Good afternoon all,
I am looking for a little bit of advice.... I have a 1993 k1100lt and unfortunately due to the steering lock not working properly I find myself having to fit a replacement lock.
After consulting the manual it seemed to be a fairly simple job so I proceeded to remove the tank and managed to find the wiring for the ignition switch so disconnected it and was surprised to find I had Allen key bolts holding the old ignition switch in so I didn't need to drill them out,well I removed the bolts and the switch dropped slightly so it's all free and ready to be replaced....but then I was met with an issue...I couldn't get the switch out no matter how or what way I twisted it ...o On consulting the manual it simply said remove the bolts and the switch will come out allowing a new one to be slid into its place....but 
I'm finding the way is blocked by the main fairing mounting bracket which on looking seems to suggest a complete top fairing strip down just so I can unbolt the bracket and move it 1/2 inch to enable me to get the old switch past and the new one back in.... Would my thoughts be correct or is there another way of doing it without taking of the complete fairing is what I would like to know.....
thank you

I haven't messed with one for a while but I think you can take off the upper fork tree to get the ignition switch out instead of removing the fairing.

I had given that a quick look but wasn't 100% sure that I really wanted to interfere with the top yoke as u know they can be a nuisance to get to sit right once they've been moved....but I will have another look at maybe trying that....got to be better than a complete fairing strip down that's for sure...
Very much appreciate the suggestion

If the steering is in the locked position you will need to remove the top clamp DAMHIK

Another thing: Even if you think the steering lock isn't working anymore, you may just need to fiddle with it for a while to get it to work. They can be sticky if never used or not used in a long time. (I once had someone tell me his K1100 didn't have a steering lock.  It took me a while to prove him wrong but after several minutes of fiddling around with it I was able to get it working again without taking anything apart.)

I've had her since April last year and I've tried to get the steering lock to work on a few occasions but it never has so that was one of the reasons to change the complete switch and then the fault I have now developed with it so defo time to change it..... 
I am going to try removing the top fork plate to sort it but I'm always nervous interfering with the forks incase I manage to move something else out of line.... But I suppose it's worth a try rather than taking the complete fairing off

I have a copy of the BMW repair manual for the K1100 and it indicates removal without disturbing anything else. It should have shear bolts holding it not cap screws so suggests some one has all ready been at it. Would think you only need to raise the top yolk a little without removing it all the way. John

I went through my manual and I couldn't find anything that said I needed to do anything else other than remove petrol tank and unbolt handle bars and then drill out security bolts and switch would drop straight out....so I was very surprised to find the switch held in with Allen key bolts and not enough room to drop the switch out and I even tried with the steering hard left and right but with no luck. I bought new security bolts to attach it with as well lol
I will try to get the top plate loose and just raise it enough to allow the switch to drop out and slide the new one in so I'm hoping that will allow me to get the job done..... But if I have to totally remove the top yoke plate it should t cause any issues should it? Fingers crossed

*Update*
Today I decided to try and get the top fork plate off or st least lift it maybe 1/2 an inch to allow the ignition switch to drop out...but due to not having the correct size spanner I wasn't able to attempt it..so I decided it would have to be a top fairing strip down and move the fairing support bracket to enable me to gain the space needed....
Well after some knuckle scrapping and muttering of a few choice words I was able to remove the top fairing complete with screen and headlight still attached and then get to the fairing support bracket and unbolt it to gain the room I needed...so now I have replaced the faulty ignition switch and and I have a working steering lock too....and after another hour or two I had all electrics connected and too fairing refitted and ignition switch is working superbly and the steering lock is also working as well...RESULT! Also I was able to tidy up and remove some wiring that wasn't working anymore. 
So just a quick thanks to all of you guys that gave me some very sound advice....
Thanks gentlemen

Glad you found out the removal of the fairing is a bit awkward but not so scary after all and when done it allows you to have a good look around under there.

Mine has been on and off quite a number of times over the 19 years we have been together.

Cheers

JM02 but removing the windscreen assembly isn't that big of a deal.  The hardest part is disconnecting/reconnecting the wiring harness connector.

I honestly thought it was going to be a nightmare taking the top fairing off but I must say I was pleasantly surprised that it was a great deal easier then I thought it was going to be....very very big thanks for all the advice from you guys....👍

Hi, just read this post but it hasn't shed any light on my "problem" the ignition switch wouldnt engage the steering lock and the key can be pulled out at any stage.

The bolts holding the switch in (have) had no way of attaching a wrench to remove. So I drilled a couple of pilot holes and removed the two screws with ez-out. I was a tad worried at one stage as I thought it was going to snap off. 
So unit is out there was a small flat head grub screw holding the electrical part on the ass of the switch removed this and I'm left with the casing and lock section.

So how do I remove the internal key section......Please

svenok wrote:So how do I remove the internal key section......Please

At rear of the cylindrical housing you see a small hole about 25 mm from the top,
this is the acces to the wafer that keeps the barrel in place.

With the key in the on position insert a jewelers screwdriver in this hole and push in
the said wafer...while pulling the barrel together with the key out.

Remove the key inside a plastic bag, if you want acces to the internals.

