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Automatic Turn Signal Cancelling


Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV

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Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV

I noticed that my '05 R1200RT automatically cancels my turn signal after riding about 0.1 miles. What a nice feature, but I couldn't find any reference to this in my owner's manual.

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I think it is a little for sophisticated than just a timer becaue when I am at a long stop light with my blinker on, it stays on until a period of time "after" I start up and turn. It may be an "and" function that requires a certain amount of time (say 50 seconds) AND a certain distance.

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I think it is a little for sophisticated than just a timer becaue when I am at a long stop light with my blinker on, it stays on until a period of time "after" I start up and turn. It may be an "and" function that requires a certain amount of time (say 50 seconds) AND a certain distance.
Correct.
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I think it is a little for sophisticated than just a timer becaue when I am at a long stop light with my blinker on, it stays on until a period of time "after" I start up and turn. It may be an "and" function that requires a certain amount of time (say 50 seconds) AND a certain distance.

 

Yea, I think your right.

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This has been discussed before but needless to say I can't find it. You're right it cancels after a certain time AND distance. From memory I thought it was only 10 seconds and 600feet.

 

It can be irritating, not to say dangerous when it cancels earlier than you want but I've got used to it now and sometimes switch it on again if necessary.

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Agreed, it is a function of 'time and distance' but as Bob said, not necessarily 'after' the turn.

 

There is no ability for the turn cancel function to determine when or if you have made a turn, it is simply of matter of which comes first...time or distance.

 

Consequently if I indicate to far ahead of my turn due to some ahole on my ass, I have to monitor and re-indicate as necessary tongue.gif .

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If you want to indicate your turn early, you can just click on the control again and again, and it will restart the time/distance countdown every time.

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I noticed that my '05 R1200RT automatically cancels my turn signal after riding about 0.1 miles. What a nice feature, but I couldn't find any reference to this in my owner's manual.

 

I'm assuming the reason it's not in the manual is so that you get into the habit of cancelling the signal yourself (the primary method), with the automatic cancel feature being the secondary "failsafe" method, in case you forget. That said, people should be told so that they can signal again in cases where it shuts off too early.

 

I had no trouble getting used to it because my 2003 1150R had the same feature. I discovered it by accident (no pun intended), and surprised the hell out of the dealer sales guys at the time.

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Rocket_Cowboy

I'm pretty sure the auto-cancel was mentioned in my manual, but I'm too lazy to go back out in my near-freezing garage to rescue the owners manual from under the seat to quote specifics. smile.gif

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I'm pretty sure the auto-cancel was mentioned in my manual, but I'm too lazy to go back out in my near-freezing garage to rescue the owners manual from under the seat to quote specifics. smile.gif
It is mentioned on pages 63 and 64 of the 07 manual.

 

Alan

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Dick,

 

I picked up my new R1200GS just before Christmas and was pleasantly surprised to find that, like my K75s of 1988 vintage, I once again have self canceling indicators! I've read pages of road tests about the GS from all around the globe and none of them mentions the self cancelling indicators; very odd.

 

Derek Brown

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As it's up to a balmy 37o F in my garage, I can quote page 55 of the 2006 R1200 RT Manual:

 

"After driving for approx. 10 seconds or covering a distance of approx. 650 ft (200 m), the turn indicators are automatically switched off."

 

The manual states this twice on the same page, once for each turn signal.

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"After driving for approx. 10 seconds or covering a distance of approx. 650 ft (200 m), the turn indicators are automatically switched off."

 

It does say "DRIVING" for 10 seconds. I can assure you that at a dead stop, it does NOT cancel after 10 seconds.

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I can assure you that at a dead stop, it does NOT cancel after 10 seconds.
Correct. When not in motion the signals will blink indefinitely.
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If you want to indicate your turn early, you can just click on the control again and again, and it will restart the time/distance countdown every time.

 

HI Paul! wave.gif

 

I can't say about on the RT, but the GS doesn't work that way. If you hit the signal button again before the signal stops, it has no effect. It does not restart the countdown.

 

I wish it did, because occasionally I start the turn signal too soon, and have to wait for it to stop before hitting it again. It is distracting!

 

Two features I would love to see BMW program into my signals are the ability to cancel with the same button you start it with, and to increase the time/distance before it cancels.

 

Jim cool.gif

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Chuck Hatcher
Two features I would love to see BMW program into my signals are the ability to cancel with the same button you start it with, and to increase the time/distance before it cancels.

 

Agreed. I miss the turn signals from my H-D Road King. The good news is that's the ONLY thing I miss.

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Two features I would love to see BMW program into my signals are the ability to cancel with the same button you start it with, and to increase the time/distance before it cancels.

I agree about eliminating the separate "cancel" button. But I would like to have the distance-to-cancel actually shortened. I find myself manually canceling my signals most of the time so as not to annoy those behind me.

 

I've got to give Harley credit - they've got the best turn signal system of any manufacturer. It just works.

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Two features I would love to see BMW program into my signals are the ability to cancel with the same button you start it with, and to increase the time/distance before it cancels.

I agree about eliminating the separate "cancel" button. But I would like to have the distance-to-cancel actually shortened. I find myself manually canceling my signals most of the time so as not to annoy those behind me.

I actually want it much longer. I always cancel and don't need it to hold my hands. When I signal long it's because I want to. Please make this adjustable BMW.

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I actually want it much longer. I always cancel and don't need it to hold my hands. When I signal long it's because I want to. Please make this adjustable BMW.

