2008 BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 R fuel

Turn the key counter-
clockwise in the seat
lock.
Press the seat down at the
same time.Lift the rear of the seat.
The seat can be dam-
aged at the edges if it is
placed on a rough surface.
Lay the seat upholstered side
down on a smooth, clean sur-
face, such as the fuel tank.
Release the key and pull the
seat back out of its holder.
Installing the seatMake sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand. If too much pressure is
applied in the forward
direction, there is a danger
that the motorcycle will be
pushed off its stand.
Always make sure that the
motorcycle is stable and
firmly supported.
Push the seat forward into
holders 1.
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Riding
Safety instructions............. 62
Checklist . . .................... 64
Starting . . . .................... 64
Pulling away with BMW Integral
ABS
OE
........................ 67
Running in .................... 67
Parking your motorcycle . . . .... 71
Refuelling . .................... 78
Brake system, general ......... 79
Brake system with BMW Integral
ABS
OE
........................ 79
561zRiding

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.
Catalytic converterIf misfiring causes unburned
fuel to enter the catalytic con-
verter, there is a danger of
overheating and damage.
For this reason, observe the
following points:
Do not run the fuel tank dry.
Do not attempt to start or
run the engine with a spark-
plug cap disconnected.
Stop the engine immediately
if it misfires.
Use only unleaded fuel.
Comply with all specified
maintenance intervals. Unburned fuel will des-
troy the catalytic con-
verter.
Note the points listed for pro-
tection of the catalytic con-
verter.
Risk of fireTemperatures at the exhaust
are high.
Flammable materials
(e.g. hay, leaves, grass,
clothing and luggage, etc.)
could ignite if allowed to
come into contact with the
hot exhaust pipe.
Do not permit flammable ma-
terials to come into contact
with the hot exhaust system.
Cooling would be
inadequate if the engine
were allowed to idle for
a lengthy period with the
motorcycle at a standstill:
overheating would result. In extreme cases, the
motorcycle could catch fire.
Do not allow the engine to
idle unnecessarily. Ride away
immediately after starting the
engine.
Tampering with the con-
trol unit of the electronic
engine-management sys-
tem
Tampering with the con-
trol unit of the electronic
engine-management system
can damage the motorcycle
and cause accidents.
Do not tamper with the
control unit of the electronic
engine-management
system.
Tampering with the con-
trol unit of the electron-
ic engine-management sys-
tem can result in mechanical
loads that the motorcycle's
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components are not designed
to withstand. Damage caused
in this way is not covered by
the warranty.
Do not tamper with the
control unit of the electronic
engine-management
system.ChecklistUse the following checklist
to check important functions,
settings and wear limits be-
fore 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 refuel-
ling stop)
Brake-pad wear (every third
refuelling stop)
StartingSide standYou cannot start the motor-
cycle with the side stand ex-
tended and a gear engaged.
The engine will switch itself
off if you start it with the gear-
box in neutral and then en-
gage 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 engaged. Switch on the
ignition before you pull the clutch. When the gearbox is
in neutral, the green neutral
telltale light is on and the gear
indicator in the multifunction
display shows 0.
Starting the engineKill switch
1in run posi-
tion A.
Switch on the ignition.
Pre-ride check is
performed. ( 65)
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Refuelling
Fuel is highly flammable.
A naked flame close to
the fuel tank can cause a fire
or explosion.
Do not smoke. Never bring
a naked flame near the fuel
tank.
Fuel expands when hot.
Fuel escaping from an
overfilled tank could make its
way onto the rear tyre. This
could cause a fall.
Do not fill the tank past the
bottom edge of the filler
neck.
Fuel attacks plastics,
which become dull or
unsightly.
Wipe off plastic parts immedi-
ately if they come into contact
with fuel. Leaded fuel will destroy
the catalytic converter.
Use only unleaded fuel.
Make sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand.
Open the protective cap.
Open the fuel tank cap with
the ignition key by turning it
counter-clockwise.
Refuel with fuel of the grade
stated below.
Recommended fuel gradeSuper Plus, unleaded
98 ROZ Fuel grade, usable with
power- and consumption-
related restrictions
Super unleaded
95 ROZ
Usable fuel capacity
19 l
Reserve fuel
4l
Press the filler cap down
firmly to close.
Remove the key and close
the protective cap.
578zRiding

Care productsWe recommend that you
use the cleaning and care
products you can obtain
from your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer. The
substances in BMW Care
Products have been tested in
laboratories and in practice;
they provide optimised
care and protection for the
materials used in your vehicle.The use of unsuitable
cleaning and care
products can result in
damage to motorcycle
components.
Do not use solvents such as
cellulose thinners, cold clean-
ers, fuel or the like, and do
not use cleaning products
that contain alcohol.
Washing the motor-
cycleWe recommend that you
use BMW insect remover to
soften and wash off insects
and resilient dirt on painted
parts prior to washing the
motorcycle.
To prevent stains, do
not wash the motorcycle
immediately after it has been
exposed to strong sunlight
and do not wash it in the sun.
Make sure that the motor-
cycle is washed frequently,
especially during the winter
months.
To remove road salt, clean
the motorcycle with cold wa-
ter immediately after every
trip.
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.
Warm water intensifies
the effect of salt.
Use only cold water to wash
off road salt.
The high pressure of
steam cleaners can
damage seals, the hydraulic
brake system, the electrical
system and the seat.
Do not use a steam jet or
high-pressure cleaning equip-
ment.
8126zCare

Cleaning easily dam-
aged componentsPlasticsClean plastic parts with water
and BMW plastic care emul-
sion. This includes in particu-
lar:Windscreen
Headlight lens made of
plastic
Glass cover of the instru-
ment cluster
Black, unpainted parts
The use of unsuitable
products to clean plastic
parts can damage the sur-
face.
Do not use products that
contain alcohol or solvents to
clean plastic surfaces, and do
not use scouring agents.
Even fly-remover pads or
cleaning pads with hard surfaces can produce
scratches.
Soften stubborn dirt and
insects by covering the
affected areas with a wet
cloth.
WindscreenClean off dirt and insects with
a soft sponge and plenty of
water.
Fuel and chemical
solvents attack the
material of the windscreen;
the windscreen becomes
opaque or dull.
Do not use cleaning agents.ChromeUse plenty of water and BMW
shampoo to clean chrome,
particularly 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 cool-
ing.
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.
8127zCare

Paint careWashing the motorcycle
regularly will help counteract
the long-term effects of
substances that damage
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, however, as
otherwise the paint can
be affected or become
discoloured. 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
particularly easy to see after
the motorcycle has been
washed. Remove stains ofthis kind immediately, using
cleaning-grade benzene or
petroleum spirit on a clean
cloth or ball of cotton wool.
We recommend that specks
of tar be removed with BMW
tar remover. Remember to
wax the parts treated in this
way.
Protective wax coat-
ingFor the protective wax coating
of paint, we recommend that
you use only BMW vehicle
wax or agents that contain
carnauba wax or synthetic
waxes.
It is time to rewax the paint-
work when water "puddles"
on the surface, instead of
forming beads.
Laying up the motor-
cycleClean the motorcycle.
Remove the battery.
Spray the brake and clutch
lever pivots and the main
and side stand pivots with a
suitable lubricant.
Coat bright metal and
chrome-plated parts with
an acid-free grease (e.g.
Vaseline).
Stand the motorcycle in a
dry room in such a way that
there is no load on either
wheel.
Before laying the vehicle
up out of use, have the
engine oil and the oil filter ele-
ment changed by a special-
ist workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer. Combine work for lay-
ing up/restoring to use with a
BMW service or inspection.
8128zCare