I feel like such a noob.....

[TexasMule]

I can't believe I have this many questions after owning BMW's for the last 20+ years.

 

That said, this is my first water cooled R, so I don't feel toooo bad. 

 

I disconnected my rear heated seat plug since it will NEVER be used by me.  I ride solo 99.9% of the time.

My wife has her own M/C and the only way she'd be on the back would be for an emergency, and heat would

be the least of our problems.  I also disconnected the front plug as I usually run with a sheepskin and I'd never

feel it anyway.

 

What does the seat symbol mean?  The heat is not on, (see above) and if it's telling me it's not plugged in,

why doesn't the front seat do the same thing (it's not plugged in either).  

 

Again, thanks for all your help.  The electronics on the bike is both fascinating, and frustrating. 

 

 

BTW, is there a way to stop the display of the radio.  I RARELY listen to music while riding and the constant

changing of the songs, promos, etc. is somewhat distracting.  I can't figure how to just turn off the radio display.

(can you tell I've never had a bike with a radio????)

[Rossy GlosPolBiker]

The above picture, with the rear seat "highlighted" is just letting you know that the rear heating switch is in one of the "on positions", the switch is a "rocker" type and probably during cleaning its been knocked.

If you return the switch to the "middle" position the rear seat on the pictorial diagram will not be highlighted.

Enjoy your riding of the water cooled RT and keep on the grey bits! :-)

Rossy

[TexasMule]

1 minute ago, Rossy GlosPolBiker said:

The above picture, with the rear seat "highlighted" is just letting you know that the rear heating switch is in one of the "on positions", the switch is a "rocker" type and probably during cleaning its been knocked.

If you return the switch to the "middle" position the rear seat on the pictorial diagram will not be highlighted.

Enjoy your riding of the water cooled RT and keep on the grey bits! :-)

Rossy

But the switch is not connected, therein lies the dilemma.  I thought that's what it meant, but it can't be.

[strataj]

32 minutes ago, TexasMule said:

I can't believe I have this many questions after owning BMW's for the last 20+ years.

 

That said, this is my first water cooled R, so I don't feel toooo bad. 

 

I disconnected my rear heated seat plug since it will NEVER be used by me.  I ride solo 99.9% of the time.

My wife has her own M/C and the only way she'd be on the back would be for an emergency, and heat would

be the least of our problems.  I also disconnected the front plug as I usually run with a sheepskin and I'd never

feel it anyway.

 

What does the seat symbol mean?  The heat is not on, (see above) and if it's telling me it's not plugged in,

why doesn't the front seat do the same thing (it's not plugged in either).  

 

Again, thanks for all your help.  The electronics on the bike is both fascinating, and frustrating. 

 

 

BTW, is there a way to stop the display of the radio.  I RARELY listen to music while riding and the constant

changing of the songs, promos, etc. is somewhat distracting.  I can't figure how to just turn off the radio display.

(can you tell I've never had a bike with a radio????)

 

Push and hold the top button on the left side panel, it will turn off the radio and you'll have a digital speed displayed.

 

 

[TexasMule]

6 minutes ago, strataj said:

 

Push and hold the top button on the left side panel, it will turn off the radio and you'll have a digital speed displayed.

 

 

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner.

 

I owe you a beer (or two) if we ever meet.  Thanks so much.

 

Still learning about the bike.

[TexasMule]

Mea culpa.....

 

While wiring up my fuzeblock I tapped the heated seat plug (since I wasn't using it).  Obviously the draw on

the heating wire was enough to make the seat light up.  Disconnected the wire, symbol gone. 

 

I know, I know, I should have used Boxflyer's tap point.  I'll use that now.  Lesson learned.

 

 

At least I learned about the radio button......

[Paul De]

Haha,  location of home base makes all the difference I guess.  Living where I do, I would never even consider disabling the heated seats.  I would miss it early and late in the riding season and my wife for sure would not ride with me outside of June  through September if she couldn't toast her rump on cool rides. 

[WBinDE]

Why disconnect the heat plugs? Just don't turn them on. 

 

I had two RTs, a  2012 camhead with the 8-button radio, a 2015 wethead with the 4-button radio. I found both to be confusing to operate, plus sound quality sucked (especially the BT sound on the 2015) so I never used them. My kids made fun of my Goldwing with 55 buttons but dammit there's a place in the world for a button that does ONE thing, not cycle through 5 separate functions and heaven forbid you go past the one you want and have to go around again. A motorcycle is one such place. Now I have a GSA and don't miss the radio at all.

