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Customizing the R1200RT


Joe Frickin' Friday

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Joe Frickin' Friday
WRT to Mitch/Joe, well, he pretty well knows what he wants and gets it, or makes it, or improves it.

 

Indeed, after ten years of experience on my 1100RT, and a few months on my 1200, I had a pretty good idea of what I was after.

 

The GPS/bracket and Autocomm came from the old bike; those are indispensible items for riding in unfamiliar territory with good friends.

 

The barbacks: I rode for a couple of months before making a decision on those.

 

Running lights: hard to argue against making the bike more conspicuous. Did this on the 1100, was pleased with the results.

 

Corbin: So far I've only done day rides of up to 100 miles on the 1200, but that was enough to see that trouble was in store if I tried to go much farther. Corbin was great on my 1100, and at BRR this spring I got to sit on a bunch of other seats (Russell, Corbin, Mayer) to see what they were like.

 

Driving lights: I'm still waiting to see what the 1200's stock lighting is like after dark.

 

Fender extension: the header pipes (and alt belt cover) on my 1100RT eventually looked like crap, thanks to large quantities of road grime flung up off the front wheel. After less than 1000 miles, itt was already starting to happen on the 1200; an extension to the front fender seems like a no-brainer here. Likewise on the rear fender extension, simply based on Twisty's experience.

 

 

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Re the Front Fender Extension

 

I put one on for an Alaska ride - just got back a week ago.

 

I put on the Pyramid product using the supplied double sided tape as well as adding my one 3M glue product. I decided not to use the included screws - very sharp and too close to the tire for my liking.

 

I was intending on riveting it on before I left but ran out of time. I am not sure exactly, but my guess is that it is now lying on the dirt/gravel portion of the Cassiar Highway - should have riveted it - another lesson learned the hard way - at least it was not that expensive - another one has been ordered.

 

I have the rear BMW OEM fender extender. I find that if kept the plate and the top big case much cleaner. If it works after riding through Canada and all over Alaska it will work anywhere.

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Mitch,

I think I'm going to mount my Autocom in the tail section like you've done. How do you have the helmet leads (7 pin) routed from under there? By the way, love the stickers. :grin:

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Joe Frickin' Friday
Mitch,

I think I'm going to mount my Autocom in the tail section like you've done. How do you have the helmet leads (7 pin) routed from under there?

 

This pic is with the camera above the battery, looking toward the rear of the bike:

 

600719649_qAqCB-L.jpg

 

In that pic, the helmet leads are the two thick cables running up the right side of the bike (left side of photo). The audio cable (straight plug on front of autocomm box) and the FRS cable enter a piece of split-loom that passes under the rear saddle's rear support bar; that split-loom carries them, out of sight, up to the glovebox. Power cable and the PTT cable are routed up the left side of the bike (right side of photo); you can see where I've zip-tied the PTT cable connector to an adhesive-backed zip-tie anchor.

 

The passenger's helmet lead stays coiled up just in front of the front saddle's rear support. The pilot's helmet lead gets tucked underneath the battery hold down when not in use.

 

Will be at Un if you'd like to examine up close.

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Thanks Mitch,

I was wondering more though how you route the helmet leads out from under the seat when you're using them. I won't be at the UN but I'll be at the BRR. Hopefully I'll see you there. Thanks again.

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Joe Frickin' Friday
Thanks Mitch,

I was wondering more though how you route the helmet leads out from under the seat when you're using them.

 

I think common practice is to just run the wire through the gap at the front of the appropriate saddle part. For example, pilot's helmet lead comes out in front of pilot's saddle, and there's even a clip that came with the Autocomm that you can stick onto the rear part of the gas tank; that helps prevent the slack in the cable from falling down between your leg and the tank, which is a really frustrating thing to do when you're swiveling your head around as you ride the twisties.

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600719748_RjJ8L-L.jpg

 

damn, those side cases look a lot deeper than the ones on my '06 :P

 

nice work! :thumbsup:

 

p.s. is that rear tire a metzeler, or does it need to be changed?

Do these make my bike's butt look fat?

 

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Joe Frickin' Friday
Hey Dagney, does your Corbin seat work with the factory heater switch on the handlebar? Thanks for all the ideas.

 

It's got wires, but no connector yet to mate with the stock harness. On my to-do list, but as it's currently August, this is not currently a high priority for me; perhaps some time in the next couple of months.

 

Depending on which pins I solder the wires to, I expect it will function with one of the two handlebar switch positions. I don't know how the stock saddle's heat works - whether it's just steady-state power input, or includes a thermostat - but the Corbin supposedly includes a built-in thermostat. The upshot is that it can reach peak temperature quite rapidly, at which point the thermostat cycles the power to maintain that temp.

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If you are planning to use heated clothing you will want to install a powerlet or socket from gerbings. They are rated for 15 amps I believe and will handle the full suit. I also recommend the Stebel Nautilus air horn. It will fit in the stock location, reusing the factory bracket without hindering steering.

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Joe Frickin' Friday
If you are planning to use heated clothing you will want to install a powerlet or socket from gerbings. They are rated for 15 amps I believe and will handle the full suit. I also recommend the Stebel Nautilus air horn. It will fit in the stock location, reusing the factory bracket without hindering steering.

 

I've got a heated vest, but that's about it. Between that and the heated grips I did alright on my 1100; throw in the heated seat on the 1200, and I don't think I'll be needing anything else.

