BMW R 1200RT Installation and maintenance manual

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

Motorcycle/Dealer Data
Motorcycle data
Model
Vehicle identification number
Color number
Initial registration
License plate
Dealer Data
Contact in Service
Ms./Mr
Phone number
Dealer's address/phone number (company
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 high-
way 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 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.
01 41 8 551 007
*01418551007*
*01418551007*
*01418551007*

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
Notice concerning current sta-
tus ........................... 7
2 Overviews ................ 9
General view, left side . . . . . . . 11
General view, right side . . . . . 13
Underneath seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Multifunction switch, left . . . . 16
Multifunction switch,
right......................... 17
Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 Displays ................. 19
Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 20
Warning and indicator
lamps ....................... 21
Indicator light of cruise-con-
trol system .................. 21
Service display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Range....................... 22
Ambient temperature. . . . . . . . 23
Tire inflation pressures . . . . . . 23
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4 Operation................ 37
Steering and ignition
lock ......................... 38
EWS Electronic immobi-
lizer ......................... 39
Clock........................ 40
Display ...................... 40
Multifunction display . . . . . . . . 42
Lights ....................... 43
Turn indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Hazard warning flashers . . . . . 44
Emergency ON/OFF
switch....................... 44
Heated handlebar grips . . . . . 45
Seat heating ................ 46
ASC Automatic Stability
Control...................... 47
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Storage compartment . . . . . . . 51
Clutch....................... 51
Brakes ...................... 51
Shifting...................... 52
Mirrors ...................... 52
Windshield .................. 52
Spring preload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Damping .................... 54
ESA Electronic Suspension
Adjustment.................. 55
Tires ........................ 56
Headlight.................... 57
Rider and passenger
seats ........................ 58
Helmet holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
5 Riding.................... 63
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . 64
Checklist .................... 66
Starting...................... 66

Breakingin.................. 69
Brakes ...................... 69
Parking your motorcycle . . . . 70
Refueling.................... 71
Fastening motorcycle for
transport .................... 73
6 Technology in
detail..................... 75
Brake system with
BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS......................... 76
Engine management with
BMW Motorrad ASC . . . . . . . . 78
Tire Pressure Control TCP/
RDC......................... 79
ESA II Electronic Suspension
Adjustment.................. 81
7 Accessories . . .. . . .. . . .. . 83
General instructions . . . . . . . . . 84
Onboard power sockets . . . . . 84
Case ........................ 85
Topcase..................... 87
8 Maintenance . . .. . .. . . .. . 91
General instructions . . . . . . . . . 92
Onboard tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Engine oil ................... 93
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Clutch....................... 98
Wheel rims and tires . . . . . . . . 99
Wheels.................... 100
Front wheel stand . . . . . . . . . 106
Lamps..................... 108
Fairings and Panels . . . . . . . 113
Jump-start ................ 115
Battery .................... 116
9 Care.................... 119
Care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Washing your vehicle. . . . . . 120
Cleaning sensitive vehicle
parts ...................... 120
Paint care ................. 121
Protective wax coating . . . . 122
Storing motorcycle . . . . . . . . 122
Returning motorcycle to
use........................ 122
10 Technical data . .. . . . 123
Troubleshooting chart . . . . . 124
Threaded fasteners . . . . . . . 125
Engine .................... 127
Fuel....................... 128
Engine oil ................. 129
Clutch..................... 129
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Rear-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . 130
Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Brakes .................... 133
Wheels and tires . . . . . . . . . . 133
Electrical system . . . . . . . . . . 135
Frame..................... 136
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Weights ................... 137
Performance data . . . . . . . . . 137
11 Service ............... 139
Reporting safety
defects.................... 140
BMW Motorrad Service . . . 141
BMW Motorrad Mobility
Services................... 141
Maintenance proce-
dures...................... 141

Confirmation of mainte-
nance work................ 143
Confirmation of service . . . . 148
12 Appendix. . . .. . .. . . .. . 151
Certificate ................. 152
13 Index ................. 153

