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Headlight wiring ?

SCBuckeye

New member
I have an 1978 R100/7, nothing fancy.

My question is this. I want to disable the "always on" feature of the headlight, and put a switch in - similar to the way my older /6 had the set up. I want the light to come on only when I turn it on, but not on all the time. I also want the headlight "flash" feature to work all the time. Right now, when I turn on the key, the headlight comes on, and stays on even when going through starting. I am sure this pulls power from the starting process.

Has anyone re-wired for this. I think it is a simple matter of wiring in a switch on a power line that runs from the headlight key switch, to the headlight relay. If I am right can someone confirm?

Thanks
 
You have to buy a European Headlight Switch from BMW, any BMW Dealer should be able to get one for you.

I have one on my 1977 R100RS.

Good luck they cost around 118 pounds from Moto Binns in the UK,

From Max BMW $108.19

Part # 01 61 31 1 243 866 for higher bars like on a standard bike not RS
 

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You have to buy a European Headlight Switch from BMW, any BMW Dealer should be able to get one for you.

I have one on my 1977 R100RS.

Good luck they cost around 118 pounds from Moto Binns in the UK,

From Max BMW $108.19

Part # 01 61 31 1 243 866 for higher bars like on a standard bike not RS

------------------------------
I really don't want to buy another handlebar switch.

What I want to do, if possible, is to wire in a "rocker" or "toggle" switch and either mount it in my fairing or Hide it in my fairing.

If I read the wiring diagrams (I have two different ones that both claim to be for my 1978 R100/7). One has a wire labeled "USA only" that runs from the key ignition switch directly to the headlight relay, the other does not. Both diagrams have the newer left handlebar control that does not have the traditional headlight switch.

I would like to add my own (hidden) switch to do the same thing as the old switch did and STILL leave the headlight "flash" feature that both old style and new style bikes have so that I can use intermittently as a "warning" to oncoming traffic or traffic that might pull out into my path.

Thanks,
 
headlight switch

I've done it both ways, with the euro switch and with a toggle on the fairing. I believe you're right about the wiring. With the toggle, I believe I just took the live feed (red, I think) which goes to the headlight relay inside the shell and ran couple of wires back out through a grommet on the back of the shell and put the switch in line on the red feed. I don't recall having to tinker with the greed wire from the ignition switch. The euro switch is the better option for me.
 
Euro switch - left handlebar

Does anyone know if the left handlebar switch on the older /6's and /5's is the same as what people are calling the "Euro Switch"? Would one of them be workable even if not exactly the same?

If so, I might could find a used one to purchase at a more affordable price!

Otherwise, I want to just wire in a rocker or toggle switch and hide it inside the fairing.

As to the color of wires, I looked inside my headlight shell, and off the key switch, it appears to be the only connection on it with 2 wires together - and the color of the wires is green. One of them goes to one of the wiring harnesses that also comes into the shell, the other goes to a fuse connection where another green wire (unfused) runs from the connection back out to the light relay. This is the one that appears to be the one to "tap" into with the switch.

There are no red wired from the key switch, but there is a red wire in the shell that connects to something. But, I think, both red wires in there are "hot" all the time - i.e. not fused at all. One of them runs, I think to the light relay - which may be the "hot" lead to the relay. That would explain why tapping a switch there would work.

Anybody have any suggestions? Does anyone know for sure how to do this where it will replicate the older method off the handlebars on the /5's and /6's ??

Thanks to all of you - you are are GGGGRRRREEEEEAAAATTTTT!!!
 
Does anyone know if the left handlebar switch on the older /6's and /5's is the same as what people are calling the "Euro Switch"?

A toggle switch would work for a while... remember, you're pumping 55 watts through it. Not exactly what they're designed for.

Anybody have any suggestions?

I'd take Darryl's advice and spring the $108, or whatever it is, and be done with it. A nice, clean, predictable, reliable setup where everything falls to hand without having to mess with an aux switch.

Definitely not anything found on a /5.
 

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Does anyone know if the left handlebar switch on the older /6's and /5's is the same as what people are calling the "Euro Switch"? Would one of them be workable even if not exactly the same?!!!

I am pretty sure that when folks are talking about "euro switches" it is the keyed ignition switch. European models have an extra position or two in the ignition switch, one of which let's you start and ride without the deadlight being energized.

The left side handlebar switch on the /5 and early /6 models doesn't turn the headlight on and off. The up position turns on the high beam and the low position flashes the headlight.

Barron
 
I am pretty sure that when folks are talking about "euro switches" it is the keyed ignition switch. European models have an extra position or two in the ignition switch, one of which let's you start and ride without the deadlight being energized.

The left side handlebar switch on the /5 and early /6 models doesn't turn the headlight on and off. The up position turns on the high beam and the low position flashes the headlight.

Barron
------------------

But in one of the above replies, the picture shows one of the left handlebar switches (as I can best remember) that was on my R90/6. I think (if I remember correctly), the yellow lever in the pic, turn on the lights, first position running lights (I think) and second position = headlight. The sliding rocker button, turned on high/low beam of headlight.

Right?
 
Jimmylee, you are right and I was mistaken. I wasn't thinking about the switch pictured with the yellow handle. I thought it was only the keyed ignition switch that let you turn off the headlight, I did not know there was also a handlebar switch that did that.

Barron
 
I am a stubborn old fart that doesn't want the headlight on unless I turn it on - like the bikes before the government screwed things up
What good is headlight when running logging roads in bright daylight - headlight not req in some states in the daytime - total waste of
energy and hard on the alternator/battery

So on my R65 which had US key switch with two functions
1) Ignition and lights on
2) park

I just swapped the wires around so I have
1) Ignition on
2) Ignition and lights on
And no park - never had any use for it anyway

Cost $0.00

Might work for you
 
So on my R65 which had US key switch with two functions
1) Ignition and lights on
2) park

I just swapped the wires around so I have
1) Ignition on
2) Ignition and lights on
And no park - never had any use for it anyway

So then which wires go where?
 
A toggle switch would work for a while... remember, you're pumping 55 watts through it. Not exactly what they're designed for.



I'd take Darryl's advice and spring the $108, or whatever it is, and be done with it. A nice, clean, predictable, reliable setup where everything falls to hand without having to mess with an aux switch.

Definitely not anything found on a /5.


Here is what I did:

There is a green wire coming off the key/ignition switch that is listed on one of my wiring diagrams as "USA only." It runs to two places - one is pretty directly to the lighting relay. This wire doesn't have to carry all that wattage, but just enough to "turn on" the light relay which in turn does carry the wattage. So, I simply disconnected this wire from the switch, and then created two wires, one to connect to the wire, and the other to the ignition switch where the original used to be connected. I ran them out of the headlight shell, into the fairing and installed a "rocker" switch in the fairing.

Works perfectly. Headlight is off during start-up, and off until I turn on the rocker switch. the hi-beam is also off, but does work for the headlight temporary "flash" when I press the hi-beam flash button - regardless whether the headlight is turned on by the rocker switch or not. Perfect.

I noticed immediately the engine turning over faster without the extra voltage drain caused by the headlight draw. It started faster, and the battery recovers faster as well.

It doesn't get any better than this!!!

I'll report if any drawbacks show up, but I rode my bike 1/2 of the day on Saturday, and about 4 hours on Sunday and everything worked perfectly!
 
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