License Plate Bulb Headache on 2023 R1250 R

[smswy]

Update: Solved the backside bulb access problem. If you look on my photo of underside you see two recessed areas in the plastic at top. I thought maybe those hole captured nuts that are bolted from the top. Took of passenger seat and sure enough there are two. So two bolts from top and 3 from underside. Pulled out bulb socket from behind and pulled out bulb and pushed it back in. Started bike and the bulb worked and no fault warning. Put it all back together and started bike again and no light from under the bulb above license plate. And I got fault warning. They had zip ties around the license plate light wire and two turn signals that were so tight they smashed firing. I had cut and replaced. Also another around those wires farther forward around another socket. I replaced that too. That rubber bulb holder is supposed to come far enough out to seat in the external shroud. But the wiring had been bunched so much and zip tied that I think it was too short to seat. So there may be an issue with a broken wire that jars loose and then connects. Willgo though it all again in the morning.

Help! These BMW bikes sure can be a PITA regarding small things.
Was getting a license plate light fault warning on my 2023 R1250 R and thought I would check the bulb.

When you unscrew the bolt at the bottom of the bulb shroud it seems there is a nut on the inside of the plastic (the hole below the bulb) and it drops down inside the plastic. The actual bulb does not appear to have broken filiment. To get to the nut and replace the shroud you have to remove plastic on the back side.

I have removed the two bolts in the middle and one at the bottom of the long arm. There are two other openings towards the top and front that do not appear to have bolts in them, but I cannot see clearly. I tried lightly prying the plastic inset out at a couple locations, but I am afraid I will break something. Can’t figure out access.

Any ideas?

 

[omega man]

Found this on the internet-

I'm convinced BMW Motorrad has a learning program where they give an apprentice design responsibility for one small component of the bike. On my F800ST, it was the indicators (front, specifically) which required disassembly so that you were able to disconnect their leads in order to remove the fairing lowers for maintenance. Tedious, and given the screws thread into plastic, prone to wearing/stripping the thread over time. On the R1200R/RS (and presumably 1250 equivalents) it's the process required to replace the licence plate bulb.

On my recent trip, this particular bulb gave out, leaving me with a general orange warning triangle, and a dash bulb-warning, to annoy me for the remainder of the journey (surely these should turn off say five minutes after each key-on – you should have absorbed the message by then, rather than be continuously annoyed and perhaps not notice another fault occurrence).

While I picked up a new bulb the day I noticed it, with a wet and dirty rear guard etc I dared not attempt to change it away from the workshop. The reason is that the rear tail piece liner must be removed to access the bulb holder. In my case, this meant removing the rear mudguard (which replaces the liner when fitted) along with the pannier mounting rails (and panniers of course). BMW devotes a whole two pages of the owner manual to the process. Removing the rear liner/mudguard is not only tedious, it also risks stripping out one or more brass threaded inserts (an associated design flaw). These have been known to strip on first attempt to remove a screw on even a relatively new bike.

All of this is simply because the nut that holds the 'nose piece' in place is not captive. Removing the securing screw allows one to very simply change the bulb, but not to screw the nose piece back on because the nut falls away. There's even a key-hole cutout for the rubber bulb holder to pass readily out towards the rear. How easy would it have been for said apprentice to make provision for the nut to be captive (and not by using one of those useless brass inserts). Keep going like that, and one day you will be in charge of side stand design. Oh, you already are??

Anyway, what should have been a five minute job turned into an hour and a half while I faffed around. My eventual solution was to simply screw it up tight and put a mass of hot glue around the nut to support it once the screw is removed, and be sure not to be brutal with it when inserting the screw next time. I also cut the zip ties holding the lead, and those of the indicators, and replaced them after allowing a little more leeway in the licence bulb lead.

Future bulb replacements will take but a couple of minutes, if that. Perhaps a bit more if I choose to rinse out the dirt that accumulates in the nose piece.

Sounds like another design by someone that has never needed to do it. Also sounds like there is a description in the owners manual.

OM

 

[smswy]

Found this on the internet-

I'm convinced BMW Motorrad has a learning program where they give an apprentice design responsibility for one small component of the bike. On my F800ST, it was the indicators (front, specifically) which required disassembly so that you were able to disconnect their leads in order to remove the fairing lowers for maintenance. Tedious, and given the screws thread into plastic, prone to wearing/stripping the thread over time. On the R1200R/RS (and presumably 1250 equivalents) it's the process required to replace the licence plate bulb.

On my recent trip, this particular bulb gave out, leaving me with a general orange warning triangle, and a dash bulb-warning, to annoy me for the remainder of the journey (surely these should turn off say five minutes after each key-on – you should have absorbed the message by then, rather than be continuously annoyed and perhaps not notice another fault occurrence).

While I picked up a new bulb the day I noticed it, with a wet and dirty rear guard etc I dared not attempt to change it away from the workshop. The reason is that the rear tail piece liner must be removed to access the bulb holder. In my case, this meant removing the rear mudguard (which replaces the liner when fitted) along with the pannier mounting rails (and panniers of course). BMW devotes a whole two pages of the owner manual to the process. Removing the rear liner/mudguard is not only tedious, it also risks stripping out one or more brass threaded inserts (an associated design flaw). These have been known to strip on first attempt to remove a screw on even a relatively new bike.

All of this is simply because the nut that holds the 'nose piece' in place is not captive. Removing the securing screw allows one to very simply change the bulb, but not to screw the nose piece back on because the nut falls away. There's even a key-hole cutout for the rubber bulb holder to pass readily out towards the rear. How easy would it have been for said apprentice to make provision for the nut to be captive (and not by using one of those useless brass inserts). Keep going like that, and one day you will be in charge of side stand design. Oh, you already are??

Anyway, what should have been a five minute job turned into an hour and a half while I faffed around. My eventual solution was to simply screw it up tight and put a mass of hot glue around the nut to support it once the screw is removed, and be sure not to be brutal with it when inserting the screw next time. I also cut the zip ties holding the lead, and those of the indicators, and replaced them after allowing a little more leeway in the licence bulb lead.

Future bulb replacements will take but a couple of minutes, if that. Perhaps a bit more if I choose to rinse out the dirt that accumulates in the nose piece.

Sounds like another design by someone that has never needed to do it. Also sounds like there is a description in the owners manual.

OM

Great. Exactly the problem. I will look at the matter with this in mind. Although he does not give specifics about said mudguard removal.

 

[r0ckrat]

I think this exact problem and a way of getting things fixed has come up on the R1200R Forum, so it may be worth heading over there for a search...

 

[smswy]

I think this exact problem and a way of getting things fixed has come up on the R1200R Forum, so it may be worth heading over there for a search...

Omega Man shared that long write-up he found online. But just before I got that it occurred to me that there might also be bolts coming down from above. Sure enough, when I removed the passenger seat, there were the too bolts. Removed that, the underside plastic came off and I retrieved the nut and messed around with the bulb holder and reinstalled. The bulb was working, until I got everything back together and turned on the ignition again, and it wasn’t.

 

[omega man]

Is it one of the lights that only comes on when the bike is running?
OM

 

[smswy]

Is it one of the lights that only comes on when the bike is running?
OM

By running, you mean engine running, right? Well, when I got it apart and pulled out the bulb and reseated it and then turned on the ignition, not the engine, the light came on and stayed on. So? But tomorrow, before I pull it all apart again, I will start the engine and see if it comes on. But still does not explain why, after ptting it back together and turning on idnition, I got the license bulb fault warning again.

 

[omega man]

Sounds like you are on it. Perhaps there is a little wiggle in the ignition?
Let us know how you make out.
OM