BMW R 1200 GS 2003 Installation and maintenance manual

BMW Motorrad
Rider’s Manual
R 1200 GS

1
Introduction
i
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.
To make sure of this, please
read this Rider’s Manual care-
fully before starting to use your
new 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
upkeep to help you maintain
your motorcycle’s reliability and
safety, as well as its value. It
also offers useful hints and
information on the correct
equipment for machine and
rider, again geared toward max-
imising reliability and safety.
If you have any questions con-
cerning your motorcycle, your
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer will gladly provide advice
and assistance.
We hope you enjoy reading this
Rider’s Manual and wish you
many a pleasant, safe journey
on your BMW motorcycle.
Best wishes,
BMW Motorrad
Welcome to BMW

2
Introduction
i
General information
About this Rider’s Manual
We have tried to make all the
information in this Rider’s
Manual easy to find.
The quickest access to a par-
ticular topic or item is by con-
sulting the detailed alphabetical
index at the end. The first chap-
ter of this Rider’s Manual will
provide you with an initial over-
view of your motorcycle.
When the time comes to sell
your BMW, please remember to
hand over this Rider’s Manual; it
is, by law, an important part of
the vehicle.
Symbols and
abbreviations
dWarning:
This symbol indicates pre-
cautions and measures which
are essential in protecting the
rider and other persons from
severe or fatal injury.
eAttention:
Instructions and precautions
specifically intended to prevent
damage to the motorcycle. Dis-
regarding them may render the
warranty invalid.
LNote:
Special information on operat-
ing and inspecting your motor-
cycle as well as maintenance
and adjustment procedures.

3
Introduction
i
XTightening torque:
This symbol introduces values
for the various tightening
torques
• This symbol introduces a pas-
sage containing instructions
on how to perform a particular
operation
– This symbol draws your atten-
tion to the outcome of the
instructions on how to per-
form a particular operation
( ) Figure in brackets bpage
number with explanations
OE Optional extra
Your motorcycle was
assembled complete with
all the optional extras you
ordered
OA Optional accessory
You can obtain optional
accessories through your
authorised BMW motorcy-
cle dealer or trade outlet;
optional accessories have
to be retrofitted to the
motorcycle
EWS Electronic immobiliser
DWA Anti-theft alarm
General information