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Need info on the LT

3880 Views 28 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  Voyager
I am going to sound like an idiot and the truth is I just may be one.

I purchased yesterday a 1999 LT. 36000 miles all kinds of extras and I just need an owners manual to figure out how to make it work. I had no idea to push the starter button to make it back up after you put it into reverse. I have no idea how to adjust the seat or suspension or if I even can.

Any help would be great. Does anyone have the owners manual on a readable file?

Thanks
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Hi, I have just bought a 1999 LT myself and I am having the same problems. I have trawled through the internet looking for an online source for the older bikes specifications and riders manual, but I have been unable to locate anything useful so far.
I am surprised that all of the English speaking sites for BMW seem to stop their archives at about 2004/6 and I have not been able to find one in Germany that I could use a translator on?

I hope your request gets some attention and if it does not, does anyone know where I can buy the riders manual applicable to the bike I have ? This enquiry is quite urgent as I am going to pick up the bike in Scotland and ride it home to the South of France on Saturday the 7th of July ! It would be nice to know how a few of the bits and bobs work before I set off
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Have you tried ordering from the dealer? Of course they'll charge you for it but you'll have it in a size you can keep on the motorcycle. Be warned that the owner's manual is not just one book either.

For example for my 2002 I have 7 manuals!
  • Rider's Manual
  • Service and Technical Booklet
  • Owner's Manual, Radio
  • Owner's Manual, ComSystem
  • Operating Instructions, Anti-theft alarm system with immobilizer and radio remote control
  • Then a separate one from Midland for the CB radio
  • Separate manual for the BMW/Garmin NAV I that was on the motorcycle

The idea being that the motorcycle ship with the manual for the items installed on it. I would imagine that they all came with the Rider's Manual and Service and Technical Booklet which are the most informative but have no instructions for the radio, alarm, CB, com system or GPS. I no longer have the GPS manual as I've replaced the original and I've also since removed the CB.

Simple, right?
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I do not believe there is much difference in the 10 year model run, except for a hydraulic center stand added in 2005 and some minor changes to performance and small geometry changes (so I am told)..

I do not I have ever seen the owners manual in PDF format.

I am sure that most questions we can answer for you.

1. To raise / lower the seating position, open the left pannier and pull the plunger that will release the drivers set. Under the seat is a "bar" that rotates and will raise and lower the seat height of the drivers seat. You can also use the rotating handle under the seat to adjust the preload which will raise or lower the entire rear of the bike...

As far as riding from Scotland to South France, if you need someone to ride her home for you let me know, send a ticket and I will be happy to oblige. Have Passport, WILL travel :dance:
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Thanks for the quick response, I live in France and the local dealers are a bit squiffy about having anything to do with the English or their godforsaken language. I will check out the dealers in the UK while I am over there, so thanks for the suggestions and the list of the bibliotech that passes for reading materials :eek:)

It seems surprising in this day and age that you are required to carry around half of the diminishing forrests rather than wrapping the data in some neat little online silicon. Most of the Japs and Americans did this kind of data transition long ago and I am sure the booklets would be just as happy on a kindle or an ipad.

Sorry but no flights allowed, I am riding a I25 Kawasaki eliminator from the south of France (via a ferry) to the UK on my way to get the bike. That journey will probably be a lot worse than the return , even if I don't know how much of the beamer works :eek:)
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They actually don't take up much space. All of mine (never carried the GPS one) in the small compartment behind the vanity mirror in the top case.
Thanks, now I know there is one - I will look to see if the previous owners chose the same location to stow them.
I bought the repair and maintainance CD off ebay for I euro (roughly a dollar) and postage, there are many different ones available and they are all inexpensive. I tried the free download site , or at least a similar version and in the end it was not free and they wanted to know my full family history going back to the Norman Conquests along with all my bank details.
I was looking for the how to use and program guides rather than how to dissemble and repair data. It appears that this is not available online and the best route is to go via the official dealers or hope that someone is selling their old ones on ebay et al.

Still thanks for the reply and perhaps the other newbie owner can benefit from the information as well.
One tip..
The heated switches for the seats are under the seats on the right side.
If they are on by some chance you will know it! lol
The bike has been living in Scotland for the last 7 years, so the owner probably fitted the seats heating elements with a turbocharger ! It is going to get a nice retirement surprise by moving to the relatively balmy climes in the south of France :)
The seat is not adjustable on thr 99.

Heated seats were an extra option. If the 99 didn't come through with heated seats, BMW used a different wiring harness, one without provision for plugging in heated seats later on.

The only shock adjustment is on the rear shock, the handle you flip up. Turn the handle down, stiffer ride.

Make sure your 99 has the crash pan added. The 99s and 00s did not come with it.

The 99s came through with defective starter relay swithche (the fuse closed if the voltage drops), and a defective program for the engine that caused a flat spot in acceleration when temps get around 85-90F.

Most people run 42psi front and around 48psi in the rear.

Here is a thread that appies to 99s:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63725&highlight=defective

Best from Tucson
Bob
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Thanks for the information, I will investigate these issues next week when I get the bike home. You guys are very helpful :)
BecketMa said:
The seat is not adjustable on thr 99.

Heated seats were an extra option. If the 99 didn't come through with heated seats, BMW used a different wiring harness, one without provision for plugging in heated seats later on.

The only shock adjustment is on the rear shock, the handle you flip up. Turn the handle down, stiffer ride.

Make sure your 99 has the crash pan added. The 99s and 00s did not come with it.

The 99s came through with defective starter relay swithche (the fuse closed if the voltage drops), and a defective program for the engine that caused a flat spot in acceleration when temps get around 85-90F.

Most people run 42psi front and around 48psi in the rear.

Here is a thread that appies to 99s:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63725&highlight=defective

Best from Tucson
Bob
Might vary. My -99 has adjustable (comfort) seat. Yeah and it is factory installed - so do not know what your statement is based on?

Just spend time scrolling this site through. You will learn a lot from your new bike. And the difference in (almost) all basics is non existent in the model years -99 to -09. Basic technique is the same. You do not have to struggle with malfunctioning hydraulic center stand or wobble caused by newer/sharper streering angle. Your transmission / 5th gear gives you much better gas mileage.
One other odd quirk on the seat heat switches is that they are both a Center=OFF type switch! One end is high, and the opposite is low, but the center position if off. You will know if you have it wrong!

Enjoy the ride!

John
Bones1955 said:
One tip..
The heated switches for the seats are under the seats on the right side.
If they are on by some chance you will know it! lol
willcanada said:
I am going to sound like an idiot and the truth is I just may be one.

I purchased yesterday a 1999 LT. 36000 miles all kinds of extras and I just need an owners manual to figure out how to make it work. I had no idea to push the starter button to make it back up after you put it into reverse. I have no idea how to adjust the seat or suspension or if I even can.

Any help would be great. Does anyone have the owners manual on a readable file?

Thanks
Reverse...on a 1999? Don't think so....
Yes Virginia there is a reverse. Rode two 1999 K1200lt bikes and both had it. The first had all the trim, the owner called it the Icon? the second had stickers on it and Hiway pegs. Do not know the difference in the two but I bought the second one.
willcanada said:
Yes Virginia there is a reverse. Rode two 1999 K1200lt bikes and both had it. The first had all the trim, the owner called it the Icon? the second had stickers on it and Hiway pegs. Do not know the difference in the two but I bought the second one.
Sorry, I got confused with electric centerstand. Was trying to think of '05 and later mods....
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