
Riding
Riding
Safety instructions................... 70
Checklist ............................. 72
Starting .............................. 72
Running in ........................... 75
Brakes ............................... 76
Parking your motorcycle . ............ 77
Refuelling ............................ 79
569zRiding

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)
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. Do not pull the clutch un-
til after you have switched on the
ignition, as otherwise the engine
will refuse to start. When the
gearbox is in neutral, the green
neutral telltale light is on and the
gear indicator in the multifunction
display shows N.
Starting engine.Kill switch in run position A.
Switch on the ignition.
Pre-ride check is performed.
( 73)
with OE BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS: Switch on the ignition.
Pre-ride check is performed.
( 73)
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed. ( 74)
572zRiding

If an indicator showing an ASC
fault appears when ASC self-
diagnosis completes:You can continue to ride. Bear
in mind that the ASC function
is not available.
Have the fault rectified as
quickly as possible by a
specialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.Running inThe first 1000 kmWhile running in the motor-
cycle, vary the throttle opening
and engine-speed range fre-
quently.
Try to do most of your rid-
ing during this initial period on
twisting, fairly hilly roads, avoid-
ing high-speed main roads and
highways if possible. Exceeding the specified en-
gine speeds while running
in will lead to increased engine
wear.
Keep to the specified engine
speeds for running in.
Do not exceed the rpm limits
recommended for running in.
Running-in speed
<7000 min
-1
No full-load acceleration.
Avoid low engine speeds at full
load.
Do not omit the first inspection
after 500 - 1200 km.Brake padsNew brake pads must "bed
down" and therefore do not
achieve their optimum friction
levels during the first 500
km. You can compensate for
this initial reduction in braking efficiency by exerting greater
pressure on the levers.
New brake pads can ex-
tend stopping distance by a
significant margin.
Apply the brakes in good time.
TyresNew tyres have a smooth sur-
face. This must be roughened by
riding in a restrained manner at
various heel angles until the tyres
are run in. This running in pro-
cedure is essential if the tyres are
to achieve maximum grip.
Tyres do not have their full
grip when new and there
is a risk of accidents at extreme
angles of heel.
Avoid extreme angles of heel.
575zRiding

BrakesHow can stopping
distance be minimised?Each time the brakes are applied,
a load distribution shift takes
place with the load shifting for-
ward from the rear to the front
wheel. The sharper the motor-
cycle decelerates, the more load
is shifted to the front wheel. The
higher the wheel load, the more
braking force can be transmitted
without the wheel locking.
To optimise stopping distance,
apply the front brakes rapidly and
keep on increasing the force you
apply to the brake lever. This
makes the best possible use
of the dynamic increase in load
at the front wheel. Remember
to pull the clutch at the same
time. In the "panic braking situ-
ations" that are trained so fre-
quently braking force is applied
as rapidly as possible and withthe 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.
576zRiding

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.
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
motorcycle with the side stand
extended. Slowly lean the motorcycle to
the side until its weight is taken
by the stand and dismount to
the left.
If the motorcycle is on the
side stand, the surface of
the ground will determine wheth-
er it is better to turn the handle-
bars to the left or right. However,
the motorcycle is more stable on
a level surface with the handle-
bars turned to the left than with
the handlebars turned to the
right.
On level ground, always turn the
handlebars to the left to set the
steering lock.
Turn the handlebars to full left
or right lock.
Check that the motorcycle is
standing firmly. On a gradient, the motor-
cycle should always face
uphill; select 1st gear.
Lock the steering lock.
577zRiding

Removing motorcycle
from side standUnlock the steering lock.
From the left, grip the handle-
bars with both hands.
Pull the handbrake lever.
Swing your right leg over the
seat and lift the motorcycle to
the upright position.
Hold the motorcycle upright
and balanced.An extended side stand can
catch on the ground when
the motorcycle is moving and
lead to a fall.
Retract the side stand before
moving the motorcycle.
Sit on the motorcycle and use
your left foot to retract the side
stand.
Placing motorcycle on
centre stand
OA
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.
Dismount and keep your left
hand on the left handlebar grip.
With your right hand, grip the
rear grab handle or the rear
frame.
Place your right foot on the pin
of the centre stand, and press
the stand down until its curved
feet touch the ground.
Place your full body weight on
the centre stand and at the
same time pull the motorcycle
to the rear. Excessive movements
could cause the centre
stand to retract, and the
motorcycle would topple in
consequence.
Do not lean or sit on the mo-
torcycle with the centre stand
extended.
Check that the motorcycle is
standing firmly.
Lock the steering lock.
Removing motorcycle
from centre stand
OA
Unlock the steering lock.
Place your left hand on the left
handlebar grip.
With your right hand, grip the
rear grab handle or the rear
frame.
Push the motorcycle forward
off the centre stand.
Check that the centre stand
has fully retracted.
578zRiding

Engineering details
Engineering details
Brake system with BMW Motorrad
Integral ABS
OE
...................... 82
Electronic engine management with
BMW Motorrad ASC
OE
.............. 84
Tyre pressure monitoring
RDC
OE
.............................. 86
681zEngineering details

Brake system with
BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS
OE
Partially integral brakesYour motorcycle is equipped with
partially integral brakes. Both
front and rear brakes are applied
when you pull the handbrake
lever. The footbrake lever acts
only on the rear brake.
While the brakes are slowing the
motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad
Integral ABS adapts braking-force
distribution between front and
rear brakes to suit the load on
the motorcycle.The integral braking func-
tion makes it very difficult
to spin the rear wheel by opening
the throttle with the front brake
applied to keep the motorcycle
stationary (burn-out). Attempted
burn-outs can result in damage
to the rear brake and the clutch.
Do not attempt burn-outs.
How does ABS work?The amount of braking force that
can be transferred to the road
depends on factors hat include
the coefficient of friction of the
road surface. Loose stones, ice
and snow or a wet road all have
much lower coefficients of fric-
tion than a clean, dry asphalt sur-
face. The lower the coefficient
of friction, the longer the braking
distance.
If the rider increases braking
pressure to the extent that brak-
ing force exceeds the maxim-
um transferrable limit, the wheels
start to lock and the motorcycle
loses its directional stability; a fall
is imminent. Before this situation
can occur, ABS intervenes and
adapts braking pressure to the
maximum transferrable braking
force, so the wheels continue
to turn and directional stability
is maintained irrespective of the
condition of the road surface.
What are the effects of
surface irregularities?Humps and surface irregular-
ities can cause the wheels to
lose contact temporarily with the
road surface; if this happens the
braking force that can be trans-
mitted to the road can drop to
zero. If the brakes are applied
under these circumstances the
ABS has to reduce braking force
to ensure that directional sta-
bility is maintained when the
wheels regain contact with the
road surface. At this instant the
BMW Motorrad Integral ABS
must assume an extremely low
coefficient of friction, so that the
wheels will continue to rotate un-
der all imaginable circumstances,
because this is the precondition
for ensuring directional stability.
As soon as is registers the ac-
tual circumstances, the system
reacts instantly and adjusts brak-
682zEngineering details