Parking Your Motorcycle - BMW R 1200 GS Rider's Manual

the braking force cannot be com-
pletely transferred to the road
surface. To prevent the front
wheel from locking, the ABS sys-
tem must intervene and reduce
the brake pressure; the braking
distance increases.
Descending mountain
passes
There is a danger of the
brakes fading if you use on-
ly the rear brakes when descend-
ing mountain passes. Under
extreme conditions, the brakes
could overheat and suffer severe
damage.
Use both front and rear brakes,
and make use of the engine's
braking effect as well.
Wet brakes
After washing the motor-
cycle, after driving through
water or in the rain, braking can
be delayed due to damp brake
disks and brake pads.
Brake early until the brakes are
dry or braked until dry.
Salt on brakes
The full braking effect can
be delayed if the motor-
cycle is ridden on salt-covered
roads and the brakes are not ap-
plied for some time.
Brake early until the salt layer of
the brake disks and brake pads
has been braked off.
Oil or grease on brakes
Oil and grease on the brake
disks and pads considerably
diminish braking efficiency.
Especially after repair and main-
tenance tasks, make sure that
the brake disks and brake pads
are free of oil and grease.
Dirt or mud on brakes
When the motorcycle is
ridden on loose surfaces
or muddy roads, the brakes may
fail to take effect immediately
because of dirt or moisture on
the disks or brake pads.
Brake early until the brakes are
braked clean.
Driving on unpaved or dirty
roads leads to increased
brake pad wear.
Check the brake pad thickness
more often and replace the brake
pads sooner.
Parking your
motorcycle
Placing on side stand
If the ground is soft or un-
even, there is no guarantee
that the motorcycle will rest firm-
ly on the stand.
Always check that the ground
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