
Fuel down to reserve
Warning light for fuel down
to reserve lights up.
Lack of fuel can result in
the engine misfiring and
cutting out unexpectedly. Mis-
firing can damage the catalytic
converter; a hazardous situation
can result if the engine cuts out
unexpectedly.
Do not run the fuel tank dry.
Possible cause: The fuel tank
contains no more than the re-
serve quantity of fuel.
Reserve fuel
2l
Refuelling ( 52)Insufficient engine oil
pressure
Warning light for oil pres-
sure shows.
The oil pressure in the lube-oil
system is too low. Stop immedi-
ately and switch off the engine if
the warning light shows.
The insufficient oil pres-
sure warning does not fulfil
the function of an oil gauge. The
only way of checking whether
the oil level is correct is to check
with the oil dipstick.
Possible cause: Engine-oil level
too low.
Check the engine oil level
( 65)
If the oil level is too low:
Top up the engine oil ( 67)
If the engine oil level is correct:
Riding when engine-oil
pressure is low can result
in engine damage.Do not continue your journey.
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Coolant temperature too high
Warning light for coolant
temperature shows.
Continuing to ride when the
engine is overheated could
result in engine damage.
You must comply with the in-
structions below.
Possible cause: Coolant level too
low.
Check the coolant level ( 71)
If the coolant level is too low:
Topping up coolant ( 72)
Possible cause: Radiator fan de-
fective.
322zStatus indicators

ChecklistUse the following checklist to
check important functions, set-
tings and wear limits before you
ride off.
Brakes
Brake-fluid levels, front and rear
Clutch
Clutch fluid level
Damping-characteristic adjust-
ment and air pressure in the Air
Damping System
Tyre-tread depth and tyre
pressures
Cases correctly installed and
luggage secured
At regular intervals:
Engine oil level (every refuelling
stop)
Brake-pad wear (every third
refuelling stop)
Tension and lubrication of the
drive chain
StartingSide standYou cannot start the motorcycle
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 en-
gaged.
Starting engine.Kill switch in operating position
(run).
Gearbox lubrication is en-
sured only when the engine
is running. Inadequate lubrica-
tion can result in damage to the
gearbox.
Do not allow the motorcycle to
roll for a lengthy period of time or
push it a long distance with the
engine switched off.
Switch on the ignition.
Pre-ride check is performed.
( 47)
546zRiding

Wet brakes
After the motorcycle has
been washed, ridden
through water or ridden in
the rain, the brake discs and
pads might be wet and the
brakes might not take effect
immediately.
Apply the brakes in good time
until the brakes have dried out.
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.
Apply the brakes in good time
until the salt layer on the brake
discs and brake pads has been
removed.
Oil or grease on brakes
Oil and grease on the brake
discs and pads considerably
diminish braking efficiency.
Especially after repair and main-
tenance work, make sure that the
brake discs and brake pads are
free of oil and grease.
Dirt or mud on brakes
When riding on loose sur-
faces or muddy roads, the
brakes may fail to take effect
immediately because of dirt or
moisture on the discs or brake
pads.
Apply the brakes in good time
until the brakes have been
cleaned.
The brake pads will wear
more rapidly if you ride fre-
quently on unsurfaced tracks or
poor roads.
Check the thickness of the brakepads more frequently and replace
the brake pads in good time.
Parking your
motorcyclePlacing motorcycle on
side stand
If the ground is soft or un-
even, there is no guaran-
tee that the motorcycle will rest
firmly on the stand.
Always check that the ground
under the stand is level and
firm.
Switch off the engine.
Pull the handbrake lever.
Hold the motorcycle upright
and balanced.
Use your left foot to extend the
side stand fully.
The side stand is designed
to support only the weight
of the motorcycle.
Do not lean or sit on the
551zRiding

10 Screwdriver, small
Replacing turn indicator bulbsOn-board toolkit service
kitYour authorised BMW Motor-
rad dealer can provide the on-
board toolkit service kit that you
will need if you are considering
undertaking more extensive work.
You will find information on un-
dertaking work of this nature in
the Repair Manual on the CD or
DVD also obtainable from your
authorised BMW Motorrad deal-
er.1 Extending tool holder
Adapters to accommodate all
tools
Removing and installing spark
plugs
2 1/4" bits
Star-head
Plain-tip
Adapter, 1/4" hex to 1/4"square
2x hexagon socket wrench in-
sert
Allen keys, 3 mm, 4 mm and
6mm3 Ring spanner, w/f 26
Removing and installing wheels
4 Electric torch
LED bulb
5 3x socket
Adjusting chain tension
6 Adapter
Adapter for 1/4" bits
9x12 mm and 3/8" swivel ad-
apters
Engine oilChecking engine oil level
The engine can seize if the
oil level is low, and this can
lead to accidents.
Always make sure that the oil
level is correct.
The oil level varies with the
temperature of the oil. The
higher the temperature, the high-
er the level of oil in the sump.
865zMaintenance

