Lucky escape in Sicily

[Dave Cr]

Just got back from this trip & had a wonderful time apart from when the bike let us down. Stopped for a leg stretch, got back on and nothing worked. Bike recovered and later delivered to BMW garage only 5 miles away! Fault identified as a failure of gear indicator sensor. No replacement part available but they reset the computer and we were on our way again just a few hours later. Gear indicator now showing all -sorts, so had a few 'false neutral ' moments. We were very lucky to break down where we did, considering the other routes we had been on.

 

[(RIP) Miff]

Just got back from this trip & had a wonderful time apart from when the bike let us down. Stopped for a leg stretch, got back on and nothing worked. Bike recovered and later delivered to BMW garage only 5 miles away! Fault identified as a failure of gear indicator sensor. No replacement part available but they reset the computer and we were on our way again just a few hours later. Gear indicator now showing all -sorts, so had a few 'false neutral ' moments. We were very lucky to break down where we did, considering the other routes we had been on.

Mine has played up before. It's usually corrosion in the plug near to the actual indicator thingy itself (between the back of the gearbox and the swingarm). Last time I removed it completely, laid it flat and filled it with WD40. I let that run into the actual mechanism. Then I put it back on. Not had any problems so far.

You'll need an E10 TORX Spanner to remove it. It's the same size bolts as the gear lever bolt.

 

[Rusty Bolts]

+1 for that approach.

 

[Stahlgewittern]

Only on a GS could the thing that tells you what gear you are in can go in a huff and spoil your hols.
I have a gear indicator on my 1973 Daytona 500 and in 40 yrs it has never let anybody down,
Mind you its impossible to see it due to the air filter being in the way.

 

[2 wheel humvee]

Only on a GS could the thing that tells you what gear you are in can go in a huff and spoil your hols.
I have a gear indicator on my 1973 Daytona 500 and in 40 yrs it has never let anybody down,
Mind you its impossible to see it due to the air filter being in the way.

That's electronics for you-sometimes don't play nicely with water, it's a fairly well known issue and often easy to fix and maybe prevent, the reason your 73 Daytona s never failed is it probably sends its signal in morse code

 

[steve sheene]

Just got back from this trip & had a wonderful time apart from when the bike let us down. Stopped for a leg stretch, got back on and nothing worked. Bike recovered and later delivered to BMW garage only 5 miles away! Fault identified as a failure of gear indicator sensor. No replacement part available but they reset the computer and we were on our way again just a few hours later. Gear indicator now showing all -sorts, so had a few 'false neutral ' moments. We were very lucky to break down where we did, considering the other routes we had been on.

HI How long did it take you to ride down to Sicily from the uk ? we are planing to do that trip next year Thanks Steve

 

[Dave Cr]

On the way down we used the boat from Genoa to Palermo. On the way back we stopped at Pompeii, Rome, Lucca and Geneva etc. but it took us seven riding days to get to Zeebrugge from Messina. Longest day was 380 miles. Hope that helps.

 

[steve sheene]

On the way down we used the boat from Genoa to Palermo. On the way back we stopped at Pompeii, Rome, Lucca and Geneva etc. but it took us seven riding days to get to Zeebrugge from Messina. Longest day was 380 miles. Hope that helps.

HI Many many thanks for that we had planed to take seven days to ride there and a week in Sicily and seven days to ride home should do it in that time Thanks Steve

 

[(RIP) Miff]

Mine has played up before. It's usually corrosion in the plug near to the actual indicator thingy itself (between the back of the gearbox and the swingarm). Last time I removed it completely, laid it flat and filled it with WD40. I let that run into the actual mechanism. Then I put it back on. Not had any problems so far.

You'll need an E10 TORX Spanner to remove it. It's the same size bolts as the gear lever bolt.

Just thought, it might be an E8