ESP BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 GT 2006 Rider's Manual (in English)

Calculating average
speedAverage speed1is calculated
on basis of the time elapsed
since the last RESET. Times
during which the engine was
stopped are excluded from
the calculation.
Resetting average speedRepeatedly press BC
button 1until the average
speed appears in the
display.
Press and hold down the
BC button until the reading
changes ("RESET").
The display shows
"--- km/h".
Calculating average
consumptionAverage consumption 1is
calculated by dividing the dis-
tance covered since the last
RESET by the corresponding
amount of fuel used.
451zOperation

in the direction indicated by
the HIGH arrow.
If you want to reduce spring
preload, turn knob1in the
direction indicated by the
LOW arrow.
One click corresponds
to a half turn of the knob.
The range of adjustment com-
prises 20 turns.
Spring preload, basic
setting
Turn the knob as far as
it will go in the direction
indicated by the LOW ar-
row and then turn it back
15 clicks in the direction
indicated by the HIGH ar-
row. (full load of fuel, with
rider 85 kg)
Shock absorbersShock-absorber settings
and spring preloadDamping must be adapted
to suit spring preload. An in-
crease in spring preload re-
quires firmer damping, a re-
duction in spring preload re-
quires softer damping.Adjusting rear shock
absorber
Your motorcycle's hand-
ling will suffer if you do
not match the spring-preload
and damping-characteristic
settings.
Adjust the damping
characteristic to suit spring
preload.
Make sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand. Adjust the rear shock ab-
sorber, using a screwdriver
to turn adjusting screw
1.
If you want a harder damp-
ing characteristic, use a
screwdriver to turn adjust-
470zOperation

brakes could overheat and
suffer severe damage.
Use both front and rear
brakes, and make use of the
engine's braking effect as
well.Wet brakes
After the motorcycle has
been washed, ridden
through water or ridden in
the rain, the brake discs and
pads might be wet and the
brakes might not take effect
immediately.
Apply the brakes in good time
until the brakes have dried
out.
Salt on brakes
The brakes may fail to
take effect immediately
if the motorcycle was ridden
on salt-covered roads and the
brakes were not applied for
some time. Apply the brakes in good
time until the salt layer on the
brake discs and brake pads
has been removed.
Oil or grease on brakes
Oil and grease on the
brake discs and pads
considerably diminish braking
efficiency.
Especially after repair and
maintenance work, make
sure that the brake discs and
brake pads are free of oil and
grease.
Dirt or mud on brakes
When riding on loose
surfaces or muddy
roads, the brakes may fail
to take effect immediately
because of dirt or moisture on
the discs or brake pads.
Apply brakes in good time
until the brakes have been
cleaned.
Brake system with
BMW Motorrad
Integral ABSPartially integral brakesYour motorcycle is equipped
with partially integral brakes.
Both front and rear brakes
are applied when you pull the
handbrake lever. The foot-
brake lever acts only on the
rear brake.
When actively intervening
in the braking process, the
BMW Motorrad Integral ABS
adapts braking-force distri-
bution between front and rear
brakes to suit the load on the
motorcycle.
The integral braking
function makes it
very difficult to spin the
rear wheel by opening
the throttle with the front
brake applied to keep the
motorcycle stationary (burn-
586zRiding

out). Attempted burn-outs
can result in damage to the
rear brake and the clutch.
Do not attempt burn-outs.How does ABS work?The amount of braking force
that can be transferred to
the road depends on factors
hat include the coefficient of
friction of the road surface.
Loose stones, ice and snow
or a wet road all have much
lower coefficients of friction
than a clean, dry asphalt sur-
face. The lower the coeffi-
cient of friction, the longer the
braking distance.
If the rider increases braking
pressure to the extent that
braking force exceeds the
maximum transferrable limit,
the wheels start to lock and
the motorcycle loses its dir-
ectional stability; a fall is im-
minent. Before this situationcan occur, ABS intervenes
and adapts braking pressure
to the maximum transferrable
braking force, so the wheels
continue to turn and direc-
tional stability is maintained
irrespective of the condition of
the road surface.
What are the effects of
surface irregularities?Humps and surface irregu-
larities can cause the wheels
to lose contact temporarily
with the road surface; if this
happens the braking force
that can be transmitted to
the road can drop to zero.
If the brakes are applied un-
der these circumstances the
ABS has to reduce braking
force to ensure that direc-
tional stability is maintained
when the wheels regain con-
tact with the road surface.
At this instant the BMW Mo-
torrad Integral ABS must as-
sume an extremely low coef-
ficient of friction, so that the
wheels will continue to rotate
under all imaginable circum-
stances, because this is the
precondition for ensuring dir-
ectional stability. As soon as
is registers the actual circum-
stances, the system reacts
instantly and adjusts braking
force accordingly to achieve
optimum braking.
What feedback does the
rider receive from the
BMW Motorrad Integral
ABS?If the ABS system has to re-
duce braking force on ac-
count of the circumstances
described above, vibration is
perceptible through the hand-
brake lever.
When the handbrake lever is
pulled, brake pressure is also
587zRiding

