wspollack
Active member
One of the two* major disappointments, to me, of my new scoot is that:
1) It doesn't come with -- or, so far as I know, have an option for -- a TPMS, and;
2) The Schrader valves being sideways, up in a wheel "spoke," preclude adding a typical TPMS sensor, such as the ones FOBO makes (which I added to my Burgman 650, for instance), because there is insufficient clearance with the brake calipers.
I don't know whether BMW thinks this non-standard valve position is a convenience for the owner, when checking or adding air, or if it's one of those cases in which BMW is just being BMW, i.e., weird for weird's sake. But the bottom line is that you can’t add an external sensor.
So, has anyone come up with a solution?
- Can those in-spoke valves be replaced with a low-profile right-angle valve, for instance, which might allow clearance for an external sensor?
- Has anyone just drilled through the wheels, in the way a normal valve is positioned in a normal wheel, added a new metal valve and a sensor to that, and just sort of ignored the existing valves (except maybe to add air)?
- Is there an internal TPMS sensor (the way cars have) that can be put in the stock C 400 GT wheels?
- Something else, that I haven't thought of?
Thanks for any help here. I've added TPMS to my last two bikes, and I really miss it here, if only for a pre-ride check that doesn't require me to get on the ground or a low stool, and break out a gauge.
* (BTW, the other major disappointment I have is that there is no cruise control. If I were a religious person, I might consider it a sin, when a bike has ride-by-wire but no factory cruise is offered.
1) It doesn't come with -- or, so far as I know, have an option for -- a TPMS, and;
2) The Schrader valves being sideways, up in a wheel "spoke," preclude adding a typical TPMS sensor, such as the ones FOBO makes (which I added to my Burgman 650, for instance), because there is insufficient clearance with the brake calipers.
I don't know whether BMW thinks this non-standard valve position is a convenience for the owner, when checking or adding air, or if it's one of those cases in which BMW is just being BMW, i.e., weird for weird's sake. But the bottom line is that you can’t add an external sensor.
So, has anyone come up with a solution?
- Can those in-spoke valves be replaced with a low-profile right-angle valve, for instance, which might allow clearance for an external sensor?
- Has anyone just drilled through the wheels, in the way a normal valve is positioned in a normal wheel, added a new metal valve and a sensor to that, and just sort of ignored the existing valves (except maybe to add air)?
- Is there an internal TPMS sensor (the way cars have) that can be put in the stock C 400 GT wheels?
- Something else, that I haven't thought of?
Thanks for any help here. I've added TPMS to my last two bikes, and I really miss it here, if only for a pre-ride check that doesn't require me to get on the ground or a low stool, and break out a gauge.
* (BTW, the other major disappointment I have is that there is no cruise control. If I were a religious person, I might consider it a sin, when a bike has ride-by-wire but no factory cruise is offered.
Last edited: