BMW R 1200 GS 2005, Rider'S Manual

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Spring preload
Adjusting spring preload
It is essential to set spring
preload of the front suspen-
sion to suit the terrain. In-
crease spring preload for rid-
ing in rough terrain and re-
duce if the terrain is level.
It is essential to set spring
preload of the rear suspen-
sion to suit the load carried
by the motorcycle. Increase
spring preload when the mo-
torcycle is heavily loaded and
reduce spring preload ac-
cordingly when the motor-
cycle is lightly loaded.
Adjusting spring preload
for front wheel
Make sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand.
If you want to reduce spring
preload, turn spring retain-
er
in direction A .
If you want to increase
spring preload, turn spring
retainer
in direction B .
The range of adjustment
comprises nine settings.
Spring preload at front
wheel
Spring preload at setting 3
(On-road riding)
Spring preload at setting 5
(For riding on gravel tracks
and similar)
Spring preload at setting 9
(For riding off-road)
Adjusting spring preload
for rear wheel
Your motorcycle's hand-
ling will suffer if you do
not match the spring-preload
and damping-characteristic
settings.
Adjust the damping char-
acteristic to suit spring pre-
load.
Adjusting spring preload
while the motorcycle is
being ridden can lead to acci-
dents.
Do not attempt to adjust
spring preload unless the
motorcycle is at a standstill.
Make sure the ground is
level and firm and place the
motorcycle on its stand.
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