check oil BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 R 2004 Rider's Manual (in English)

225Status indicators
Engine electronics
General warning light
lights up yellow.
Engine electronics sym-
bol is displayed.
Fault in the engine electronics.
In exceptional cases, the
engine stops and refuses to
start. Otherwise, the engine
runs in emergency operating
mode.
You can continue to ride, but
bear in mind that the usual
engine power is not available.
• Have the fault rectified as quickly as possible by a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably
an authorised BMW motor-
cycle dealer.
Engine oil pressure
General warning light
lights up red.
Engine oil pressure sym-
bol is displayed.
Insufficient engine oil pressure
The "engine oil pressure"
warning indicates that there is
no oil pressure or that the oil
pressure in the lubricating oil
circuit is too low; under no cir-
cumstances is it to be
regarded as fulfilling the func-
tion of an oil gauge. The warn-
ing must disappear when oil
pressure builds up 1 to 2 sec-
onds after the engine starts.
If the "engine oil pressure"
warning is displayed while the
motorcycle is being ridden,
take account of the traffic
situation and: • Disengage the gear.
• Press the kill switch.
•Bring the motorcycle safely
to a halt.
• Check the engine oil level.
There are other engine-
related problems besides
a low engine-oil level that can
trigger the "engine-oil pres-
sure" warning. Continuing to
ride under these circumstanc-
es can result in engine
damage.
If the "engine oil pressure"
warning is issued, do not con-
tinue to ride if a check shows
that the engine oil level is
correct. c
• Have the fault rectified by a specialist workshop, prefer-
ably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.

Riding456
Safety checkPrior to every journeyUse the following checklist to
check important functions,
settings and wear limits before
starting to ride.Checklist–Brakes (
b
93)
– Brake fluid level (
b
95)
–Clutch (
b
96)
– Clutch fluid level (
b
97)
– Warning and telltale lights (
b
20)
– Shock absorber setting (
b
48) and spring preload
(
b
47)
–Rims (
b
98), tread depth
(
b
98) and tyre pressure
(
b
51, 130)
– Load, gross weight (
b
140)
– Luggage system At regular intervals:
– Engine oil level (every time
you refuel) (
b
89)
– Brake pads (every second/ third time you refuel) (
b
93)
First time outSafe handling of your
motorcycleYou have to take the time to
familiarise yourself with your
motorcycle's unique
character:
– Acceleration
– Roadholding
– Cornering
–Braking
Bear in mind, too, that the
engine has to be run in over
the first 1,000 km (
b
63). The description of the BMW
Integral ABS
OE starts on page
(
b
75).
BMW Integral ABS
OE
incorporates a brake
booster, so braking efficiency
is significantly higher than with
conventional brake systems.
Inadvertently severe braking
can lead to dangerous situa-
tions, particularly when the
motorcycle is cornering.
Practice braking with BMW
Integral ABS
OE under safe
conditions.c

457Riding
Before you startSwitching on the ignition See the notes on the elec-tronic immobiliser (EWS)
(b
24).
Kill switch 1 in operating
position A.
Switch on the ignition.
» Pre-ride check is performed.
» With BMW Integral ABS
OE:
ABS self-diagnosis is
performed.
Pre-ride checkA pre-ride check is performed
after you switch on the igni-
tion. All the warning lights and
warning symbols are checked
to make sure that they are in
working order. The multifunc-
tion display shows the follow-
ing in the order in which they
are described below: Phase 1
General warning light
lights up red.
Engine oil pressure
symbol is displayed.
Battery charge current
symbol is displayed.

475Riding
Wet brakes After washing the motor-
cycle, after riding through
water or when it is raining, the
braking effect can be delayed
due to damp brake discs and
brake pads.
Bear in mind that this extends
your stopping distance, be-
cause the brakes have to ei-
ther dry out as you ride, or dry
themselves when applied. c
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.
Bear in mind that this extends
your stopping distance, be- cause the force of friction has
to remove the layer of salt
when the brakes are applied.c
Oil or grease on the brake
Oil and grease deposits
on brake discs and pads
considerably reduce the brak-
ing effect.
It is particularly important to
check the brake pads and
discs after repair and
maintenance work is carried
out, to make sure they are free
of oil and grease. c
Dirt or mud on brakes When riding on loose sur-
faces or muddy roads,
the brakes may fail to take ef-
fect immediately because of
dirt or moisture on the discs or
brake pads. Bear in mind that this extends
your stopping distance, be-
cause the brakes have to
clean themselves when
applied.
c
BMW Integral ABS
OE
In extreme situations, it takes
skill and sensitive control of
the brakes to pull up safely on
a motorcycle. If the front wheel
brake locks and the wheel
skids, the necessary longitudi-
nal and lateral stabilising
forces are lost, and a fall can
result. For this reason, the
rider seldom makes full use of
available braking performance
in an emergency.
By preventing both wheels
from locking and optimising
braking-force distribution by
means of the integral function,

