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why aren't the headlight, windshield, & starter switches backlighted


majordad

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I wish BMW had made the highbeam and starter switches backlighted for night driving. It would have made finding these switches a little easier in the dark.

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ShovelStrokeEd

If you have to look down to find a switch you have bigger problems in your near future. How about sitting on the bike and working a bit to practice the use of the switches. It really is pretty easy to reach all of them and with a little effort you can train yourself to reach them at will. That way you won't divert attention from where you are going.

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I agree. It's hard enough to find the switches as it is because you can't reach them by just moving your thumbs around. Backlight would have been good, I wonder if that could be farkelized?? eek.gif

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If you have to look down to find a switch you have bigger problems in your near future. How about sitting on the bike and working a bit to practice the use of the switches. It really is pretty easy to reach all of them and with a little effort you can train yourself to reach them at will. That way you won't divert attention from where you are going.

 

that's a great idea. thanks for the tip.

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Only problem I had was finding the emergence lights flasher when I had to pull over one night, on a road with a very small shoulder. Installed a Signal Minder when I got home.

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The designers figure that you should know where all the normal controls are without having to look for them. The 4-way flasher is lit, since that's not a control you'd expect to use much.

 

<tongue in cheek>

But for those who don't know how to ride:

They should not only backlight all the controls, but also put the handlebars right up in front of the rider, at about eye-level.

Additionally, they should put the footpegs way out in front, too - so the driver can see where the shifter and brake controls are, without having to know this by feel.

In fact - such a bike could even be designed with a second 'upshift' lever by the heel, so the complicated maneuver of putting a toe UNDER the shifter lever wouldn't be required, overtaxing the abilities of the driver.

And ultimately, you'd have to chrome everything, to make it easier to see.

But imagine how ugly that bike would look...

</tongue>

 

G

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I wish BMW had made the highbeam and starter switches backlighted for night driving. It would have made finding these switches a little easier in the dark.

Complexity. Backighting a series of switches will require additional bulk (around each switch), complexity and cost.

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I kinda had the same question after I bought the bike and came up with an idea using fibre optic cable. It was going to be a fairly long rainy week project.

But now I've just got used to it and am quite happy.

Cheers

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I wish BMW had made the highbeam and starter switches backlighted for night driving. It would have made finding these switches a little easier in the dark.

 

(Another tongue planted firmly in cheek)

 

For the same reason they don't backlight gun trickers, pants zippers or coffee cup handles... crazy.gif

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Not something that you should be looking for. It should be something that you know where it is. I switch back and forth and I have to stop and think sometimes. However, I know where they are. Practice, practice, practice. JP

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