BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 GT 2004 Rider's Manual (in English)

22
49
Safety check
2
 Warning:
BMW cannot examine or test
each product of outside origin
on the accessories and tyres
market to ensure that it can be
used on or in connection with
BMW motorcycles without con-
stituting a safety hazard. Even
approval by an official inspec-
tion authority or an official per-
mit (General Operating Permit)
cannot always provide this
guarantee. Tests conducted by
these instances cannot make
provision for all operating condi-
tions experienced by BMW mo-
torcycles and consequently,
they are not sufficient in some
circumstances.

Note:
BMW accessories and other
products approved by BMW
can be obtained from your
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Accessories and tyres
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50
Safety check
2
Correct loading
 Warning:
Overloading can impair the
handling of your motorcycle.
• Make sure that the weight is uniformly distributed between
right and left
• Pack heavy items at the bottom and toward the
inboard side
OAOptional accessory
• Max. load in each case (left and right): 10 kg
(approx. 22 lbs)
• Max. load on luggage rack and in tank-top rucksack
OA
5 kg (11 lbs) each
• Check that fasteners are cor-
rectly positioned and tight
 Warning:
With system cases installed, it
is advisable not to exceed
130 km/h (80 mph).
Loading
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22
51
Safety check
2
Accessories and loads
 Attention:
Never exceed the motorcycle's
permissible gross weight limit of
500 kg (1,102 lbs). Do not
exceed the wheel load limits of
200 kg (441 lbs) at the front and
330 kg (728 lbs) at the rear.
Adjust the shock absorber and
rear spring settings to suit
gross weight (

45, 46).
The gross weight consists of:
– Motorcycle with full tank
–Rider
– Passenger
– Luggage
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52
Safety check
2
Checking lights
 Attention:
Check that all lights are opera-
tional at the start of each
journey.
Flashing turn indicatorsIf turn indicator repeater flashes
at twice the usual speed (

7):
defective indicator bulb.
Rear lightGeneral warning light (
68)
ON:
Brake light or tail light defective.
If the rear light is defective the
brake light is dimmed and acts
as a rear light. When you apply
the brakes the brake light
shines at full brightness.

Note:
To change bulbs in parking
lights, headlight (low and high
beams), rear/brake lights, turn
indicators and the number-
plate light:
(

Maintenance Instructions,
Chapter 2)
Lights
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22
53
Safety check
2
Adjusting headlight for
RHD/LHD traffic
If the motorcycle is ridden in a
country where the opposite rule
of the road applies, its asym-
metric low headlight beam will
tend to dazzle oncoming traffic.
To prevent this, mask over part
of the headlight glass (apply a
piece of adhesive tape cut to
the correct size and shape).
–A from LHD to
RHD traffic
– B from RHD to
LHD traffic
Adjusting headlight beam
throw

Note:
When the basic setting is cor-
rect, headlight beam throw is
regulated when spring preload
is adjusted to suit load. Have the headlight basic set-
ting adjusted by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.

Note:
Adjust beam height so that
oncoming traffic is not dazzled.
Make sure that the throw of the
light cone adequately illumi-
nates the road ahead of you.
Lights
BA
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54
Safety check
2
Adjusting beam throw to
suit load by adjusting the
suspension strut
• Change the spring strut set-ting to suit the load
(

45-46)
– Spring preload has an effect
on headlight beam throw Only if the load carried on the
motorcycle is very high, the
headlight beam can also be
lowered by moving lever
2. This
shortens the beam throw.
Pivot lever 2 :
A = neutral position
B = high load

Note:
Use adjusting screw 1 only for
adjusting the basic setting of
the headlight.
Lights
2
B
A
1
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22
55
Safety check
2
Headlight basic setting

Note:
Do not prop the motorcycle on
the centre or side stand.
• Check tyre pressures and cor-
rect if necessary.
• Set the spring-strut adjuster to the position for one-up riding
–Make sure lever 2 is horizontal
(neutral position)
• Position the motorcycle on a
level surface 10 metres (33 feet)
(headlight) from a light-coloured
wall, and with the rider's weight
(approx. 85 kg/187 lbs) on the
seat
• Measure the distance H from
the ground to the centre of the
headlight
• Transfer this height H to the wall
and draw a cross on the wall at
this point • Draw a second cross
(x = 10 cm/3.94 in) lower
• Switch on the low-beam headlight
• Turn adjusting screw 1 to
align the headlight in such a
way that the light-dark cutoff
starts in the middle of the bot-
tom cross and rises to the
right to the height of the upper
cross, before dropping again
•Adjusting screw 1: – Turn screw counter-clock-wise: higher
– Turn screw clockwise: lower

Note:
Have the headlight basic set-
ting checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Lights
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56
Starting – Riding – Parking
3
Handling your motorcycle
safely
Each motorcycle has a charac-
ter all its own. It is time now for
you to familiarise yourself with
the way your own motorcycle
behaves:
– Acceleration
– Roadholding
– Cornering
–Braking …
These are all things you need to
become familiar with.
Please remember too that if
the motorcycle has not yet cov-
ered 1,000 kilometres (approx.
600 miles), the engine is not yet
fully run in.
 Attention:
BMW Integral ABS incorporates
a brake booster, so braking ef-
ficiency is significantly higher
than with conventional brake
systems.
 Warning:
The tyres need to cover a cer-
tain distance before they ac-
quire their full road grip
(
65).
If you ride at high speed, always
bear in mind that various
boundary conditions such as
the spring preload setting and
the shock absorber setting, an
unbalanced luggage load,
loose clothing, low tyre pres-
sure, poor tyre tread, and so on,
can affect the handling of your
motorcycle.
Your first journey
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3
57
Starting – Riding – Parking
Your first journey
Safe motorcycling does not
depend on the motorcycle
alone.
Your own skill and common-
sense are needed too.
The key to genuine safety on
the road is a sensible balance
between the motorcycle's tech-
nical features and the rider's
skill, so that together they form
a single efficient unit.
Riding safely in traffic calls for a
sense of responsibility to your
passenger and to other road
users. Warning:
Do not ride the motorcycle af-
ter drinking alcoholic bever-
ages. Even small amounts of
alcohol or drugs, particularly
if taken in conjunction with
medicines, will adversely af-
fect your perception and your
ability to assess situations
and make decisions, and also
slow down your reflexes.
Take to the road now by all
means, but think carefully about
everything you do.
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58
Starting – Riding – Parking
3
Important notes
Risk of fatal injuryYour motorcycle is equipped
with Digital Motor Electronics
(Motronic) and a high-power
ignition system.
 Warning:
When the engine is running or
the ignition switched on, nev-
er touch electrically live parts
of the ignition system or the
digital engine electronics.
BMW Integral ABS
 Warning:
When the ignition is switched
off or if the BMW Integral ABS
fails, only a RESIDUAL BRAK-
ING FUNCTION remains availa-
ble for slowing the motorcycle
(

77).
Under these circumstances
you must apply CONSIDERA-
BLY higher pressure to the
brake levers in order to apply
the brakes, and lever travel is
longer
Risk of poisoningExhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, which is colourless
and odourless but highly toxic.
 Warning:
Inhaling the exhaust fumes
therefore represents a health
hazard and can even cause
loss of consciousness with
fatal consequences.
Do not run the engine in an
enclosed space.
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