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

I purchased the flooterset fog lights form Wunderlich and am not crazy about the switch that comes with it so I purchased the autoswitch that you can use your turnsignal cancel switch to activate the fog lights. Before I rip the bike apart tring to find the computer plug where this wire is (teal/blue white stripe) can anyone give me any guidance? I am also considering not using a switch at all and just having the lights on all the time as I will probably ride that way.

Thanks,

Dave

Not a suggestion but a question, If you are going to have them on all of time why have a switch? Maybe as an advantage in low battery situations?

Mark

I would like to have the "Option" to turn them off although I will probably use them all the time. I decided to purchase the fog light switch like the other guy on this forum did ( http://www.eilenberger.net/R1200R_Roads ... switch.htm ) as I thought that was a great look and I won't have to splice into the turn signal cancel wire. But I am still interested if anyone tries the auto switch.

Dave

The AutoSwitch was on an 1150GS I used to own. Very convenient in that there is no extra switch. Very inconvenient in that if you forget to turn the lights on, they will not be on.

On the R I have Motolights and I mounted the switch on the left side of the airbox down low, so I can turn the lights off if I need to and the relay is on a switched power lead so they go on and off with the key.

On my 800GS I bought the Flooters and I used the switch provided, but wired power to the relay off the convenience outlet instead of the headlight lead specified. It is very difficult to get to. The lights come on with the bike, and stay on for 30 seconds after the bike is turned off when CANBUS switches off that circuit. As it turns out, this is convenient if you like to have a short time to get the house keys out in the garage, similar to a car with automatic headlights.

I like Deilenberger's GSA Aux switch the best, but I have mirror extenders on the 800GS and they would not fit with that switch mounted.

This is the motolite switch on the left side of the airbox:

I'll just comment since I'm the "other guy.."

The GS switch is great. Works well, is visible so you don't have to look at the lights to tell if they're on (daytime.. at night it's pretty obvious) and most importantly - it falls readily to thumb, so you can switch them off quickly when there is oncoming traffic.

To add to the usefulness of the switch - I also have it tied into a garage door opener I have. It's a special one where you replace one of the buttons for your garage door in your garage with a switch that has a relay and radio receiver in it. You then add a small module on your vehicle that sends a coded signal to that radio receiver when the module gets two pulses of power within 3 seconds or so.. and the relay in the switch operates the garage door.

Works great on the bike (and on my M3 which is what I originally got it for - the convertible doesn't have the option for built-in Homelink.) As I come down my street I just flash the driving lights twice and my garage door starts opening. By the time I'm in the driveway - it's open.

Guess I should add that to the update on Farkling article for the BMW-MOA Owners News..

Sorry for the "other Guy" quote Don and thanks for the comments on this subject.

Dave

Yet another opinion... or "we don't need no stinkin' switches"...

I wired my auxiliary lights (Hella FF50 converted to HID) through a relay directly to the battery. The relay is triggered by the headlight wiring so everything on the block doesn't get energized until after the engine is started.

I can't imagine ever wanting the lights off, except, as mentioned above in a low-battery situation. I figure I can just pull fuses under those rare circumstances. The extra conspicuousness during the daytime is readily apparent as cars react to my presence much differently than before installation.

I carefully adjusted the FF50's so they don't blind oncoming cars at night, and yet I find I have plenty of illumination on the Interstates for all but very over-the-speed limit riding, which I avoid at night anyway, since I'm allergic to deer.

Autoswitches and GS switches are probably way cool, but there's also kind of zen joy in no-switch.

ShinySideUp wrote:Yet another opinion... or "we don't need no stinkin' switches"...

I wired my auxiliary lights (Hella FF50 converted to HID) through a relay directly to the battery. The relay is triggered by the headlight wiring so everything on the block doesn't get energized until after the engine is started.

I can't imagine ever wanting the lights off, except, as mentioned above in a low-battery situation. I figure I can just pull fuses under those rare circumstances. The extra conspicuousness during the daytime is readily apparent as cars react to my presence much differently than before installation.

I carefully adjusted the FF50's so they don't blind oncoming cars at night, and yet I find I have plenty of illumination on the Interstates for all but very over-the-speed limit riding, which I avoid at night anyway, since I'm allergic to deer.

Autoswitches and GS switches are probably way cool, but there's also kind of zen joy in no-switch.

So, how does one convert the FF50's to HID? That's one I've never heard of before...does it cost much?

Thanks! Bill J

dderrig wrote:I purchased the flooterset fog lights form Wunderlich and am not crazy about the switch that comes with it so I purchased the autoswitch that you can use your turnsignal cancel switch to activate the fog lights. Before I rip the bike apart tring to find the computer plug where this wire is (teal/blue white stripe) can anyone give me any guidance? I am also considering not using a switch at all and just having the lights on all the time as I will probably ride that way.

Thanks,

Dave

Sorry Dave, I didn't mean to hijack your thread...and sorry I can't advise you on the install question. My autoswitch was installed by my b-in-law as I don't trust myself with wiring. Things tend to go up in smoke! But, the autoswitch works great to turn the supplied relay (that came with my ff50's) on and off. I like to have the option of not having them on when I'm starting the bike, and I've never forgotten to turn them on after the bike is running, it just became part of the regular drill. Before doing the wiring I did use the search function to find some pictures/diagrams of how others (Dallara?, et al) had done their installation. That was helpful...at least more helpful than my miscellaneous ramblings....

Good luck...Bill J