Brakes - BMW G 650 GS Sertao Rider's Manual

Tyre pressure
5
Tyre pressures reduced for
off-road riding impair the
48
motorcycle's handling character-
istics on surfaced roads and can
lead to accidents.
Always check that the tyre pres-
sures are correct.

Brakes

z
When riding on loose sur-
faces or muddy roads, the
brakes may fail to take effect
immediately because of dirt or
moisture on the discs or brake
pads.
Apply the brakes in good time
until the brakes have been
cleaned.
The brake pads will wear
more rapidly if you ride fre-
quently on unsurfaced tracks or
poor roads.
Check the thickness of the brake
pads more frequently and replace
the brake pads in good time.
Spring preload and shock-
absorber settings
The off-road settings for
spring preload and shock
absorber damping characteristic
will impair the motorcycle's hand-
ling characteristics on surfaced
roads.
If you have been off-roading, re-
member to correct spring preload
and shock-absorber damping
characteristics before you return
to surfaced roads.
Rims
BMW Motorrad recommends
checking the rims for damage
after off-roading.
Air filter element
Engine damage due to
clogged air filter element.
If you ride in dusty terrain check
the air filter element for clogging
at shorter intervals; clan or re-
place as necessary.
Operation in very dusty condi-
tions (desert, steppes, or the like)
necessitates the use of air filter
elements specially designed for
conditions of this nature.

Brakes

How can stopping
distance be minimised?
Load distribution shifts dynamic-
ally between the front and rear
wheels when the motorcycle
brakes. The sharper the motor-
cycle decelerates, the more load
is shifted to the front wheel. The
higher the wheel load, the more
braking force can be transmitted
without the wheel locking.
To optimise stopping distance,
apply the front brakes rapidly and
keep on increasing the force you
apply to the brake lever. This