"issues" as a new rockster owner (RTFM)

[renojoe]

When I got my bike last weekend, I didn't get the manual. Can anyone help me out with some basic answers?

1) I have ABS. When I start the bike in neutral, the "brake failure" light blinks until the bike it put into gear. Seems to have no braking issues though. Is this normal?

2) There are two starter kill positions? Why? Any difference? How should I leave my bike when parked, and why?

3) I thought this thing was fuel injected. No? This looks a lot like the choke on my old CBR. Clarification?

Thanks in advance all,

[1stBeemer]

Joe,

1) When you start the bike the ABS and servo pumps run a self-check, which cannot be complete until you move the bike a few feet for ABS to check the wheel sensors. That is a normal procedure and the lights should go off as soon as you take-off for the first time after starting the bike.

2) I can't tell you why there are 2 kill switch positions, but I can tell you this one is going to become a flamer on this board.

I personally do not use mine at all (it just looks to flimsy to me) I kill my engine with a key each and every time for the past 2 years and have yet to encounter a single problem. Some people argue that when you turn off the key (ignition off) you loose the servo assist to the breaks and have only residual braking and that would require a significant effort to keep the bike from rolling if you were lets say on a VERY steep hill

I did experiment with mine under various conditions and found that for me keeping the ignition on is totally unnecessary, but then again, I can pick this bike up after laying it down without having to turn my back to it like most people do so find what suits you best.

3) This is "sort of" choke. Use it for cold starts. This lever has a cable going to the same place the throttle cable goes to and all it does is crack a throttle open just a bit. Lift it all the way up hold it there, start the bike, let go and that little lever will slide 1 notch down and stay there up until you push it all the way back down, which you should do in about 30-45 seconds (depending on ambient temperature) after starting the engine on a chilly morning.
The rest of it is fuel injected


I hope this helps, ride on

[toner87]

Regarding the fast idle lever... I leave it in the "up" position for longer than 35-40 seconds, usually closer to 5 minutes, or until the engine's really warm. If I put it down sooner the bike will often stall...
T.

[socalrob]

I agree with toner, though maybe its only a full 2 or 3 minutes. If the engines stone cold, even if its 80 degrees the bike still idles smoother & is less likely to stall if the choke is used.

[hybridmoose]

I'm with Toner as well. The "choke" lever which is really just a fast idle as it is on most fuel injected bikes is left on until i notice it is revving a little high when I make my first stop down the road. It runs fine with the lever on as it is not restricting the air intake as a classical choke lever does. It just cracks the throttle.

HM

[riceburner]

what they all said.


Also - the emergency kill switch is an EMERGENCY kill switch for EMERGENCIES!. That's why it's a less solid switch than the ignition switch (although in typical germanic fashion the BMW ones are pretty solid).

[MattPie]

Also - the emergency kill switch is an EMERGENCY kill switch for EMERGENCIES!. That's why it's a less solid switch than the ignition switch (although in typical germanic fashion the BMW ones are pretty solid).

I think there's two positions so if it *is* an emergency, you can just mash it and the bike will be off.

[NoRRmad]

I went down once, in a small town. People rushed to shut off the bike, which had slid maybe twenty feet past me. Somebody pointed to the kill switch, somebody else hit the starter.

Got me right off the pavement in a second.

[mdouglas]

Well, I use the emergency kill switch all the time. Logic is:

1) The headlight stays on - pretty important at this time of the year in the UK. When I pull up in front of my garage at night, it's pretty useful for the headlight to stay on after the engine has been stopped.

2) The brake light stays operational (as above)

3) The brake servo pump remains operational

4) Switches tend not to work after long periods of inactivity, not due to frequent use. If and when I need it for an emergency, it would be good to know it works

5) If it's robust enough to be used for starting, it's good enough for stopping


I don't understand why you wouldn't use it. The chances of it failing are slim. The chances of it failing the one time you need it for an emergency must be so remote as to be of no concern whatsoever.

But each to their own.

[Boxerpunk]

When I got my bike last weekend, I didn't get the manual......

I still have the manual that came with my stolen bike.
Interested ? (A little disadvantage might be that it is in Dutch )

[renojoe]

When I got my bike last weekend, I didn't get the manual......

I still have the manual that came with my stolen bike.
Interested ? (A little disadvantage might be that it is in Dutch )

Wow, sorry to hear about your bike. Unfortunatley, my Dutch is limited to "Van Gogh".

Thanks for all the replies. I'd never used the choke and did think it a bit strange that an almost new bike would have so much trouble starting up from cold. Now I have the wisdom.

[drevil]

my dealer suggested that they have replaced alot of them and not to use it.
My method, is to pull up in first gear-pull in the clutch and brake to a stop- drop the kickstand and the bike instantly kills since it won't run while in gear with the kickstand down. everything else works, and in addition to having the lights and servos working, the kickstand is down to catch the bike if i were to get unbalanced. also it would be embarrssing if i got off the bike and dropped it due to forgetting to put the kickstand down, this way i'm in the habit.

[leno]

I park on a small slope every day so can tell you that if you hold the brake on and then turn engine off with the kill switch and then the ingnition key the brake holds fine. If you don't hold the brake on before powering down there is a lot less power in the brakes.

[boxermania]

The kill switch is provided with to positions to satisfy the needs of both left handed and right handed owners.

Do I win the price?

[BobFV1]

I never think to use the kill switch in an emergency. My most recent crash on the track (on my Yamaha) I went straight for the key to shut the bike down, once I got over to the bike (they tend to continue in the same direction after you fall off....)

I use the fast idle position for as short a time as possible to prevent overheating and plastic melting. My bike is a bit cold blooded, but I still try to use it for the minimum time neccesary.

Like the guys said - brake failure light - TADT.

[socalrob]

I would strongly suggest that its a good idea to practice riding the bike with the ignition off so you get a good feel for the servo brakes with no power.

I did have an unexpected ABS brake failure coming up to a stop light a while back. No warning, all of a sudden the brakes weren't normal, & out of the corner of my eye I saw the brake failure light. I hauled down alot harder than usual on the from lever & stopped the bike without going into the intersection.

Afterwards, I make it a point to shut the ignition key off at the top of my office parking garage, & coast down 2 levels to my parking space with the residule brakes. After doing this for months I have a pretty good feel for residule brakes.

You can lock up either wheel with the residule brakes, they work fine & stop the bike fine.

They should be good for any parking situation.

I don't think its safe to ride an ABS servo BMW without some practice with the residule brakes. They may be all you have when you least expect it.

[R4R&R]

These bikes have a kill switch?

[riceburner]

These bikes have a kill switch?

Have you not read your manual????

[R4R&R]

These bikes have a kill switch?

Have you not read your manual????

I was kidding. This goes back to the repeatitive debates:
Sidestand/centerstand
kill switch/ignition key
ABS/no ABS
roadster/rockster
metzeler/dunlop
k mirrors/R mirrors
handguards/no handguards
on/off
left/right
red/blue
democrat/republican



Who cares! Let's go riding!

[BobFV1]

Big ones/Small ones