Page 8 of 132
OverviewChapter 2 of this Rider's Manu-
al will provide you with an initial
overview of your motorcycle. All
maintenance and repair work on
the motorcycle is documented in
Chapter 11. This record of the
maintenance work you have had
performed on your motorcycle is
a precondition for generous treat-
ment of goodwill claims.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember
to hand over this Rider's Manu-
al; it is an important part of the
motorcycle.Abbreviations and
symbols
Indicates warnings that you
must comply with for reas-
ons of your safety and the safety
of others, and to protect your
motorcycle against damage. Specific instructions on
how to operate, control, ad-
just or look after items of equip-
ment on the motorcycle.
Indicates the end of an
item of information.
Instruction.
Result of an activity.
Reference to a page with
more detailed informa-
tion.
Indicates the end of a
passage relating to spe-
cific accessories or items
of equipment.
Tightening torque.
Item of technical data. OE Optional extra
The motorcycles are as-
sembled complete with
all the BMW optional ex-
tras originally ordered.
OA Optional accessory You can obtain option-
al accessories through
your authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer; optional
accessories have to be
retrofitted to the motor-
cycle.
ABS Anti-lock brake system
EquipmentWhen you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various
items of custom equipment. This
Rider's Manual describes option-
al extras (OE) offered by BMW
and selected optional accessor-
ies (OA). This explains why the
manual may also contain de-
16zGeneral instructions
Page 50 of 132
the rider's full force applied to
the brake levers; under these cir-
cumstances the dynamic shift
in load distribution cannot keep
pace with the increase in de-
celeration and the tyres cannot
transmit the full braking force to
the surface of the road. ABS has
to intervene to keep the front
wheel from locking; this increases
stopping distance.Descending mountain
passes
There is a danger of the
brakes fading if you use
only the rear brakes when des-
cending mountain passes. Under
extreme conditions, the brakes
could overheat and suffer severe
damage.
Use both front and rear brakes,
and make use of the engine's
braking effect as well.
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 brake
548zRiding
Page 118 of 132
BMW Motorrad serviceAdvanced technology requires
specially adapted methods of
maintenance and repair.If maintenance and re-
pair work is performed in-
expertly, it could result in con-
sequential damage and thus con-
stitute a safety risk.
BMW Motorrad recommends you
to have all the associated work
on your motorcycle carried out
by a specialist workshop, prefer-
ably an authorised BMW Motor-
rad dealer.
Your authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer can provide information on
BMW services and the work un-
dertaken as part of each service.
Have all maintenance and repair
work carried out confirmed in the
"Service" chapter in this manual.
Authorised BMW Motorrad deal-
ers are supplied with the latest
technical information and have the necessary technical know-
how. BMW Motorrad recom-
mends that you contact your au-
thorised BMW Motorrad dealer
if you have questions regarding
your motorcycle.
BMW Motorrad service
qualityAlong with its reputation for en-
gineering quality and high reliab-
ility, BMW Motorrad is a byword
for excellent quality of service.
To ensure that your BMW is al-
ways in optimum condition, BMW
Motorrad recommends that you
have the maintenance work re-
quired for your motorcycle car-
ried out regularly, preferably by
your authorised BMW Motor-
rad dealer. For generous treat-
ment of claims submitted after
the warranty period has expired,
evidence of regular maintenance
is essential.
Certain signs of wear, moreover,
may otherwise not be noticed
until it is too late to put them
right at moderate cost. Your au-
thorised BMW Motorrad dealer's
mechanics know every detail of
your motorcycle and can take re-
medial action if necessary before
minor faults develop into serious
problems. By having the neces-
sary repairs done properly and
in good time, you save time and
money in the long run.
BMW Motorrad Service
Card: on-the-spot
breakdown assistanceIn the event of a breakdown, the
BMW Motorrad Service Card is-
sued with each new BMW mo-
torcycle enables you to access
an extensive range of services
such as breakdown assistance,
motorcycle transportation etc.
(details can differ from country to
country). In the event of a break-
11116zService