 

+1 I agree. This is what's going to get me into trouble as I always signal well ahead of time on a 2 lane highway where the speed limit is 55 and someone is on my ass.

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+1 I agree. This is what's going to get me into trouble as I always signal well ahead of time on a 2 lane highway where the speed limit is 55 and someone is on my ass.

Where I find the long signals to be a problem is when I'm turning at a stop light. I would like to have the blinkers auto cancel immediately upon completion of the turn (when I've got the bike 100% vertical).

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quote] Where I find the long signals to be a problem is when I'm turning at a stop light. I would like to have the blinkers auto cancel immediately upon completion of the turn (when I've got the bike 100% vertical).

I expect no self-cancelling system will meet everyone's needs. All-considered, I think the hexhead system is the equal of and possibly superior to other systems. The one that gets me is the non-cancelling system where you see a rider going for miles with a signal blinking. Happens in cars too where you would expect that the clicking noise should serve as an alert.

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Actually the HD system is, at least in my opinion, far superior to BMW's. They use a 4 zone system that monitors speed and distance when the turn signal is engaged. At highway speeds, the self cancel feature stays on longer whereas if you're at a light and start out after turning, the signal cancels very quickly (there are 2 additional "zones" based on speed that are incorporated). To manually cancel you simply push the switch a second time. I found that I almost never had to use the manual cancel feature on the HD (changing lanes being the exception). Conversely I almost never rely on the BMW system to shut off the signals. This was one of the very few areas of technology where I found BMW to be a dissapointment compared to HD.

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I expect no self-cancelling system will meet everyone's needs. All-considered, I think the hexhead system is the equal of and possibly superior to other systems. The one that gets me is the non-cancelling system where you see a rider going for miles with a signal blinking. Happens in cars too where you would expect that the clicking noise should serve as an alert.

Disagree and agree.

 

I disagree that BMW's system is equal or superior to other systems. I can't speak for others but from riding Harleys and BMWs, I have to give the nod to HD's turn signal implementation. It's intuitive, doesn't require a 3rd cancel button and the self-canceling mechanism works as transparently as any automobile's.

 

I do agree about riders failing to cancel their non-self canceling system. It's like a little flashing sign that says "I'm Not Paying Attention", "I'm Not Paying Attention".... and having said that, I'm as guilty as anyone. blush.gif

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Comes down to basic philosophy of what as self-cancel system is suppose to do, doesn't it?

 

Should it replace the rider's canceling actions; ala an automobile and HD, be the primary mechanism of cancel? Or should it supplement them; ala BMW, its purpose being only to cancel them should the primary cancel mechanism (the rider!) fail?

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Comes down to basic philosophy of what as self-cancel system is suppose to do, doesn't it?

 

Should it replace the rider's canceling actions; ala an automobile and HD, be the primary mechanism of cancel? Or should it supplement them; ala BMW, its purpose being only to cancel them should the primary cancel mechanism (the rider!) fail?

 

It should cancel after I fail to cancel it myself but not before I make the turn onto a driveway from a two lane road with traffic moving at 70 in a 55 and giving plenty of warning as to my intentions.

 

We have an LCD display. Let me use that to adjust parameters like this.

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Amazing how far we have come since (I think) Kawasaki used a mercury switch to address the same issues.

 

/sarcasm

 

I enjoy the the use of computerized automation as much as the next guy but this is rather silly. Why all the different methods for such an operation? Obviously, we still have not come to resolution of creating a consistent solution. At least, none that statisfies everyone.

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Amazing how far we have come since (I think) Kawasaki used a mercury switch to address the same issues.

A mercury switch is useless for this. The reason is pretty clear. No matter if you are riding in a straight line, or rounding a corner, the local vector for "straight down" is always parallel to the vertical plane of the wheels and chassis.

 

That means that even when the bike is leaned way over, the mercury switch cannot (because of the action of centrifugal force) cannot tell the difference between this, and when the bike is proceeding in a straight line.

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I expect no self-cancelling system will meet everyone's needs.

 

Why not make the time interval user-variable? This would not be hard to program into the computer, or they could make it so that the dealer could change the self-cancel time with their computer interface.

 

Having said all that though, I probably wouldn't change mine even if I could.

 

Jay

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I believe the switch was mounted in a horizontal position thereby disconnecting the circuit when the bike was leaned over in either direction.

Not sure how long this configuration was used but obviously it was not carried forward to present day application.

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Why not make the time interval user-variable? This would not be hard to program into the computer, or they could make it so that the dealer could change the self-cancel time with their computer interface.

There's a thought! Why not make an additive function -- one push of the button gives a 10 second/100 yard operation; 2 sequential button pushes double that; etc. I can't compare to a the Harley system as in 35 years of riding I've yet to do the deed. Asked the local dealer for a demo ride on a V-Rod but was turned down because it had rained 3 hours earlier. Have ridden a few Buells as a demo ride leader during Sport Fest, but I really don't recall any particular advantage of the signal gear. I do remember them as decent little sport bikes but extremely hot on the right thigh.

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Have ridden a few Buells as a demo ride leader during Sport Fest, but I really don't recall any particular advantage of the signal gear. I do remember them as decent little sport bikes but extremely hot on the right thigh.

just an fyi... Buells use the same non-canceling signals as most Japanese bikes. (And yes, when that rear fan kicks in in stop and go traffic, the right thigh can get mighty toasty.)

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