R65 ignition switch wiring

[Soeren]

I'm having some trouble wiring my ignition switch.



If I got it right it would be like follows:

1 = 58 = grey wire
2 = 30? = red wire
3 = 30? = red wire
4 = 56 =  green/grey wire AND yellow wire
5 = 15 = solid green wire

What gets me confused is.
1. which one of the two "center" pins are pin 30?
2. why do both the green/grey wire and the yellow wire go to pin 56 according to my wiring diagram?

[Barry]

1.  Both of them in order to accommodate 2 red wires.

2.  56 is position 4 on a Euro ignition switch which is headlight on and position 2  for US bikes ignition/headlight on.  My Euro wiring diagram only shows one yellow/white wire on 56 and that is the feed to the headlight.  There are no green/grey wires anywhere on the diagram.

I have another diagram showing the ignition switch operation which does have 2 wires on 56 but the 2nd one appears to be green/violet and is marked US only. It goes to terminal 30 on the lighting relay which Euro bikes don't have.

[nhmaf]

I've a USA/North American 1982 R65 so my color codes/pins will likely be different from yours, but will post some pics here anyway in case it helps someone..

As you probably know - the USA bikes are wired so that the headlight cannot be turned off with the switch on.   Also, the extra green wire w/black chaser stripe in the pictures is a North American wiring harness "spare" connector to be hooked up to an optional clock or voltmeter...

[georgesgiralt]

Hello !
Here are the BMW original wiring diagrams from the factory repair manual. Enjoy.

[Matt Chapter]

the USA bikes are wired so that the headlight cannot be turned off with the switch on.

A quick and easy mod, when you're replacing your left hand switch assembly, is to shell out a few extra greenbacks for the euro version of the switch assembly.  There's an extra switch for turning the headlight and running lights on and off.

At least for the monoshock version.

[BPT]

I was wondering about the Euro vs. NA version.  Is it just a matter of getting the Euro switch?  Or is there anything with the wiring that is different or needs to be changed?

[mrclubike]

The easiest way (on USA Spec Bikes)   to get ignition on with out headlights is to switch the GREEN and GREY wires.
You loose the parking light function but the 2nd  position is IGN ON and the 3rd position is IGN plus Headlights.
That Is basically what I did plus I have relays in the circuit  to remove the load from the NLA IGN switch  

[peteremc]

Australian model has the following with numbers as per your diagram:
1 = Grey
2 = Red
3 = Green with stripe
4 = Yellow
5 = Green
Hope that helps
Cheers

[peteremc]

P.S. from last post. I have my bike completely disassembled at the moment and re-read my notes and diagram. I t appears that 3 may not have been connected when I disassembled. Not sure why but would agree with photos on previous posts.

[Matt Chapter]

Or is there anything with the wiring that is different or needs to be changed?

The switch just connects different wires, so it's all in the switch, at least for my '86 mono shock.

[BPT]

Hmm, I have an earlier model twin shock.  I'll have to look into Mrclubike's thing about switching the wires. That almost sounds too easy.  Not that I don't believe it, just that I never have anything work out that easily for me.  It'd be nice to have the on/off choice while I iron out my charging things.

[mrclubike]

Hmm, I have an earlier model twin shock.  I'll have to look into Mrclubike's thing about switching the wires. That almost sounds too easy.  Not that I don't believe it, just that I never have anything work out that easily for me.  It'd be nice to have the on/off choice while I iron out my charging things.

It should work on a 1983
That is basically how the Euro spec R65 does it.
They do not go thru a relay to turn the head lights off  when cranking and they have a extra positions on the switch to keep the "parking light only" function.
I have a pair of Rigid brand LED's I run in the daytime instead of the main headlight.
The pair of LED's pull less current than the head light does.

[rhysem]

Need some help figuring this stuff out, if you all don't mind. I've got a 1980 R65. Last fall started having trouble with the ignition switch - Wouldn't stay in the "On" position, when I put it in the "On" position it acts like it's in "P" - power to post 58 only. Would only stay in On if I twisted really hard and held it there, making it impossible to drive.

Bought a new switch on eBay. New switch (like the old) has 3 positions. In 0, nothing is powered. In position 1, I get power on post 58 (tail light and instruments) only. In position 2 I get power to posts 15 (main power) and 56 (headlight), but not 58. This means the tail light and tach/speedo backlighting shuts off in what is the Run position. Needless to say, I can't get CHP to sign off on a bike that doesn't have a working tail light when running!

My Clymer manual actually suggests this is the correct behavior - the grey wire (which feeds the tailight and instrument cluster) is only energized in "P". Haynes manual, OTOH, shows there are a UK and US version of the switch and the US version is 3-position with only post 58 in position 1 all three outputs powered in 2. I'm hoping the Haynes manual is right b/c if the Clymer manual is right then I can't ever get the bike past CHP.

Thoughts? Try to repair the old switch by ripping it open and seeing why it doesn't work? Jury-rig the new switch to keep post 58 energized in position 2? Find another switch?

I've checked all the other continuity on the bike, it all seems fine. I also checked the headlight relay (something I read suggested it could possibly be involved) and it seems fine - swapped it with the other identical relay to no avail. So maybe they're both bad (the other is the buzzer relay and my buzzer has never worked). But starting to doubt that path.

Running out of ideas here so hoping the crowd has a suggestion.

Thanks,

Mike

[mrclubike]

I don't have my Ignition switch out but If i remember correctly there is a extra terminal on the US spec switch that may be unused and I am not sure what it does.
You may have plugged into it by mistake
If you can get your new switch out and put an ohm meter on it and just figure out what each terminal does and in what position and wire it up that way.
If you have to you could just connect the head light and tail light wires together on the #56 terminal
This should not overload the switch because the head light is powered thru a relay and not the switch  
That shouldn't be an issue unless CHP needs a park light in your safety  inception
This is the reason I have installed all these silly relays in my system
These 30 plus year old switches are getting week and are NLA

[mrclubike]

These little relays are very good for hiding in the dash to take the load off of your ignition switch