BMW R 1200 GS - Installation and maintenance manual

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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 manu-
al............................. 7
2 Overviews................ 9
General view, left side . . ..... 11
General view, right side ..... 13
Left handlebar fitting ........ 14
Handlebar fitting, right....... 15
Underneath seat .. . ......... 16
Instrument cluster .... . . . . . . . 17
Headlight.................... 18
3 Status indicators ....... 19
Standard displays ........... 20
Displays with onboard com-
puter........................ 21
Displays with Tire Pressure
Control TPC/RDC . .......... 22
Standard warning indica-
tors.......................... 22
Warning indicators of on-
board computer . . . .......... 27
ABS warning indicators ... . . 29
ASC warning indicators ..... 31
TPC/RDC warning indica-
tors.......................... 35
Anti-theft alarm warning indi-
cators....................... 41
4 Operation................ 45
Ignition switch and steering
lock ......................... 46
Electronic immobilizer
EWS ........................ 47
Clock........................ 48
Odometer and
tripmeters................... 49
Onboard computer . . . . . . . . .. 51
Tire Pressure Control TPC/
RDC......................... 54
Lights....................... 54
Turn indicators . . ............ 56
Hazard warning flashers .. . .. 56
Emergency ON/OFF
switch....................... 57
Operating heated handlebar
grips......................... 57
BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS......................... 58
Automatic Stability Control
ASC......................... 59
Seatheight.................. 61
Windshield.................. 61
Clutch....................... 62
Brakes ...................... 62
Mirrors ...................... 63
Handlebars.................. 64
Spring preload ........... . . . 64
Damping.................... 66
Electronic suspension ad-
justment ESA ............... 67

Tires ........................ 69
Headlight.................... 70
Front and rear seats......... 70
Helmet holder . . . . . . ......... 72
5 Riding.................... 73
Safety instructions .......... 74
Checklist.................... 76
Starting...................... 77
Runningin .................. 79
Offroad riding ......... . . . . . . 80
Brakes ...................... 81
Parking your motorcycle .... 82
Refueling.................... 83
Securing motorcycle for
transport .................... 84
6 Technology in
detail..................... 87
Brake system with BMW
Motorrad Integral ABS . . . . . . 88
Engine management with
BMW Motorrad ASC .. . ..... 90
Tire Pressure Control TPC/
RDC......................... 92
Electronic suspension ad-
justment ESA ............... 93
7 Accessories ............. 95
General instructions . . . ...... 96
Onboard sockets . .. .... ..... 96
Case ........................ 97
Topcase................... 100
Luggage rack ............ . 103
8 Maintenance .......... 105
General instructions . . . .... 106
Onboard toolkit. . . . ........ 106
Engineoil ................. 107
Brake system ............. 108
Clutch..................... 113
Rims and Tires . .. . .. .. . .. . 114
Wheels.................... 115
Front wheel stand . .. . .. . .. 121
Lamps..................... 122
Airfilter.................... 128
Jump-starting ............. 130
Battery.................... 131
9 Care.................... 135
Care products . .. .. .. .. .. .. 136
Washing your motorcy-
cle......................... 136
Cleaning sensitive motorcy-
cleparts................... 137
Paintcare................. 138
Protective wax coating .... 138
Storing motorcycle . . . . . . .. 138
Returning motorcycle to
use........................ 139
10 Technical data ...... 141
Troubleshooting chart... . . 142
Threaded fasteners ....... 143
Engine .................... 145
Fuel....................... 146
Engineoil ................. 147
Clutch..................... 148
Transmission..... . . . . . . . .. 148
Rear-wheel drive . ......... 149
Running gear.. . . . ......... 149
Brakes .................... 150
Wheels and tires . . . . . ..... 151
Electrical system .......... 152
Frame..................... 154
Dimensions ............... 154
Weights................... 155
Riding specifications .... . . 155

11 Service............... 157
Reporting safety
defects.................... 158
BMW Motorrad Service . . . 159
BMW Motorrad Service
Quality .................... 159
BMW Motorrad Mobility
Services - onsite break-
down service . . . ........... 159
BMW Motorrad Service
Network................... 160
Maintenance work......... 160
Confirmation of mainte-
nancework................ 161
Confirmation of service.... 166

General instructions
General instructions
Overview ............................ 6
Abbreviations and symbols ..... ..... 6
Equipment........................... 7
Technicaldata....................... 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 separate operating instructions.
Technical data
All dimensions, weights and out-
puts in the Rider's Manual refer
to the Deutsches 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