What do you thnk of the new toggle switchgear on the new K series bikes?

It seems that BMW are trying to appease the non BMW owner public and are instead more content to irritate the existing owners who may want to buy a new bike at some stage.
What do you think?

Personally - prefer the old switching gear - as far as i am concerned - part of the BMW bike as much as the Beemer Badge. Why try and emulate the japs - we ride beemers because the ubique nature of the brandname and models appeal to us. If you want jap configuration on your bike - go and buy a jap bike.

Do you guys and gals on this forum have an opinion on these issues ?

Mmm, yep agree, rather quiet eh?
If there was an option such as "none/all of the above" ; "Sorry, No Clue" or "only know my own bike" I for one would partake in the poll..

My old Dakar had the single switching gear setup if I remember correctly, so comparing that with the 1200's "easy to use" switching gear, I must go for the latter. As Leroy said - it made BMW quite unique and I find it much easier to use than the single toggle button.

Even if they have a very good reason to move to such a design on all their bikes, I would at least like to see that they offer the dual type switching gear as an option (for free, of course!)

Don’t have a new K series either:affraid:

I prefer the single switchgear as on my Dakar. Had the new F650 and F800 (don't know if they are similar to the K setup) as a loaner and found that switchgear difficult to use. But that was only for one day at a time. Don’t know what my opinion would be once I get used to it?

Dani, BMW has two indicator switch setups:
The single toggle switch like the old F650GS, alias the " universal" Japanese setup that I refer to and the BMW "paddle" left right plus cancel switches which in my opinion and many you have used them find to be a more intuitive configuration, i.e. left hand for left turn and right hand for right turn.

As the most esteemed member who operates both BMW and Honda machines has commented. He no longer indicates for a left turn because he has to half move his hand off the grip to get hold of this toggle switch to pull it.

So the question remains what do people think of this development? It would appear as on most Forums that most visitors are peepers who do not have an opinion about such important things

Atleast my comments are touching some sensitive ears because I have had a telephone call from the USA to have the logic of the new set up explained to me. I still do not agree that one has to make the new "captured" market feel happy with the indicator switch layout. The push pull head light flasher switch is an improvement - once you have found the switch that is.

Why the fuss? Well the way I see it all BMW's will head in this direction in the future if the people who live with the machines do not have their say.

So stop peeping and do something.

Aah, that.
I had the left-right-configuration on my 'old' 650GS and now the toggle and cancel on the 800GS.. -- I think??
but never think of it as something to compare with other bikes as I don’t know other bikes
.. Or maybe I have long fingers, it’s really no issue - both work for me.. it's only a means to put the indicator on?

ag okay.. I have long hair .. (back to the cricket)

At least it is not blond.

And while we're on the topic of buttons....

Am I the only person that finds it EXTREMELY hard to press the ^$#@%@ red button on the left to sound the horn??? In case of emergency, that is the LAST thing I'll do, because either I can't locate the button quick enough, or when I do, it needs to be squeezed to the inside (?) to make a sound. By that time, the danger situation is already 1km behind me!

Perhaps for the next club ride, I should go park somewhere and just press the $#@^#$^ hooter button until I can do it with my eyes closed.

I have always ridden bikes with the single toggle switch for indicators and so find that process instinctive. I rode a 1200 GS in December and battled with the indicator process. Suppose it is what you are used to. I dont have to move my hand at all to use the switch. Falls into place perfectly on the Triumph.

The overseas journos complain ad nauseum about the 'complicated' BMW indicator switchgear. If you ride the bike more than once, you will get used to them.

I think Marnus has touched on a far more important/frustrating aspect of the BMW switchgear debate. The friggin hooter is far more difficult to operate in an emergency! I have never been able to use the hooter quick enough, only a few choice words shouted into my helmet. By the time you actually press the hooter, some innocent bystander thinks you are hooting at them, and they get all upset.

Maybe we need a hooter training day?? We already have two candidates.

There is a place called Hooters in the USA. Maybe they can solve your h(*)(*)ter problem....

And they do have hooters.

Let me put this in perspective: I only have a problem with BMW's hooter, not with the 'others'.
Anyway, I'm proudly South African, USA is too far away.

Once again - if you want a singel toggle switch - buy a pocket rocket and leave the tradisional toggle switch endemic to beemers alone.

Getting back the Hooters, or rather the hooter switch - just get to know the layout of your handlebar grips.

I like hooters that switch...

Or switches that Hoot - depends on what you want to do or nor

Well atleast I have succeeded in people discovering their controls.
Not being able to find the hooter - try this it is quite easy - Just extend your thumbs to rest on on the switches -
Left hand - Slight downward movement of your thumb you get left indicator, slight upward movement you get hooter, ( no No not the BMW roundel in the middle of the handlebar )
Right hand - slight downward movement of your thumb - right indicator and a slight upward movement allows you to cancel the indicators.

Now that was quite intuitive.

Thanks Renier, for the info.
I find the more I push the BMW roundel, (the GS's roundels are on the sides of the tank!!!!) ,the slower my bike goes.
Maybe it's because I take my hand off the throttle to push the right hand side roundel?

2 brainselle - know you are turning gray as I am doing - did not know you were blond initially.

Turned gray a long time ago.
Why 2 braincells?? Being over 50, I thought I had only one.

True - but you said it.

I find the population visiting Forums interesting. 212 visits to this post but only 7 people have an opinion to vote.
I went and looked at the K1300GT again yesterday - that indicator switch remains K.. - just 3 letters. The mechanism of the Yamaha FJR1300 (@ R155 000) feels superior - sat on that bike as well.
Maybe the brute power of the K1300GT (@ R183000) will negate the need to use the indicators all together - you just need to hold on when you open the throttle.

Maybe the others don't understand what the fuss is about?

Also, the humour involving the roundels has been lost on some readers, being linked to the number of braincells one has.

I did not realise there was such a big price difference between the Yammie and the BMW. The overseas press love the big Yammie, but the K1300GT sounds like it is in a class of it's own.

Are you getting one anytime soon??