Take care when cornering.
When you apply the brakes
on a corner, the motorcycle's
weight and momentum take
over and even BMW Motor-
rad Integral ABS is unable to
counteract their effects.Electronic engine
management with
BMW Motorrad ASC
OE
How does BMW
Motorrad ASC work?The BMW Motorrad ASC
compares the speed of rota-
tion of the front wheel and the
rear wheel. The differential
is used to compute slip as
a measure of the reserves
of stability available at the
rear wheel. If slip exceeds
a certain limit the electronic
engine management system
intervenes, adapting engine
torque accordingly.
What is the design
baseline for BMW
Motorrad ASC?BMW Motorrad ASC is de-
signed as an assistant system
for the rider and for use on
public roads. The extent to
which the rider affects ASC
control can be considerable
(weight shifts when cornering,
items of luggage loose on the
motorcycle), especially when
style of riding takes rider and
machine close to the limits
imposed by physics. The sys-
tem is not optimised for spe-
cial requirements that apply
under extreme competitive
situations off-road or on the
track. You have the option
of deactivating the BMW Mo-
torrad ASC for these circum-
stances.
Special situationsIn accordance with the laws
of physics, the ability to ac-
celerate is restricted more
and more as the angle of heel
increases. Consequently,
there can be a perceptible
lag in acceleration out of very
tight bends.
The speeds of the front and
rear wheels are compared
as one means of detecting a
wheel's incipient tendency to
lock. If the system registers
implausible values for a
lengthy period the ASC
function is deactivated
for safety reasons and
an ASC fault message is
issued. Self-diagnosis has
to complete before fault
messages can be issued.
The BMW Motorrad ASC can
shut down automatically un-
590zRiding

der the exceptional riding
conditions outlined below.
Exceptional riding
conditions:Riding for a lengthy period
with the front wheel lifted off
the ground (wheelie).
Rear wheel rotating with the
motorcycle held stationary
by applying the front brake
(burn-out).
Heating up with the motor-
cycle on the centre stand
or an auxiliary stand, en-
gine idling or with a gear
engaged.
Accelerating the motorcycle
to a speed in excess of 10
km/h after switching the ig-
nition off and then on again
reactivates the ASC. If the front wheel lifts clear of
the ground under severe ac-
celeration, the ASC reduces
engine torque until the front
wheel regains contact with
the ground.
Under these circumstances,
BMW Motorrad recommends
rolling the throttle slightly
closed so as to restore
stability with the least
possible delay.
When riding on a slippery
surface, never snap the
throttle twistgrip fully closed
without pulling the clutch
at the same time. Engine
braking torque can cause
the rear wheel to lock, with
a corresponding loss of
stability. The BWM Motorrad
ASC is unable to control a
situation of this nature.
591zRiding

Push release lever2down.
The release lever engages.
Turn the key to the LOCK
position in the topcase lock.
The topcase is locked.Remove the topcaseTurn the key to the
RELEASE position in the
topcase lock.
The handle pops out. Pull handle
3up as far as it
will go.
Lift the topcase at the rear
and pull it off the luggage
carrier.
Install the topcasePull the handle up as far as
it will go. Hook the topcase into pos-
ition on the luggage carrier.
Make sure that hooks
4are
securely seated in the cor-
responding keepers 5.
699zAccessories

