BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

So I'm on my way to work today and suddenly my R turn signal stops working. L is fine.

Also, whenever I hit the front or rear brake, the battery light comes on, and the RPM needle drops to zero!

When I release the brake lever, the batt light goes off and the RPM needle comes back up.

Bike starts and runs totally fine otherwise.

I have a feeling the fuel tank is coming off soon, but any initial thoughts?

Thanks.

Hope this post survives the bot-sweep.

2002 R w/ 40K miles, I clipped the front cable ties when I got the bike with 13,700 miles on it in 2013. Battery is 2 yrs old.

deffo sounds like a broken wire somewhere!

Even if you did clip the cable ties around the headstock wiring, it'd be the first area I'd be checking.

thanks. was thinking that as well. I'll see if the same thing happens with the bars turned all the way to the R and L.

If that is the case, do you just fine the break and re-solder it and shrink wrap that damaged segment?

sstein wrote:thanks. was thinking that as well. I'll see if the same thing happens with the bars turned all the way to the R and L.

If that is the case, do you just fine the break and re-solder it and shrink wrap that damaged segment?

When I had the issue (at something like 85000 miles, after cutting the cable-ties at about 2000 miles), I just replaced the damaged loom - it was far, far easier.

ABS or not?

Not ABS.

You replaced the whole loom - like all the electrical wires on the whole bike? That sounds a lot more complicated to me, but then again I have no experience with this...

Don't you have to like remove the engine and the hand controls and all of that to replace the whole loom?

sstein wrote:Not ABS.

Does the brake activation produce symptoms when bike is not in motion?

Can you measure system voltage during brake activation?

sstein wrote:Not ABS.

You replaced the whole loom - like all the electrical wires on the whole bike? That sounds a lot more complicated to me, but then again I have no experience with this...

Sorry - not the WHOLE loom - just the ignition switch spur (which was the worn out part).

My mistake, should have been clearer.

thanks for the responses.

Sweatmark - I'll check to see what happens when not in motion. To check the system voltage, I can use the (+) and (-) battery leads, correct?
I'll try to get to that this weekend.

Riceburner - I didn't know that individual sections of the loom can be replaced. May have to do that.

I've read on this forum how daunting it can be to find the problem. Will need plenty of help! (or a professional)

Sounds like a ground issue to me

sstein wrote:thanks for the responses.

Sweatmark - I'll check to see what happens when not in motion. To check the system voltage, I can use the (+) and (-) battery leads, correct?
I'll try to get to that this weekend.

Or you could measure at accessory socket using spare plug and wires, saving you from tank removal* right away. Your front/rear brake switch activation experiment could help narrow troubleshooting focus. I looked over my R1150R wiring schemata Monday after reading your post.

* As posted here before, I actually enjoy removing & replacing the R1150R fuel tank!

So here is some follow up info:

Start bike in nuetral --> no neutral light, no battery light, no oil light, no needle movement on tach

rev the RPMs --> battery light comes on and tach starts, netral light on but weak

activate hand or foot brake --> battery light glows bright, tach needle goes to zero, no brake light (or hyperlites)

release brake --> battery light goes off, tach needle goes back up but seems to to run lower than expected

I have NO flashers or flasher lights on instrument panel

hazards work fine

bike starts and runs fine

2002 R1150R non ABS 40K miles, 2 yr old battery

I checked the battery voltage through my trickler wire - 12+ volts. started the bike and bumps to 13+ volts. pulled in the hand brake lever- no change in voltage.

pulled the tank and did not see any obvious bare wires.

Any suggestions on how to proceed would be great.

Seems from the wiring diagram (Clymer) that the neutral light, brake lights, flashers, battery indicator may all be in circuit together?

Steven

So, after pulling the tank and staring hopelessly at all those wires, I decided to check the fuses and found #1 blown. Replaced it and everything works again. Could it be that simple?

Fuse #1 is for Instruments. They must have been backfed through the brakelight circuit after the fuse blew. Do you know why that fuse blew?

No I dodon't.

Been following this . .the culprit - that fuse- was unexpected. I would never have imagined that. Good,methodical followup on finding the problem! Well done,sstein.

sstein wrote:So, after pulling the tank and staring hopelessly at all those wires, I decided to check the fuses and found #1 blown. Replaced it and everything works again. Could it be that simple?

Guessing it's not that simple.
Why did Fuse 1 blow? It's another symptom of the underlying problem.
Always check the fuses as 1st step in electrical troubleshooting (reminding myself).

Sunbeemer wrote:Fuse #1 is for Instruments. They must have been backfed through the brakelight circuit after the fuse blew. Do you know why that fuse blew?

Fuse 1 for non-ABS R1150R is also brake switches/lamp.

Sure glad you found it. Was gonna suggest you check the antifreeze.....