neilsr1100rt Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Just purchased a 2000 BMW R1100RT and am enjoying every ride with it. One of the issues I'm having is when in 'Neutral' mode the green indicator light occasionally does not come on. The bike is in 'neutral' and the dash gauge reads '0' signifying neutral. However, if I attempt to start the bike without the neutral light being lit green, I get no turn over, as if the bike were still in gear. I have to fidget with the gear shift to have it come on...sometimes taking longer than other times... Is there an adjustment which can be made to get the Neutral light to appear green when it is in fact neutral? Any input much appreciated... Link to comment
tvpierce Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Mine does the same thing. I've been told it's a lazy switch. It can be replaced, but the transmission has to be removed... so most folks just live with it until the tranny has to come out for some other maintenance (clutch, splines, etc.). Link to comment
MT Wallet Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Same bike, same problem. Ride it! Link to comment
dirtrider Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Evening neilsr1100rt It sounds like you have both a lazy neutral safety switch & a bad clutch lever safety switch. You can live with the lazy trans neutral switch (a lot of riders do) but if you do you probably should address the inop clutch lever switch. Whether or not the trans switch is working (showing the neutral light) it should still always start with the clutch lever pulled in even if the trans is in gear & the neutral light isn't lit. If you don't repair (or bypass) the clutch switch that trans switch will eventually fail totally & you won't be able to start the bike. A quick clutch switch bypass usually involves just cutting the wires & hooking them together. The correct repair is usually a new clutch switch. Link to comment
Galactic Greyhound Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Hi neilsr1100rt, Attached is a diagram for the R1100RT starting circuit which will let you see how the neutral and clutch lever switches control the operation of the starter relay. There is also a note on how to emergency start the bike if both neutral and clutch switches or other switch interlocks have failed. Link to comment
roger 04 rt Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Hi neilsr1100rt, Attached is a diagram for the R1100RT starting circuit which will let you see how the neutral and clutch lever switches control the operation of the starter relay. There is also a note on how to emergency start the bike if both neutral and clutch switches or other switch interlocks have failed. That circuit diagram is nifty, very clear, much clearer than my Cymer's manual. It hasn't been indicated in the thread so far and the OP talks about fiddling until the neutral light comes on ... so I hope he realizes that the bike will turn over and start if the clutch is pulled in, even if the neutral light is not on. Although its a big job, the neutral switch is a safety item and there for a purpose. I would suggest that the OP replace it soon so that he has all of the features and functions the designers intended. I can image the scenario where, under some external stress, the clutch is pulled in and the bike is started while on the sidestand, inadvertently do to a distraction the clutch lever is released and the bike falls over ... It happens. Link to comment
Edgar Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I can image the scenario where, under some external stress, the clutch is pulled in and the bike is started while on the sidestand, inadvertently do to a distraction the clutch lever is released and the bike falls over ... It happens. I can' t imagine it happening. The 1100 RT in stock form will not start on the side stand. To change out the neutral switch you only have to remove the swing arm. Link to comment
roger 04 rt Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I can image the scenario where, under some external stress, the clutch is pulled in and the bike is started while on the sidestand, inadvertently do to a distraction the clutch lever is released and the bike falls over ... It happens. I can' t imagine it happening. The 1100 RT in stock form will not start on the side stand. To change out the neutral switch you only have to remove the swing arm. You're right on the 1100, unless that one is disabled as was the discussion of another recent thread. Link to comment
Jim Moore Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 OP, does your bike start with the clutch in and the neutral light not functioning? It should. If it doesn't, you should either jumper your clutch switch or replace it. I wouldn't mess with the neutral switch. Big PITA and you're replacing an expensive and unreliable switch with another expensive and unreliable switch. Link to comment
neilsr1100rt Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 Thanks to everyone who responded to my post...very helpfil information and I did try holding the clutch in and starting which worked. Relieved to know that I'm able to start it up regardless of whether the light is on or not... Again, thanks to everyone for sharing their info... Link to comment
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