Rob L Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Last night I went to Mass and was riding out of the subdivision. As I approached an intersection, I saw a truck driving directly at me in my lane. There was no where to go!! The driver was ogling some ladies who were standing on the sidewalk and not paying any attention to where he was going. I grabbed brakes, headed for the curb, and tried to blow the horn. NO horn! The ladies cringed which caused the driver to look up and slam on his brakes just in time. He immediately appoligized. I looked down at the dash wondering why the horn had not worked. My left turnsignal was on! I had pushed the turn signal instead of the horn. I have done this before inadvertantly. This is probably my biggest gripe with BMW controls... I hate the pacement of the horn button I have ridden BMW bikes with this design for well over 100k miles and still miss having a button that I would push in instead of up. Link to comment
Whip Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I'm glad your OK....the horn placement is an issue for me...but the worse part for me is that I switch between bikes all the time...The Harley. Kawa and the BMW....everything is in different places...I started using hand signals when changing lanes to avoid confussion... Whip Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I have so far NEVER been able to hit the horn button.... and kinda came to peace with myself, deciding I will not even try to use it... just evade and think afterwards. Funny thing, when taking lessons a few years ago on a Kawa I would ALWAYS hit the horn instead of the turn signal... earning me a bunch of 'funny' remarks in my headphones from the instructor following me. Nothing is perfect I guess.... Link to comment
Mark P Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I frequently hit the horn when I intend switching on the indicator! Link to comment
Gandolf Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I have so far NEVER been able to hit the horn button.... and kinda came to peace with myself, deciding I will not even try to use it... just evade and think afterwards.The horn (no matter how loud) doesn't tell people what you're intending to DO, it only registers a complaint… so why use it ? Link to comment
hophead Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I am also so far unable to locate my horn when I need it. I think I ought to go to a quiet place and practice riding and honking. Ony problem, I have told myself this before and always seem to forget to go p ractice. Argh. Link to comment
GelStra Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I'm glad you're fine. I too have yet to find the horn when I need it. I have even shelved plans on upgrades it. I'll just visiously signal a left turn instead! Link to comment
Rob L Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 The horn (no matter how loud) doesn't tell people what you're intending to DO, it only registers a complaint… so why use it ? I DIDN"T need to tell this guy what to do, i only needed to draw his attention away from the distraction and let him know that I was there I don't bother to sound a horn if I have a complaint, I twist the grip and put distance between myself and the offender Link to comment
Firefight911 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Horn? Isn't that something on a unicorn? Never found one on my BMWs! Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Horn? Isn't that something on a unicorn? Never found one on my BMWs! Aaahhh !!! YESSS !! Now I know why I can't find the darn thing.... it IS on the Unicorn: http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/680482/an/0/page/0#Post680482 (Picture #9) Link to comment
onmyrt Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 The horn (no matter how loud) doesn't tell people what you're intending to DO, it only registers a complaint… so why use it ? I've used my horn many times for more than just registering a complaint.... The horn on the RT is an awesome attention getter and it's saved my rearend several times . I've made a habit of covering the horn button when I'm riding in traffic, it's now become second nature to me. I always halfway assume that someone is not paying the amount of attention that they should be . Link to comment
Kathy R Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Last night I went to Mass... Sounds like you had someone looking out for you. I'm glad the women were paying attention. Link to comment
Stan Walker Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I've made a habit of covering the horn button when I'm riding in traffic Exactly right. My thumb is either on the horn, or on the high beam flasher, depending on the traffic situation I'm in and which would be most likely to be noticed. After 100,000 miles on an RT, my left thumb knows where both are. Stan Link to comment
Rob L Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 Last night I went to Mass... Sounds like you had someone looking out for you. I'm glad the women were paying attention. Link to comment
Carnadero Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I had pushed the turn signal instead of the horn. I have done this before inadvertantly. Question: If the horn and turn signal functions were swapped (turn signal button becomes horn button, and vice versa), would that be more user-friendly for you? It seems that both switches are likely momentary-contact switches, and that switching the wires across would work (should be possible to do). Now the only problem would be the little function diagrams but some sandpaper plus paint would probably take care of that... Link to comment
David Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 The world would be a safer place without pretty women. Link to comment
Gregori Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Yeah David, but as you pointed out in another thread: "Safe" and "fun" are antithetical. Given a binary choice, I'll take "Fun!" G. Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 [bThe driver was ogling some ladies who were standing on the sidewalk and not paying any attention to where he was going.[/b] Pretty ladies: Making men do stupid sh*t since the begining of time. Link to comment
Rob L Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 I had pushed the turn signal instead of the horn. I have done this before inadvertantly. Question: If the horn and turn signal functions were swapped (turn signal button becomes horn button, and vice versa), would that be more user-friendly for you? It seems that both switches are likely momentary-contact switches, and that switching the wires across would work (should be possible to do). Now the only problem would be the little function diagrams but some sandpaper plus paint would probably take care of that... Yeah, that would work, but could be a problem when I trade this thing in I tried to test a new GT on Saturday , but the owner of the dealership had taken the demo bike for the weekend. Probably a good thing for me Link to comment
Rob L Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 The world would be a safer place without pretty women. And...not a lot of fun. Just old men and their ugly motorcycles trying to impress each other. How dull Link to comment
madness522 Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 I rode a Honda cruiser before buying the RT and the switch to turn off the turn signals is very close to the same spot as the RT's horn. One of the first rides I made on it I tried to turn off the turn signal and imagine my surprise when the horn went off. It was almost a check yer shorts moment.... Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 . ... talk about the devil..... we should not have started this discussion !! Today for the first time since I own it, I hit the horn button instead of the turn signal..... scaring the bejeezes out of the lady in her mini-Japanese in the lane next to me.... 'Sorry ma'am !!!' <grin> ! Link to comment
Whip Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 . ... talk about the devil..... we should not have started this discussion !! Today for the first time since I own it, I hit the horn button instead of the turn signal..... scaring the bejeezes out of the lady in her mini-Japanese in the lane next to me.... 'Sorry ma'am !!!' <grin> ! It only happens to me when I pull into a gas station ...look down and see the blinker on...push the button to turn it off...HORN BLASTS!!!!!!!!!!!!....everyone looks at me like I'm crazy....the guy carrying the six pack and the Pringles jumps in the air and almost drops the Pringles...double grabs the beer......I fill up without taking my helmet off and leave the dark shield down the whole time.....no one knows who that idiot was... Whip Link to comment
Shawnee Bill Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Ok, BMW bashing again! And we just had a guy threaten to drop off this forum because of HD bashing! The BMW turn signals switches are great, just where they should be, easy to work, there are so natural, the best, easiest to operate of any bike I have ever ridden. My son, a honda rider, keeps asking me if he can fit some to his honda some way. Horn? We got horns??? Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 . ... talk about the devil..... we should not have started this discussion !! Today for the first time since I own it, I hit the horn button instead of the turn signal..... scaring the bejeezes out of the lady in her mini-Japanese in the lane next to me.... 'Sorry ma'am !!!' <grin> ! It only happens to me when I pull into a gas station ...look down and see the blinker on...push the button to turn it off...HORN BLASTS!!!!!!!!!!!!....everyone looks at me like I'm crazy....the guy carrying the six pack and the Pringles jumps in the air and almost drops the Pringles...double grabs the beer......I fill up without taking my helmet off and leave the dark shield down the whole time.....no one knows who that idiot was... Whip ROFL !!!!! I can see it clearly !!!! Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Ok, BMW bashing again! And we just had a guy threaten to drop off this forum because of HD bashing! The BMW turn signals switches are great, just where they should be, easy to work, there are so natural, the best, easiest to operate of any bike I have ever ridden. My son, a honda rider, keeps asking me if he can fit some to his honda some way. Horn? We got horns??? Bashing !!?? Who's bashing anything other than our THUMBS !!!!??? Link to comment
Whip Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Ok, BMW bashing again! And we just had a guy threaten to drop off this forum because of HD bashing! The BMW turn signals switches are great, just where they should be, easy to work, there are so natural, the best, easiest to operate of any bike I have ever ridden. My son, a honda rider, keeps asking me if he can fit some to his honda some way. Horn? We got horns??? Bashing !!?? Who's bashing anything other than our THUMBS !!!!??? Is Thumb bashing against the rules..... Link to comment
