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
Headlight . .................... 18
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 . . . . . .................... 37
Headlight . .................... 38
Seat . . . . . . .................... 38
5 Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Safety instructions . . ......... 42
Checklist . .................... 44
Starting . . . .................... 44
Running in . . . . . . ............. 46
Brakes . . . .................... 47
Parking your motorcycle . . . . . 49
Refuelling .................... 50 6 Engineering details . . . . . 51
Brake system with BMW Mo-
torrad ABS
OE
................ 52
7 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
General instructions . ......... 56
Power socketOE.............. 56
Luggage . .................... 57
8 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Notes ........................ 60
Toolkit ........................ 60
Engine oil .................... 61
Brake system . . . ............. 63
Brake pads . . . . . . ............. 64
Brake fluid .................... 65
Coolant . . . .................... 67
Clutch . . . . .................... 68
Tyres . . . . . .................... 69
Rims . ........................ 69
Chain . . . . . .................... 69
Wheels . . . .................... 71
BMW Motorrad auxiliary
stand . . . . . .................... 78
Fuel down to reserveWarning 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 ( 50) 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
( 61)
If the oil level is too low: Top up the engine oil ( 63)
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 ( 67)
If the coolant level is too low:
Topping up coolant ( 68)
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
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.
( 45)
544zRiding
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
10 Screwdriver, smallReplacing 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
6mm 3 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.
861zMaintenance
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 dipstick
1by turn-
ing it counter-clockwise.
Wipe the oil off MIN-MAX part
of dipstick 2with 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 ( 63)
862zMaintenance
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 dipstick
1.
Top up the engine oil until the
level reaches mark A.
Check the engine oil level
( 61)
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.
863zMaintenance
with new fuses of the correct
amperage rating.Switch off the ignition.
Remove the right side panel
( 93)
Check the fuse-assignment
diagram and pull the defective
fuse up and out of the fuse
box. If fuse defects recur fre-
quently have the electric
circuits checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an author-
ised BMW Motorrad dealer.
Fuse assignment, ABS
OE
1 ABS (30 A)
2 Spare fuse (30 A)
3 Spare fuse (20 A)
4 ABS (20 A)Installing ABS fuseRemove the defective fuse and
replace it with a fuse of the
correct amperage rating.
Install the right side panel
( 94)
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 and
882zMaintenance