Hi there! A while ago I developed a little box here in South Africa that I like to call SmartSwitch, that you install on your bike in order to control things like spotlights, garage remotes, USB chargers, etc. The idea was to have a device that has numerous outputs (6 to be exact) and allow you to define rules by which those outputs behave. For example, a rule could say "switch output #1 to 100% brightness when I switch my high beam on". This output is then connected to a spotlight. But you could also add rules that say, "dim the output to 10% brightness while the indicator is on". This is useful if your spots are mounted close to your indicators, and dimming them while the indicators are in use gives your indicators more visibility. Or, you could even have the spotlights flash together with the indicators! The purpose of this post is to share this box with you guys, and maybe determine if there would be enough interest from you guys to warrant the export of this from South Africa. Here's a better summary of what SmartSwitch can do: It's a little box that: ...has 6 outputs to control dimmable LED spot lights, brake lights, USB chargers, gate remotes, etc, to switch ON, OFF or any brightness level in between. ...listens on the CAN bus of your R1200GS K25/K26/K50/K51** to see which handlebar switches are pressed*. ...knows what your RPM, Speed and engine temperature is. ...can be programmed to react to the handlebar switches/RPM/Speed/Engine temperature. ...has an additional 2 inputs for connecting on to any other switch. *The K25/K26 limits the handlebar switches that are visible on the CAN bus. For these, or any non-CAN bike the additional 2 inputs may also be used. **The R1200GS K25/K26/K50/K51 is currently supported. F800GS support is in the making. Other makes and models support may be added if there is enough interest. So what can you program SmartSwitch to do? Control your spot lights.... ......switch them on or off completely when you hold any button (or click it 'x' times) ......shine brightly with your brights ......dim at night, so as not to blind oncoming traffic ......dim the left or right side when your indicators are used, or make them flash together with your indicators ......flash rapidly while you use the horn ......flash together with, or opposite to the hazards Control an additional rear brake light to flash when you brake, based on your speed Use the additional rear light as a mist light Control an output to power a USB charger while the ignition is on Open or close your garage or gate when you quickly press the ABS button (separate remote transmitter required) The list goes on, it is really endless what you can do with this little box! Perhaps a video would be more useful: Here's another video that shows an installation being done on a 2015 GSA, in which you can see what the SmartSwitch unit looks like and how easy it is to install. And another, showing the indicators ...and "dynamic" brake light in use The all important question... would you want one? Fell free to ask questions!
For those of us that are not in the 'know', can you please translate the above info into model years. Personally I find this very interesting and would like some of the features. I would like more information around how you program the different features. Projected cost is also a big question.
Outstanding! I have a feeling you're going to have a hit on your hands. I've added SmartSwitch to your title to make it easier to find it when searching.
That is a lovely execution. I am building one myself. But i could drop my build for the right price as my time is also precious. How much will ultimately be the deciding factor. How many watts are the outputs rated to?
Brilliant. Hope you can expand to the K52 (R1200RT LC). Keep the info coming on availability & price. I'm sure it will sell.
Have you tried dimming led lights on 2015 gsw equipped with keyless ride? I have tried to use 2 different dimmers on led lights and both faulted keyless ride within 2 min of lights being dimmed.(key away from bike warning, some kind of rf interferance). I would love this if it worked. Joe
I'm interested, what's the price? I'm in Australia. I was also building something similar. Is the hardware/software open source?
I've used an AutoSwitch to control a garage door opener on another bike. I wanted to move it to my GS, but the canbus has me hesitating. If I could plug it in to the canbus harness and control my opener I would be interested. Mike
Sure, but that adds complication as you would need multiple relays for heated gear, lights and other high draw items. Not a bad unit, but it needs some flexibility.
I think the benefit of this hardware is definitely to tap into the canbus and pull out those signals, being able to wire into it directly is nice, but for being such a small unit it's not unfeasible that it isn't high current draw per channel. Of course, as scottydo said, you could always wire high current items like LED spots or heating through a relay. Could always have higher current on the next generation unit perhaps. For DIY though it's pretty good.
K25 = R1200GS 2004 - 2012 K26 = R1200GSA 2004 - 2013 K50 = R1200GS LC 2013+ K51 = R1200GSA LC 2014+ Thanks! I'm sure it may work as-is on the K52 as it uses the same CAN bus and handlebar controls. However, it remains to be tested. I need to get hold of one though, for testing. I have not, not with the keyless ride, no. But I use it on my own 2015 GSA. Keep in mind this does not control the OEM auxiliary lights, it controls an additional set of spotlights. Correct, it currently sells for ZAR1500, which is approximately US$110. Excluding shipping, etc. Remember this is 5A per output, but limited to 10A in total by way of a fuse. I use it to control my 3600lumen spots, they draw about 2.25A each. All outputs are protected against short circuit, overcurrent, overtemperature, etc. You could indeed, but would lose the dimming feature as a relay can only turn on and off. FIY, dimming is achived by switching the output on and off at a high frequency, mugh higher than your eye can percieve. So when the output is on for as long as it is off (e.g. on for 1millisecond then off for 1 millisecond) you achieve a 50% duty cycle, effectively giving the LED spots half the power.
Thanks for all the positive replies, guys! The reason for this thread is to determine if it would be feasible to start exporting them from South Africa. Thus far it certainly seems that the demand might just warrant the red-tape associated with exporting goods.
