BMW Motorrad R 1200GS Adventure Installation and maintenance manual

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BMW Motorrad
The Ultimate Riding
Machine
R 1200 GS
Rider's Manual (US Model)

Motorcycle/Retailer Data
Motorcycle data
Model
Vehicle Identification Number
Color number
First registration
Registration number
Retailer Data
Contact in Service
Ms./Mr.
Phone number
Retailer's address/phone number (compa-
ny stamp)

Welcome to BMW
We congratulate you on your
choice of a motorcycle from
BMW and welcome you to the
community of BMW riders.
Familiarize yourself with your new
motorcycle so that you can ride it
safely and confidently in all traffic
situations.
Please read this Rider's Manual
carefully before starting to use
your new BMW motorcycle. It
contains important information on
how to operate the controls and
how to make the best possible
use of all your BMW's technical
features.
In addition, it contains information
on maintenance and care to help
you maintain your motorcycle's
reliability and safety, as well as its
value.
If you have any questions con-
cerning your motorcycle, your au-
thorized BMW Motorrad retailer
is always happy to provide advice
and assistance.
We wish you many miles of safe
and enjoyable riding
BMW Motorrad.

Table of Contents
You can also use the index at the
end of this Rider's Manual to find
a specific topic.
1 General instructions . . .. . 5
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Abbreviations and symbols . . . . 6
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Currentness of this manual . . . . 7
2 Overviews . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . 9
General view, left side . . . . . . . . 11
General view, right side . . . . . . 13
Underneath seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Left handlebar fitting . . . . . . . . . 15
Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . . 16
Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 Status indicators . . . . . .. 19
Standard displays . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Displays with onboard com-
puter OE ...................... 21
Displays with Tire Pressure
Control TPC/RDC OE ......... 22
Standard warning indica-
tors........................... 22
Warning indicators of on-
board computer OE ........... 26
ABS warning indica-
tors OE ........................ 28
ASC warning indica-
tors OE ........................ 31
TPC/RDC warning indica-
tors OE ........................ 34
Anti-theft alarm warning indi-
cators OE ..................... 39
4 Operation . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . 43
Ignition switch and steering
lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Electronic immobilizer
EWS ......................... 45
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Odometer and tripmeters . . . . 47
Onboard computer OE ........ 49
Tire Pressure Control TPC/
RDC OE ....................... 52
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Hazard warning flashers . . . . . . 55
Emergency ON/OFF
switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS OE ....................... 57
Automatic Stability Control
ASC OE ....................... 58
Seat height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Windshield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Handlebars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Electronic suspension adjust-
ment ESA OE ................. 65
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Front and rear seats. . . . . . . . . . 69
Helmet holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

5 Riding . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . . 73
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Starting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Lowered suspension OE ...... 78
Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Driving offroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Parking your motorcycle . . . . . 82
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Securing motorcycle for
transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
6 Technology in detail . . . 87
Brake system with BMW Mo-
torrad Integral ABS OE ........ 88
Engine management with
BMW Motorrad ASC OE ...... 90
Tire Pressure Control TPC/
RDC OE ....................... 92
Electronic suspension adjust-
ment ESA OE ................. 93
7 Accessories . . . . .. . . . .. . . 95
General instructions . . . . . . . . . . 96
Onboard socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Additional headlight OA ....... 97
Luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Case OA ...................... 98
Topcase OA ................. 100
Luggage rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
8 Maintenance . . . . . .. . .. . 105
General instructions . . . . . . . . 106
Onboard toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Front wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . 121
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
9 Care . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . 137
Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Washing your motorcy-
cle.......................... 138
Cleaning sensitive motorcy-
cle parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Paint care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Protective wax coating . . . . . 140
Storing motorcycle . . . . . . . . . 140
Returning motorcycle to
use......................... 141
10 Technical data . .. . . . . 143
Troubleshooting chart . . . . . . 144
Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . . 145
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Running gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Wheels and tires . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Electrical system . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Riding specifications . . . . . . . 158
11 Service . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 159
Reporting safety defects . . . 160
BMW Motorrad Service . . . . 161
BMW Motorrad Service
Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
BMW Motorrad Service
Card - On-the-spot break-
down assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 161
BMW Motorrad Service
Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Maintenance work . . . . . . . . . . 162
Confirmation of mainte-
nance work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Confirmation of service . . . . . 168

General instructions
General instructions
Overview ............................. 6
Abbreviations and symbols ........... 6
Equipment ............................ 7
Technical data ........................ 7
Currentness of this manual ........... 7
1
5
z General instructions

Overview
Chapter 2 of this Rider's Manu-
al will provide you with an initial
overview of your motorcycle. All
maintenance and repair work car-
ried out on your motorcycle will
be documented in Chapter 11.
Proof of the maintenance work
performed is a prerequisite for
generous treatment of claims.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember
to hand over this Rider's Manu-
al; it is an important part of the
motorcycle.
Abbreviations and
symbols
Indicates warnings that you
must comply with for rea-
sons of your safety and the safe-
ty of others, and to protect your
motorcycle against damage.
Special information on op-
erating and inspecting your
motorcycle as well as mainte-
nance and adjustment proce-
dures.
Indicates the end of an
item of information.
Instruction.
Result of an activity.
Reference to a page with
more detailed informa-
tion.
Indicates the end of ac-
cessory or equipment-
dependent information.
Tightening torque.
Technical data.
OE Optional equipment
The motorcycles are as-
sembled complete with
all the BMW optional ex-
tras originally ordered.
OA Optional accessories
BMW optional acces-
sories can be purchased
and installed at your au-
thorized BMW Motorrad
retailer.
EWS Electronic immobilizer.
DWA Anti-theft alarm.
ABS Anti-Lock Brake System.
ASC Automatic Stability Con-
trol.
ESA Electronic Suspension
Adjustment
Electronic suspension
adjustment.
1
6
z General instructions

RDC Tire Pressure Control
(TPC).
Equipment
When you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various
items of custom equipment. This
Rider's Manual describes optional
equipment (OE) offered by BMW
and selected optional accessories
(OA). This explains why the man-
ual may also contain descriptions
of equipment which you have not
ordered. Please note, too, that
your motorcycle might not be ex-
actly as illustrated in this manual
on account of country-specific
differences.
If your BMW is equipped with
options or accessories not de-
scribed in this Rider's Manual,
then this equipment is described
in a separate operating manual.
Technical data
All dimensions, weights and out-
puts in the Rider's Manual refer
to the Deutsche Institut für Nor-
mung e. V. (DIN) and comply with
its tolerance regulations. Ver-
sions for individual countries may
differ.
Currentness of this
manual
The high safety and quality stan-
dards of BMW motorcycles are
maintained by constant devel-
opment work on designs, equip-
ment and accessories. Because
of this, your motorcycle may dif-
fer from the information supplied
in the Rider's Manual. In addition,
BMW Motorrad cannot guarantee
the total absence of errors. We
hope you will appreciate that no
claims can be entertained on the
basis of the data, illustrations or
descriptions in this manual.
1
7
z General instructions

1
8
z General instructions