 

Thanks for the tip on the airhorn. I had an aftermarket airhorn kit on the 1100, a much-needed addition. I'll probably add the Stebel to the 1200 one of these days.

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Mitch, a lot of us (1200RT owners) have un-hooked the front BMW L/H outlet from the ZFE (can-bus control),, then wired it directly to the battery (in-line fused of course).. That allows an air pump,, or lots of heated clothing,, or regular battery charger to be used without the can-bus interfering..

The factory outlet is a rather low amp affair (10 amps I believe) so I changed mine to the older 20 amp outlet but some seem to be using the factory outlet at slightly higher amp draw with no problems (the new style BMW outlet has rather small pins in it for the connector plug in)

 

On your horn,, I don’t know if you know it or not but there is already a 2nd horn mounting tab & 2nd horn wire already there on the lower L/H side (the 2nd horn wire is taped up to the tube just above the mounting tab)..

 

 

1200hornmount2nd.jpg

 

Twisty

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Joe Frickin' Friday
Mitch, a lot of us (1200RT owners) have un-hooked the front BMW L/H outlet from the ZFE (can-bus control),, then wired it directly to the battery (in-line fused of course).. That allows an air pump,, or lots of heated clothing,, or regular battery charger to be used without the can-bus interfering..

 

My bike came equipped with a battery-direct connector for whatever I want to connect to it. I haven't upped the fuse yet as Phil suggested, but once I do it should be up to the task for the Slime pump I carry, as well as for wintertime charging, canbus be damned. :grin:

 

On your horn,, I dont know if you know it or not but there is already a 2nd horn mounting tab & 2nd horn wire already there on the lower L/H side (the 2nd horn wire is taped up to the tube just above the mounting tab)..

 

Thanks for the tip. So I can add a horn in addition to the stock horn, instead of replacing it? That would be great...

 

 

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Mitch, did you get your bike from South East Michigan BMW? I was told they are wiring all their new RT’s sold to have battery direct to the front outlet (a great gesture on their part if true)

 

On the horn? Yes you can wire a 2nd horn into that L/H mounting tab & wire pig tail.. I moved my stock horn to that that lower L/H tab then wired in a high output horn to the stock central mounting location.. I didn’t use a relay as the ZFE has over current protection built in.. I figured if it tripped the ZFE crowbar I would wire in a relay but so far not needed..

 

The L/H tab is very easy to spot & get to but the wire pig tail was taped up to the support tube & I had one dickens of a time finding it & cutting the tape ..

 

I went to a fair amount of work to add a high output horn & move the stock horn & the truth is I never use the darn thing.. I am not a horn honking type as I prefer to not alert people that do something stupid just to have them do something even dumber.. I simply ride around the DA’s & continue on..

 

Twisty

 

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Joe Frickin' Friday
Mitch, did you get your bike from South East Michigan BMW? I was told they are wiring all their new RTs sold to have battery direct to the front outlet (a great gesture on their part if true)

 

I did. They didn't. There are only two wires going to each terminal of the battery: one is the main harness lead, the other is the lead to that battery-direct connector I mentioned in my previous post.

 

FWIW, I haven't checked the voltage at the front acc socket to see if it's still present after key-of. It's possible there is a battery-direct connection to the socket, but it would have to be really, really well-integrated into the harness, which seems unlikely for something done post-factory.

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Mitch, maybe I misunderstood & BMWSEM just adds that SAE connector & not the actual outlet wire change..

 

In any case next time you remove your L/H Tupperware it only takes a few minutes to wire the factory outlet to be battery direct.. I also added an inline sealed wire connector about 6” from the factory outlet,, you will see why when you try to unplug the factory outlet to remove the L/H Tupperware ( PITA).. With that added wire connector I can quickly remove the L/H plastic & it can be plugged into either battery direct or back into the factory can-bus supply circuit quickly..

 

Twisty

 

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Joe Frickin' Friday
I also added an inline sealed wire connector about 6 from the factory outlet,, you will see why when you try to unplug the factory outlet to remove the L/H Tupperware ( PITA)..

 

I understand already. Had the tuppeware off for running wires up to the left handlebar for GPS and PTT, and I remember struggling to find a way to detach that panel (the connector, really) from the bike. An easy-access connector would/will make things much easier, thanks for the idea.

 

 

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To make removing the connector easier, I removed the socket, and used an X-acto knife to cut off most of the retaining tab from the side of the socket. Between the tiny nub that's left and friction between the socket and the wiring harness plug, the parts are secure enough to stay together yet easily separated now.

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Thanks for the tip. So I can add a horn in addition to the stock horn, instead of replacing it? That would be great...

 

 

If you're going to add a second horn, you would be better advised to replace the pancake horn and make the swap to the BMW hi and low matched pair. Less than $US70, and about an hour's work.

 

And enough decibels to wake a truck driver ;)

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  • 1 year later...

I don't believe Mitch is female- ever looked in a woman's purse? I could travel for 2 weeks with the size of some of them but couldn't find anything with their typical organization level.....

 

What I want is one of those "more magic" switches but designed to start the bike when it dies for some electrical reason....

 

Put that mudflap in the back down all the way and you can add more reflective stuff or a BMW emblem to it...

 

Mitch- the LT dual filament bulb sockets can probably be adapted to the RT signal housing if the housing can hold the heat from an"always on" tungsten bulb- otherwsie it will be LED time- a strip could be inserted easily enough. Think the LT sockets are about $18 per.

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