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Oil levelOil-level indicator1gives you
an indication of the engine oil
level. You can call up this read-
ing only when the motorcycle is
at a standstill.
The preconditions for the oil level
check are as follows:
Engine at operating temperat-
ure.
Engine idling for at least 10
seconds.
Side stand retracted.
Make sure the motorcycle is
upright. The readings mean:
OK
: Oil level is correct.
CHECK
: Check the oil level the
next time you stop for fuel.
---
: Oil level cannot be meas-
ured (conditions as stated above
not satisfied).
If you call up another read-
ing on the on-board com-
puter, this symbol remains visible
until the sensor again registers a
correct oil level.
The most recently measured
level is displayed for 5 seconds
when you next switch on the ig-
nition.
The oil sensor might be
defective if the "Check oil
level" message reappears even
though the oil level shown by the
oil tank's level indicator is correct.
In this case, consult your author-
ised BMW Motorrad dealer.
Tyre pressure
monitoring RDC
OE
Viewing tyre-pressure
readingsSwitch on the ignition.
Repeatedly press button 1until
the tyre pressures appear on
the display.
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The tyre pressures are shown,
accompanied by the wordingRDC P
. The front tyre pressure
is on the left; the reading on the
right is the rear tyre pressure.
-- --
appears directly after the
ignition is switched on, because
the sensors do not transmit tyre
pressures until the motorcycle
accelerates to 30 km/h.
The readings alternate with the
clock.
If the motorcycle has an on-
board computer the readings al-
ternate with the clock and the
values of the on-board computer.
LightsSide lightThe side lights switch on auto-
matically when the ignition is
switched on.
The side lights place
a strain on the battery.
Do not switch the ignition
on for longer than absolutely
necessary.Low-beam headlightThe low-beam headlight switches
on automatically when you start
the engine.
When the engine is not
running you can switch on
the lights by switching on the ig-
nition and either switching on the
high-beam headlight or operating
the headlight flasher.
High-beam headlightPress the top section of full-
beam headlight switch 1.
High-beam headlight switched
on.
Move full-beam headlight
switch 1to the centre position.
High-beam headlight switched
off.
Press the bottom section of
full-beam headlight switch 1.
The high-beam headlight is
switched on until you release
the button (headlight flasher).
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The settings shown on the
display are automatically ac-
cepted as the spring preload
and, if applicable, the damp-
ing characteristic if you allow a
certain length of time to pass
without pressing making further
changes. The reading flashes
while spring preload adjustment
is in progress.
Wait until adjustment com-
pletes (reading stops flashing)
before pulling away.TyresChecking tyre pressureMake sure the ground is level
and firm and place the motor-
cycle on its stand.Incorrect tyre pressures im-
pair the motorcycle's hand-
ling characteristics and increase
the rate of tyre wear.
Always check that the tyre pres-
sures are correct. At high road speeds, tyre
valves have a tendency to
open as a result of centrifugal
force.
Fit metal valve caps with rubber
seals and screw them on firmly
to prevent sudden deflation.
Check that tyre pressures are
correct as per the data below.
Tyre pressure, front
2.5 bar (one-up, tyre cold)
2.5 bar (two-up and/or with
luggage, tyre cold) Tyre pressure, rear
2.9 bar (one-up, tyre cold)
2.9 bar (two-up and/or with
luggage, tyre cold) If tyre pressure is too low:
Correct tyre pressure.
HeadlightAdjusting headlight for
driving on left/driving on
rightIf the motorcycle is ridden in a
country where the opposite rule
of the road applies, its asymmet-
ric low-beam headlight will tend
to dazzle oncoming traffic.
Have the headlight set accord-
ingly by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer.
Commercially available ad-
hesive tape will damage the
plastic lens of the light.
Consult a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer, in order to avoid
damaging the plastic lens of the
light.
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Safety instructionsRider's equipmentDo not ride without the correct
clothing. Always wear:Helmet
Motorcycling jacket and
trousers
Gloves
Boots
This applies even to short jour-
neys, and to every season of the
year. Your authorised BMW Mo-
torrad dealer will be glad to ad-
vise you on the correct clothing
for every purpose.SpeedIf you ride at high speed, always
bear in mind that various bound-
ary conditions can adversely af-
fect the handling of your motor-
cycle: Settings of the spring-strut and
shock-absorber system
Imbalanced load
Loose clothing
Insufficient tyre pressure
Poor tyre tread
Etc.
Correct loading
Overloading and imbal-
anced loads can adversely
affect the motorcycle's handling.
Do not exceed the permissible
gross weight and be sure to
comply with the instructions on
loading.
Alcohol and drugs
Even small amounts of
alcohol or drugs will ad-
versely affect your perception
and your ability to assess situ-
ations and make decisions, and
slow down your reflexes. Med-
ication can exacerbate these ef-
fects. Do not ride your motorcycle after
consuming alcohol, drugs and/or
medication.
Risk of poisoningExhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, which is colourless
and odourless but highly toxic.
Inhaling the exhaust fumes
therefore represents a
health hazard and can even
cause loss of consciousness with
fatal consequences.
Do not inhale exhaust fumes.
Do not run the engine in an en-
closed space.High voltage
Touching live parts of the
ignition system with the
engine running can cause electric
shock.
Do not touch parts of the igni-
tion system when the engine is
running.
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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)
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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.
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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
Page 85 of 168

ing force accordingly to achieve
optimum braking.What feedback does the
rider receive from the
BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS?If the ABS system has to reduce
braking force on account of the
circumstances described above,
vibration is perceptible through
the handbrake lever.
When the handbrake lever is
pulled, brake pressure is also
built up at the rear wheel by
the integral function. If the
brake pedal is depressed after
the handbrake lever is pulled,
the brake pressure built up
beforehand is perceptible as
counter-pressure sooner than is
the case when the brake pedal is
depressed either before or at the
same time as the brake lever is
pulled.
Rear wheel liftEven under severe braking, a
high level of tyre grip can mean
that the front wheel does not
lock up until very late, if at all.
Consequently, ABS does not in-
tervene until very late, if at all.
Under these circumstances the
rear wheel can lift off the ground,
and the outcome can be a high-
siding situation in which the mo-
torcycle can flip over.Severe braking can cause
the rear wheel to lift off the
ground.
When you brake, bear in mind
that ABS control cannot be relied
on in all circumstances to prevent
the rear wheel from lifting clear of
the ground.
What is the design
baseline for BMW
Motorrad Integral ABS?Within the limits imposed by
physics, the BMW Motorrad In-
tegral ABS ensures directional
stability on any surface. The sys-
tem is not optimised for special
requirements that apply under
extreme competitive situations
off-road or on the track.Special situationsThe speeds of the front and rear
wheels are compared as one
means of detecting a wheel's
incipient tendency to lock. If the
system registers implausible val-
ues for a lengthy period the ABS
function is deactivated for safety
reasons and an ABS fault mes-
sage is issued. Self-diagnos-
is has to complete before fault
messages can be issued.
In addition to problems with the
BMW Motorrad Integral ABS,
683zEngineering details