[TexasMule]

2 minutes ago, WBinDE said:

Why disconnect the heat plugs? Just don't turn them on. . 

Every time I remove the seat(s) I almost yank the plugs out.  I'm coming from GS's and they don't have heated seats. 

 

Maybe after owning this RT for a while, I'll start to remember that I have heated seats.  Still won't use them, can't feel it

through the sheepskin I usually ride with....

[Hosstage]

I have to agree with all the menu options, having to look down to scroll and select. Even cars have become pia to do simple changes. Fingers like twisting knobs and pushing buttons, they do not like swiping and touching with no relief reference, demanding that eyes be taken off the road to look at and concentrate on a screen.

[realshelby]

1 hour ago, TexasMule said:

Every time I remove the seat(s) I almost yank the plugs out.  I'm coming from GS's and they don't have heated seats. 

 

Maybe after owning this RT for a while, I'll start to remember that I have heated seats.  Still won't use them, can't feel it

through the sheepskin I usually ride with....

Take this as a learning experience. I never had heated seats. Why are they even there? It's a motorcycle....

 

Well, I have learned that even with heated gear, the heated seat transfers a right smart of heat to your body. I will guarantee you that the sheepskin won't interfere with the heat much at all. Takes longer to feel it, but you WILL feel it. Leave it on the HIGH ( 5 bars I think ) position for a bit with your heated seat/sheepskin and I will bet you will be turning it off or down!

So heated seats actually add to comfort and it doesn't have to be really cold for them to be a benefit. Along with heated grips.....

Here is my biggest surprise. I have found that turning on about 2 bars of heat on the seat....even in warmer ( no, not 85 and up! ) temperatures keeps my butt happier on high mileage days. I assume the heat makes the blood circulation increase? It works. For me anyway...

 

So, just like the adjustable windshield, there are things that make an RT...an RT. 

[Skywagon]

Not long after my RT was new, I dropped the front seat and it yanked the wires out of the plug.   I had a heck of a time finding a new plug/wire from the dealer.  They ordered 4-5 things before they found the right plug.  When I put that on I added about 12 inches to it so in case I dropped it again I wouldn't tear it up.  Well 7 years later I haven't ever dropped it again.

 

Like Terry said...heat is your friend for long drives and it will penetrate sheepskin and your suit with a little time.  I start mine off on high in the winter and in 10 minutes or so back in down to 1 or 2 bars.  It helps a good bit more than you think in allowing you to ride in cold weather.  One other small thing I learned.  If you have your seats and grip on high while stopped for a long time it can really pull the battery down.  Once I get off the freeway and I know I am going to go through a lot of stop and go I turn them off.

[Bill_Walker]

On 1/9/2021 at 8:31 AM, TexasMule said:

can't feel it

through the sheepskin I usually ride with....

Have you tried it?  I never turn mine up past two bars, because it gets uncomfortably hot.  I'd be willing to bet that you'd feel it through a sheepskin if you had it turned up to five bars.

And don't knock a heated seat if you haven't tried one.  I'd never had one before, wasn't looking for one, but the bike I found had it, so there it was.  And the first time I tried it on a cold day, I realized that it really did help with staying warm.

 

One hot (heh, heh) tip: on the rocker switch for the Menu, the opposite side has a diamond.  You can set that to be a shortcut to whatever menu you like.  I've set mine to go straight to heated grips, and then it's one click from there to control the seat.  That's the setting I'm most likely to mess with when I'm riding.  IMHO, the dedicated switch on the old bikes was better; I could hit it with my thumb without having to look at it.  But this is the next best thing, and with some practice, I do "hit the diamond, turn the wheel the desired number of clicks" without looking.

[TexasMule]

26 minutes ago, Bill_Walker said:

One hot (heh, heh) tip: on the rocker switch for the Menu, the opposite side has a diamond.  You can set that to be a shortcut to whatever menu you like.  I've set mine to go straight to heated grips, and then it's one click from there to control the seat.  That's the setting I'm most likely to mess with when I'm riding.  IMHO, the dedicated switch on the old bikes was better; I could hit it with my thumb without having to look at it.  But this is the next best thing, and with some practice, I do "hit the diamond, turn the wheel the desired number of clicks" without looking.

 

Thanks for the "hot" tip.  Didn't realize you could go straight to your favorite menu.  Very clever.  I assume when you want to change, i.e. summer time,  you can just hold down the diamond on a different menu.

[Bill_Walker]

12 minutes ago, TexasMule said:

I assume when you want to change, i.e. summer time,  you can just hold down the diamond on a different menu.

Yeah, it's not permanent.