[moto-rama]

You're riding along, mindlessly flick the turn signal switch, complete the turn, look down and .... the signal cancels itself. What?
It never did that before. Does this bike even have self-cancelling signals? Maybe it's a failure of some kind. OK, maybe I've never given it a chance to turn itself off before I pushed the switch to cancel a signal.

On the road again, I simulated a few turns in a big parking lot, and this feature does not actually work 100% of the time, at least in a parking lot.
It appears to be dependent on the bike achieving some lean angle while turning, or something. I attempted to simulate the basic "in city" right angle turn, and got mixed results.
The manual says:
"Comfort turn signals When button 1 is pressed to the right or left, the turn signal automatically turns off under the following conditions: Speed is under 18 mph (30 km/h): after traveling a distance of 165 ft (50 m). Speed is between 18 mph and 60 mph (30 km/h and 100 km/h): after covering a particular distance depending on the speed or when accelerating. Speed is above 60 mph (100 km/h): after turn signal flashes five times. When button 1 is pressed and held slightly longer to the right or left, the turn signals will only turn off automatically after reaching the distance depending on the speed."

Obviously not a native English-Speaking manual author. (I hold a masters degree in English and Moderrn American Literature so I am qualified to make outrageous accusations about Owner's Manuals)

Thinking back, the only motorcycle I've ever owned that had really good self cancelling signals was my 1982 Suzuki Katana. It was also pretty much the only inline 4 powered bike I have ever really liked.
Ok, time to cancel myself.

 

[dbyker]

COMFORT Turn Signals? REALLY??

"This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedivere. Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes." ~Arthur, King of the Britons, 932 A.D.

Cheers, Dave (fine with just taunting the turn signal button a second time)

 

[zer0netgain]

To be fair, BMW doesn't really try to make the manual easy to read.

 

[sturgeon]

An MA in English and modern AmLit will be of no use when reading Teknikal Germlisch.

 

[Gareth]

The subject of BMW’s criminally crap and downright dangerous indicators has come up on this forum numerous times.

Yup moto-rama you’ve been riding about thinking you are indicating when in actual the bike has decided otherwise and cancelled your indicator.

I now often pulse the indicator switch to keep the indicator on. Less than ideal considering the poor position and size of the switch.

I absolutely detest BMW’s self-cancelling indictors.

 

[Mr. Badger]

I absolutely detest BMW’s self-cancelling indictors.

The self canceling indicators on my R1100S seldom irritated me. The system on my R1200R LC irritates me every ride.

To be fair that's the only thing about the bike that bothers me now that I've farkled the bike the way I think it should be.

 

[daniel.poirier]

My 2015 Harley Sportster 1200 had perfect, impeccable self-cancelling turn signals. They worked so effortlessly that, in comparison, every other motorcycle I tried felt like time-travel 100 years ago. As far as I'm concerned, my 2017 R1200R does not have a functional self-cancel system, but rather a parody of one. It was a frustration at every ride until I made the conscious decision to imagine I'm riding a 1968 motorcycle and have to rely on cancelling the turn signals manually, like in the old days before they invented color tv and pop tarts. It baffles me that a company at the extreme forefront of technology, innovation, and high-end amenities can not have self-cancelling turn signals that actually work.

On the flip side, and to make these harsh comments a bit more balanced, I absolutely love everything else about the R, and its riding characteristics made me forget the sportster really quick.

 

[Lee F]

It took me awhile to realize the 1250 turn signals are different than the 1200 signal.
I like the 1250 signals better.
They cancel after bringing the bike upright after a in town turn.
On the freeway a short tap of the switch gives 4 or 5 flashes for a lane change.
A long press of the switch at speed gives more flashes.

 

[moto-rama]

It took me awhile to realize the 1250 turn signals are different than the 1200 signal.
I like the 1250 signals better.
They cancel after bringing the bike upright after a in town turn.
On the freeway a short tap of the switch gives 4 or 5 flashes for a lane change.
A long press of the switch at speed gives more flashes.

I learned something just now.
All things considered, however, other road users often see only an empty space in the vortex when looking directly at motorcycles. I just assume that all other motorists are "stone-blind and deaf as a bat"

 

[Wally E]

"Comfort turn signals When button 1 is pressed to the right or left, the turn signal automatically turns off under the following conditions: Speed is under 18 mph (30 km/h): after traveling a distance of 165 ft (50 m). Speed is between 18 mph and 60 mph (30 km/h and 100 km/h): after covering a particular distance depending on the speed or when accelerating. Speed is above 60 mph (100 km/h): after turn signal flashes five times. When button 1 is pressed and held slightly longer to the right or left, the turn signals will only turn off automatically after reaching the distance depending on the speed."

I must have read that ten times and come up with a different interpretation each time on how the auto cancel works. To give an unambiguous explanation they should have used a language independent flow chart. I'll bet it's perfectly clear in the German manual to a native German speaker, but that does not help these rest of us. The auto cancel seems to work effectively for me 8 or 9 times out of 10. (R1250RS)

 

[Panzermann]

It’s written in Germlish - once you’ve worked it out through experience, it makes perfect sense when you go back and read it again.

 

[MotoCon]

It’s written in Germlish - once you’ve worked it out through experience, it makes perfect sense when you go back and read it again.

SchwarzenEnglish...

 

[Panzermann]

SchwarzenEnglish...

Schwein englisch?

 

[dbyker]

"Assembly of Japanese Bicycle Require Great Peace of Mind"

~Phaedrus

 

[zer0netgain]

SchwarzenEnglish...

So true. There is a HUGE need for technical writers who are fluent in a given language for translating text. The BMW manual is easy enough to read as far as them not using a butchered version of English, but the style leaves much to be desired. A bit of a slog to get through the owner's manual. You have to write for your target audience.

 

[Nicochau]

So true. There is a HUGE need for technical writers who are fluent in a given language for translating text. The BMW manual is easy enough to read as far as them not using a butchered version of English, but the style leaves much to be desired. A bit of a slog to get through the owner's manual. You have to write for your target audience.

i bet you the german version is not much better. More than a foreign language question, it’s the lack of attention given to what goes into the manual…

 

[Panzermann]

It’s simply that it is written by engineers. Read it and it’s almost incomprehensible until you have some months’ experience with the relevant function whereby if you then read it again, you will find that it is quite correct.

 

[zer0netgain]

i bet you the german version is not much better. More than a foreign language question, it’s the lack of attention given to what goes into the manual…

Or maybe the German owners are masochists and like it that way? If you consider German porn as a comparison, it makes you wonder.

It’s simply that it is written by engineers. Read it and it’s almost incomprehensible until you have some months’ experience with the relevant function whereby if you then read it again, you will find that it is quite correct.

And they wonder why they couldn’t get dates at university…

 

[moto-rama]

Or maybe the German owners are masochists and like it that way? If you consider German porn as a comparison, it makes you wonder.



And they wonder why they couldn’t get dates at university…

Since when did German Engineers acquire advanced English language skills?
Having worked for VW and Porsche for almost 15 years, they are good, or even great at building cars, but their English language skills are just "

if you ask me.

(interesting that this video is interrupted by a Duracell ad!)

 

[MotoCon]

Since when did German Engineers acquire advanced English language skills?
Having worked for VW and Porsche for almost 15 years, they are good, or even great at building cars, but their English language skills are just "

This makes me wonder how well your German skills are...