If the oil level is above the
MAX mark:Have the oil level corrected
by a specialist workshop,
preferably an authorised
BMW Motorrad dealer.
Install the front seat ( 66)Top up the engine oilChecking engine oil level
( 103)
Pour engine oil in through
filler neck 1until it reaches
the specified level.
Brake system, generalReliabilityA fully functional brake sys-
tem is a basic requirement for
the road safety of your motor-
cycle.
Do not ride the motorcycle if
you have any doubts about
the dependability of the brake
system.
Under these circumstances
have the brake system
checked by a specialist
workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Incorrect working prac-
tices endanger the reli-
ability of the brakes.
Have all work on the brake
system performed by a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer.
Check operation of the
brakesPull the handbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.
Press the footbrake lever.
The pressure point must be
clearly perceptible.Brake padsChecking brake-pad
thickness, front brakes
Brake pads worn past
the minimum permissible
thickness can cause a reduc-
tion in braking efficiency and
under certain circumstances
they can cause damage to
the brake system.
In order to ensure the de-
pendability of the brake sys-
tem, do not permit the brake
pads to wear past the minim-
um permissible thickness.
7105zMaintenance

Care productsWe recommend that you
use the cleaning and care
products you can obtain
from your authorised BMW
Motorrad dealer. The
substances in BMW Care
Products have been tested in
laboratories and in practice;
they provide optimised
care and protection for the
materials used in your vehicle.The use of unsuitable
cleaning and care
products can damage vehicle
components.
Do not use solvents such as
cellulose thinners, cold clean-
ers, fuel or the like, and do
not use cleaning products
that contain alcohol.
Washing motorcycleWe recommend that you
use BMW insect remover to
soften and wash off insects
and resilient dirt on painted
parts prior to washing the
motorcycle.
To prevent stains, do
not wash the motorcycle
immediately after it has been
exposed to strong sunlight
and do not wash it in the sun.
Make sure that the motor-
cycle is washed frequently,
especially during the winter
months.
To remove road salt, clean
the motorcycle with cold wa-
ter immediately after every
trip.
After the motorcycle has
been washed, ridden
through water or ridden in
the rain, the brake discs and
pads might be wet and the brakes might not take effect
immediately.
Apply the brakes in good time
until the brakes have dried
out.
Warm water intensifies
the effect of salt.
Use only cold water to wash
off road salt.
The high pressure of
steam cleaners can
damage seals, the hydraulic
brake system, the electrical
system, and the seat.
Do not use a steam jet or
high-pressure cleaning
equipment.
8134zCare

Paint careWashing the motorcycle
regularly will help counteract
the long-term effects of
substances that damage
the paint, especially if your
motorcycle is ridden in areas
with high air pollution or
natural sources of dirt, for
example tree resin or pollen.
Remove particularly
aggressive substances
immediately, however, as
otherwise the paint can
be affected or become
discoloured. Substances
of this nature include spilt
fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid
and bird droppings. We
recommend BMW vehicle
polish or BMW paint cleaner
for this purpose.
Marks on the paintwork are
particularly easy to see after
the motorcycle has been
washed. Remove stains ofthis kind immediately, using
cleaning-grade benzene or
petroleum spirit on a clean
cloth or ball of cotton wool.
We recommend that specks
of tar be removed with BMW
tar remover. Remember to
wax the parts treated in this
way.
Protective wax
coatingFor the protective wax coating
of paint, we recommend that
you use only BMW vehicle
wax or agents that contain
carnauba wax or synthetic
waxes.
It is time to rewax the paint-
work when water "puddles"
on the surface, instead of
forming beads.
Laying up the
motorcycleClean the motorcycle.
Remove the battery.
Spray the brake and clutch
lever pivots and the main
and side stand pivots with a
suitable lubricant.
Coat bright metal and
chrome-plated parts with
an acid-free grease (e.g.
Vaseline).
Stand the motorcycle in a
dry room in such a way that
there is no load on either
wheel.
Before laying the vehicle
up out of use, have the
engine oil and the oil filter ele-
ment changed by a special-
ist workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer. Combine work for lay-
ing up/restoring to use with a
BMW service or inspection.
8136zCare