Ignition switch number Help

[ken.turnock]

Can any one help I am restoring a 1981 R65  I want the  ignition switch numbers  when looking at the rear of the switch in a clockwise rotation from the plastic piece sticking out.
I know the numbers should be 30,58,15,56 but can not read them i must be blind or a bad mold.

[Bob_Roller]

The numbers that you posted, are for wire connections on the wiring diagram, not the part number of the switch.

The BMW part number for the ignition/light switch is : 51251243607.

There are a couple of online parts catalogs for out bikes, the one I used the most is http://www.RealOEM.com .

[Justin B.]

Bob, I think maybe he means the "terminal" numbers?  Wasn't this discussed in the not so distant past?

[Bob_Roller]

Yeah, you're right, I took a quick look at the post before going to work this morning, and thought he was looking for the switch part number !!!

Well, I'm at work until 11 pm tonight, so my access to a wiring diagram is put on hold until tomorrow.

If anyone has an owners manual, the small wiring diagram in there has the wire connection numbers.

[guitardad]

Good timing - I'm just putting the wiring back into my '79 R65.  This is how my switch was oriented, if you were standing in front of the bike looking at it:



Hope that helps.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Nice pointer arrows, guitardad!  Is that Photoshop (Adobe)?

I have not learned about arrows, yet...

[Bob_Roller]

Here's the wire colors that go to the terminals on the start switch, the 2.5 sq mm red wire goes on terminal 30,  1 sq mm grey wire goes to terminal 58, the 1.5 sq mm green wire to terminal 15, the 1 sq mm green with violet spiral band wire goes to terminal 56.

Your switch shows two terminals for number 30, so I guess that you're going to have to try each one and see what difference it makes , if any.

[trolle]

Look at the diagramme below

greetings from a north with nice driving weather (40 F, low humidity and a slight breeze)

[drewboid]

There is a variation between the European - early switches and the later ones. The later switches only had three positions - off - parking lights - ignition and headlights.  
#30 - positive lead
#15 - Ignition
#58 - Parking lights
#56 - headlights

I found that at slow speed the battery would drain (like when taking the MSF course or practicing in the parking lot) so I reconnected #15 to #58. Since I don't use the parking light feature this allowed me to run the bike with just the parking lights on rather than the headlight.  YMMV

[Bob_Roller]

I was kind of wondering about the fourth position on the switch, I even went out to the bike to make sure that in 27 years of ownership, that I missed something like that !!!

[Justin B.]

Drew, that's the way my wife's R65 was wired when we got it and I think it's a damn good idea, mostly...  The only "gotcha" I have found is that on all of our post '81 bikes (r65, r100, etc.) it is possible to turn the ignition switch to the "park" position with an uncut key blank.  I am thinking this was to allow one to leave the park and tail lights illuminated if you had to leave the bike on the side of the road for some reason because in this position you can also remove your key.

[tagordon]

I have had to do a few bump starts due to that darn feature.
In the daylight I wouldn't notice I was in park & pull the key.
Then no starter when I returned.
Have not been able to bump start the R100. Gotta jump it.
I plan to do that park light mod soon, so I can ride without the headlight on.
Just use the little lamp to make the headlight glow to keep the cops away.

[Justin B.]

I hear ya.  I am still trying to understand the logic behind them designing this so that you can turn it to the "accessory" position with an uncut key, though.  On my RT I can run the radio with the key in the first position...