So, Inge, the 4V ignition lock core is held in by the last tab just like many of the other lock cores?  I never noticed that.

Is this it?



And while we're on the topic, my 94 RS started having cutout problems last summer and I suspect that is the issue since I jumped the fuel sender and although I thought the FLS was probably the issue it doesn't seem to be the case so I now suspect a bad ignition switch.

duck wrote:Is this it?

Yes .

Brilliant! I was on the right track. I was using a small drill bit but was turning the barrel while trying to get key out.
The little plate covering the steering lock tab fell off when I pulled the unit off the bike. The three little pins holding this plate on have snapped???? Also there are two shear pins either side of this cover plate that are semi out. I'll take a photo and add to this post a tad later. 

Thanks for the info.

svenok wrote:The little plate covering the steering lock tab fell off when I pulled the unit off the bike. The three little pins holding this plate on have snapped???? Also there are two shear pins either side of this cover plate that are semi out.

Looks like you already had visitors.....which could be the reason to the switch
didn't function properly in the first place.

I've finally removed the barrel from the housing. I tried to follow what I thought was right, but I couldn't get the barrel out as the key would pull out as soon as I placed any type of force on it.
I thought the key needed to be in the ON position for it to be removed....Wrong....The key needs to be turned all the way so the steering lock is engaged. Then insert something small into hole and push....the barrel should pop out. Looks like there should be an O ring around the top half. Mine was missing half.

Now where can I buy the key tumblers.........

Just an FYI on this topic:

Since I plan to be soon playing with the ignition switch on my 94 K11RS in order to diagnose an intermittent cutout problem, I looked up the part number for the 4V ignition switch lock core- part 51252308669.  From RealOEM it looks to be unique to the 4V Ks. (K100RS4V, K1 & K1100s)

duck wrote:Just an FYI on this topic:

Since I plan to be soon playing with the ignition switch on my 94 K11RS in order to diagnose an intermittent cutout problem, I looked up the part number for the 4V ignition switch lock core- part 51252308669.  From RealOEM it looks to be unique to the 4V Ks. (K100RS4V, K1 & K1100s)

duck, thank you very much for this information, great site. I want to buy a bucket load of parts.
Just need to work out how...

svenok wrote:I've finally removed the barrel from the housing. I tried to follow what I thought was right, but I couldn't get the barrel out as the key would pull out as soon as I placed any type of force on it.
I thought the key needed to be in the ON position for it to be removed....Wrong....The key needs to be turned all the way so the steering lock is engaged. Then insert something small into hole and push....the barrel should pop out. Looks like there should be an O ring around the top half. Mine was missing half.

Now where can I buy the key tumblers.........  

The key should be in the ON position - all the way clockwise,  That way the retaining tab at the bottom of the lock core lines up with the hole.  Then put something skinny (like a very small Allen wrench) in the hole and pull the lock core out with the  key.  With the key in the ON position the key will not come out of the lock core so when you pull on the key the lock core comes out with it.

duck wrote:Another thing: Even if you think the steering lock isn't working anymore, you may just need to fiddle with it for a while to get it to work. They can be sticky if never used or not used in a long time. (I once had someone tell me his K1100 didn't have a steering lock.  It took me a while to prove him wrong but after several minutes of fiddling around with it I was able to get it working again without taking anything apart.)

What did you mean by fiddling around?

My 1990 K100RS has a steering lock that does not appear to work. I cannot find a diagram so thought that I would have to take off the tank (again) to find the source of the problem. I had a new barrel fitted by BMW not long after I bought this bike earlier this year (they said it was a new lock but it was just the barrel). 

If I could solve the problem with just a bit of fiddling around, it would be a much preferred option.

Many thanks.

Zara

On the 4 valve K bikes the steering locking position is just a few degrees inside of full right lock.

Fiddling around:

Turn the front wheel pointing all the way towards the right. Back off from that a couple of degrees and turn it side to side slightly while trying to get the ignition key to turn counterclockwise.  Try that for a few minutes and usually it will free up.  NOTE:  It should not require he-man torque on the ignition key so using brute force to turn the key is not a good idea.

If the techs who fixed your lock were knowledgeable and competent (a huge assumption) then they should've verified that the steering lock worked after they got your ignition back together.

Here's what the ignition switch assembly looks like.

svenok wrote:

duck wrote:Just an FYI on this topic:

Since I plan to be soon playing with the ignition switch on my 94 K11RS in order to diagnose an intermittent cutout problem, I looked up the part number for the 4V ignition switch lock core- part 51252308669.  From RealOEM it looks to be unique to the 4V Ks. (K100RS4V, K1 & K1100s)

duck, thank you very much for this information, great site. I want to buy a bucket load of parts.
Just need to work out how...

I bought the bottom half of the ignition for the K1100LT, but getting the grub screw out was tricky. Had to take off top yoke and drop fork legs to get enough room but it was a straight fit.

duck wrote:
Turn the front wheel pointing all the way towards the right. Back off from that a couple of degrees and turn it side to side slightly while trying to get the ignition key to turn counterclockwise.  Try that for a few minutes and usually it will free up. 

Yay - it works, thank you so much.