12GS Tankbag Quickdisconnects

[MattS]

Aaargh, Tankbag

 

Figured out that I'll need a tankbag for my adventures upcoming ... tried the wearable Autocom thing which worked fine until I went to stand on the pegs and I couldn't. Stupid, stupid me, not accounting for that.

 

But accounting for that would mean a too long power cable when sitting, or a coiled cord, or something that would easily catch the rear wheel and send a million tiny bits of plastic, metal, rubber, cotton, flesh and hair flying hither and tither. Ain't gonna work, long story short.

 

The goals of the installation are a few (a) keep things looking as stock or as near-stock as possible (b) three configurations (1) nothing loaded (2) GPS only and (3) GPS with tankbag and © related to the first point, no wires installed on the motorcycle (which is why the Autocom is in the tankbag).

 

This is a brief, off-bike look at how this works. After using various connectors on the bike (SAE, cheaper coax connectors), I found that the Gerbings connectors worked best and stayed seated. Also, their version of the BMW plug is very robust and doesn't work loose or back out. I used them for various quick disconnects.

 

This is the GPS power cable, the unmated female pointing off to 1 o'clock is the audio lead, pointing to 10 is the 376C plug.

 

 

Here is the detail of the quick connect, zip-tied but not to each other:

 

 

Now apart:

 

 

And engaged with the tankbag:

 

 

A lot of nonsense for a small result, but with the Autocom and cabling safely tucked away in the bag, only the Big Mak rack stays behind when all the crap is removed. And, as always, the socket is set to shut down if things exceed the 5A threshold, so the circuit is nicely protected. And the various loops in the cable assemblies allow it to hang free and roll nicely, with minimal stress to the cables and no contact with bike or body.

[Tasker]

Nice job!

 

Yep, I remember back when I had a GS ( ) my set-up was very similar. It's a great feeling when all you have to do is unplug one or two cables and away you go to your hotel room with all your electronic equipment!

 

Ahhh... Memories...

[ClearwaterBMW]

matt,

you are becoming my "go-to-guy" with these farkles of your's

i really like what you've done

OVERdone?....... i think NOT !!!

 

greg

[Ken H.]

Nice work indeed, but I have to confess, I've never understood this electronic gizmos in a tank bag thing. Why not just install the stuff in the bike and be done with messing with it once and for all? What am I missing?

[MattS]

Why not just install the stuff in the bike and be done with messing with it once and for all?

The installable stuff comes down to the Autocom and the cables. The Autocom doesn't fit completely well anywhere on a GS. The best I've heard is the toolcase, but I actually keep the tool kit there, above my permanently removed (but always on the bike) footpeg rubber.

 

The cables are not at all insignificant (oh, they're only cables) ... there is at least the rider lead, then a bike-to-bike lead, and a passenger lead. I have a lead to the GPS (now with XM), a lead to the iPod, and a lead to the cell phone. If I have the Autocom on the bike (instead of wrapped in the bag), then I've got to run all that cable along the frame and up the steering well. Finally when the stuff and the bag is removed, then up stick the plug ends with nowhere to go.

 

With the Autocom in the bag, it connects internally to the iPod and cell phone, and via a very short connection to the GPS nearby. A compact, and different, way of doing it; but merely an aesthetic preference.

[David]

Nice work indeed, but I have to confess, I've never understood this electronic gizmos in a tank bag thing. Why not just install the stuff in the bike and be done with messing with it once and for all?

 

If you have a wreck, for instance, and have to strip the bike before dumping it at the dealer where the insurance adjuster will tell you what it's worth, it's just a lot easier to unplug a tank bag than skin your knuckles for two hours while dripping blood on the garage floor as you reverse-install things.

 

That's it, really.

 

 

[Tasker]

Nice work indeed, but I have to confess, I've never understood this electronic gizmos in a tank bag thing. Why not just install the stuff in the bike and be done with messing with it once and for all?

 

If you have a wreck, for instance, and have to strip the bike before dumping it at the dealer where the insurance adjuster will tell you what it's worth, it's just a lot easier to unplug a tank bag than skin your knuckles for two hours while dripping blood on the garage floor as you reverse-install things.

 

That's it, really.

 

 

 

Ditto this!

[Ken H.]

If you have a wreck, for instance, and have to strip the bike...

Ouch! That's going to leave a mark!

 

What an insane day THAT was! I think I STILL owe you.

 

'course you might be another Don Vito Corleone?

[Brimoon]

I added power to my BMW R12RT tank bag using a Powerlet Kit (Model PTB-001). See the Powerlet line here. It looks good and should be watertight since the connector seals tightly against the outer shell of the bag and I used nylon repair tape to seal the point at which the wire and connector come through the waterproof inner bag. It hasn't been through a havey rain shower yet, but I think it should be OK.

Brian