BMW F 800 GS - Installation and maintenance manual

Rider's Manual
F 800 GS Adventure
BMW Motorrad
The Ultimate
Riding Machine

Motorcycle data/dealership details
Motorcycle data
Model
Vehicle identification number
Colour code
Date of first registration
Registration number
Dealership details
Person to contact in Service department
Ms/Mr
Phone number
Dealership address/phone number (com-
pany stamp)

Welcome to BMW
We congratulate you on your
choice of a motorcycle from
BMW and welcome you to the
community of BMW riders.
Familiarise 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 informa-
tion on maintenance and care to
help you maintain your vehicle's
reliability and safety, as well as its
value.
If you have questions concerning
your motorcycle, your authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer will gladly
provide advice and assistance.
We hope that you will enjoy rid-
ing your BMW and that all your
journeys will be pleasant and safe
BMW Motorrad.

Table of Contents
You can also consult the index at
the end of this Rider's Manual if
you want to find a particular topic
or item of information.
1 General instructions ... . 4
Overview..................... 4
Abbreviations and
symbols...................... 4
Equipment ................... 5
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Actuality...................... 5
2 General views .. . . .. . . . . . . 6
General view, left side . . . . . . . . 7
General view, right side . . . . . . 9
Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . 10
Underneath the trim
panel........................ 11
Multifunction switch, left . . . . 12
Multifunction switch,
right......................... 14
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3 Status indicators . .. . . . . 17
Warning and telltale
lights ........................ 17
Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 19
Warnings.................... 20
On-board computer dis-
play ......................... 27
Fuel level.................... 27
Fuel reserve................. 27
Service-due indicator . . . . . . . . 28
Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 28
4 Operation................ 30
Ignition switch/steering
lock ......................... 30
Electronic immobiliser
(EWS)....................... 31
Clock........................ 31
Reading ..................... 32
Stopwatch................... 34
Lights ....................... 35
Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 37
Emergency off switch (kill
switch) ...................... 38
Heated handlebar grips . . . . . 38
BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 39
BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . 40
Riding mode ................ 41
Clutch....................... 43
Brakes ...................... 43
Mirrors ...................... 44
Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Damping .................... 46
Electronic Suspension Ad-
justment ESA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Tyres........................ 48
Headlight.................... 49
Seat......................... 50
Helmet holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5 Riding.................... 52
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . 52
Checklist .................... 54
Starting...................... 54
Runningin .................. 56
Speed....................... 57
Off-roading.................. 58
Brakes ...................... 59
Parking your motorcycle . . . . 60

Refuelling ................... 61
Fuel grade .................. 62
Securing motorcycle for
transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
6 Engineering details. . . . . 64
Riding mode ................ 64
Brake system with
BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 65
Electronic engine manage-
ment with BMW Motorrad
ASC......................... 67
7 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . .. 69
General instructions . . . . . . . . . 69
Toolkit....................... 69
Engine oil ................... 70
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Coolant...................... 75
Clutch....................... 76
Rims and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Chain........................ 78
Wheels...................... 80
Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Bulbs........................ 89
Body panels................. 95
Air filter...................... 96
Jump-start .................. 97
Battery ...................... 98
8 Accessories .. . . . . . . .. . 102
General instructions . . . . . . . 102
Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Luggage .................. 103
Aluminium case . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Aluminium topcase . . . . . . . . 106
9 Care.................... 108
Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Washing motorcycle. . . . . . . 108
Cleaning easily damaged
components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Paint care ................. 109
Protective wax coating . . . . 110
Laying up motorcycle . . . . . 110
Restoring motorcycle to
use........................ 110
10 Technical data . . . . . . 111
troubleshooting chart . . . . . . 111
Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 112
Engine .................... 114
Fuel....................... 115
Engine oil ................. 116
Clutch..................... 117
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 118
Chassis and suspen-
sion ....................... 118
Brakes .................... 119
Wheels and tyres. . . . . . . . . . 119
Electrics................... 120
Frame..................... 122
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Weights ................... 123
Riding specifications . . . . . . 123
11 Service ............... 124
BMW Motorrad Service . . . 124
BMW Motorrad Mobility
services ................... 124
Maintenance work . . . . . . . . . 124
Confirmation of mainten-
ance work................. 126
Confirmation of service . . . . 131
12 Index ................. 133

Overview
An important aspect of this
Rider's Manual is that it can
be used for quick and easy
reference. Consulting the
extensive index at the end of this
Rider's Manual is the fastest way
to find information on a particular
topic or item. To first read an
overview of your motorcycle,
please go to chapter 2. All
maintenance and servicing work
on the motorcycle is documented
in Chapter 11. This record of the
maintenance work you have had
performed on your motorcycle
is a precondition for generous
treatment of goodwill claims.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember
to hand over this Rider's Manual;
it is an important part of the mo-
torcycle.
Abbreviations and
symbols
Indicates warnings that you
must comply with for reas-
ons of your safety and the safety
of others, and to protect your
product against damage.
Specific instructions on
how to operate, control, ad-
just or look after items of equip-
ment on the motorcycle.
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 a
passage relating to spe-
cific accessories or items
of equipment.
Tightening torque.
Technical data.
OE Optional extra
The motorcycles are as-
sembled complete with
all the BMW Motorrad
optional extras originally
ordered.
OA Optional accessory
You can obtain optional
accessories through your
authorised BMW Motor-
rad dealer; optional ac-
cessories have to be
retrofitted to the motor-
cycle.
1
4
z General instructions

