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

2
39
Safety check
Wheels
Checking tyre pressures
d Warning:
Incorrect tyre pressures have
a considerable influence on
handling and on tyre life.
Adjust tyre pressures to suit
total weight. Never exceed ei-
ther the motorcycle ’s gross
weight or the individual wheel
load limits (b 41).
– Tyres cold:
 Remove valve caps
 Check/correct tyre pressure
Front Rear
Solo 2.2 bar 2.5 bar
(31.3 psi) (35.5 psi)
Two-up 2.5 bar 2.7 bar (35.5 psi) (38.4 psi)
Two-up with
luggage 2.5 bar 2.9 bar (35.5 psi) (41.2 psi)
 Fully tighten valve caps
Screwing valve caps on
tightly
d Warning:
At high road speeds, tyre
valves have a tendency to
open as a result of centrifugal
force.
Use only metal valve caps
with rubber seals.
Valve caps that are screwed
on well prevent air from es-
caping suddenly.
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2
40
Safety check
d Warning:
BMW cannot examine or test
every product of outside
origin to ensure that it does
not represent a safety risk if
used on or in connection with
your BMW motorcycle. Even
approval by an official inspec-
tion authority or an official
permit (General Operating
Permit) cannot always pro-
vide this guarantee. Tests
conducted by these
instances cannot make
provision for all operating
conditions experienced by
BMW motorcycles and
consequently, they are not
sufficient in some circum-
stances.
\f Note:
BMW accessories and other
products approved by BMW
can be obtained from your
BMW Motorrad dealer.
Accessories and loads
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2
41
Safety check
Accessories and loads
Correct loading
d Warning:
Overloading can impair the
handling of your motorcycle.
 Make sure that weight is dis-
tributed evenly between the
left and right sides of the
motorcycle
 Pack heavy items at the bot-
tom of the cases
 Max. load in each case (left
and right): 10 kg
(approx. 22 lbs)
 Max. load on luggage grid
and in tank-top rucksack
OA:
5 kg (approx. 11 lb) each
 Check that fastenings are
correctly positioned and tight
d Warning:
With cases installed, it is ad-
visable not to exceed
130 km/h (80 mph).
e Attention:
Do not exceed the gross weight
limit of 490 kg (992 lb).
Do not exceed the wheel load
limits of 200 kg (441 lbs) at the
front and 330 kg (728 lbs) at the
rear.
Reset the suspension spring
preload and the shock absorb-
ers to match the total weight
(
b 36, 37, 39).
The total weight consists of:
– Motorcycle with full tank
– Rider
– Two-up
–Luggage
OA Optional accessories
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3
42
Starting – Riding – Parking
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 covered
1,000 kilometres (600 miles),
the engine is not yet fully run in.
e Attention:
BMW Integral ABS incorpo-
rates a brake booster, so brak-
ing efficiency is significantly
higher than with conventional
brake systems.
d Warning:
The tyres need to cover a cer-
tain distance
before they acquire their full
road grip (b 51).
When riding at high speed,
a l w a y s b e a r i n m i n d t h a t v a r i o u s
boundary conditions such as:
settings of the spring and
shock-absorber system, unbal-
anced loading, loose clothing,
low tyre pressures, worn tyres,
etc.,can affect the handling of
your motorcycle.
Your first journey
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3
43
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
pillion passenger and to other
road users.
d Warning:
Do not ride the motorcycle
after drinking alcoholic bev-
erages. Even small amounts
of alcohol or drugs, particu-
larly if taken in conjunction
with medicines, will adversely
affect your perception and
your ability to assess situa-
tions and make decisions,
and also slow down your
reflexes.
Take to the road now by all
means, but think carefully about
everything you do.
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3
44
Starting – Riding – Parking
Important notes
BMW Integral ABSMotorcycle equipped with
BMW Integral ABS (
b 64)
d Warning:
When the ignition is switched
off or if the BMW Integral ABS
fails, only a RESIDUAL BRAK-
ING FUNCTION remains
available for slowing the
motorcycle (
b 67).
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.
Risk of fatal accidentYour motorcycle is equipped
with Digital Motor Electronics
(Motronic) and 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.
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3
45
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 lead disconnected
 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 pro-
longed periods
– Risk of overheating or fire.
Ride away immediately after
starting the engine.
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3
46
Starting – Riding – Parking
Side stand
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;
select 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
 Use your left foot at the exten-
sion pin to fold the side stand
out fully (arrow)
 Lean the motorcycle carefully
on to the stand
 Turn the handlebars to left
lock
 Check that the motorcycle
is firmly supported
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3
47
Starting – Riding – Parking
Removing motorcycle
from side stand
d Warning:
If the motorcycle is fitted with
BMW Integral ABS, only RESI-
DUAL BRAKING FUNCTIONA-
LITY is available when the
ignition is switched off (
b 67).
Make sure the side stand is fully
retracted before you ride off.
– Riding with the side stand
extended is a safety risk. 
Ignition key in the “R ” or “ON ”
position (
b 9)
– Handelbar lock disengaged
 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
 Slowly raise the motorcycle to
the upright position and keep
it balanced
 Use your left foot to push
back the side stand
Side stand
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3
48
Starting – Riding – ParkingPlacing motorcycle on
centre stand
d Warning:
For safety reasons, never sit
on the motorcycle with the
centre stand extended.
e Attention:
Switch off the engine before
using the centre stand.
Make sure the surface under
the stand is firm. 
Switch off the ignition
 Hold the left handlebar grip
with the left hand
 Hold the lifting handle with the
right hand
 Place the right foot on the
extension pin and press it down
until the curved shoes of the
stand touch the ground
 Place your right foot on the
tread surface of the stand
 Apply all your body weight to
the stand
 Pull the motorcycle to the rear
and upwards (arrow) until it
rests on the centre stand
 Check that the motorcycle
is firmly supported
Main (centre) stand
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