2008 BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 R engine

4Open-ended spanner,
w/f 17
5 TORX wrenches, T40,
T45, T50Engine oilChecking the 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.
Oil can collect in the
sump if the motorcycle
is out of use for an extended
period of time; this oil has to
be pumped into the oil tank
before the level is read. The
engine oil must be at oper-
ating temperature to do this.
Checking the oil level with the
engine cold or after no more
than a short ride will lead to
misinterpretation; 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.
The oil level varies with
the temperature of the
oil. The higher the temperat-
ure the higher the oil level in
the oil tank. Check the engine
oil level immediately after a
lengthy journey.
Make sure the engine is at
operating temperature and
hold the motorcycle upright.
with OA Centre stand:
Check that the engine is
at operating temperature,
make sure the ground is
level and firm and place
the motorcycle on its centre
stand. Allow the engine to idle for
one minute.
Switch off the ignition.
Check the oil level in oil-
level indicator
1.
Engine oil, specified level
793zMaintenance

Between MIN and MAX
marks
If the oil level is below the
MIN mark: Top up the engine oil.
If the oil level is above the
MAX mark: Drain off the engine oil.Topping up the engine oilMake sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand.
Removing the seat ( 51) Damage to the engine
can result if it is oper-
ated 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.
Unscrew cap of engine oil
filler neck 1.
Top up the engine oil to the
specified level.
Draining engine oilRemoving the seat ( 51)
Squeeze the retainer of
transparent tube 2together
on left and right and pull the
tube up and out of the oil
tank.
Pull the transparent tube
down out of the frame and
drain the engine oil into a
suitable container until the
level is to specification.
Insert the transparent tube
into the oil tank and engage
the retainer.
794zMaintenance

Store or dispose of the ex-
cess engine oil in an envir-
onmentally compatible man-
ner.Brake system, generalReliabilityA fully functional brake sys-
tem is a basic requirement for
the road safety of your motor-
cycle.
Do not ride the motorcycle if
you have any doubts about
the dependability of the brake
system.
Under these circumstances
have the brake system
checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.Incorrect working prac-
tices endanger the reli-
ability of the brakes.
Have all work on the brake
system carried out by a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Checking operation of
the brakesPull the handbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.
Press the footbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.
If pressure points are not
clearly perceptible: Have the brakes checked
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer. with OE BMW Motorrad Integ-
ral ABS:
Switch on the ignition.
Wait for ABS self-diagnosis
to complete.
Pull the handbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.
The noise of the hydraulic
pump running must be aud-
ible.
Press the footbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.
The noise of the hydraulic
pump running must be aud-
ible.
If the hydraulic pump does
not run or if the pressure
points are not clearly
perceptible: Have the brakes checked
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.
795zMaintenance

Remove screw1.
Pull the turn indicator glass
out of the turn indicator
housing at the threaded-
fastener side. Press bulb
2into fitting 3
and remove by turning it
counter-clockwise.
Remove the bulb 2 from the
bulb holder.
Installation of the bulb is the
reverse of the removal pro-
cedure.
Use a clean, dry cloth to
hold the new bulb.
Jump starting
The wires leading to the
power socket do not
have a load-capacity rating
adequate for jump-starting the engine. Excessively high
current can lead to a cable
fire or damage to the vehicle
electronics.
Do not use the on-board
socket to jump-start the
engine of the motorcycle.
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.
A short-circuit can result
if the crocodile clips of
the jump leads are accident-
ally brought into contact with
the motorcycle.
Use only jump leads fitted
with fully insulated crocodile
clips at both ends.
Jump-starting with a
donor-battery voltage
7118zMaintenance

higher than 12 V can damage
the vehicle electronics.
Make sure that the battery
of the donor vehicle has a
voltage rating of 12 V.If it is not standing firmly,
the motorcycle could
topple in the course of the
operations described below.
Always make sure that the
motorcycle is stable and
firmly supported.
Make sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand.
When jump-starting the en-
gine, do not disconnect the
battery from the on-board
electrical system. Remove screws
1.
Lift the battery compartment
cover up and forward to re-
move.
Run the engine of the donor
vehicle during jump-starting.
Begin by connecting one
end of the red jump lead
to the positive terminal of
the discharged battery and
the other end to the pos-
itive terminal of the donor
battery.
Then connect one end of
the black jump lead to the
negative terminal of the
donor battery, and the other end to the negative terminal
of the discharged battery.
Start the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged
battery in the usual way; if
the engine does not start,
wait a few minutes before
repeating the attempt
in order to protect the
starter motor and the donor
battery.
Allow both engines to idle
for a few minutes before
disconnecting the jump
leads.
Disconnect the jump lead
from the negative terminals
first, then disconnect the
second lead from the posit-
ive terminals.
Install the cover of the bat-
tery compartment and install
screws
1.
Do not use proprietary
start-assist sprays or
7119zMaintenance

other products to start the
engine.BatteryMaintenance instructionsCorrect upkeep, recharging
and storage will prolong the
life of the battery and are es-
sential if warranty claims are
to be considered.
Compliance with the points
below is important in order to
maximise battery life:Keep the surface of the bat-
tery clean and dry
Do not open the battery
Do not top up with water
Be sure to read and com-
ply with the instructions for
charging the battery on the
following pages
Do not turn the battery up-
side down If the battery is not dis-
connected, the on-board
electronics (e.g. clock, etc.)
gradually drain the battery.
This can cause the battery to
run flat. If this happens, war-
ranty claims will not be ac-
cepted.
If the motorcycle is to be out
of use for more than four
weeks, disconnect the battery
or connect a suitable trickle
charger to the battery.
BMW Motorrad
has developed a
trickle-charger specially
designed for compatibility
with the electronics of your
motorcycle. Using this
charger, you can keep the
battery charged during long
periods of disuse, without
having to disconnect the
battery from the motorcycle's
on-board systems. You can
obtain additional information from your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.
Charging battery when
connected
Charging the connec-
ted battery directly at the
battery terminals can damage
the vehicle electronics.
Always disconnect the battery
from the on-board circuits be-
fore recharging it with a char-
ger connected directly to the
battery posts.
Only chargers suitable
for this mode of char-
ging can be used to recharge
the battery via the on-board
socket. Unsuitable chargers
could cause damage to the
motorcycle's on-board elec-
trics.
Use BMW chargers with
the part numbers 71 60
7 688 864 (220 V) or, as
7120zMaintenance

Install screws1.
Switch on the ignition.
Fully open the throttle once
or twice.
The engine management
system registers the
throttle-valve position.
Setting the clock ( 46)
7124zMaintenance

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