Instructions for LED Stoplight needed...

[Ralph]

I just bought an LED accessory stoplight for my K1200GT http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/CatalogShowItem.asp?source=Accessories&brand=BMW&group=Lights&description=Supplemental+LED+Brake+Light&model=K1200GT
Along with the light I purchased the requisite CAN-BUS harness for the CAN-BUS light as advertised.

However, when the parts arrived, there was absolutely no indication as to how to connect the harness to the CAN BUS on the bike. Supposedly BMW must figure the connectors on the harness are 'intuitive' with respect to determining what the plugs beside the one that actually connects to the light itself are to plug into. My 2006 GT's plugs that I can see under the seats do not seem to fit anything on the harness that is supposed to connect the light to the CANBUS system.

Has anybody else had this problem, and found a way to solve it? I'd like to get the light on my bike, but I haven't been able to as yet, and my favorite Tech Guru at my local BMW dealer after messing with it for an hour and a half wound up scratching his head and saying he'd have to see if he could find something from BMW to indicate where and how the blame thing was to be hooked up.

The seller (MAX BMW) of the light's Parts Lady did send me a kind of set of instructions, but she apparently was unaware that beside the connector to the light, there were three other connectors-1 a spade with aux spade connector, and the other two plastic oval pin connectors. -- and of course, none of the latter appeared to fit any connectors I could see handy under the seats.

Right now the bloody thing's a $175 paperweight. Does anyone have any wisdom or real and accurate directions as to how this light is supposed to be connected, and where? I'd sure appreciate any and all helpful information!

And another (sarcastic) thank-you to BMW for overlooking something VERY important--like real directions as to how to connect an accessory that isn't at all 'intuitive'. (I'm learning to hate the CAN BUS... think I'll call it a CAN'T BUS!)
Grrrrrrrrr.

[Semper_Fi]

I had a similar issue with my 08 RT - I ended up returning the product

[RoboRider]

You're not alone. I found many posts about this topic. Here's a thread that might help; it did me:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=415510

The point is that you unplug the accessory outlet plug and plug that into the harness (for power for the light) and then the other end close by plugs into the accessory outlet (restoring its function). The long end of the harness plugs into the light you bought (pretty obvious). This now has the light powered. The spade connector plugs into the tail light brake connector and the wire you remove there plugs onto the extra spade. This wire is the "trigger" to activate the new light. I now have mine wired as of 2 AM last night. I'm just on my way down now to button it back up and clean up the routing. The light works great once you figure out how to connect it.

Mine is an 05 RT, but I imagine they all connect the same, just with different wiring harnesses.

Good luck.

[Ralph]

Thanks, Robo! I checked out the ADV rider URL and with what you said and the entries there, maybe I can get this thing hooked up. I'm headed down to the garage now to see what happens again. :bolt

[Ralph]

Well, I checked out all the plugs under the seats I could see, but could not determine where or what was the plug to dis and re-connect via the harness, other than a white one on the right side of the bike way down that MIGHT be the plug that needed to be reconnected via the plugs on the harness. However, trying to pull that plug out of its socket (if socket there was) was a no-go as the thing didn't seem to want to be removed. I'm back to square 0. Duhhhhh. Why in hell doesn't BMW give any directions on this??? Man this burns me. There ought to be clear directions with specific indications as to where the requisite plugs on the bike are located and photographs indicating such plugs and locations. There isn't even a wiring diagram I can find anywhere that would even give a hint about the subject, unlike my lovely little Royal Enfield whose official Maintenance Manual has all that information, including detailed wiring diagrams for every sort of bike they make. Geez!

[Semper_Fi]

..........and that is why I returned mine

[TomBarnhart]

Go to the Run-n-lites web site... www.epmperf.com or info@epmperf.com He sells some LED products that work, plus he has good instructions on how his product interfaces with the can/bus system.

[RoboRider]

Do you have an accessory socket on the bike? This is where you plug in the harness. My RT has the accessory socket right on the back side of the bike. This is where it gets 12 volts for the light. You have to have the correct harness for your bike as well, I assume they make one for the K bike (I have the RT). I assume your bike was on the list of bikes this light was made for, and that you got the correct wiring harness (there are 5 I believe). It is for Canbus bikes.

I had to remove the rear trunk platform to get into the area to make the connection--my hands could not squeeze in otherwise.

My suspicion is that this is a dealer part and dealers are now selling it to us and that is why it has no instructions. I heard they use these (stock installed) on the Police bikes.

