overheating BMW MOTORRAD K 1200 R 2008 Rider's Manual (in English)

High voltage
Touching live parts of
the ignition system with
the engine running can cause
electric shock.
Do not touch parts of the igni-
tion system when the engine
is running.
Catalytic converterIf misfiring causes unburned
fuel to enter the catalytic con-
verter, there is a danger of
overheating and damage.
For this reason, observe the
following points:
Do not run the fuel tank dry.
Do not attempt to start or
run the engine with a spark-
plug cap disconnected.
Stop the engine immediately
if it misfires.
Use only unleaded fuel.
Comply with all specified
maintenance intervals. Unburned fuel will des-
troy the catalytic con-
verter.
Note the points listed for pro-
tection of the catalytic con-
verter.
Risk of fireTemperatures at the exhaust
are high.
Flammable materials
(e.g. hay, leaves, grass,
clothing and luggage, etc.)
could ignite if allowed to
come into contact with the
hot exhaust pipe.
Do not permit flammable ma-
terials to come into contact
with the hot exhaust system.
Cooling would be
inadequate if the engine
were allowed to idle for
a lengthy period with the
motorcycle at a standstill:
overheating would result. In extreme cases, the
motorcycle could catch fire.
Do not allow the engine to
idle unnecessarily. Ride away
immediately after starting the
engine.
Tampering with the con-
trol unit of the electronic
engine-management sys-
tem
Tampering with the con-
trol unit of the electronic
engine-management system
can damage the motorcycle
and cause accidents.
Do not tamper with the
control unit of the electronic
engine-management
system.
Tampering with the con-
trol unit of the electron-
ic engine-management sys-
tem can result in mechanical
loads that the motorcycle's
563zRiding

Do not touch the glass
of new bulbs with your
fingers. Use a clean, dry cloth
to hold the bulbs when hand-
ling them. Dirt deposits, in
particular oil and grease, in-
terfere with heat radiation
from the bulb. This leads to
overheating and shortens the
bulb's operating life.
Low-beam and
high-beam headlightsHigh-beam headlight 1and
low-beam headlight 2. The
procedure for replacing the
high-beam headlight bulb is the same as that for the
low-beam headlight bulb.
The only difference is that
the spring clip holding the
high-beam headlight bulb is
of single-leg design and is in-
stalled vertically.
Replacing low-beam /
high-beam headlight
bulb
If it is not standing firmly,
the motorcycle could
topple in the course of the
operations described below.
Always make sure that the
motorcycle is stable and
firmly supported.
Turn the handlebars to
the left to facilitate ac-
cess.
Make sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand. Switch off the ignition.
Remove cover
3by turning
it counter-clockwise.
Disconnect plug 4.
7114zMaintenance

Cleaning easily dam-
aged componentsPlasticsClean plastic parts with water
and BMW plastic care emul-
sion. This includes in particu-
lar:Windscreen
Headlight lens made of
plastic
Glass cover of the instru-
ment cluster
Black, unpainted parts
The use of unsuitable
products to clean plastic
parts can damage the sur-
face.
Do not use products that
contain alcohol or solvents to
clean plastic surfaces, and do
not use scouring agents.
Even fly-remover pads or
cleaning pads with hard surfaces can produce
scratches.
Soften stubborn dirt and
insects by covering the
affected areas with a wet
cloth.
WindscreenClean off dirt and insects with
a soft sponge and plenty of
water.
Fuel and chemical
solvents attack the
material of the windscreen;
the windscreen becomes
opaque or dull.
Do not use cleaning agents.ChromeUse plenty of water and BMW
shampoo to clean chrome,
particularly if it has been
exposed to road salt. Use
chrome polish for additional
treatment.
RadiatorClean the radiator regularly to
prevent overheating of the en-
gine due to inadequate cool-
ing.
For example, use a garden
hose with low water pressure.
Cooling fins can be bent
easily.
Take care not to bend the fins
when cleaning the radiator.RubberTreat rubber components with
water or BMW rubber-care
products.
Using silicone sprays for
the care of rubber seals
can cause damage.
Do not use silicone sprays
or other care products that
contain silicon.
8127zCare