689Maintenance
ToolkitThe toolkit is on the underside
of the seat.
You can obtain a more exten-
sive, additional set of tools
from your authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
Contents of the basic toolkit:1 Screwdriver with reversible
blade
2 Torx wrench, T25
3 Screwdriver, small Contents of supplementary
toolkit
OA:
1 Screwdriver blade
2 Socket wrench, w/f 17
3 Spark plug socket spanner
4 Open-ended spanner,
w/f 17
5 TORX® wrenches, T40,
T45, T50
Engine oilChecking the engine
oil levelCheck the oil level at regular
intervals.
The oil level depends on
the oil temperature. The
higher the temperature the
higher the oil level in the oil
tank.
Check the engine oil level
immediately after a lengthy
journey. c
The oil that drains into the
sump while the motorcy-
cle is not in use has to be
pumped back into the oil tank
before you read the oil level.
The engine oil must be at op-
erating temperature. Checking
the oil level with the engine
cold or after no more than a

Maintenance690
short ride will lead to misinter-
pretation; this, in turn, means
that the engine will be operat-
ed with the incorrect quantity
of oil.
In order to ensure that the en-
gine oil level is read correctly,
check the oil level only after a
lengthy trip.c
• Make sure the engine is at operating temperature and
hold the motorcycle upright
or place it on the centre
stand, after ensuring that the
ground is level and firm.
• Allow the engine to idle for
one minute.
• Switch off the ignition.
• Read off the oil level. 1
Indicator for engine-oil
level
• Check the oil level in oil-level indicator 1. 2
Maximum engine oil level
3 Minimum engine oil level
The oil level must be between
the MIN and MAX marks. The
difference is approx. 0.5 litres.

If the oil level is below the
MIN mark:
• Top up the engine oil.
If the oil level is above the
MAX mark:
• Correct the level by draining off some of the engine oil.
Damage to the engine
can result if it is operated
without enough oil, but the
same also applies if the oil lev-
el is too high. Always make
sure that the oil level is
correct. c

691Maintenance
The engine can seize if
the oil level is low, and
this can lead to accidents.
Always make sure that the oil
level is correct. c
Topping up the engine oil Remove the seat (
b
44).
Wipe the area around the filler neck clean.
Remove the cap from engine
oil filler neck 1. Top up with fresh oil until the
level is at midway mark A.
Check the oil level.
Repeat the filling and check- ing procedure until the
engine oil level is between
the MIN and MAX marks.
Reinstall the cap in the filler neck.
Draining off engine oil Remove the seat (
b
44).
Squeeze the retainer of transparent hose 2 on the
left and right and pull it up
out of the oil tank.
Pull the transparent hose
down out of the frame and
drain off the oil into a suitable
container.
Insert the transparent hose into the oil tank and secure
it.
Check the oil level.
Repeat the draining and
checking procedure until the
engine oil level is between
the MIN and MAX marks.
Store the excess engine oil
or dispose of it in an
environmentally responsible
manner.

7125
Care
• Coat bright metal/chrome-plated parts with an acid-
free grease (e.g. Vaseline).
• Place the motorcycle in a dry room on the centre stand
OA
or rear wheel stand.
• Raise the engine with the
front wheel stand in such a
way that both wheels are
clear of the ground.
Before laying the vehicle
up, have the engine oil
and the oil filter element
changed by a specialist work-
shop, preferably your author-
ised BMW motorcycle dealer.
Combine work for laying up/
restoring to use with a mainte-
nance service or inspection. c
Restoring to use• Remove the protective wax
coating.
• Clean the motorcycle
(b
122).
• Install a charged battery (
b
119).
• Perform the safety checks (
b
56).
• Check the brakes (
b
93).
• Check the tyre pressures (
b
51).

Technical data8136
Fuel and lubricantsEngine oil
Oil grade Mineral engine oil of API classification SF, SG or SH.
If you use a special oil for motorcycle engines,
check that the oil is suitable for wet clutches.
Do not use oil additives.
Do not use synthetic engine oils unless they
have been approved for this motorcycle by
BMW Motorrad.
Capacity with filter change 3.5 l
Top-up volume between MIN and MAX 0.5 l
Permitted viscosity classes
-15 °C – above 30 °C SAE 15 W-40
-20 °C – 20 °C SAE 10 W-40
BMW recommends Castrol

Indexi156
CCareCare products, 122
Chrome, 123
Paint, 123
Plastics, 123
Protective wax coating, 124
Radiator, 123
Rubber, 124
Touching up, 124
Washing the motorcycle, 122
Windscreen, 123
Cases Adapting, 84
Adjusting the volume, 86
Closing, 85
Correct loading, 83
Fitting, 83
Opening, 85
Removing, 84
Catalytic converter, safety
information, 54 Centre stand
Extending, 71
Retracting, 73
Checklist, 56
Clock Adjusting, 16
Display, 20
Setting, 39
Clutch Checking operation, 96
Checking the fluid level, 97
Fluid reservoir, 9
Coolant Checking the level, 92
Filler neck, 9
Temperature display, 20
Temperature gauge, 20
Temperature warning, 24
Topping up, 92
Currency, 5
EElectronic engine-management system
Tampering with control unit, 55
Electronic immobiliser Display, 24
Explanations, 35
Engine, 136
Engine electronics Warning indicator, 25
Engine oil
Checking the oil level, 11, 89
Draining off, 91
Technical data, 136
Topping up, 91
Warning indicator for oil
pressure, 25
Engine, technical data, 131
ESA Adjusting spring preload, 50
Adjusting the shock
absorbers, 49