If you want to wire the light yourself, you just need to supply 12 volts to the light via the harness (I can tell you which is positive and negative if you need me to check mine out). You can tap into the battery if you want via a fuse, or Centech box, etc. You just need to get 12 volts to it. Then, the wire with a spade connects to the brake bulb socket spade and acts as the trigger signal to activate the brake light. The light, when it has 12 volts, lights up nicely as a tail light. When the brake signal triggers it, it flashes rapidly and then goes bright and solid as a brake light.

If you want to get it working, I will help you, via telephone if you need.

Robo

[Ralph]

Tom, thanks for the heads-up on the other lights. If, as SemperFi suggested he did, and after all the help I still can't get this thing installed and I send it back to the dealer I got it from, I'll check them out.

And Robo...Many thanks for the additional info about the accessory socket. I do have one on the K1200GT, but it's about a foot above the footpeg on the left side of the bike. Now that I know what the harness is supposed to connect to, that at least gives me a good hint of what wire I have to trace to its connector source. Up to this point I was in the dark about that. I can see I'm going to have to do some flashlight work to see where that wire connects to the Canbus as that then, from what you indicate, should be the connector I need to interplace the harness connectors at, plus attaching the spade connector to the side that turns on the brake light of one of the brake bulbs.

With all this very helpful advice from you all, maybe I'll get this thing connected yet.... I hope!

In any event, MANY MANY Thanks, Guys! :clap

[Ralph]

Well, I found the necessary connectors & nothing on the harness would fit the connectors on my bike. The BMW aux. light went back to the sellers, and I got the appropriate Kisan Tech rear blinking warning stoplights. Took 10 minutes to install and they work like a charm. They even came with 2 extra halogen bulbs. Cheaper than the BMW part too.

[JimVonBaden1]

P3 lights! I wired up a set on a K1300GT today, worked perfect the first time!

Pics and video later.

Jim :brow

[cjack]

Well, I found the necessary connectors & nothing on the harness would fit the connectors on my bike. The BMW aux. light went back to the sellers, and I got the appropriate Kisan Tech rear blinking warning stoplights. Took 10 minutes to install and they work like a charm. They even came with 2 extra halogen bulbs. Cheaper than the BMW part too.

The kit you had was for the later K12GTs where they changed the connect on the back of the acc socket to the oval 2 pin.
The kit you needed was the one for the larger 2 pin, more or less rectangular, plug/socket on the back of the acc socket.
Basically it just gets power from the acc socket harness (there were two variations of the pin/socket on this). And then the pickup on the brake light (the spade conn).
It's so simple, BMW must have figured it a waste of paper to include instructions...heh.

[Ralph]

The kit you had was for the later K12GTs where they changed the connect on the back of the acc socket to the oval 2 pin.
The kit you needed was the one for the larger 2 pin, more or less rectangular, plug/socket on the back of the acc socket.
Basically it just gets power from the acc socket harness (there were two variations of the pin/socket on this). And then the pickup on the brake light (the spade conn).
It's so simple, BMW must have figured it a waste of paper to include instructions...heh.

Just like BMW:nyah... However, I'm fine with the Kisan bulbs. I can even tell they're working because the warning 'bang' on the dash flashes when I have both the turn signal and brakes on.

[RoboRider]

I have a problem with my light.

I rode in the rain yesterday and the light would no longer work (only half lit up, and no change on braking). The entire inside, electronincs etc., were soaking wet. I opened it up to drain it, but the damage was done. I wrote Sierra BMW for a warranty replacement.

It has gaskets, and I don't know if mine was defective or if this is a design issue, but I'll use silicone to REALLY seal the next one well before installing.

I'm upset that this pricey BMW part failed like this. I paid a lot for it because I wanted something that wired up easily, worked with the CANBUS, matched the bike well, bolted up easily, etc. I'd like to know if others with this light have had any post installation issues.

The light is quite easy to connect, as Cjack said, if you know how it works. The old "second time will be a breeze" applies!

[cjack]

I've had five of them and never a problem with water.

[john1691]

That light is actually made by a large cruiser manufacturer, and their bikes don't normally go out in the rain.................:nyah

[RoboRider]

Good to hear, cjack, thanks for the information.

[gregfuess]

Got these lite-buddies LEDs from pirates lair, and they work fine; very bright indicator signals, red running lights and flashes when the brakes are applied. I am no mechanic, but even I got these installed in about an hour.

http://pirateslair.net/LiteBuddy.htm

Greg