2017 Daytona Bike Week
- Thread starter JaimeC
- Start date
dascooter
New member
Good luck Jaime. Let us know about your adventure home.
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JaimeC
New member
Well, I had an "adventure" all right, but it had nothing to do with the weather. My K1200LT has a security fob that I need to disable the anti-theft system each time I start the bike. On Saturday morning, I filled my tank in Winter Park, FL and started back north. I stopped for lunch in Savannah, GA and when I went back out to the bike, my security fob was GONE. It was attached to the top part of my pull-apart keychain, and it must've dropped off somewhere between my gas stop and my lunch stop. I frantically checked all of my pockets, the restaurant and the parking lot but it was just GONE.
After I calmed my breathing I checked my GPS and the closest BMW dealership was 100 miles away in Columbus, SC. I tried calling them but they were closed. I took out my handy BMW MOA "Anonymous Book" and found someone in Savannah listed with a truck and trailer. I gave the number a call, and got the wife of the BMW owner. He had gone out for a ride, but she took my info and called him.
While I waited for a call back I got out my trusty laptop and went back inside the restaurant (it was the Hooters in Savannah, right off I-95) so I could use their wireless access point to start some frantic "Googling." I also called some friends of mine familiar with the K1200LT and they told me they knew the system could be overridden, but they weren't sure how.
Eventually, the "Anonymous Member" I called returned my call. He didn't know anything about the K1200LT but would be happy to trailer me off the Hooters parking lot to a motel. There were enough of them in the area so I chose the Motel 6. While he was on his way one of the people I called hit pay dirt and sent me a link to the BMWLT.com website that had detailed instructions on how the system could be overridden. By the time Mark (the "Anonymous Member') arrived we both decided it would be too dark to work on the bike but I didn't have any problem waiting till the morning, so I got myself checked into the Motel 6 and we dropped off the bike in their parking lot.
Next morning I walked over to the convenience store to buy an electrical cord and some electric tape so I could "MacGuyver" the jumper plugs I'd need. Turned out I really didn't need to cut up the extension cord, as it was bound with a plastic-wrapped, steel twist tie! I made the jumper plugs from that, and we have an extra extension cord at home now.
Let me tell you, the sweetest sound in the whole world at that time was the sound of the engine turning over and running when I turned on the ignition and pressed the "Start" button. I lost an extra vacation day at work, but I made it home safe and sound. No weather worries at all (beyond unseasonable COLD down south).
After I calmed my breathing I checked my GPS and the closest BMW dealership was 100 miles away in Columbus, SC. I tried calling them but they were closed. I took out my handy BMW MOA "Anonymous Book" and found someone in Savannah listed with a truck and trailer. I gave the number a call, and got the wife of the BMW owner. He had gone out for a ride, but she took my info and called him.
While I waited for a call back I got out my trusty laptop and went back inside the restaurant (it was the Hooters in Savannah, right off I-95) so I could use their wireless access point to start some frantic "Googling." I also called some friends of mine familiar with the K1200LT and they told me they knew the system could be overridden, but they weren't sure how.
Eventually, the "Anonymous Member" I called returned my call. He didn't know anything about the K1200LT but would be happy to trailer me off the Hooters parking lot to a motel. There were enough of them in the area so I chose the Motel 6. While he was on his way one of the people I called hit pay dirt and sent me a link to the BMWLT.com website that had detailed instructions on how the system could be overridden. By the time Mark (the "Anonymous Member') arrived we both decided it would be too dark to work on the bike but I didn't have any problem waiting till the morning, so I got myself checked into the Motel 6 and we dropped off the bike in their parking lot.
Next morning I walked over to the convenience store to buy an electrical cord and some electric tape so I could "MacGuyver" the jumper plugs I'd need. Turned out I really didn't need to cut up the extension cord, as it was bound with a plastic-wrapped, steel twist tie! I made the jumper plugs from that, and we have an extra extension cord at home now.
Let me tell you, the sweetest sound in the whole world at that time was the sound of the engine turning over and running when I turned on the ignition and pressed the "Start" button. I lost an extra vacation day at work, but I made it home safe and sound. No weather worries at all (beyond unseasonable COLD down south).
Last edited:
JaimeC
New member
Oh believe me, it's NOT something you can do easily by the side of the road! It takes pretty major disassembly of the rear of the bike to access the alarm. It took me a little over an hour to do the whole thing and double checking that I put everything back together properly.
The 850 lbs K1200LT is not a bike one can easily toss into the back of a van to be taken to another location to work on, either (unlike my 1985 K100 which was stolen in that manner).
The 850 lbs K1200LT is not a bike one can easily toss into the back of a van to be taken to another location to work on, either (unlike my 1985 K100 which was stolen in that manner).
SteveADV
Active member
Yup. I remember a long time ago flooding a klr 650, literally, in a stream a long way from civilization and any other people. I took everything apart I could with the tools I had, put parts on a rock, and went for a hike. When I got back I put the bike back together and still couldn't get it to start. Thought I was there for the night until a guy on an ATV stopped with some "super spray" (the KLR was carbrurated) and the bike came to life. A great feeling for sure.