Stupid indicator switches...........

[BawdyMonk]

I've got used to all the switches (Had a B*W since Feb), I often ride other bikes and have to focus on their switches, the B*W is home now

 

[Rabbitson]

Agree totally about the kill switch and the start button as well, not at all well thought out when you compare it to a Jap bike, and as for the combined flash and high beam, that's pretty dumb too, and to make it worse, the headlight's rubbish!!

So as long as your someone who has the hands of a goalkeeper and likes everything in a totally non-intuitive position . . . . it's great!!

Not being able to get used to other bikes afterwards surely constitutes what we in software would call a 'vendor lock-in' as well doesn't it?

Good job I love everything else about the bike otherwise I think it would drive me crazy!!

 

[Deleted Member MM]

I think the BMW system is by far the most logical and when I ride my Jap bikes..................the switchgear on these causes me more probs.........

Totally agree, forever hitting the Horn button when I ride my Aprilia.

 

[CoolCarbon]

Indicators are fine its the horn I have trouble with and as others say its a much better system than the "normal" ones.

Pete A

Ditto.........

CC

 

[Zebedee]

I've got used to all the switches (Had a B*W since Feb), I often ride other bikes and have to focus on their switches, the B*W is home now

In my case October …

Though I do find that when I get … relaxed, I do tend to hit the Right indicator as my thumb drops off the cancel.

Finding the horn (oo, err misses) … it’s a damn sight easier than finding the correct bit of the steering wheel to thump.

 

[Den]

bmw indicator switches are fine, the paddles are positioned in a perfect position to respond to a quick tap.
ordinary indicator switches require the thumb to be contorted akwardly.
my ole norton commando had a good system. one longish paddle switch on left bar i think. down for left and up for right, just like a car. This system seemed to be disliked by most of the testers at the time.

Horn button could be positioned better

 

[wessie]

I like the indicators. The switchgear has become intuitive. Cancelling the indicator can be done once you have got all your other necessary operations under control.

However, as others have intimated. The horn button is counter intuitive. When you need to use the horn you are usually doing other stuff like closing the throttle, braking & using the clutch. You need to have a horn button that requires less precision to operate it. I just do not have the fingerspan to reach for the clutch and thumb the horn button.

I've lost counts of the times that I have expressed my ire with a loud blast of left indicator!

 

[MikeO]

I like the current set-up, but feel the counter-intuitive horn button problem could be solved.

If the switchgear was re-wired so that the indicators were operated by what are currently the horn button (for the left indicator) and the cancel switch (for the right indicator), the current right indicator button could be used as a 'cancel' button and the current left indicator button could be used as a (completely intuitively placed) horn button.

Or am I talking ********?

Mike

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

If the switchgear was re-wired so that the indicators were operated by what are currently the horn button (for the left indicator) and the cancel switch (for the right indicator), the current right indicator button could be used as a 'cancel' button and the current left indicator button could be used as a (completely intuitively placed) horn button

Then you could have the left h'bar turning right, the brake pedal as the flasher, the twistgrip as the brake, bouncing on seat would make smoke come out the exhaust and clapping your hands - the wheels fall off ?

bit like a clowns bike - oh - it already is

Phil

 

[turbine_2]

Or am I talking ********?

Mike

No, I completely agree and have thought along the same lines myself.

 

[turbine_2]

I've lost counts of the times that I have expressed my ire with a loud blast of left indicator!

Yes, tell me about it. I used to have the same problem. I've mostly got my gross motor control trained now to go up and forward so at least I get some horn action.

 

[RadioActive]

I got used to the indicators when I had a GS a few years back. Didn't have a bike for quite a few years so went out for 1/2 day on a Jap bike to get the hang of things before getting another GS recently and immediately thought the single indicator switch was more sensible. I've again got used to the GS switchgear but as so many others have said - that bloomin' horn!

So I think that's a thumb down from me. Or is it up?

Chris

 

[pint6x]

Since I've had my GS I don't remember one instance of hitting the horn button when I wanted to - that's in about 8,000 miles of riding.

The indicators I'm OK with, but I usually end up hitting the indicator kill switch instead of the horn - I guess I'll get used to it eventually.

 

[judge]

The indicators I'm OK with, but I usually end up hitting the indicator kill switch instead of the horn - I guess I'll get used to it eventually.

Four BMW's over eight years and no you don't

 

[Deleted Member]

for sure

Had many bikes. This is my first bmw
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, Stupid, They have managed to make three switches perform worse than one.
I intend to get a self cancelling kit soon before I get myself killed.

Versprung Dork Patrick!

 

[exeter_lad]

Having come from Italian bikes I find the indicator switches as intuitive as the dip switches fitted to Ford cars 30 years ago.

To remind those of my era, this switch was on the floor left of the clutch pedal. Trying to dip up or down while changing gear, especially on the winding country roads of your was as like to get your foot stuck and your car heading for the verge (or worse)!!

So it is with the indicator switches. I am getting better now, but my automatic inclination is to rotate my wrist when reaching with my thumb - and that is my only criticism of this lovely bike so far - the number of times I have inadvertently accelerated during the second part of mirror/indicate/manouver.

What do these two switching systems have in common - german designers.

(As an aside, before electric windscreen washers, some cars has a plunger to the left of the clutch which needed to be pumped to wash the screen - another recipe for disaster. So perhaps it was the American Ford designers who came up with ideas - and just forgot that every other country in the world does not use automatics).

 

[Mick Fagan]

I've been riding BMW's almost exclusively since the SWB /5 models came out and the /5, /6 and /7 bikes all had blades and switch gear almost identical to the 259 series, Brilliantly easy to use with the /5 being the easiest to use overall. Especially the horn button as it was just a push in the centre job.

Then I had an 80 G/S followed by a R100CS both of which had genuine BMW made in Japan switches. These were, ergonomically not easy to use, my thumbs go in arcs not left to right.

Then I got the 1100 GS and the switch gear is nearly perfect. But since September 1998, I still cannot find the horn in a hurry.

I think Mike O is pretty right in that if one could change the L/H indicator with the horn button, things would be perfect.

Mick.

 

[Carefulkev]

I find the indicator set up great, very natural & easy to use.

After coming from Jap bikes though I find the main / dip beam switch is a little "heavy" to use.

 

[Padge]

I've never had a problem with them..
I agree that the horn is just not in the right place.. Don't know where is the right place so I just end up shouting yabollix ..

I used to have the old F650 and the engine kill switch was in a shite location.. If i was wearing thick gloves I end up knocking the engine off accidentally. At least the 1150GS hasn't that problem.

 

[Keith Davies]

The only problem I have is that when driving the car I now switch on the wipers to turn right!! At least I can see where I'm going even if nobody else knows.

Keith