BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 GT 2002 Rider's Manual (in English)

22
49
Safety check
2
Accessories and loads
e 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 (
b 43, 44).
The gross weight consists of:
– Motorcycle with full tank
–Rider
– Passenger
– Luggage
10k41bkg2.book Seite 49 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

50
Safety check
2
Checking lights
e 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 (
b 7):
defective indicator bulb.
Rear lightGeneral warning light (b 66)
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.
L Note:
To change bulbs in parking
lights, headlight (low and high
beams), rear/brake lights, turn
indicators and the number-
plate light:
(
b Maintenance Instructions,
Chapter 2)
Lights
10k41bkg2.book Seite 50 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

22
51
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
L 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.
L 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
10k41bkg2.book Seite 51 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

52
Safety check
2
Adjusting beam throw to
suit load by adjusting the
suspension strut
 Change the spring strut set-ting to suit the load
(
b 43-44)
– 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
L Note:
Use adjusting screw 1 only for
adjusting the basic setting of
the headlight.
Lights
2
B
A
1
10k41bkg2.book Seite 52 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

22
53
Safety check
2
Headlight basic setting
L 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
L Note:
Have the headlight basic set-
ting checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
Lights
10k41bkg2.book Seite 53 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

54
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.
e Attention:
BMW Integral ABS incorporates
a brake booster, so braking ef-
ficiency is significantly higher
than with conventional brake
systems.
d Warning:
The tyres need to cover a cer-
tain distance before they ac-
quire their full road grip
(b 63).
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
10k41bkg2.book Seite 54 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

3
55
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.d 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.
10k41bkg2.book Seite 55 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

56
Starting – Riding – Parking
3
Important notes
Risk of fatal injuryYour motorcycle is equipped
with Digital Motor Electronics
(Motronic) and a high-power
ignition system.
d 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
d 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
(
b 75).
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.
d 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.
10k41bkg2.book Seite 56 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

3
57
Starting – Riding – Parking
Important notes
Catalytic converter
e Attention:
To avoid damage to the cata-
lytic converter:
 Do not run the fuel tank dry
 Push-start only when the
engine is cold
 Do not run the engine with a
spark-plug cap detached
 Do not exceed the engine- speed limits marked on the
revolution counter
 Comply with all specified
maintenance intervals
 Stop the engine at once if it
misfires
 In the event of misfiring or a severe drop in engine power,
consult a specialist work-
shop, preferably an author-
ised BMW motorcycle dealer
If misfiring or malfunction of the
fuel-air mixture preparation sys-
tem causes unburned fuel to
reach the catalytic converter,
there is a risk of it overheating
and being damaged.
Risk of fireHigh temperatures occur at the
exhaust system, particularly if a
catalytic converter is installed.
d Warning:
Make sure that whether riding
or standing still or when the
motorcycle is parked, no eas-
ily flammable material
(for example hay, grass,
leaves, clothing or luggage
etc.) can come into contact
with the hot exhaust system.
Do not allow the engine to
idle unnecessarily or for a
lengthy period when the mo-
torcycle is at a standstill
— risk of overheating or fire.
Ride away immediately after
starting the engine.
10k41bkg2.book Seite 57 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09

58
Starting – Riding – Parking
3
Placing motorcycle on
side stand
d Warning:
For safety reasons, never sit
on the motorcycle with the
side stand extended.
e Attention:
Stop the engine before using
the side stand.
Make sure the surface under
the stand is firm.
On a gradient, the motorcycle
should always face uphill; se-
lect 1st gear.  Switch off the ignition
 Keep both feet on the ground
 Hold the left handlebar grip
with your left hand
 Keep your right hand on the
right handlebar grip and the
handbrake lever
 Hold the motorcycle upright and balanced
 U s e y o u r le f t f o o t a t t h e e x t e n -
sion pin to extend the side
stand fully (arrow)
 Slowly lean the motorcycle to the side until its weight is
taken by the stand and dis-
mount from the motorcycle
 Turn the handlebars to full left
lock (
b 11)
 Check that the motorcycle
is firmly supported
Side stand
10k41bkg2.book Seite 58 Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2003 9:17 09