BMW MOTORRAD F 650 CS 2003 Rider's Manual (in English)

1
29
Safety check
2
Checking brake pressure
d Warning:
To prevent air from entering
the brake circuit:
– Do not turn the handlebars in the clamping blocks
– Do not turn the fitting on the handlebar.
Sudden changes in play or
spongy resistance at the brake
lever indicate a fault in the
hydraulic system.
For this reason, check pres-
sure at the handbrake lever
and the brake pedal before
starting each journey.
d Warning:
Do not ride the motorcycle if
you have any doubts about
the safety of the brake sys-
tem.
Immediately seek the advice
of a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
Handlebar levers
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30
Safety check
2
Work on the brake system
d Warning:
To ensure reliability have all
work on the brake systems
carried out by a specialist
workshop, preferably an au-
thorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Brake system, checking
d Warning:
Sudden changes in play or
spongy action of the brake le-
ver indicate a fault in the
brake system.
Before riding off, therefore,
always check the resistance
of the front and rear brake le-
vers and test operation of the
brakes.
Do not ride the motorcycle if
you have any doubts about
the safety of the brake sys-
tem.
Do not, under any circum-
stances, adjust the screw in
the pedal of the footbrake.
Immediately seek the advice
of a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
Brake system – general
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31
Safety check
2
Brake system – general
Checking brake pads
d Warning:
Have the brake pads replaced
before they wear to the mini-
mum permissible thickness:
have the work performed
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer. Brake pad wear depends on
your personal style of riding.
To ensure reliable operation of
the brakes: do not allow the
pads to wear past the minimum
specified thickness (b Mainte-
nance Instructions, Chapter 2)
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32
Safety check
2
Checking brake fluid levelGradual wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level in
the reservoir to drop.
d Warning:
If brake fluid level in the fluid
reservoirs for the front or rear
brakes has dropped below
the MIN mark (
b 33, 34) have
the brake system checked
without delay by a specialist
workshop, preferably an au-
thorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Changing the brake fluid
d Warning:
Brake fluid is exposed to
severe thermal loads, and
absorbs moisture from the
atmosphere.
Consequently, the brake fluid
must be changed regularly
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
Brake system
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1
33
Safety check
2
Checking front brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the mini-
mum level (MIN mark).
 Prop the motorcycle on its side stand
– Make sure the ground is level and firm.  Move the handlebars to the
straight-ahead position
 Check the brake fluid level in
the sight glass:
MIN Minimum level
Bottom edge of sight
glass
L Note:
Gradual wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level in
the reservoir to drop.
Brake system
MIN
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34
Safety check
2
Checking rear brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark on the brake fluid reser-
voir  Hold the motorcycle upright
– Make sure the ground is
level and firm.
 Check the brake fluid level:
MAX Maximum level
MIN Minimum level
L Note:
Gradual wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level in
the reservoir to drop.
Brakes
MAX
MIN
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1
35
Safety check
2
Checking belt tension
e Attention:
Belt tension must be checked
every 10,000 km (6,000 miles)
by a specialist workshop, pref-
erably an authorised BMW mo-
torcycle dealer.
Check the drive belt for dam-
age after riding on unsur-
faced tracks or in bad road
conditions.
If necessary consult a specialist
workshop, preferably an au-
thorised BMW motorcycle deal-
er.
L Note:
When new, the inner face of the
drive belt has a thin coating of
polyethylene. This coating
wears off during the running-in
phase. This process is normal
and is not indicative of prema-
ture belt wear.
Drive belt
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36
Safety check
2
Spring preloadOE
Adjusting
spring preload
d Warning:
Before the journey starts, ad-
just spring preload to suit the
gross weight/load on the mo-
torcycle.
For safety reasons, never at-
tempt to alter spring preload
while the motorcycle is being
ridden.
Always bring the motorcycle to
a standstill before adjusting.
 Prop the motorcycle on its side
stand
 Adjust spring preload by turn-
ing knob 1
OEOptional extra
Basic setting, one-up,
rider up to 85 kg (187 lbs):
Turn knob 1 as far as it will go
counter-clockwise in the direc-
tion indicated by the “LOW”
arrow
Setting for two-up and
luggage:
Turn knob 1 clockwise in the
direction indicated by the
“HIGH” arrow until spring
preload suits your preferences.
Turn the knob as far as it will go
in the “High” direction if the
motorcycle is loaded to the limit
of its load-bearing capacity
1
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37
Safety check
2
Shock-absorbersOE
Adjusting shock absorber
d Warning:
Before starting the journey,
adjust the shock absorber to
match total weight.
If spring preload is changed,
it is essential to adjust the
shock-absorber setting ac-
cordingly.  Adjust the shock absorber
with a screwdriver
Firm setting “H”:
 Fully tighten adjusting screw 1
Basic setting:
 Back off adjusting screw 1
through
3/4 of a turn to one full
turn
Soft setting “S”:
 Fully back off adjusting screw 1
OEOptional extra
1
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38
Safety check
2
Wheels
Checking wheel rims
d Warning:
Have damaged wheel rims
checked and, if necessary,
replaced by a specialist work-
shop, preferably an author-
ised BMW motorcycle dealer.
Use only wheels and tyres
that BMW Motorrad has ap-
proved for your motorcycle.
For each size of tyre BMW
tests certain makes, and ap-
proves those that it certifies
as roadworthy.
If BMW Motorrad has not ap-
proved the wheels and tyres it
cannot assess their suitability
or provide any guarantee of
road safety.
d Warning:
You can obtain detailed infor-
mation on approved tyre
sizes and makes from your
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer or by visiting
www.bmw-motorrad.com on
the Internet
Checking tyre tread depth
d Warning:
Comply with local legal re-
quirements concerning mini-
mum tread depth. Worn tyres
can impair handling.
 Measure tread depth at the
centre of the tyre tread
BMW's minimum tread depth
recommendation:
Front .................. 2 mm (0.08 in)
Rear................... 3 mm (0.12 in)
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