Rob L Posted May 10, 2006 Author Share Posted May 10, 2006 Bashing !!?? Who's bashing anything other than our THUMBS !!!!??? ME I almost bashed the front of a 4 wheel drive ford pickup Link to comment
Ghostdad Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 . ... talk about the devil..... we should not have started this discussion !! Today for the first time since I own it, I hit the horn button instead of the turn signal..... scaring the bejeezes out of the lady in her mini-Japanese in the lane next to me.... 'Sorry ma'am !!!' <grin> ! It only happens to me when I pull into a gas station ...look down and see the blinker on...push the button to turn it off...HORN BLASTS!!!!!!!!!!!!....everyone looks at me like I'm crazy....the guy carrying the six pack and the Pringles jumps in the air and almost drops the Pringles...double grabs the beer......I fill up without taking my helmet off and leave the dark shield down the whole time.....no one knows who that idiot was... Whip and I thought I was the only person that's done that... I did that the first time I took my daughter for a ride on my RT and I thought she was going to jump off the bike she was so surprised...LOL Dave Link to comment
pbharvey Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last night I went to Mass... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At first I thought you rode to Massachusetts. Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 First off, I'm glad that you're okay. Whenever I try to toot the horn casually, I can't find it, but whenever I think I need it my thumb has always found it okay. I don't use it as replacement for evasive action however. Link to comment
Gregori Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Is Thumb bashing against the rules..... Dunno - you'd have to ask Pilgrim about that one. G Link to comment
BamaRider Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Because I constantly switch between the Honda and RT I get mixed up often. I'm ok on the RT, but on the Honda I find myself looking for the turn signal tab on the rt bar. Early on I liked the Honda set up better, but today the opposite is true. I think I'd like a cancel tab on each bar, it would seem more intutiative then pressing left and then right to cancel? Link to comment
Gregori Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Get a (Kisan) Signal Minder - it plugs into your fuse box where the flasher relay was, and it reconfigures your controls so that the turn buttons becomes their own cancel buttons. It's not as responsive as the factory switches, but it works okay. (What DOESN'T work well is the hazard lights - they turn ON just fine, but it takes a lot of patience to get them to turn off.) I've also got the 'auto-switch' which uses the cancel button (if held for a full second) to turn on/off my cornering lights. Neither of these makes the horn button easier to find/use, though. (The BigMak bags seems to find it just fine, when doing low speed turns in gas stations or anywhere else there are lots of people...) G. Link to comment
Blue Beemer Dude Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 I've made a habit of covering the horn button when I'm riding in traffic Exactly right. My thumb is either on the horn, or on the high beam flasher, depending on the traffic situation I'm in and which would be most likely to be noticed. After 100,000 miles on an RT, my left thumb knows where both are. Stan It's on the left? Link to comment
scottd Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 All my available brain power is used up deciding whether to gas it, brake, or swerve in a tight spot. By the time I think about hitting the horn its way too late. Link to comment
RFW Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 The horn (no matter how loud) doesn't tell people what you're intending to DO, it only registers a complaint… so why use it ? Quite obviously, because it is a "wake up call". In this case, if the guy had heard it, he might have come to his senses and hit the brakes earlier. Bob. Link to comment
Pilgrim Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 My theory is that the Chairman of the Board or someone high up in at BMW has an idiot nephew who graduated engineering school because he was sleeping with the Registrar. When he couldn't find a job except designing toilets for bus stations his mother appealed to her brother for help. Now her idiot son designs switch gear for BMW motorcycles. Pilgrim Link to comment
Rob L Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 I KNEW there was a logical explanation for this Probably went on to design a new way to check engine oil that doesn't involve using a dipstick Link to comment
JayW Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 The horn (no matter how loud) doesn't tell people what you're intending to DO, it only registers a complaint… so why use it ? Because it can be invaluable to let someone else know, "Hey I'm HERE". I have tried to get in the habit of gently thumbing the horn button when I am traffic to remind myself of where it is. This definitely paid off once when a car started changing lanes into me and I was able to get off an instant warning blast. Jay Link to comment
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