Want to disconnect alarm on 2003 LT

[Dean_BMW]

My bike finally went out of warranty the other day. It was a relief actually. My local dealer stunk in both technical skills and customer service, and now I can just plan on doing my own maintenance work. I guess if I need computer codes, I will just travel to a decent dealer because I don't plan on ever walking through their door again (even if I buy a new LT)... anyway... back to my question.

I want to remove the alarm. I feel that the alarm adds more risk of leaving me dead on the side of the road someplace that it benefits me if someone would want to steal the bike.

Does anyone have any instructions on how to remove the alarm from the circuit?

[mneblett]

My bike finally went out of warranty the other day. It was a relief actually. My local dealer stunk in both technical skills and customer service, and now I can just plan on doing my own maintenance work. I guess if I need computer codes, I will just travel to a decent dealer because I don't plan on ever walking through their door again (even if I buy a new LT)... anyway... back to my question.

I want to remove the alarm. I feel that the alarm adds more risk of leaving me dead on the side of the road someplace that it benefits me if someone would want to steal the bike.

Does anyone have any instructions on how to remove the alarm from the circuit?I'll try to find the wiring schematics when I get home tonight. The alarm box is physically located at the rear of the bike, under the trunk. A simple bolted-in unit, with plug-n-play connectors.

The main thing to know is that there are a couple "interrupter" circuits which need to be jumped (starter? ignition? can't remember off the top of my head). The point is these circuits have wires which run from the starter relay and/or Moronic haraness inside the electrical box under the tank, back to the alarm box (where the box can open/close the circuits), and then back the electrical box. These circuits need to be jumpered, either at the alarm box connector, or, if you're retentive about it, back inside the electrical box.

[Buck]

Get the alarm installation instructions and work backwards. I'm not sure if we have them electronically, but I can send you paper, if not.

[Tat_n_Telle]

Get the alarm installation instructions and work backwards. I'm not sure if we have them electronically, but I can send you paper, if not.

The alarm system on the later bikes is not an added in (i.e.: dealer installed) unit - it is an integral part of the bike.
It would be much simpler just to program the alarm to not come on automatically, and then leave the remote buttons alone.

[mneblett]

The alarm system on the later bikes is not an added in (i.e.: dealer installed) unit - it is an integral part of the bike.
It would be much simpler just to program the alarm to not come on automatically, and then leave the remote buttons alone.This is true of the '05's, but my memory is that all of the pre-'05s (even the later ones that had the "factory" alarm) used the same unit/wiring that you could buy over the counter and install yourself. I installed the unit on my '00 (which is how I became familiar with the under-tank electrical box interrupt circuit connections). I found exactly the same unit hooked up to the same harness connectors under the trunk of my "factory-alarmed" '02.

[Buck]

For a 2003, I'm pretty sure it is the same alarm, installed the same way, and that the same instructions would apply.

[Buck]

<Replying to his own post>

Buck adds:

Anyway, the purpose here is to prevent failure of the system from causing his bike to be inoperable. The only way to prevent that wouldl be to remove it as a potential source of trouble.

[Ranger]

Has this been an issue? Have people had their bikes immobilized due to an alarm failure?

[mneblett]

Has this been an issue? Have people had their bikes immobilized due to an alarm failure?The only ones of which I'm aware were some early '05s with defective controllers (replaced by BMW). Even then, I'm not aware of any actual "strandings" -- that doesn't mean there weren't any, but I haven't never heard of any.

[jzeiler]

Peter,
The only ones I am aware of are people who bought a used bike with no fob and the alarm subsequently armed itself or they "lost" the fob. They can be programmed to not auto activate but then there are some power quirks that can then cause the alarm to arm.

[Dean_BMW]

I have not heard of it being an issue, but even if you program the alarm not to arm automatically, it will arm if the battery were to go dead... so you need to have the fob with you at ALL times.

In my case, I just want to get rid of it. I don't use it, and I do not want to worry with keeping a fob with me and making sure that the fob works in the rare event that I need it.

The LT already has enough bells and whistles to go wrong. I figure I just eliminate that one since I don't need it.

[DBHutchins]

Having had one LT "walk away" from me because I DIDN'T set the alarm, this looks pretty short-sighted to me.

Having learned the hard way, I now set the alarm and install the disc lock EVERY time I leave the bike in a public place. And I set the alarm, even in my own garage!

Caveat emptor, amigo.

Don

[tmgs]

Having had one LT "walk away" from me because I DIDN'T set the alarm,

Don

Wow never heard of a LT being Swiped before , sorry to hear that!.

I wonder if they hot wireed it? or 4 guys throw it in a truck? sure would be interesting to know.

Tom

[Tat_n_Telle]

For a 2003, I'm pretty sure it is the same alarm, installed the same way, and that the same instructions would apply.

I had a set of instructions for the alarm installation - yes, I was going to remove mine as well - and when I got into the bike, NONE of the electrical connectors, harness routings, jumpered connectors near the main box, etc. were as described in the instructions. I subsequently purchased the correct wiring diagram manual for the bike (mine is an 02, btw) and the "factory" alarm wiring is totally different from the "add in" alarm.

Oh, if you do manage to remove the alarm, I have a very neat little box that flashes an LED once every 3 seconds whenever the ignition is switched off, and turns it off with the ignition on. Doesn't do a thing to stop the bike, but sure looks like the "alarm system" is activated! Just a small printed circuit and a NC relay does the trick!

[RVB1019]

When at home or crusing around in my immediate area, I never set the alarm. But, when I went to STC and stayed overnight at a hotel off of I-81, you better believe I used it.

I agree with the others, turn it off when you don't want it because you may park somewhere where you may want to use it.

[DBHutchins]

Wow never heard of a LT being Swiped before , sorry to hear that!.

I wonder if they hot wireed it? or 4 guys throw it in a truck? sure would be interesting to know.

Tom

I think the answer is neither! I suspect that a screwdriver in the lock, with a little leverage to break the cylinder, and she'll start up just like a car will. I wasn't there to watch it done, but she disappeared in a crowded area in the middle of the day, with literally hundreds of folks in sight of the theft. And not a soul noticed a thing!

Like I say: Now I set the alarm EVERY time.

Don

[Daman858]

There is a way to disable the alarm using the key. BUT-----you must have the code number that came on a card with the bike. Basically, you turn the ignition on and the LED for the alram will blink. After it blinks the times eqaul to each number, you turn the ignition off. For example, if the number is 4321, you would turn the ignition on until the LED blinked four times, then turn it off. Thenturn it on for three blinks, then off again , then two, etc. Of course, your alarm is sounding loudly in front of the pharmacy in your neighborhood and everyone is thinking what a jerk you are.

Don't ask how I know!..just don't ask.

[niel_petersen]

I had to go back to the dealer on my new '05 LT to learn how to do the ignition switch bypass-the-imobilizer-via-the-four-digit-access-code function. The important thing I found out is that it is necessary in following the BMW instruction manual to turn the key off IMMEDIATELY after the required number of flashes, and not wait for something else (like the next flash of the LED) to happen. I had the feeling the tech had never done it before for anyone, but we did eventually get it to bypass & allow a start with just a key

The manual was translated from German into English by machinery I think....

[Dean_BMW]

Mark...

Did you have any luck finding the schematics you have?