Checking the oil level with the
engine cold or after no more than
a short ride will lead to misinter-
pretation; this in turn, means that
the engine will be operated with
the incorrect quantity of oil.
In order to ensure that the en-
gine oil level is read correctly,
check the oil level only after a
lengthy trip.
Allow the engine to idle until
the fan starts up, then allow it
to idle one minute longer.
Make sure the ground is level
and firm and hold the motor-
cycle upright.
Switch off the engine.
Wipe the area around the oil
filler neck clean.Remove oil dipstick1by turn-
ing it counter-clockwise.
Wipe the oil off MIN-MAX part
of dipstick2with a clean, dry
cloth.Turn the oil dipstick clockwise
to install.
Remove the oil dipstick and
check the oil level.
Engine oil, specified level
Engine oil, 15W-40
Between MIN and MAX
marks
If the oil level is below the MIN
mark:
Top up the engine oil ( 67)
866zMaintenance

If the oil level is above the MAX
mark:
Have the oil level corrected by
a specialist workshop, prefer-
ably an authorised BMW Mo-
torrad dealer.Topping up engine oil
Damage to the engine
can result if it is operated
without enough oil, but the same
also applies if the oil level is too
high.
Always make sure that the oil
level is correct.
Wipe the area around the filler
neck clean.Remove oil dipstick1.
Top up the engine oil until the
level reaches markA.
Check the engine oil level
( 65)
Install the oil dipstick.
Brake systemDependability of the brake
systemA fully functional brake system is
a basic requirement for the road
safety of your motorcycle.
Do not ride the motorcycle if you
have any doubts about the de-
pendability of the brake system.
Under these circumstances have
the brake system checked by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Incorrect working practices
endanger the reliability of
the brakes.
Have all work on the brake sys-
tem performed by a specialist
workshop, preferably an author-
ised BMW Motorrad dealer.
867zMaintenance

BulbsNotes
A defective bulb places
your safety at risk because
it is easier for other users to
oversee the motorcycle.
Replace defective bulbs as
soon as possible; always carry a
complete set of spare bulbs if
possible.
The bulb is pressurised and
can cause injury if dam-
aged.
Wear protective goggles and
gloves when changing bulbs.
The types of bulb fitted to
your motorcycle are listed
in the section entitled "Technical
data".
Do not touch the glass of
new bulbs with your fingers.
Use a clean, dry cloth to hold
the bulbs when handling them.
Dirt deposits, in particular oil andgrease, interfere with heat radi-
ation from the bulb. This leads
to overheating and shortens the
bulb's operating life.
Removing headlight
housing
If it is not standing firmly,
the motorcycle could topple
in the course of the operations
described below.
Always make sure that the
motorcycle is stable and firmly
supported.
Make sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor-
cycle on its stand.Remove two screws1.
Ease the headlight housing for-
ward and up to remove.
Replacing low-beam and
high-beam headlight bulbSwitch off the ignition.
Remove the headlight housing
( 86)
886zMaintenance

Coolant temperature
Warning, 22
D
Damping
Adjusting, 11, 13
Dimensions, 119
Display, 28
Overview, 20
Selecting readings, 17, 28
E
Electrics
Technical data, 117
Emergency off switch (kill
switch), 16, 32
Engine
Starting, 16, 46
Technical data, 110
Engine oil
Checking level, 65
Filler neck, 14
Oil dipstick, 14
Technical data, 111
Topping up, 67Engine oil pressure
Warning, 22
Equipment, 7
F
Frame
Technical data, 118
Front-wheel stand, 82
Fuel
Filler neck, 13
Refuelling, 52
Technical data, 4, 111
Warning, 22
Fuses, 14, 84
ABS, 85
G
General views
Display, 20
Headlight, 18
Instrument cluster, 17
Left handlebar fitting, 15
Left side, 11
Right handlebar fitting, 16
Right side, 13
Status indicators, 20Telltale lights, 20
Underneath the seat, 14
Warnings, 20
H
Handlebar fitting, left
Overview, 15
Handlebar fitting, right
Overview, 16
Headlight
Beam throw, 41
Driving on right/driving on
left, 41
General views, 18
Replacing low-beam headlight
bulb, 86
Replacing side-light bulb, 89
Headlight flasher, 15, 31
High-beam headlight, 18
Switch, 15
Telltale light, 20
Horn, 15
I
Idle
Telltale light, 20
12132zIndex