D
Deleted member 1344
Guest
I removed the top box from my R18TC, now I just need a way to tell the brains of the bike that it is now a bagger. I don't want to go to the dealer for this.
adamchandler
Well-known member
Are you able to describe what you're seeing? Are there error codes? Any way you could post a photo? I will likely have to reverse what you do to add a box at some point 
My assumption is that all is well until you squeeze the brake lever or click the 'central locking' button on the handlebars and then when it doesn't get a response from that module in the top box, it throws a code that you have a brake light out or lock failure. Hmmm. Makes me wonder if the TC came with different software than the bagger. Can you go to your settings and post a photo of your software version?
....I did some digging with GS-911. The R18 B/TC shows up in the software as the same bike..same functions BUT I see there's an 'actuate' feature under service functions. It includes some stuff my bike didn't come with like aux lights. As you know, the B and TC have identical wiring parts..you had me thinking maybe there was a different ECU or software version but I think the actuate stuff I found looks for the top box and aux lights and then codes them in when it detects them. The reason I think that is because when I did a self-test on the brake light, my TFT popped up and said "fault" for brake light meaning it looked for the top box and it wasn't there. No problem. I just cleared the code. My believe is that when I add a top box or if I go out and buy the TC aux lights and add them, I will need to run this actuate service function for the bike to know they're installed.
You would have to do the same if you remove the top box.
Photos:
My SW Version:
Here are the tests I can run that cycles those circuits. I did it to all of them and the only ones that failed were the brake light and aux light cycling because I don't have the full brake light (Top box) nor do I have aux forward lights:
After I did the brake light test, I got this error:
clearing the codes via GS-911 cleared the light
When I tried to cycle the Aux lights, I got this:
makes sense since I don't have those installed.
Here's my ECU information just in case someone with a TransCon wants to compare:
My assumption is that all is well until you squeeze the brake lever or click the 'central locking' button on the handlebars and then when it doesn't get a response from that module in the top box, it throws a code that you have a brake light out or lock failure. Hmmm. Makes me wonder if the TC came with different software than the bagger. Can you go to your settings and post a photo of your software version?
....I did some digging with GS-911. The R18 B/TC shows up in the software as the same bike..same functions BUT I see there's an 'actuate' feature under service functions. It includes some stuff my bike didn't come with like aux lights. As you know, the B and TC have identical wiring parts..you had me thinking maybe there was a different ECU or software version but I think the actuate stuff I found looks for the top box and aux lights and then codes them in when it detects them. The reason I think that is because when I did a self-test on the brake light, my TFT popped up and said "fault" for brake light meaning it looked for the top box and it wasn't there. No problem. I just cleared the code. My believe is that when I add a top box or if I go out and buy the TC aux lights and add them, I will need to run this actuate service function for the bike to know they're installed.
You would have to do the same if you remove the top box.
Photos:
My SW Version:
Here are the tests I can run that cycles those circuits. I did it to all of them and the only ones that failed were the brake light and aux light cycling because I don't have the full brake light (Top box) nor do I have aux forward lights:
After I did the brake light test, I got this error:
clearing the codes via GS-911 cleared the light
When I tried to cycle the Aux lights, I got this:
makes sense since I don't have those installed.
Here's my ECU information just in case someone with a TransCon wants to compare:
adamchandler
Well-known member
For R12C's benefit, unless they know a friend with GS-911, a dealer will have to initiate the test on their end called "XBCL Actuate Brake Lights" in order to re-train the computer that the top box is missing. This is ONLY my assumption / best guess. If you have GS-911, you can do it yourself at home and I'm 85% confident that the brake light error will go away.
PS: It's probably best to make sure I'm right before you get rid of the top box completely. Having that error come up every time I squeezed the brake lever would get old fast.
PS: It's probably best to make sure I'm right before you get rid of the top box completely. Having that error come up every time I squeezed the brake lever would get old fast.
Is there a way to have your cake and eat it too?
What I mean is remove your top case, but probe the wires and create dummy LEDs that you can then stuff into one of your side bags. I'd imagine you'd need a multimeter and would need to measure the resistance the computer needs to detect in order to "see" the rear brake light turn on. Then get something comparable from a site like superbrightleds.com (they sell LEDs for motorcycles including resistor ballasts) to wire up in lieu of the top case.
As I have no frame of reference to go from here, I can't offer you a "how-to" guide, but at least my suggestion prevents any "brain surgery" and also preserves the Transcontinental portion of your bike, should you decide to switch back or sell her someday down the road.
Mike
What I mean is remove your top case, but probe the wires and create dummy LEDs that you can then stuff into one of your side bags. I'd imagine you'd need a multimeter and would need to measure the resistance the computer needs to detect in order to "see" the rear brake light turn on. Then get something comparable from a site like superbrightleds.com (they sell LEDs for motorcycles including resistor ballasts) to wire up in lieu of the top case.
As I have no frame of reference to go from here, I can't offer you a "how-to" guide, but at least my suggestion prevents any "brain surgery" and also preserves the Transcontinental portion of your bike, should you decide to switch back or sell her someday down the road.
Mike
Rambler358
Active member
What does the bike look like without the topbox?
Tomi08
New member
432R18TC
New member
Do you have a link to the LED you used?
D
Deleted member 1344
Guest
For those of you who opt to remove the top box, you will not get an error code if you separate the audio wires from the brake lights wires, then connect the two brake light wires to a standard 1" by 3" motorcycle tail light. No more codes. Just zip tie the audio wires back under the seat.