Giving it horn...

[tommygun]

Does anyone else find the position of the horn a bit awkward to get to in moments of panic? I have to look down at the switch before voicing to the cage driver my displeasure at cutting me up. Normally I end up indicating left instead. Always been a problem, I just never mentioned it.

 

[wheelnut]

I think it's simply because you don't use it very often so don't have the 'muscle memory' to know where it is. After all the indicator cancel is in the same place on the other side and I assume you find that ok?

Annoy the neigbours. Practice.

 

[Ragnar]

I think it's simply because you don't use it very often so don't have the 'muscle memory' to know where it is. After all the indicator cancel is in the same place on the other side and I assume you find that ok?

Annoy the neigbours. Practice.

^Wot he said... I used to furiously indicate left at people too until I got used to where the horn was!

 

[Dainese Brave]

Does anyone else find the position of the horn a bit awkward to get to in moments of panic? I have to look down at the switch before voicing to the cage driver my displeasure at cutting me up. Normally I end up indicating left instead. Always been a problem, I just never mentioned it.

I do exactly the same myself!

Many's the time I've given the culprit a stern flash of my indicator in an emergency situation!

 

[Dainese Brave]

I think it's simply because you don't use it very often so don't have the 'muscle memory' to know where it is. After all the indicator cancel is in the same place on the other side and I assume you find that ok?

Annoy the neigbours. Practice.

I think you're spot on there......however, although I'm not one of the many critics of the BMW indicator system, I'm also not a great fan, but think it's livable and not a problem.....however I think the indicator cancel should be reversed with the horn......and that would make cancelling easier cos it's not on the hand controlling the throttle, and therefore in motion, and it would make the horn more accessable for use by the (in most cases) primary right hand.

Just my 2p's worth.

 

[Oldrat]

I have exactly the same problems. I'm now quite used to the Indy set up on each side, but I really would prefer the horn button to have a positive feel to it, perhaps a raised moulded edge, as even when consciously feeling for it, I still miss it, especially with winter gloves on.

As for the comments about training the memory reflex, that takes longer when you have more than one steed to choose from. But that's a nice problem to have

 

[(RIP) Miff]

I HATE the horn button. It's just silly. The trouble with putting the horn button on the right is that when you're using the horn, you are often shutting the throttle and braking (hard).
WHY do you have to push the horn button UP?? Whenever I've used the horn in anger, I find that I'm indicating LEFT. I hope that in an accident, this isn't a "mitigating factor" for the other party.


But, on the other hand, I was out on my Kawasaki ZZR600 with a mate and we came to a "T" junction. He indicated LEFT. I just blared the horn. He shouted back "You're not on the bloody BM you know"

The 2 separate buttons for the indicators is a FANTASTIC idea. But the cancel button is just plain bloody stupid.

It would be easier if you could swap the Left Indicator, and horn button around. Then swap the right indicator and cancel button around. I suppose it should be quite easy to change the wiring, but then the buttons would be marked up wrong.

Back in the early 90's, a company was doing a conversion kit for BMW's using Suzuki switch gear. Unfortunately, it cost something like £300.

 

[Simon_h]

why do we have to have an indicator cancel button? Why can't you just press the indicator on and off?

 

[Dainese Brave]

why do we have to have an indicator cancel button? Why can't you just press the indicator on and off?

My initial reaction to that was it'll not work.....

.....but further thought made me think... I can't think of why an indicator on a long timer with a push on/push off indicator button wouldn't work....the only downside is you'd have to cancel each the indicator individually per side.

.....but then I agree that I can't see why a more prominent horn button switch would be a problem either?

 

[rodders]

Haven't figured out how to mount it yet or where the button is

 

[Beemerman59]

I have exactly the same problems. I'm now quite used to the Indy set up on each side, but I really would prefer the horn button to have a positive feel to it, perhaps a raised moulded edge, as even when consciously feeling for it, I still miss it, especially with winter gloves on.

