03-25-2024, 12:13 AM (This post was last modified: 03-25-2024, 12:15 AM by keweenawbee.)
Love the new bike. Taken it for a 50 mile daytime ride here in MN but it got very cold again and snow on the ground.. Totally in the dark about my headlights. My handlebar controls do not match anything I've seen both online and in the manual Barrington handed me. I have read that they are automatic but not adaptive on the 23 USA version RS.
I assume my dims were on during my ride along with my DRL's, but how would I flash my brights?
Ideally I'd like to add a pair of yellow or amber running/fog lights with only the DRL's during the day and run on auto with override at night. We have a current model X3 with the works and love the way those function. I just assumed they would be similar here but I'm lost.
Anyone else out there with a USA version 2023RS? I'll try to attach a photo of my USA handle bar controls. Thanks.
Mine's a UK bike, but there's a little lever at the front of the left controls (out of sight in your photo). According to my manual pulling it flashes your mains, pushing it switches the mains on. Never tried it yet!
03-25-2024, 05:04 AM (This post was last modified: 03-25-2024, 07:55 AM by Grumpy Goat.)
(03-25-2024, 04:18 AM)colirv Wrote: Mine's a UK bike, but there's a little lever at the front of the left controls (out of sight in your photo). According to my manual pulling it flashes your mains, pushing it switches the mains on. Never tried it yet!
Colirv is correct. In the USA your main beam headlight is on all the time (Federal safety regulation). As far as adding lights, search this site as there are a number of threads about it. Also look at Grumpy Goat YouTube channel for information as well. The lights I added to mine are from Clearwater and I used their Can opener controller with easy install and great results.
Happiness comes not from what you have, but from enjoying all that you do have no matter how much or little that may be.
As said, left side FRONT of switch pack red lever controls high beam FLASH/ON/OFF. DRLs are on all the time. Low beam one side on all the time, High beam other side controlled by switch. Page 92 of manual.
BMW changed to a new style switch gear around 2005 and when the RS got the heated seat option in 2023 the right side switch changed so you have to use the TFT to control the heated grips and seat.
Your R1100 had 3 large buttons for the turn signals. It took me awhile to get used to the single turn signal switch on my 2011 K1300S.
Lee
Iowa, USA
2022 R1250RS White Sport
Past BMWs: 2016 R1200RS x 2, 2011 K1300S x 2, 2003 K1200RS x 2, 1991 K75S x 2, 1987 K75T x 2, 1984 R100RT
(03-25-2024, 12:13 AM)keweenawbee Wrote: ... Totally in the dark about my headlights. My handlebar controls do not match anything I've seen both online and in the manual Barrington handed me. I have read that they are automatic but not adaptive on the 23 USA version RS.
I assume my dims were on during my ride along with my DRL's, but how would I flash my brights?
...
Anyone else out there with a USA version 2023RS? I'll try to attach a photo of my USA handle bar controls. Thanks.
You are missing one detail in your photos - the front of the left handlebar controls. There you would find the flash to pass trigger. Use it as a trigger to temporarily illuminate your high beams, and push the trigger outwards to keep the high beams on.
US spec bikes will have the right headlamp only on with the low / dipped beam, and will have both left and right headlamps on in high beam mode.
Cool guys, thanks so much. I am hoping to get a GS911 and CANbus interface so I can learn the ropes with the DRL's and adding lights but I will post about that when it happens. It would be great to disable the low beam during the daytime and compensate for them with something away from the DRL's, I love the Euro look. My wife's X3 console menu allows complete flexibility in daytime appearance so on real sunny days I disable the DRL's entirely.
(03-25-2024, 02:08 PM)keweenawbee Wrote: It would be great to disable the low beam during the daytime and compensate for them with something away from the DRL's, I love the Euro look.
I have not heard of anyone being able to do this on a US BMW bike.
The 2 LED DRLs and our Clearwater Darlas with yellow covers are plenty for people seeing us in the daylight, so I would shut off the low beam if I had the option.
Lee
Iowa, USA
2022 R1250RS White Sport
Past BMWs: 2016 R1200RS x 2, 2011 K1300S x 2, 2003 K1200RS x 2, 1991 K75S x 2, 1987 K75T x 2, 1984 R100RT
(03-26-2024, 06:27 AM)Toruk Wrote: I'd like BOTH sides to have a low and high beam! My riding mates have often questioned if I have a bulb out. BMW seems to like non-symmetric lighting.
This is not unique to BMW. All the bikes I have owned so far have this arrangement, including Honda and now the Tiger. May have something to do with being easier to aim away from oncoming traffic ...? Just guessing at that.
Regards,
Grumpy Goat 2016 BMW R1200RS 2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
(03-26-2024, 06:27 AM)Toruk Wrote: I'd like BOTH sides to have a low and high beam! My riding mates have often questioned if I have a bulb out. BMW seems to like non-symmetric lighting.
This is not unique to BMW. All the bikes I have owned so far have this arrangement, including Honda and now the Tiger. May have something to do with being easier to aim away from oncoming traffic ...? Just guessing at that.
I figured it was just a styling thing. We've had BMW since 1984 and our 2016RSs were our first bikes to have this setup. Our 2011 K1300Ss did not.
The first BMW I remember having the uneven lights was the R1100S. Our 2003 K1200RS from that same time period did not have uneven lights.
I liked the lights on the 2011 K1300S the best. One center low beam and 2 outer high beams.
Lee
Iowa, USA
2022 R1250RS White Sport
Past BMWs: 2016 R1200RS x 2, 2011 K1300S x 2, 2003 K1200RS x 2, 1991 K75S x 2, 1987 K75T x 2, 1984 R100RT
It's funny, now I see that front headlight flasher button in almost every photo now! Bike still hasn't moved looks like warmer days ahead toward the end of the week though.
As far as being able to disable the front headlight, wouldn't the GS911 allow loading the Euro defaults?
Has anyone here tried turning off the low beam with this procedure? I've seen it in several posts on different websites. This is said to work with all CAN BUS bikes.
"For turning the headlight off on canbus bikes: Start the bike, hold down the turn signal cancel button for five seconds, then the right turn signal for another five secs and the headlight goes off.
To turn on the parking lights, turn the bike off, then hold the left turn signal for three seconds. To turn them off, turn the ignition switch on, then off again."
(04-07-2024, 03:54 PM)keweenawbee Wrote: "For turning the headlight off on canbus bikes: Start the bike, hold down the turn signal cancel button for five seconds, then the right turn signal for another five secs and the headlight goes off.
I'm guessing you have to do this each time the bike is restarted??
Lee
Iowa, USA
2022 R1250RS White Sport
Past BMWs: 2016 R1200RS x 2, 2011 K1300S x 2, 2003 K1200RS x 2, 1991 K75S x 2, 1987 K75T x 2, 1984 R100RT
