Waterproof R1200GS Rear Light Electrics

  
Rear light bulb failure is a fairly common occurrence with the R1200GS – here’s how to fix that!

Based on posts by: Arkwright2007  21/07/2007
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1200GS Rear Light   (external link)

The problem – the back of the rear light/brake light unit where the electrical connections are made to the bulb is not sealed. The bulb with its contacts are exposed to all the road grime and water spray so it’s only a matter of time before there’s a problem imho……………….crazy.

Arkwright2007 has come up with a solution modifying the rear light unit by making a plastic cover that fits on the top two mounting bolts. It’s sealed round the edges with silicon sealant and also around the cutout for the wires. Obviously give everything a good clean, cleaning the bulb and contacts etc, before sealing.

See the photo of the finished article and a template for the cover below.

And here’s a very good reason to do this modification (posted by Happyhenry ukGSer)
Popped into Park Lane’s Battersea service centre this morning and a chap was there picking up his 1200GS – is it anyone here? He had suffered brake failure at 50mph – residual braking minimal  mounted pavement etc but OK.
They seemed to have concluded that the rear/brake light had shorted/overheated and that this had induced an error message in the Canbus that had shut down the servo braking system. Replaced it and it’s sorted.
First time they had seen it apparently.
Keep the rear light unit shipshape and Bristol fashion me thinks.
Thankfully it’s usually just a loss of power to the rear light/brake light or dead bulbs

Images – click for larger versions 😉

After cleaning up the back of the lamp I made a backing plate out of thin perspex. Using the tail lamp lens as an outline I made a template. The plate was sealed to the back of the lamp and round the contacts after treating the back of the bulb and contacts with ACF 50. Duncan (Arkwright2007)

I would add a couple of small holes along the bottom of the cover so that should any water get in, it can drain out! This will allow some air movement behind the cover as well.

I did the same modification to my rear light. The housing and contacts were full of sand and muck. (Zigo)