As for the comments about training the memory reflex, that takes longer when you have more than one steed to choose from. But that's a nice problem to have

Thats the problem I have. The horn position on my K1100 is in a slight difference place although its still a push up operation. It can get very confusing. However, I am used to the indicator switch gear and would hate to go back to the modern jap method. Whats wrong with left for left and right for right anyway.

 

[glenn2926]

Horn

I also have the finding the horn problem but I have come to the conclusion that most of the time the asshole that I want to blast is not really worth the time it takes me to find it. So I carry on my way knowing that I am right and they are wrong and as far as they are concened they did not wind me up. I am just better than them at everything.

 

[GeorgeH]

On my last bike (gs12), I was reversed into by a van. I had little time to react but I remember indicating left very hard....bang, the van ignored by indication...

 

[Wegby]

BEEEPPP!!!

Pretty much agree with everything here! I too have indicated left in considerable anger from time to time - what REALLY doesn't help is that if we're indicating left at someone who is looking like they're turning right from a side road on the left, we're only likely to compound the misery by our inept actions!

I like the idea of pressing the button to start indicating, and again to stop, however..... Back in about 1986, I had an old Yamaha XS400 (4-stroke twin, big as a bus, etc). This had self-cancelling indicators fitted as standard and although I can't remember exactly how they worked (from a technical perspective), the cancelling over-ride kicked in after about 30 seconds AND about 400 yards (so they'd continue to flash if you were sitting at lights for ages).

Considering they actually worked pretty well on a bike made 32 years ago, I am amazed that all subsequent bikes I've owned haven't had this feature - especially my Beemers. Come on BMW, we're not living in caves any more!

The self-cancelling thing would also be handy when riding in groups too. There's always one of two on the trips I take with my buddies to France / Germany who 'temporarily forget' to cancel their indicators (sometimes for days) - and you can guess how guilty we feel afterwards when we rip on them over a few beers later in the day...

One final point on where to locate the horn though.... A few years back I had a holiday in Sri Lanka. First time I'd been that far East, so was a bit of a surprise when we went anywhere wth our driver. His horn was going off so frequently, I started to believe that he'd had it wired so that it went off whenever he used one of the other controls (e.g. indicator, lights, gear change, brake, steering-wheel, etc). This philosophy might be a way to reduce the number of motorcycling accidents (although I do concede there might be one tiny flaw with this plan)...

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Surely they all have it?

This had self-cancelling indicators fitted as standard and although I can't remember exactly how they worked (from a technical perspective), the cancelling over-ride kicked in after about 30 seconds AND about 400 yards (so they'd continue to flash if you were sitting at lights for ages).

Considering they actually worked pretty well on a bike made 32 years ago, I am amazed that all subsequent bikes I've owned haven't had this feature - especially my Beemers. Come on BMW, we're not living in caves any more!

The self-cancelling thing would also be handy when riding in groups too. There's always one of two on the trips I take with my buddies to France / Germany who 'temporarily forget' to cancel their indicators (sometimes for days) - and you can guess how guilty we feel afterwards when we rip on them over a few beers later in the day...

NOW SURELY ALL THE 1200GS models DO have self cancelling indicators .....or is that simply those sold here in France?????????

 

[Wegby]

NOW SURELY ALL THE 1200GS models DO have self cancelling indicators .....or is that simply those sold here in France?????????

I would point out that my research into self-cancelling indicators was pretty minimal...

I've got a 2003 1150, however, a couple of friends have more recent 1200s which also don't.

Perhaps my 1150 does have them after all...? If I leave them on until the bulbs blow, that's self-cancelling in a way. No?

 

[autogs]

1200 s do have self cancelling indicators,im gonna say it,rfm

 

[Stevie73]

don't use the horn on the GS, it sounds like a fisher price horn I just pull up alongside offending cock, lift up my visor, and vomit verbage all over them.....

 

[OldCroc]

For those still on 1150s invest in a Kissan Signalminder. A great piece of kit that lets you set all kinds of things with the indicators including turning them into running lights. You can also set the number of seconds before self-cancelling and set this to over-ride when the brakes are on.
OldCroc

 

[DING-DONG]

Yep your correct and ive done it..and you dont need to come off the gas to turn indicators off!!