Aftermarket Windshield Toasted My Adjustment Mechanism?

[wingsnthings]

Hello Everyone!

I have an '07 K1200 GT and just purchased a Cee Bailey windshield for it. After mounting the new windshield, I took the bike for a test ride. I made a couple of small adjustments to the height using the handlebar switch and it seemed to work fine. Then, just a few minutes later tried the switch again and got no response. I remounted the facory windshield and tried the adjustment switch again, while sitting in the garage. I hear a steady sound like a little motor running, but no abnormal sounds and no movement on the windshield, either.

I find it impossible to believe the mechanism failed coincidentally after 9 years. Rather, am suspicious that the thicker and heavier windshield must have told the BMW computer to malfunction... But I don't know!

I hate to spend the money to have the part repaired only to have the same thing possibly happen again.

Has anyone else seen the same scenario and have any wisdom to pass along? I would be grateful.

Incidentally, the Cee Bailey windshield eliminates buffeting and provides a very smooth ride!

Thank You!

Hal

 

[boltgunner]

You sure you received the correct CB part for your year/model? Did all bikes of your year/model come with the electrically adjustable feature? You might ask CB if there are different windshields available for that year/model bike. Good luck!

 

[wingsnthings]

As certain as I can be... Never knew of any bike like mine that had a fixed windshield and all the PPW from CB says for my exact bike. All the holes lined up exactly right, as well. Local shop was less than helpful over the phone, just insisted I bring the bike in.

 

[lkchris]

Very little reason to think any BMW windshield is computer controlled.

 

[rockbottom]

I've had a Cee Bailey on my 2014 RT for over 20K miles without a problem.

 

[58058D]

Not likely the new screen had any affect on the mechanism due to its weight, etc. Wind pressure will easily be much greater than any weight difference, and no, there are no sensors I am aware of to tell the mechanism to work or not work based on weight or pressure, etc. I am not familiar with the actual mechanism, but if you are hearing the actuator motor run, is it possible that the 'operating shaft' is no longer transferring torque from the 'actuator' to the 'windshield support'? If you are hearing the actuator, that is a good thing in that it is by far the costliest item at $413. It does seem that you will need to disassemble the front fairing pieces to access this area and see what the problem is. But if you have reasonable mechanical skills - based on the micro-fiche - you should be able to at least diagnose the problem and most likely fix it yourself for under $100. I would tear into it in a second based on what I see on the parts diagrams, I am sure there are DIY how-tos out there on one forum or another. Coincidences do happen... good luck. I am sure someone who has had to do this will chime in as well.
https://www.ascycles.com/2/MicroList?id=51588&catID=46&catname=46 Frame and mounting parts

 

[Mirider]

I have a RT so I'm not sure this is same for your K bike. Recently I knocked it over in the garage and struck the windscreen on the wall. I could hear the motor running but the screen wouldn't move. I took the front cover off and found a broken drive gear. I have a new one on order, 23 bucks + shipping. It was pretty easy to remove the front fairing and the gear was easily removed

 

[BMW Triumphant]

Very little reason to think any BMW windshield is computer controlled.

My 2015 RT windshield lowers to lowest level when the bike is turned off, and then returns to the original level when the bike is turned back on.

I figure there is a potentiometer that is read by an analog to digital converter and that number is stored on shutdown, read by the computer on startup, and the screen adjusted accordingly.

 

[BC1100S]

My 2015 RT windshield lowers to lowest level when the bike is turned off, and then returns to the original level when the bike is turned back on.

I figure there is a potentiometer that is read by an analog to digital converter and that number is stored on shutdown, read by the computer on startup, and the screen adjusted accordingly.

Or perhaps it operates similar to the windshield wipers on a car....wipers "park" in a stowed position when turned off, windshield "parks" in a lowered position when the ignition is turned off.

 

[rocketmanli]

On my '09 RT there are 3 "C" clips holding various parts of the upper windshield arms together allowing them to pivot and raise & lower the shield. Is it possible one or more of your clips (if you even have them) fell off after you installed the shield?

 

[BMW Triumphant]

Or perhaps it operates similar to the windshield wipers on a car....wipers "park" in a stowed position when turned off, windshield "parks" in a lowered position when the ignition is turned off.

But, how would you restore the screen to the original customized height? It's under computer control, is how.

 

[wingsnthings]

Thank You to everyone for reading my post and offering your help! I really appreciate it. Based on some of your suggestions, I think I will open things up and see if anything is obviously amiss before taking it to the dealer. The R&R process for the windshield is super easy, but maybe I did over stress something without even knowing it. Once again, thanks to everyone!
Hal

 

[jconway607]

Very little reason to think any BMW windshield is computer controlled.

Hmm, let's see. On the current bikes a computer controls: the throttle, the brakes, the ABS system, the suspension, all the dash functions, the wiring, and cruise control. I'm probably missing a few other items. It's no surprise to me that BMW felt people needed a little help with the windshield also. It's just so hard to learn how to work those pesky things. Too high? Too low? Darn it!

 

[58058D]

I don't have this model, so I can't say, but, this is a pre-canbus RS/GT brick bike. Does it operate in the same manner as the newer models?

 

[wingsnthings]

It actually does run on a canbus. Opened things up today and didn't see any springs sticking out, ball bearings rolling around, or bent parts. That mechanism looks too stout to be damaged easily, so it's a bit of a mystery as to what happened. I was told by a former BMW mechanic that he seems to recall those windshields don't actually have physical stops on them, but use a potentiometer ( whatever those are... ), to tell it where to stop. Therein, with complicated gadgetry, is probably where the trouble begins...

Absolutely, it shouldn't be so tough. I mean it's like, " Me no like screen so high, me press switch to maken go down. Ya. Dat guud!"

My suspicion that a computer sensed a different windshield stems from the cute things I saw BMW do with my 540 car, to foil any attempts to use non-BMW parts or accessories. And to digress further still, once put a recharged ink cartridge in an HP printer, only to find out those cartridges have a chip in them to tell the printer what's up, so the printer can reject it!

Well, anyway, at least the windshield is stuck in a good position. I think I'll just eek by until I can decide whether it's worth pursuing.

 

[BMW Triumphant]

A potentiometer is a variable resistor. They are what you turn to adjust the volume on older radios; newer radios use a digital variant, but older radios control the volume by rotating the control arm on the "pot".

You may have seen a three-terminal round thing with a shaft that turns when the screen moves up and down. Might be in line with the motor that drives the screen so the common shaft does the adjustment of the pot too.

By measuring the resistance at shutdown, a computer can turn the motor to get back to a previous position upon startup.

 

[greenwald]

Or, as they say ..... "Coincidence is a bitch!"

Ran an over-sized Cee Bailey on my R1200RT for years - only problem was the pot-metal OEM struts that eventually snapped due to aerodynamic pressures. Once replaced with beefier, non-BMW after-market units - NP.

 

[58058D]

my aftermarket toner cartridges have a chip that 'lies' to the printer.......
Oh, and 'Dang It' forgot they went to canbus on the bricks, what 2001 worldwide and 2002 US?