I have a 2017 1200GS that I'm still very happy with, no plans to change, especially as I've just fitted Akrapovic headers. I saw a 1250GS go past today and I like the multifunction indicators with tail/stop light at the rear. Has anyone tried to retrofit these? The wiring mods should be simple - just running 2 extra wires to the new indicators I imagine - but I'd love to know whether anyone has done this. Thanks!
Can you retrofit multifunction 1250GS indicators to a 1200?
- Thread starter ProdigalGS
- Start date
my plan is to leave the original centre light unchanged and add the multifunction indicators, so I have three tail lights, not the two you get on a 1250GS. I agree, I don't like the overall 1250 layout, I think it's less visible from the rear.
I ran with a 1250 up through the highlands in pretty shite weather over winter, no issues with being seen
Lots of cars have similar set ups and they have no issues
Well, I thought I would give this a go and it's more difficult than I thought. I bought some used rear multi-function indicators on eBay and 2 repair leads from BMW. The repair leads meant I could add a small custom harness between the bike's main harness and the rear light. That way I figured I could tap into the tail and brake light feeds without having to damage the main harness.
I got the new indicators functioning fine, no problems. The problems started with the tail and brake lights. There are 3 wires going to the tail light which I figured were earth, tail and brake. Wrong! They are earth, number plate light and one wire for the tail/brake. The tail/brake wire sends about 4V to activate the tail light and then increases to 12V when you use the brakes. The multifunction indicators also have a single wire feed that works the same way.
I got all this connected and then discovered that the Canbus detects a fault with three tail lights, throws a hissy fit, turns the circuit off and displays an error message on the dash. And you can't fix this with a relay due to the 4V/12V supply. The only way to fix it would be to reprogram the canbus so it allows a higher drain without sensing an error.
For now I have the new indicators working but without the tail/brake light function. At least it's all reversible, so no harm done.
Does anyone here know whether the canbus controller be reprogrammed to raise the current limit? I am guessing the answer is 'no', but I thought I would ask.
I am feeling very humble today.
I got the new indicators functioning fine, no problems. The problems started with the tail and brake lights. There are 3 wires going to the tail light which I figured were earth, tail and brake. Wrong! They are earth, number plate light and one wire for the tail/brake. The tail/brake wire sends about 4V to activate the tail light and then increases to 12V when you use the brakes. The multifunction indicators also have a single wire feed that works the same way.
I got all this connected and then discovered that the Canbus detects a fault with three tail lights, throws a hissy fit, turns the circuit off and displays an error message on the dash. And you can't fix this with a relay due to the 4V/12V supply. The only way to fix it would be to reprogram the canbus so it allows a higher drain without sensing an error.
For now I have the new indicators working but without the tail/brake light function. At least it's all reversible, so no harm done.
Does anyone here know whether the canbus controller be reprogrammed to raise the current limit? I am guessing the answer is 'no', but I thought I would ask.
I am feeling very humble today.
M30SJM
Registered user
I'm guessing that at some point the tail lights have changed spec. My 22 bike has 2 wire front marker/indicators that work as you describe with dual voltage, but the rears have 4 wires.
What voltage is the number plate light?
Again, my later bike must be different, as ive recently fit some badge halo lights, with the white running light being fed from the rear multi function lights, and the indicator function run from the front indicators.
While i was doing this mod over the winter, i did a quick test and connected up the front multi function indicators to the rears, so i could just run the fronts as indicators only and not marker lights. I'm sure this worked without showing a fault.
Stu
What voltage is the number plate light?
Again, my later bike must be different, as ive recently fit some badge halo lights, with the white running light being fed from the rear multi function lights, and the indicator function run from the front indicators.
While i was doing this mod over the winter, i did a quick test and connected up the front multi function indicators to the rears, so i could just run the fronts as indicators only and not marker lights. I'm sure this worked without showing a fault.
Stu
the number plate light is 12V.
RadioFlyer
Registered user
First, the CAN-bus has nothing to do with chassis electrics like the tailight and turn indicators. It is the controller that detects the non-compliant lights and declares a fault.
Second, the controller for the multifunction lights is programmable to comply with the requirements of various countries. Some owners are re-coding the lights to behave differently. If your bike does not have the same controller as the new bikes then you can't replicate the multifunction.
Second, the controller for the multifunction lights is programmable to comply with the requirements of various countries. Some owners are re-coding the lights to behave differently. If your bike does not have the same controller as the new bikes then you can't replicate the multifunction.
In one, saved me typing it
And the LC varients, also have LIN bus, which i seem to recall looks after a lot of the central electronic functions
RadioFlyer
Registered user
In one, saved me typing it
And the LC varients, also have LIN bus, which i seem to recall looks after a lot of the central electronic functions
Anywhere you see a purple wire on a recent BMW that's the LIN-bus.
that's interesting, thanks. Any idea how too reprogram the light controller? I just need the current limit raised. Or where this unit is located?
RadioFlyer
Registered user
Your bike does not have the same controller as the R1250GS.
I doubt that the current thresholds are programmable.
I tried the same and have to admit the blinkers were smarter than me…Solved the problem by buying the blinkers from Weiser
I have never seen the set up but I am guessing that you have a separate supply to Side and Stop lights on the Indicators ?
Feed the Sides from the Number plate and try to feed the brakes from a relay tripped by the 12V supply to the brake lamp ?? Surely the 4V is not enough to draw the poles together ?
What Fucking IDIOT came up with that single Bulb set up Wankers!
b4n241
Registered user
in german gs forum there is a long story about modifying indicators in 1250 models, it involves use of bimmerutility or gs-911 to modify coding, your case is a bit different being a 1200, in any case you may get useful info here https://www.gs-forum.eu/threads/blinker-update-hinten-bj-2021.179160/
I have found a specialist in Germany that can do this. It's expensive, the full kit including new BMW indicators is €610. It looks like they supply a new lighting controller and the website specifically says you can fit it to a R1200GS from 2012 on.
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I might look into this. I am mainly interested in the extra stop lights. I would have to run a 12V feed from that battery that is switched by a relay triggered by the existing brake light coming on. As long as the relay doesn't overload the rear brake light! It's a single wire for the side/stop function in the indicators, just like the rear light. The rear light will cope with one indicator being wired to it but not two. Hope that makes sense!
quick update in case anyone is interested. After much research I discovered that I have two options for multi-function indicators. Option 1 is to buy a module from here https://emotion-ride.de/bmw-nachruestungen/multifuntionale-blinkleuchten/ for €310 plus shipping or €610 including 4 new BMW indicators. This would give my R1200GS the latest R1250GS indicators. I also discovered that there is a huge thread on the German GS owners website complaining that the latest 1250 indicators are not bright enough and that you can't see the indicator when the brake light is on.
Option 2 was a complete set of aftermarket indicators from Weiser https://www.weisertechnik.co.uk/product/extreme-evo-dual-function-front-triple-function-rear-kit/ which look less trendy but are much brighter. These have a better system which switches off the left rear brake light and left front running light when indicating left, and the same for the right. £439 for a complete kit. I have ordered a set of these.
Option 2 was a complete set of aftermarket indicators from Weiser https://www.weisertechnik.co.uk/product/extreme-evo-dual-function-front-triple-function-rear-kit/ which look less trendy but are much brighter. These have a better system which switches off the left rear brake light and left front running light when indicating left, and the same for the right. £439 for a complete kit. I have ordered a set of these.