General instructions
Overview ............................ 6
Abbreviations and symbols . . . . . . . . . . 6
Equipment........................... 7
Technicaldata....................... 7
Notice concerning current status . . . . 7
1
5
z General instructions

Overview
Chapter 2 of this Rider's Man-
ual 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 Manual;
it is an important part of the mo-
torcycle.
Abbreviations and
symbols
Indicates warnings that
you must comply with for
reasons of your safety and the
safety of others, and to protect
your product 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
BMW Motorrad optional
extras are already com-
pletely installed during
motorcycle production.
OA Optional accessory
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.
TPC/
RDC
Tire Pressure Control
(TPC).
1
6
z General instructions

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.
Notice concerning
current status
The high safety and quality stan-
dards of BMW motorcycles are
maintained by consistent, on-
going development efforts em-
bracing their design, equipment
and accessories. For this rea-
son, aspects of your motorcycle
may vary from the descriptions in
this Rider's Manual. In addition,
BMW Motorrad cannot guarantee
the total absence of errors. We
hope you will appreciate that no
claims can be recognized based
on the data, illustrations or de-
scriptions in this manual. 1
7
z General instructions

1
8
z General instructions

Overviews
General view, left side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
General view, right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Underneathseat.................... 15
Multifunction switch, left . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Multifunction switch, right . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2
9
z Overviews

2
10
z Overviews

General view, left side
1Headlight range adjust-
ment ( 58)
2Brake-fluid reservoir, front
( 96)
3Onboard socket (OE/OA)
( 84)
4Adjustment of rear damp-
ing rate ( 54)
5Adjustable shift lever
( 52)
6Engine oil level indicator
( 93)
7Onboard socket ( 84)
8Vehicle Identification
Number (on steering-head
bearing)
2
11
z Overviews

2
12
z Overviews

General view, right side
1Seat lock ( 58)
2with seat heatingOE
Operation of passenger
seat heating (under pas-
senger seat) ( 46)
3Tank rucksack mount
4Fuel filler opening ( 72)
5Clutch fluid reservoir
6Electrically adjustable wind-
shield ( 52)
7Storage compartment
( 51)
8Engine oil fill location
( 94)
2
13
z Overviews

2
14
z Overviews

Underneath seat
1Rider's seat height adjust-
ment ( 60)
2Battery ( 116)
3Brake-fluid reservoir, rear
( 97)
4Rider's Manual (US Model)
5Onboard tool kit
6Helmet holder ( 60)
7Payload table
8Tire inflation pressure table
9Adjuster for spring preload,
rear ( 53)
2
15
z Overviews

Multifunction switch,
left
1Operation of audio system
(OE, see separate operat-
ing instructions)
2High-beam headlight and
headlight flasher ( 43)
3with cruise-control sys-
temOE
Cruise control ( 48)
4Hazard warning flashers
( 44)
5Windshield ( 52)
6Turn indicators ( 43)
7Horn
8with Electronic Suspen-
sion Adjustment (ESA
II)OE
ESA control ( 55)
9with Automatic Stability
Control (ASC)OE
Operating ASC ( 47)
10 Selecting display readings
( 40)
2
16
z Overviews

Multifunction switch,
right
1with heated handlebar
gripsOE
Operating heated grips
( 45)
2with seat heatingOE
Driver's seat heater
( 46)
3Emergency ON/OFF
switch ( 44)
4Starter button ( 66)
2
17
z Overviews

Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Warning and indicator
lamps ( 21)
3Multifunction display
( 20)
4Tachometer
5Anti-theft alarm indicator
lamp (OE, see separate
anti-theft alarm operating
instructions)
6Operating clock ( 40)
Adjusting dimming
( 42).
7Operating odometer
( 40)
8Ambient light sensor (for
brightness adjustment of
instrument lighting)
2
18
z Overviews