BMW MOTORRAD R 1150 GS 2002 Rider's Manual (in English)

2
39
Safety check
Checking front brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Do not permit the brake fluid
level to drop below minimum
(MIN).
 Place the motorcycle on the centre stand
– Make sure the ground is level and firm
 Handlebars in straight-ahead
position; front wheel in con-
tact with the ground  Check brake fluid level at
sight glass
MIN minimum level
(centre of sight glass)
L Note:
Gradual wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level in
the reservoir to drop.
Brake system - without BMW Integral ABS
MIN
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2
40
Safety check
Checking rear brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark on the reservoir
 Place the motorcycle on the centre stand
– Make sure the ground is level and firm  Check the brake fluid level
MAX maximum level
MIN minimum level
L Note:
Gradual wear of the brake pads
causes the brake fluid level in
the reservoir to drop.
Brake system - without BMW Integral ABS
MIN
MAX
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2
41
Safety check
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABSOE
Checking brake fluid level
d Warning:
On a motorcycle equipped
with BMW Integral ABS, the
brake fluid level in the reser-
voir does NOT drop as the
brake pads wear (b 43, 44).
d Warning:
If the brake fluid level in the
reservoir (
b 43, 44) drops be-
low the MIN mark, have the
brake system checked imme-
diately by a specialist work-
shop, preferably an author-
ised BMW motorcycle dealer.
Changing brake fluid
d Warning:
Brake fluid is subject to
severe thermal loads and
absorbs moisture from the
atmosphere.
The brake fluid must there-
fore be changed regularly
(Maintenance Instructions
b Chapter 1) by a specialist
workshop, preferably an au-
thorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
OEOptional extra
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2
42
Safety check
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABSOE
Residual braking function
d Warning:
When the ignition is off,
before and during self-diag-
nosis (
b 84) or if the BMW
Integral ABS fails, only the
RESIDUAL BRAKING FUNC-
TION (
b 83) remains available
for slowing the motorcycle.
When the RESIDUAL BRAK-
ING FUNCTION is active, you
must apply CONSIDERABLY
higher pressure to the brake
levers in question in order to
apply the brakes, and lever
travel is longer.
When the RESIDUAL BRAK-
ING FUNCTION is active, the
ABS function is unavailable in
the brake systems in
question.
d Warning:
When the RESIDUAL
BRAKING FUNCTION is ac-
tive, maintain a defensive rid-
ing style and proceed imme-
diately to the nearest special-
ist workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
L Note:
When the RESIDUAL BRAKING
FUNCTION is active, it is advis-
able to set adjuster A on the
front-brake lever to position 4
(
b 35).
OEOptional extra
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2
43
Safety check
Checking front brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the mini-
mum level (MIN mark)
 Place motorcycle on centre stand
– Make sure the ground is
level and firm
OEOptional extra
 Handlebars in straight-ahead position and front wheel in
contact with the ground
 Read off brake fluid level in sight glass
MIN minimum level
(centre of sight glass)
L Note:
The brake fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir remains
constant despite wear of the
brake pads.
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABSOE
MIN
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2
44
Safety checkMIN
Checking rear brake fluid
level
d Warning:
Never permit the brake fluid
level to drop below the MIN
mark on the brake fluid reser-
voir
OEOptional extra
 Place motorcycle on centre
stand
– Make sure the ground is level and firm
 Check the brake fluid level
MIN Minimum level
L Note:
The brake fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir remains
constant despite wear of the
brake pads.
Brake system - with BMW Integral ABSOE
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2
45
Safety check
Check fluid level in the
clutch fitting
e Attention:
If the fluid level drops, assume
there is a defect in the clutch
system.
Have the clutch system
checked immediately by a spe-
cialist workshop, preferably an
authorised BMW motorcycle
dealer.
d Warning:
Do not permit the fluid level to
drop below minimum (MIN).
L Note:
The fluid level in the reservoir
rises as the clutch plate wears.
 Place the motorcycle on the
centre stand
– Make sure the ground is level and firm
 Handlebars in straight-ahead
position; front wheel in con-
tact with the ground
 Check fluid level in sight glass
MIN Minimum level
(centre of sight glass)
Clutch
MIN
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2
46
Safety check
Lights
Checking lights
e Attention:
Check that all lights are opera-
tional at the start of each
journey.
L Note:
If turn indicator telltale light
flashes at twice the usual
speed: defective flasher bulb.
BMW Integral ABS
OE:
General warning light ON (
b 9):
Check brake light or tail light.
If the tail light is defective the
brake light is dimmed and acts
as a tail light. When you apply
the brakes the brake light
shines at full brightness.
OEOptional extra
L Note:
To change bulbs in parking
lights, headlight (dipped and
main beams), rear, brake and
indicator lights:
(
b Maintenance Instructions,
Chapter 2)
Headlight setting, RHD/
LHD traffic
For trips in countries where the
traffic drives on the opposite
side of the road:
Adjust the headlight accord-
ingly (Maintenance Instructions
bChapter 2).
When necessary, you can
resort to the assistance of a
specialist workshop,
preferably your authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
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2
47
Safety check
Adjusting beam throw
L Note:
When the basic setting is correct,
headlight beam throw is regulated
when spring preload is adjusted
to suit load.
Have the headlight basic setting
adjusted by a specialist work-
shop, preferably an authorised
BMW motorcycle dealer.
L Note:
Adjust beam height so that onco-
ming traffic is not dazzled. Make
sure that the throw of the light
cone adequately illuminates the
road ahead of you. Adjust beam throw to suit
load by adjusting the spring
strut:
Change the spring strut setting
to suit the load (
b 50, 51)
– Spring preload has an effect on headlight throw
Only if the load carried on the
motorcycle is very high, the
headlight beam can also be
lowered by moving pivot
lever 2. This shortens the beam
throw.
Pivot lever 2 :
A = neutral position
B = high load
1
2 Lights
A
B
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2
48
Safety check
L Note:
Use adjusting screw 1 only for
adjusting the basic setting of
the headlight.
Headlight
basic setting
L Note:
Do not prop the motorcycle on
the centre or side stand.  Check tyre pressures and
correct if necessary
 Set the spring-strut adjuster
to the position for one-up rid-
ing
– 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
1
2
Lights
B
A
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