EWS Electronic immobiliser.
DWA Anti-theft alarm (Dieb-
stahlwarnanlage)
ABS Anti-lock brake system
ASC Automatic Stability Con-
trol.
ESA Electronic Suspension
Adjustment.
Equipment
When you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various
items of custom equipment.
This Rider's Manual describes
optional extras (OE) offered by
BMW and selected optional ac-
cessories (OA). This explains why
the manual may also contain de-
scriptions of equipment which
you have not ordered. Please
note, too, that your motorcycle
might not be exactly as illus-
trated in this manual on account
of country-specific differences.
If your motorcycle contains
equipment that has not been
described, its description can be
found in a separate manual.
Technical data
All dimensions, weights and
power ratings stated in the
Rider's Manual are quoted to the
standards and comply with the
tolerance requirements of the
Deutsches Institut für Normung
e.V. (DIN). Versions for individual
countries may differ.
Actuality
The high safety and quality
standards of BMW motorcycles
are maintained by constant
development work on designs,
equipment and accessories.
Because of this, your motorcycle
may differ from the information
supplied in the Rider's Manual.
Nor can BMW Motorrad entirely
rule out errors and omissions.
We hope you will appreciate that
no claims can be entertained on
the basis of the data, illustrations
or descriptions in this manual.
1
5
z General instructions

2
6
z General views

General view, left side
1Power socket ( 102)
2Seat lock ( 50)
3Engine-oil filler neck and
oil dipstick ( 70)
2
7
z General views

2
8
z General views

General view, right side
1Tank filler cap ( 61)
2Adjuster, spring preload
( 45)
3Brake-fluid reservoir, rear
( 74)
4Brake-fluid reservoir, front
( 73)
5VIN, type plate (on
steering-head bearing)
6Coolant level indicator (be-
hind side panel) ( 75)
7Adjuster for damping char-
acteristic ( 46)
2
9
z General views

Underneath the seat
1Stowage
with first-aid kit OA
Location of the first-aid kit
2Standard toolkit ( 69)
3Rider's Manual
4Payload table
5Table of tyre pressures
6Helmet holder ( 50)
7Tool for adjusting spring
preload ( 45)
2
10
z General views

Underneath the trim
panel
1Battery ( 98)
2Air-filter housing ( 96)
2
11
z General views

Multifunction switch,
left
1High-beam headlight and
headlight flasher ( 36)
2Select display ( 32).
with on-board com-
puterOE
Reset the average values
( 33).
3Hazard warning flashers
( 37)
4No standard equipment
with LED auxiliary head-
lightsOE
Auxiliary headlights ( 36)
5Turn indicators ( 37)
6Horn
7No standard equipment
with Electronic Suspen-
sion Adjustment (ESA)OE
ESA ( 47)
2
12
z General views

8ABS ( 39)
with Automatic Stability
Control (ASC)OE
ASC ( 40)
2
13
z General views

Multifunction switch,
right
1No standard equipment
with heated handlebar
gripsOE
Heated handlebar grips
( 38).
2No standard equipment
with off-road mode ABS
and ASCOE
Off-road mode ( 41)
3Starter ( 54)
4Emergency off switch (kill
switch) ( 38)
2
14
z General views

Instrument panel
1Warning and telltale lights
( 17)
2Speedometer
3Set clock ( 31).
with on-board com-
puterOE
Operation of the stopwatch
( 34)
4Multifunction display
( 19)
5Select display ( 32).
Reset tripmeter ( 33).
6Ambient-light brightness
sensor (for controlling the
brightness of the instru-
ment lighting)
with anti-theft alarm
(DWA)OE
Anti-theft alarm telltale light
(see the instructions for
use for the anti-theft alarm)
with on-board com-
puterOE
Redline warning ( 57)
2
15
z General views

7Rev. counter
2
16
z General views

Warning and telltale
lights
1ABS ( 25)
2No standard equipment
with Automatic Stability
Control (ASC)OE
ASC ( 26)
3Fuel reserve ( 27)
( 23)
4General warning light (in
combination with warnings
in the display) ( 20)
5High-beam headlight
6Flashing turn indicators,
right
7No standard equipment
with LED auxiliary head-
lightsOE
Auxiliary headlights ( 36)
8Idle
9Flashing turn indicators,
left
3
17
z Status indicators

The ABS symbol might dif-
fer, depending on the spe-
cifics of national regulations.
3
18
z Status indicators