Page 4 of 126

Table of ContentsYou can also consult the index at
the end of this Rider's Manual if
you want to find a particular topic
or item of information.
1 General instructions . . . . . 5
Overview ...................... 6
Abbreviations and symbols . . . . 6
Equipment . . . . . . .............. 6
Technical data . . .............. 7
Currency . ..................... 7
2 General views . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
General view, left side . . . . . . . . 11
General view, right side . . . . . . 13
Underneath the seat ......... 14
Handlebar fitting, left ......... 15
Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . . 16
Instrument cluster . . . ......... 17
3 Status indicators . . . . . . . 19
Status indicators ............. 20
Standard warnings . . ......... 20
ABS warnings
OE
............. 23 4 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Ignition switch and steering
lock . . . . . .
.................... 28
Multifunction display ......... 28
Lights . . . . .................... 31
Turn indicators . . ............. 32
Emergency off switch (kill
switch) . . . .................... 32
BMW Motorrad ABS
OE
...... 33
Mirrors . . . .................... 33
Spring preload . . ............. 34
Damping . .................... 35
Tyres . . . . . .................... 36
Headlight . .................... 36
Seat . . . . . . .................... 37
5 Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Safety instructions . . ......... 40
Checklist . .................... 42
Starting . . . .................... 42
Running in . . . . . . ............. 44
Brakes . . . .................... 45
Parking your motorcycle . . . . . 47
Refuelling .................... 48 6 Engineering details . . . . . 49
Brake system with BMW Mo-
torrad ABS
OE
................ 50
7 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
General instructions . ......... 54
Power socketOE.............. 54
Luggage . .................... 55
8 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Notes ........................ 58
Toolkit ........................ 58
Engine oil .................... 59
Brake system . . . ............. 61
Brake pads . . . . . . ............. 62
Brake fluid .................... 63
Coolant . . . .................... 65
Clutch . . . . .................... 67
Tyres . . . . . .................... 68
Rims . ........................ 68
Chain . . . . . .................... 68
Wheels . . . .................... 70
BMW Motorrad auxiliary
stand . . . . . .................... 76
Page 15 of 126
General view, right side1Seat lock ( 37)
2 Fuel filler neck ( 48)
3 Brake-fluid reservoir, front
( 63)
4 ABS fuses, behind the side
panel ( 79)
5 Brake-fluid reservoir, rear
( 64)
213zGeneral views
Page 44 of 126

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
Shock absorber setting and
spring preload
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.
( 43)
542zRiding
Page 59 of 126
Maintenance
Maintenance
Notes................................ 58
Toolkit . . . ............................ 58
Engine oil ............................ 59
Brake system . ....................... 61
Brake pads . . . ....................... 62
Brake fluid ........................... 63
Coolant . . ............................ 65
Clutch . . . ............................ 67
Tyres ................................ 68
Rims ................................. 68
Chain ................................ 68
Wheels . . ............................ 70
BMW Motorrad auxiliary stand ....... 76
BMW Motorrad front-wheel
stand ................................ 77 Fuses . . .
............................. 79
Bulbs . . . ............................. 80
Jump starting . ....................... 87
Battery . . ............................. 88
857zMaintenance
Page 65 of 126

preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.Checking brake pad
thickness, rear brakesMake sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor-
cycle on its stand.Brake pads worn past
the minimum permissible
brake-pad thickness can cause
a reduction in braking efficiency
and under certain circumstances
they can cause damage to the
brake system.
In order to ensure the dependab- ility of the brake system, do not
permit the brake pads to wear
past the minimum permissible
brake-pad thickness.
Visually inspect rear brake
pads 1from behind to
ascertain their thickness.
Brake-pad wear limit, rear
min 1 mm (Friction pad only,
without backing plate)
The wear indicators must be
clearly visible. If the wear indicating marks are
no longer visible:
Have the brake pads replaced
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.
Brake fluidChecking brake-fluid
level, front brakesMake sure the ground is level
and firm and hold the motor-
cycle upright.
Move the handlebars to the
straight-ahead position.
863zMaintenance
Page 66 of 126

A low fluid level in the
brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.
Check the brake-fluid level at
regular intervals.
Check the brake fluid level in
front reservoir 1.
Wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level
in the reservoir to sink. Brake fluid level, front
DOT4 brake fluid
Do not permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark. (Brake-fluid reservoir
horizontal)
If the brake fluid level drops be-
low the permitted level: Have the defect rectified as
quickly as possible by a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Checking brake-fluid
level, rear brakesMake sure the ground is level
and firm and hold the motor-
cycle upright.
A low fluid level in the
brake reservoir can allow air
to penetrate the brake system.
This significantly reduces braking
efficiency.
Check the brake-fluid level at
regular intervals.
Check the brake fluid level in
rear reservoir 1.
864zMaintenance
Page 67 of 126
Wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level
in the reservoir to sink.
Brake fluid level, rear
DOT4 brake fluid
Do not permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark. (Brake-fluid reservoir
horizontal)
If the brake fluid level drops be-
low the permitted level: Have the defect rectified as
quickly as possible by a spe- cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
CoolantChecking coolant levelMake sure the ground is level
and firm and hold the motor-
cycle upright.
Read off the coolant level on
scale
1on the coolant expan-
sion tank. Coolant, specified level
Between MIN and MAX
marks on the expansion tank
If the coolant level is too low: Top up the coolant.
If the coolant level is too high: Seek the advice of a specialist
workshop, preferably an author-
ised BMW Motorrad dealer.
Topping up coolantRemove the seat ( 37)
865zMaintenance
Page 97 of 126

agents, the surfaces can be dam-
aged.
Do not use cleaning agents that
contain alcohol, solvents or ab-
rasives to clean plastic parts.
Even fly-remover pads or clean-
ing pads with hard surfaces can
produce scratches.Soften stubborn dirt and
insects by covering the af-
fected areas with a wet cloth.ChromeUse plenty of water and BMW
shampoo to clean chrome, par-
ticularly if it has been exposed to
road salt. Use chrome polish for
additional treatment.RadiatorClean the radiator regularly to
prevent overheating of the en-
gine due to inadequate cooling.
For example, use a garden hose
with low water pressure. Cooling fins can be bent
easily.
Take care not to bend the fins
when cleaning the radiator.
RubberTreat rubber components with
water or BMW rubber-care
products.
Using silicone sprays for
the care of rubber seals can
cause damage.
Do not use silicone sprays or
other care products that contain
silicon.Paint careWashing the motorcycle regularly
will help counteract the long-term
effects of substances that dam-
age the paint, especially if your
motorcycle is ridden in areas
with high air pollution or natural
sources of dirt, for example tree
resin or pollen. Remove particularly aggressive
substances immediately, how-
ever, as otherwise the paint can
be affected or become discol-
oured. Substances of this nature
include spilt fuel, oil, grease,
brake fluid and bird droppings.
We recommend BMW vehicle
polish or BMW paint cleaner for
this purpose.
Marks on the paintwork are par-
ticularly easy to see after the
motorcycle has been washed.
Remove stains of this kind im-
mediately, using cleaning-grade
benzene or petroleum spirit on a
clean cloth or ball of cotton wool.
BMW Motorrad recommends
BMW tar remover for removing
specks of tar. Remember to wax
the parts treated in this way.
995zCare