BMW F 800 GS - Installation and maintenance manual

BMW Motorrad
Rider's Manual
F 800 GS
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)

Details described or illustrated
in this booklet may differ from
the motorcycle's actual specifica-
tion as purchased, the accessor-
ies fitted or the national-market
specification. No claims will be
entertained as a result of such
discrepancies.
Dimensions, weights, fuel con-
sumption and performance data
are quoted to the customary tol-
erances.
The right to modify designs,
equipment and accessories is
reserved.
Errors and omissions excepted.
© 2010 BMW Motorrad
Not to be reproduced either
wholly or in part without written
permission from BMW Motorrad,
After Sales.
Printed in Germany.

Important data for refuelling
Fuel
Recommended fuel grade Super unleaded
95 ROZ/RON
89 AKI
with regular unleaded (RON 91) OE Regular unleaded (slight power- and consumption-related
restrictions)
91 ROZ/RON
87 AKI
Usable fuel capacity approx. 16 l
Reserve fuel approx. 4 l
Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure, front 2.2 bar, one-up, at tyre temperature: 20 °C
2.4 bar, two-up and/or with luggage, at tyre temperat-
ure: 20 °C
Tyre pressure, rear 2.4 bar, one-up, at tyre temperature: 20 °C
2.8 bar, two-up and/or with luggage, at tyre temperat-
ure: 20 °C
BMW recommends
Order No.: 01 41 8 521 151
06.2010, 4th edition

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 information
on maintenance and care to help
you maintain your motorcycle'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 .... 5
Overview..................... 6
Abbreviations and
symbols...................... 6
Equipment ................... 7
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Currency ..................... 7
2 General views . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
General view, left side . . . . . . . 11
General view, right side . . . . . 13
Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . 14
Underneath the trim pan-
el............................ 15
Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . . . . 16
Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . 17
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 Status indicators . . . . . . . 21
Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 22
Meaning of symbols . . . . . . . . . 23
Fuel capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Warning and telltale
lights ........................ 24
Service-due indicator . . . . . . . . 25
Kilometres travelled after fuel
down to reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 26
Warnings.................... 26
4 Operation................ 33
Ignition switch and steering
lock ......................... 34
Electronic immobiliser
EWS ........................ 35
Clock........................ 35
Reading ..................... 36
Stopwatch................... 37
Lights ....................... 39
Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 40
Emergency off switch (kill
switch) ...................... 41
Grip heating................. 41
BMW Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . 42
Clutch....................... 43
Brakes ...................... 43
Mirrors ...................... 44
Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Damping .................... 46
Tyres........................ 46
Headlight.................... 47
Seat......................... 48
Helmet holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5 Riding.................... 51
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . 52
Checklist .................... 54
Starting...................... 54
Runningin .................. 56
speed ....................... 57
Off-roading.................. 58
Brakes ...................... 59
Parking your motorcycle . . . . 60
Refuelling ................... 60
Secure the motorcycle for
transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

6 Engineering details..... 65
Brake system with BMW
Motorrad ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
7 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
General instructions . . . . . . . . . 70
Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Luggage .................... 71
Case ........................ 71
topcase ..................... 74
Aluminium cases . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Aluminium topcase . . . . . . . . . . 79
8 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
General instructions . . . . . . . . . 84
Toolkit....................... 84
Engine oil ................... 85
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Coolant...................... 91
Clutch....................... 91
Rims and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Chain........................ 93
Wheels...................... 95
Front-wheel stand . . . . . . . . . 103
Bulbs...................... 104
Body panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Air filter.................... 112
Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Battery .................... 114
9 Care.................... 119
Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Washing motorcycle. . . . . . . 120
Cleaning easily damaged
components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Paint care ................. 121
Protective wax coating . . . . 122
Laying up motorcycle . . . . . 122
Restoring motorcycle to
use........................ 122
10 Technical data . . . . . . 123
troubleshooting chart . . . . . . 124
Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 125
Engine .................... 127
Fuel....................... 128
Engine oil ................. 129
Clutch..................... 130
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 131
Running gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Brakes .................... 132
Wheels and tyres. . . . . . . . . . 132
Electrics................... 134
Frame..................... 135
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Weights ................... 136
Riding specifications . . . . . . 137
11 Service ............... 139
BMW Motorrad service. . . . 140
BMW Motorrad service
quality..................... 140
BMW Motorrad mobility
services - roadside assist-
ance....................... 140
BMW Motorrad service
network ................... 141
Maintenance work . . . . . . . . . 141
Confirmation of mainten-
ance work................. 142
Confirmation of service . . . . 147

General instructions
General instructions
Overview ............................ 6
Abbreviations and symbols . . . . . . . . . . 6
Equipment........................... 7
Technicaldata....................... 7
Currency............................. 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 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 treat-
ment of goodwill 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 reas-
ons of your safety and the safety
of others, and to protect your
motorcycle 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.
Item of technical data.
OE Optional extra
The motorcycles are as-
sembled complete with
all the BMW optional ex-
tras originally ordered.
OA Optional accessory
You can obtain option-
al accessories through
your authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer; optional
accessories have to be
retrofitted to the motor-
cycle.
EWS Electronic immobiliser.
DWA Anti-theft alarm (Dieb-
stahlwarnanlage)
ABS Anti-lock brake system
1
6
z General instructions

Equipment
When you ordered your BMW
motorcycle, you chose various
items of custom equipment. This
Rider's Manual describes option-
al extras (OE) offered by BMW
and selected optional accessor-
ies (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 BMW was supplied with
equipment not described in
this Rider's Manual, you will
find these features described in
separate manuals.
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.
Currency
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
7
z General instructions

1
8
z General instructions

General views
General views
General view, left side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
General view, right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Underneath the seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Underneath the trim panel . . . . . . . . . . 15
Handlebar fitting, left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Handlebar fitting, right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Instrumentpanel.................... 18
2
9
z General views

2
10
z General views

General view, left side
1Power socket ( 70)
2Seat lock ( 48)
3Engine-oil filler neck and
oil dipstick ( 85)
2
11
z General views

2
12
z General views

General view, right side
1Fuel filler neck ( 60)
2Brake-fluid reservoir, rear
( 90)
3VIN, type plate (on
steering-head bearing,
right)
4Brake-fluid reservoir, front
( 89)
5Coolant level indicator (be-
hind side panel) ( 91)
6Adjuster, spring preload
( 45)
7Adjuster for damping char-
acteristic ( 46)
2
13
z General views

Underneath the seat
1Stowage
with first-aid kit OA
Location of the first-aid kit
2Standard toolkit ( 84)
3Payload table
4Table of tyre pressures
5Helmet holder ( 49)
6Rider's Manual
7Tool for adjusting spring
preload ( 45)
2
14
z General views

Underneath the trim
panel
1Battery ( 114)
2Air-filter housing ( 112)
2
15
z General views

Handlebar fitting, left
1Selecting reading in exten-
ded area ( 36)
2with BMW Motorrad
ABSOE
Operating the ABS
( 42)
3Horn
4Flashing turn indicators,
left ( 40)
Hazard warning flashers
( 40)
5High-beam headlight and
headlight flasher ( 39)
2
16
z General views