brookscooper
New member
Touratech says newer canbus bikes have an unused canbus port in the "front of your motorcycle." Mine is a 2018 r1200gs adventure. Has anyone located that port on this bike? Trying to avoid exploratory disassembly
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Extra canbus connector
- Thread starter brookscooper
- Start date
bigjohnsd
'21 R1250 GS Adv
My '14 R1200GS ADV has an unused port up behind my horn. I was wondering what it might be for?
cmwessinger
New member
unused port
My 2017 R1200 GS seems to have an unused port near the horn too. Touratech indicates it can be used for a GPS, but I have the BMW Navigator (garmin) so I do not need too. I want to attach a deceleration modulated brake light border. I have the VOLOlight on my 1977R100 wired directly to the taillight. But I am reluctant to do this on my R1200. I worry doing so will compromise the CAN bus. Attaching it tag border at the front of the MC seems a bit awkward, but if it would work without, I am happy to run the wires. Any ideas?
My 2017 R1200 GS seems to have an unused port near the horn too. Touratech indicates it can be used for a GPS, but I have the BMW Navigator (garmin) so I do not need too. I want to attach a deceleration modulated brake light border. I have the VOLOlight on my 1977R100 wired directly to the taillight. But I am reluctant to do this on my R1200. I worry doing so will compromise the CAN bus. Attaching it tag border at the front of the MC seems a bit awkward, but if it would work without, I am happy to run the wires. Any ideas?
kthutchinson
Member
If you're looking for a connector to provide power for something like a GPS, the connector in question has nothing to do with the CAN bus. CAN provides data, not electrical power. Applying 12-volts on a CAN bus would probably fry every connected control unit. Touratech's description is very poorly written.
bigjohnsd
'21 R1250 GS Adv
Well you are kind of right, but not anywhere near completely right. Take the Horn Circuit on my R1200GS Adv. There are two wires going to the Horn, those wires carry battery voltage when the horn is activated. When the Horn Button is pressed the circuit is closed which sends a signal to the ECU to blow the horn, also using battery voltage, the ECU then sends the appropriate voltage to the Horn. If the ECU doesn't see the appropriate resistance in that circuit (too much or too little) it will set a fault code. Lights work the same way. So, the Canbus certainly handles battery voltage and appropriate current loads for the accessory being operated.
This link http://BMW Motorrad Canbus explained provides a much more comprehensive explanation if you are interested.
I still wonder what the "Extra" connector on the right side behind my beak is for. It isn't GPS as I hav a factory Installed Nav V GPS Prep and fully functional Nav V unit installed.
kthutchinson
Member
Except the horn button provides a ground, not 12 Volts, to the ZFE, not the ECU. The ZFE then provides 12 Volts to the horn. None of this requires signals sent over the CAN. The light circuits work the same way. The ZFE is simply a power distribution module. It may get CAN data commanding it to activate certain features, but only in very specific cases. The m-Unit by motogadget is a good example of a power distribution module that doesn't use CAN. CAN data signals are typically less than 5 Volts, although they can be higher in some industrial applications.
Extra-canbus-connector
As others have said, the so called extra canbus port is extra only if the Nav 5 or 6 cradle is not connected. That plug has three wires--red, black that provides 12V and a third purple wire for data. The white unused plug up by the horn has two wires. That is an extra port for switched 12VDC, and would need to be mated up with a complimentary 2 wire connecting plug or 3 wire connecting plug where one wire is not used.
As others have said, the so called extra canbus port is extra only if the Nav 5 or 6 cradle is not connected. That plug has three wires--red, black that provides 12V and a third purple wire for data. The white unused plug up by the horn has two wires. That is an extra port for switched 12VDC, and would need to be mated up with a complimentary 2 wire connecting plug or 3 wire connecting plug where one wire is not used.
RadioFlyer
Right2Repair
A splendid example of the ongoing confusion that has resulted from owners and vendors alike referring to ZFE-managed electrics as "CANbus". It has become so ingrained now that it is impossible to correct.
