenance?
Any technical system is 
only ever as good as its 
maintenance.
The service intervals specified 
must be kept to without fail to 
ensure that the BMW Motorrad 
Integral ABS is in an optimum 
maintenance condition.
What is the design 
specification for BMW 
Motorrad Integral ABS?
BMW Motorrad Integral ABS 
ensures stability of the motor-
cycle on any surface within the 
bounds of physics. 
The system is not designed for 
special requirements such as 
those that arise under extreme 
conditions of competition 
off-road or on the racetrack.
  
	
 
    
 
  
  !
" #
Info_I_ABS_en_xx.fm  Seite 4  Freitag, 22. Juli 2005  10:17 10