BMW K 1200 GT Rider's Manual page 83

Partially integral brakes
Your motorcycle is equipped
with partially integral brakes.
Both front and rear brakes
are applied when you pull the
handbrake lever. The foot-
brake lever acts only on the
rear brake.
The electronic controller in
the BMW Integral ABS regu-
lates braking-force distribu-
tion between front and rear
wheels. Braking-force distri-
bution depends on load and
is recalculated every time the
ABS controller comes into ac-
tion.
What significance
devolves on regular
maintenance?
Invariably, a technical
system cannot perform
beyond the abilities dictated
by its level of maintenance.
To ensure that the BMW Mo-
torrad Integral ABS is always
maintained in optimum condi-
tion, it is essential for you to
comply strictly with the spe-
cified inspection intervals.
What aspects are of
importance as regards
road-safety training
courses?
Braking situations in which
ABS actively intervenes
produce a sharp rise in
electricity consumption
as opposed to ordinary
braking manoeuvres, and this
places a severe strain on the
battery. Under normal riding
conditions the battery is being
charged constantly, so its
charge capacity is usually
adequate. If the motorcycle
is to be off the road for a
period of several weeks, a
trickle charger available from
an authorised BMW Motorrad
dealer should be connected
or the battery disconnected
and its charge level topped
up before the motorcycle
is restored to use. It is
typical of road-safety training
courses that they involve an
exceptionally high number
of braking manoeuvres with
ABS intervention occurring in
rapid succession, alternating
with breaks and assessment
phases in which the motor-
cycle is not on the move. The
ABS interventions place a
severe load on the battery,
and because very little
actual riding is undertaken
the battery is not being
charged in the normal way.
In isolated instances, this
unusual set of circumstances
can result in conditions in
which the regulatory function
is no longer at the rider's
disposal when the brakes
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