Things needed for the conversion:
Before 2017 with engine control unit BMSX (Euro3)
This conversion is very elaborate, as the control unit has to be swapped for the BMSMP, the wiring at the control unit connector has to be adapted and the circuit board of the fuel tank control unit has to be decommissioned. It is also advisable to replace the round diagnostic connector with the standard OBDII. For the evaporative emission return, the valve that is queried by the control unit is then also missing. In the vehicle order, the model year must also be changed to 11.2017, including the build level. Everything else is then as from 2017.
From 2017 with engine control unit BMSMP (Euro4) and R1250GS.
Here we need some parts from the BMW parts catalogue.
A TFT display (any of the 7-inch displays will do, no matter where it was mounted - so also RR or RT). Original part number 62119467983
Caution when buying used: the odometer reading of the donor display must be below your current mileage!!!If the old speedometer holder is still installed, the current one (for analogue and digital displays), part number 46638561351
Speedometer adapter cable (Caution: not fully wired)
5x pins #61136931880, 5x TE 929027-1 and 5x seal #61138353706
1x UV-resistant fixed patch cable for the connection to the OBDII connector.
Fabric tape for automotive use.
Software: E-SYS (for firmware updates), Bimmer Utility (sufficient if you only want to code)
Once we have all the parts together, we take the Tank off and take apart the front section (part of it can also be here visible). This gives access to the wiring harness and allows the old speedometer to be removed.
Now we extend the adapter cable by the required pins. To do this, we cut off the connectors of the patch cable and look for 2 twisted pairs. For data transmission it is important that the twisted pairs are always used for the two receive and transmit lines, i.e. RX-/RX+ and TX-/TX+. For the Ethernet activation pin you can choose any free wire.
The pinout is as follows, only the marked ones need to be extended!
The rest of the pinout is for information only.
Caution: the CAN at the TFT is not the same CAN bus as at the OBDII connector. All control units are connected to the internal CAN bus, which is also present at the TFT. The OBDII CAN bus is filtered by the engine control unit!
| TFT pin | OBDII pin | Function | Colours | |
| 1 | 16 | Power terminal 30 | Red Grey | |
| 2 | CAN_H | White Black | Motorcycle CAN bus | |
| 3 | CAN_L | White Brown | Motorcycle CAN bus | |
| 4 | 4,5 | Minus Ground | Brown | |
| 5 | 11 | RX- | Ethernet receive minus | |
| 6 | 3 | RX+ | Ethernet receive plus | |
| 7 | WL_S | Green White | ||
| 8 | KS_LIN | LIN bus | ||
| 9 | SZ_Lin | LIN bus | ||
| 10 | 8 | Violet | Ethernet activation line | |
| 11 | 12 | TX+ | Ethernet transmit plus | |
| 12 | 11 | TX- | Ethernet transmit minus | |
| 6 | Can_H | White Red | Engine control unit CAN bus | |
| 14 | CAN_L | White Grey | Engine control unit CAN bus |
To modify the pins on the TFT connector, you can lift out the sealing rubbers in the adapter cable with a needle and then crimp the purchased pins onto the wires of the Ethernet cable. Pay attention to the twisting, which must be carried all the way to the connector and kept in step. The sealing rubber has to go onto the wire before crimping; it will not go over afterwards.
Once you insert the crimped pins into the connector, they should click into place and be fixed. If they are not, simply turn them by 90° until you have the right position.
The patch cable is then routed along the original wiring harness and wrapped onto it with the fabric tape. This ensures that the cables are not damaged.
Next, the same is done at the OBDII connector, extending it with the necessary pins as shown in the table. Please again pay attention to the twisting of the wires in the patch cable.
Now we mount the display on the holder; for this, the two clips are taken off the round speedometer and fitted to the display after it is seated in the speedometer mount. Now just attach the adapter and you can test on the bike for the first time.
Now the point has come to code.
In BimmerUtility we extend the vehicle order by the option 6AB Connected Ride and make sure that our build date is at least 1117. (just leave a newer date, please raise an older one to 1117) When saving, we confirm the prompt asking whether to code.
From this point the display should already work.
Now we clear all faults in the fault memory and check the functions. If the odometer reading is displayed in RED, it means that the odometer reading of the TFT and the engine control unit do not match. This must be updated using the BMW software ISTA. It is also recommended to bring the software of the control units to the same level. A description can be found in this YouTube video.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Yes, but only with considerable extra effort: the engine control unit has to be swapped for the newer BMSMP, the wiring adapted and the model year in the vehicle order changed to 11/2017 including build level. From model year 2017 with a BMSMP control unit (Euro4), or on the R1250GS, the retrofit is much easier.
The data is transmitted to the display via Ethernet, which is why the twisting of the transmit and receive lines (RX-/RX+ and TX-/TX+) must be preserved all the way to the connector. If the twisting is interrupted, communication with the display may be disrupted.
No. All control units are connected to the internal CAN bus, which is also present at the TFT display. The CAN bus at the OBDIIdiagnostic connector, by contrast, is filtered by the engine control unit and represents a separate data bus.