Changing my BMW R18 TC from Miles to KM

I don’t think it would have been an overnight, not on such large scale and if it was, by now a fix would have been done either by recalling the US models or sending some sort of code to be plugged into the machines. I bet it is something else.
In the UK we use ml/h but in mainland Europe it is km/h.
If you are able to change other units like C to F or 24H to 12H on the clock, then why leave one of the most important units out? Safety? Liability? Some absurd law? I think this was done on purpose and not for the sake of making some extra cash.
 
Thats weird. My Canadian r18tc can change km/h to mph in the settings. My old Victory had a head scratcher analog speedo too. No mph. Had to wing it everytime i crossed the border.
 
IMHO, this should be able to be changed by the customer. Think about those living close to the Canadian border who ride to-from Canada. It would be safer to simply change the display from MPH to KM than doing mental math while riding in Canada with MPH on the display.

Hell! Even most all cars have KM right alongside MPH - and I'm talking about analog gauges from the pre-digital era!

This is another safety issue as far as I'm concerned...

Mike
 
Keehn said:
IMHO, this should be able to be changed by the customer. Think about those living close to the Canadian border who ride to-from Canada. It would be safer to simply change the display from MPH to KM than doing mental math while riding in Canada with MPH on the display.

Hell! Even most all cars have KM right alongside MPH - and I'm talking about analog gauges from the pre-digital era!

This is another safety issue as far as I'm concerned...

Mike
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Agreed! was was wrong with the dual readout dial ... it worked!
 
Joost R1200CL to R18TC said:
Worse, in the Euro version of the bike you can just change it in ‘settings’. The option does not exist in the US version…. Odd oversight… as if US customers would never tour Mexico or Canada
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If I was in this situation, I would turn my bike to the closest BMW official dealer an order the EU version of the same and install it. That should be simple.
 
Achieved the change via the dealer. About 70 euros. Switched from miles to Euros. Speedometer also changed. Now my problem is how to change the rear lights. Need to be separated into red and amber. Dealer does not have a solution
 
Joost R1200CL to R18TC said:
Achieved the change via the dealer. About 70 euros. Switched from miles to Euros. Speedometer also changed. Now my problem is how to change the rear lights. Need to be separated into red and amber. Dealer does not have a solution
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Can the dealer not order a set of compliant rear lights? It may be expensive but I don’t see another way out as I reckon the led inside are the one dictating the colours as opposed to being the lenses.
 
The R18T TC rear lights have have two fields. A center field (used in the US, and red) surrounded by a red ring. (not used in the US). The US version has two pins connected to 4 cables running. (ground plus brake/rear-light/indicator). The European version has the center field in orange, surrounded by a red ring. The EU version has three pins. One ground, one + for the center field, one + for the red ring. This allows the center to function as the amber indicator and the red ring for rear-light/brake light. BMW itself is unable to help here. We are now working on a solution using an adapter module. 1698076554431.png

I'll report in if this helps
 
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... BMW itself is unable to help here ...

That means the Euro models have a completely different wiring ? That one I didn't see coming ...
 
Yes, it has really become the most unbelievably unnecessarily complex process, only because BMW for some unfathomable reason decided to use different light ($140 each) (two pins) Red-Red where they do not use the outside ring and a European three pin (Amber-Red). Though both versions have four wires coming to the rear the light module is different and apparently not interchangeable. And yes, BMW is unwilling to provide guidance or help...... yup, so much for 'make it your own'. I have always loved BMWs and I have been waiting for the R18 ever since they stopped building the CL (I still have one) but these limitations are more than just a little disappointing

Funnily enough, if they had just left the same configuration for both markets, they could have the same cool 'eye' lights on the back and red indicators inside. Would have been perfectly legal in the US and have saved them making two wiring versions. BMW just incurred costs to make their customer's life difficult... my question is, why?

Lastly, anybody see a shop manual for the R18 TC yet? I need to figure out how to swap out the rear tire
 
Joost R1200CL to R18TC said:
Yes, it has really become the most unbelievably unnecessarily complex process, only because BMW for some unfathomable reason decided to use different light ($140 each) (two pins) Red-Red where they do not use the outside ring and a European three pin (Amber-Red). Though both versions have four wires coming to the rear the light module is different and apparently not interchangeable. And yes, BMW is unwilling to provide guidance or help...... yup, so much for 'make it your own'. I have always loved BMWs and I have been waiting for the R18 ever since they stopped building the CL (I still have one) but these limitations are more than just a little disappointing

Funnily enough, if they had just left the same configuration for both markets, they could have the same cool 'eye' lights on the back and red indicators inside. Would have been perfectly legal in the US and have saved them making two wiring versions. BMW just incurred costs to make their customer's life difficult... my question is, why?

Lastly, anybody see a shop manual for the R18 TC yet? I need to figure out how to swap out the rear tire
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I agree! .. and 'no' on the shop manual .. but look into Scott's .pdfs there is a lot of good info there or this site https://www.r1800wiki.org/en/... I will also add another chapter to the barnyard/shade tree mechanics as soon as I have to do my rear.
 
*Grumbling*...

Does anyone in the Eastern European bloc peruse this forum? Do you or anyone you know happen to know anyone who could "acquire" an electronic copy of the R18 service manual?

At this point, I'd be happy to buy a bootleg CD off eBay from "Igor" from Lithuania. 🤣

Mike
 
Joost R1200CL to R18TC said:
The R18T TC rear lights have have two fields. A center field (used in the US, and red) surrounded by a red ring. (not used in the US). The US version has two pins connected to 4 cables running. (ground plus brake/rear-light/indicator). The European version has the center field in orange, surrounded by a red ring. The EU version has three pins. One ground, one + for the center field, one + for the red ring. This allows the center to function as the amber indicator and the red ring for rear-light/brake light. BMW itself is unable to help here. We are now working on a solution using an adapter module. View attachment 12068

I'll report in if this helps
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Just a random thought, is the main loom different or is it just the last part to the light
itself that is different. Also, can anyone near you let you try an EU spec light to see if the
connectors fit & if it works as intended.
 
O
Rider0974 said:
Just a random thought, is the main loom different or is it just the last part to the light
itself that is different. Also, can anyone near you let you try an EU spec light to see if the
connectors fit & if it works as intended.
Click to expand...
It is the same wiring, so BMW is just making their own life more difficult. The module did not work (be careful, it blows up, they now provide an extra resistor). Resolved by wiring the rear blinkers to the front.
 
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