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

3
59
Starting – Riding – Parking
Engine oil pressureWarning light 3 p (red) goes
out above idle speed.
e Attention:
If warning light 3 comes on dur-
ing the journey, take the follow-
ing action as soon as traffic
conditions permit:
 Disengage the clutch
 Operate the emergency off (kill) switch (
b56)
 Bring the motorcycle safely to a halt
 Check engine oil level
(b24)
e Attention:
If the motorcycle is being ridden
and warning light 3 lights up
even though the oil level is cor-
rect, you must consult a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Low fuel level
When warning light 4
m (yellow)
lights up, the usable quantity of
fuel left in the tank is approxi-
mately 4 litres (0.9 Imp. gal).
Telltale and warning lights
4
3
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60
Starting – Riding – Parking
Riding, gear shifts
Engine speedLimit engine speed in accord-
ance with coolant temperature,
using the highest engine
speeds only when the engine
has reached its regular operat-
ing temperature.
When the revolution counter
needle enters the red zone on
the dial, the fuel supply is inter-
rupted in order to protect the
engine against overspeeding.
L Note:
The governor cuts in at
7,400 rpm.
Load changes
d Warning:
Try not to open or close the
throttle abruptly, particularly
on wet or slippery roads.
Gearshifts
L Note:
Never slip the clutch excessive-
ly when changing gear. Vary
your speed only by using the
throttle in a suitable gear, not by
slipping the clutch.
It is advisable not to exceed a
maximum of 7,000 rpm
in any
gear.
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3
61
Starting – Riding – ParkingMoving away/upshifts: Pull the clutch lever in
 Press down on the gearshift lever (to select first gear) and
take your foot off the lever
 Smoothly re-engage the clutch
 Increase engine speed slightly as necessary
 Accelerate when the clutch is
fully engaged
 For upshifts into 2nd, 3rd, 4th
and 5th gears, proceed in the
same way, but lift the gear
lever with your foot
Downshifts Close the throttle twistgrip
 Pull the clutch lever in
 Select the next-lowest gear: (opposite direction to arrow)
 Smoothly re-engage the
clutch
Riding, gear shifts
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62
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brakes
Wet bra kesAfter the motorcycle has been
washed, ridden through water
or ridden in the rain, the brake
discs and pads may be wet (or
iced-over in winter), and may
not take effect immediately.
d Warning:
The brakes have to dry before
they start to bite.
Salt on brakesThe brakes may fail to take
effect immediately if the motor-
cycle was ridden on salt-cov-
ered roads and the brakes were
not applied for some time.
d Warning:
The layer of salt on the brake
discs and pads has to be
worn off before the brakes
start to bite.
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63
Starting – Riding – Parking
Brakes
Dirt or mud on brakesWhen riding on loose surfaces
or muddy roads, the brakes
may fail to take effect immedi-
ately because of dirt or mois-
ture on the discs or brake pads.
d Warning:
The brakes have to clean
themselves before they start
to bite.
Dirt on the brakes increases
the rate of pad wear.
Oil and grease on brakes
d Warning:
Brake discs and pads must be
free from oil and grease.
d Warning:
If the brake lever can be moved
right to the limit of its travel,
this indicates a mechanical
or hydraulic fault. The brake
system is defective.
Immediately consult a special-
ist workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
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64
Starting – Riding – Parking
ABSOE – familiarisation phase
Sensitive electronic con-
trol
It takes skill and sensitive con-
trol of the brakes to pull up
safely on a motorcycle. If the
front wheel brake locks and the
wheel skids, the necessary lon-
gitudinal and lateral stabilising
forces are lost, and a fall can
result.
For this reason, the rider sel-
dom makes full use of available
braking performance in an
emergency.
Anti-lock braking at both
wheels greatly reduces the risk
of accidents even when road
conditions are poor, and short-
ens braking distance by making
more efficient use of the motor-
cycle’s braking capability.
ABS helps optimise safety in
emergency-braking situations
when the motorcycle is travel-
ling in a straight line.
Extra safety reservesBut remember: the potentially
shorter braking distances
which ABS permits must not be
used as an excuse for careless
riding. ABS is primarily a means
of ensuring a safety margin in
genuine emergencies.
– Never ride without due care and attention, or assume that
good fortune will protect you
from your own foolhardiness
– Keep within the permitted speed limits
– Take care when cornering. When you apply the brakes on
a corner, the motorcycle's
weight and momentum take
over and even ABS is unable
to counteract their effects
OEOptional extra
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65
Starting – Riding – Parking
d Warning:
Do not operate high-power
radio equipment on the mo-
torcycle. There is a slight risk
of it affecting operation of the
ABS.
ABS checkStart-up is automatic when the
ignition is switched on.
Warning light 1 comes on.
ABS self-diagnosis
When you start the engine and
pull away:
– Warning light 1 goes out if the
ABS is in correct working
order
OEOptional extra
ABS faults– ABS warning light 1 remains
on:
the ABS function is not availa-
ble
e Attention:
If the fault cannot be rectified,
immediately consult a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)OE
1
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66
Starting – Riding – Parking
The ABS is taking effect:– if a pulsating sensation is per-ceptible through the hand-
brake lever or brake pedal
when you apply the brakes
L Note:
Pulsation at the brake lever indi-
cates that the ABS is in action.
The ABS prevents the rear
wheel lifting, depending on rid-
ing style and the applicable
boundary conditions.
e Attention:
If the brake lever can be moved
right to the limit of its travel, this
indicates a mechanical or hy-
draulic fault.
It is advisable to consult an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer, and have the problem
rectified.
OEOptional extra
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)OE
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67
Starting – Riding – Parking
ABS is out of action:
d Warning:
If there is a fault in the ABS
system – as indicated by
warning light 1 –
the reserves of safety nor-
mally afforded by ABS are not
available until the defect has
been put right.
There is a risk of dropping the
motorcycle if the brakes are
applied too hard and the
wheels lock or the rear wheel
lifts clear of the ground as a
result of a high level of front
tyre adhesion.
OEOptional extra
d Warning:
The ABS shuts down after ap-
prox. 10 seconds if you ride
with only one wheel in con-
tact with the ground.
– at speeds below 6 km/h (3 mph) (or 12 km/h (6 mph) if
brake lever was actuated
beforehand)
– when the ignition is switched
off
– if the battery is defective or
flat (indicated by ABS warning
light)
– if there is a fault in the ABS
system (
b65)
The brakes remain fully
operational, though without
the reserves of safety
afforded by ABS.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)OE
1
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68
Starting – Riding – Parking
1
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
OE
Off-road deactivationIn contrast to road riding, when
BMW ABS should always be
active in order to prevent wheel
lock and a resulting accident, it
may be desirable for the rider to
be able to lock a wheel or pre-
vent it from rotating on rough
terrain or loose surfaces. This is
the reason why the ABS can be
deactivated.
Deactivating ABS
d Warning:
Never activate or deactivate
the ABS unless the motorcy-
cle is at a standstill.
L Note:
The ABS function is reactivated
after you switch off the ignition
and switch it on again with the
motorcycle at a standstill.
OEOptional extra
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