Ring Antenna - side of the road job?

Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich and many other makes of accessories.

ratboy

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Hi - I'm shortly off for a week or so in The Alps. As I was a bit worried by the high number of Ring Antenna faults I asked the Work Shop Manager at North Oxford. He said they had had so many (on '08 bikes) that if he was me he would take a spare one along.

There is no point in taking one unless it is doable at the side of the road. Is there a post on how to do it somewhere or can one of you technical types that is good at posting idiot guides help out.

Is it doable at the side of the road?
 
Very 'doable' at the side of the road :thumb2

Follow the lead from the the failed unit down the front of the headstock and unplug - no need to remove the faulty antenae.

Tape a spare key to the 'spare' unit, connect the plug and tape it somewhere out of the way.

Carry on using the ignition switch to turn the bike on/off.

You may also want to carry a spare 'fuel pump controller' as these can also fail with no warning and are equally easy to replace (or, there is a thread on here courtesey of Wapping on how to bypass the controller in order to 'get you home').

I'm also off to the Alps in two weeks so will keep an eye out for a stranded GS at the side of the road ;)

HTH
Andres
 
ratboy said:
Hi - I'm shortly off for a week or so in The Alps. As I was a bit worried by the high number of Ring Antenna faults I asked the Work Shop Manager at North Oxford. He said they had had so many (on '08 bikes) that if he was me he would take a spare one along.

There is no point in taking one unless it is doable at the side of the road. Is there a post on how to do it somewhere or can one of you technical types that is good at posting idiot guides help out.

Is it doable at the side of the road?
Click to expand...

Outtomunch said:
Very 'doable' at the side of the road :thumb2

Follow the lead from the the failed unit down the front of the headstock and unplug - no need to remove the faulty antenae.

Tape a spare key to the 'spare' unit, connect the plug and tape it somewhere out of the way.

Carry on using the ignition switch to turn the bike on/off.

You may also want to carry a spare 'fuel pump controller' as these can also fail with no warning and are equally easy to replace (or, there is a thread on here courtesey of Wapping on how to bypass the controller in order to 'get you home').

I'm also off to the Alps in two weeks so will keep an eye out for a stranded GS at the side of the road ;)

HTH
Andres
Click to expand...


As Outtomunch said, it's dead easy to replace both the antenna and the fuel pump controller.

On the latter, it's much easier to replace the controller (from one in a box) than to make a stand-by replacement, on the side of the road.

Before you set ofF:

Simply have a look where the ring antenna is, following Outtomunch's description. You could even try out the method before you go.

Think about doing the same for the fuel controller.

Why?

It's so much easier by your front door, than in the pouring rain / beating sun on the side of a motorway. It will only take you about 15 minutes to do both, or an hour whilst you sweat, taking the luggage out, as the ring antenna is packed under six weeks of dodgy undergarments.....

For instance, to release the plug on my fuel controller it was much easier to use long nosed pliers, than my stubby fingers....not much good learning that between NowhereStOmer and LostenFrance....
 
marvellous thingys said:
My dealer told me 3 weeks ago they no longer had problems with the EWS rings.
Bloody Liars the lot of em.
Why should you fork out 80 odd quid to buy a backup. You have just shelled out £10,000 to 11,000 for the bike.
If anything the dealer should loan you one for the trip.
Christ, BMW are getting away with murder.
Please,please, please, start standing up to them.They are just prising your wallets apart when they feel like.
They are bloody crooks.:spitfire
Click to expand...

Marvellous thingys, just do us all a favour and **** right off :thumb2

Andres
 
We took both a ring antenna & fuel pump controler to morocco & back again :rolleyes: as there was four of us & according to this site we had no chance of all making it there & back with out major problems, did break an indicator lens though :p
 
Thats 3 of us then going Alp in two weeks.. i will keep an eye open for you.
BTW i have said spares int top box..:augie
 
Just out of interest, there's a recall for ring antenna replacement here in Australia (as well as the front brake line .....)

Phil
 
Like Ratboy I,m off on a Big Trip (Spain and France) and am becoming a bit paranoid about pending failures. (2007 Bike with 2000 miles up). Please can anyone advise just what are the symptons when the Ring Antenna and the Fuel Pump Controller fail. I wouldn,t want to confuse another fault with either of the above.
Thanks.
 
Mike Tee said:
Like Ratboy I,m off on a Big Trip (Spain and France) and am becoming a bit paranoid about pending failures. (2007 Bike with 2000 miles up). Please can anyone advise just what are the symptons when the Ring Antenna and the Fuel Pump Controller fail. I wouldn,t want to confuse another fault with either of the above.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Number one.

Don't worry about it. Worse things can and do happen. At least you are not dying of thirst in Burma.

Number two.

You will know if they fail.

(a) Your bike will not start.

(b) Your bike will not run.


What to do.

(a) If your ignition works (all the EWS systems light up and engine turns over) but your bike will not run, it's likely (not definite) that it's the fuel pump controller. 10 minutes to fix, if you have taken some time out to find out where it is and how to remove it. See various threads.

(b) If your ignition does not work (no lights / EWS warning / engine will not turn over, in short no electrics) then it's likely it's the ring antenna, about five minutes to fix, providing you have done your homework first.

There again, it could just be the battery in both cases.

You cannot gash fix the ring antenna, you do need a fresh one. With the fresh one you can make a gash fix, by simply connecting it in place of the duff one and taping your spare key to it. See posts. You do have a spare key, don't you?

You can gash fix the fuel pump but it's so much easier to simply fit a new one. See posts.

What more?

Mechanical / electrical skills needed for either job, about 1 out of 10 but have a go at at least finding out where they are on the bike, that you have the right tool to unscrew the fuel controller's retaining bolts etc. etc.

Last

Have fun and stop worrying.
 
Thanks Wapping, thats given me a bit more confidence. Regarding the Spare Key, they one I got with the Bike is a Black Plastic affair. Will this work the same ?.
thanks.
 
Mike Tee said:
Thanks Wapping, thats given me a bit more confidence. Regarding the Spare Key, they one I got with the Bike is a Black Plastic affair. Will this work the same ?.
thanks.
Click to expand...

Yup, it will work fine. :thumb2 As I suggested, try things out BEFORE you go.

One small comment though.

It's worth getting a spare metal key, too. Why? Plastic is not the strongest stuff on God's green and pleasant. It's very easy to snap it in, say, the seat lock or being a little clumsy with the panniers.

Sod's law says you will lose you main key, then damage the plastic one in your panic to get going, having spent half an hour looking for it.....I have seen it done.....

I received two spare metal keys from BuMW for free, others have paid for theirs'. But I asked nicely.....
 
Doesn't matter if you break the spare plastic key as long as you don't break the chip inside it.

More important not to lose it! Mine is wrapped in yellow insulating tape (enough to tape it to the ring peice if need be).
 
Thanks for everyones help

A big thank you to all who replied. I feel confident enough to have a go at the side of the road now (but will print this and take it just in case) Reading the above I'd better take a fuel pump controller as well. Anyone know how much they are?

Looks like the Alps may be a bit crowded in the next few weeks. Twelve of us (3 x GS's) are off on the 7th June. Will keep an eye out for fellow GS'ers.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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