Autocom Installation on R1200RT

[Ralphie]

I recently traded a Tiger 1050 for a 2010 R1200RT and am going to be installing the Autocom Super Pro AVI on my new RT. Before I try to reinvent the wheel I was wondering if any of you have pictures of your installation or can point me to an existing thread that will give me some ideas. I did a search for this but did not see anything.

 

It looks like there is a lot of bodywork that will need to be removed to get from the Autocom I will likely put in the tail area of the bike and bring the cables to the front of the bike to connect to the Escort radar detector and Zumo 550.

 

Any insight from those who have done this before is much appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[marcopolo]

I've got an Autocom on my '06 RT, though I had my trusty independent tech install it. The main control unit is under the rider's seat, with power coming from the rear, left side accessory socket wiring (I have three accessory sockets on my bike). And yes, you'll need to remove body panels to run wires from the main control unit to the front of your bike. In fact, the fellow who installed mine took off the fuel tank as well, to run wires. I don't know if that's totally necessary, but being a BMW Master tech, he can remove all the tupperware and fuel tank in short order, so he doesn't think twice about doing that sort of stuff. Are you sure the cables will be long enough to get from the tail area to the front, if you opt to put it in the tail? Any reason you want it there? Also, will the headset leads reach OK? My bike's in winter storage, so I can't have a look.

[CruisinCruzan]

I have my unit under the passenger seat (velcro or duo-lock), you would be surprised hoe much space is there. As for removing plastic it can be done either way. I have done quite a bit of wiring on my bike (Have a fuse block with all 7 circuits in use) and if you are only going to run 1 or 2 wires a coat hanger and some patience is all you need. If looking from the front of the bike you can see the coat hanger very quickly (inserting from the driver seat side). Needless to say mine is powered from my fuse block. Good Luck

[Satguy]

If you don't have the factory radio on your RT, I would suggest putting the autocom in the glove box. Despite claims from Autocom, they are not waterproof and will fail if water gets into the box. I know this from first hand experince. If you never ride in the wet, then I guess it does not matter.

 

I just took off the RHS body panel and ran the wire along the frame for the passenger cable and the rider wire goes around the back of the tank and exits just in front of the rider below the tank bag holder thing.

 

Good Luck!

[hopz]

I have the same Autocom unit, and I did my own install.

I have an '05 RT but it is not all that different from the '10.

 

I do not have any photos on hand but will be happy to help in any way. I could take some photos but they are not really needed- the bike is in my un-heated garage... sort of like a fridge... I like to keep it fresh until spring here in northern Utah. Feel free to email me me or PM.

 

My unit is velcroed in the "floor" of the Tail Piece- plenty of room. So much room, I have my Kenwood FRS/GMRS Radio in there too.

 

You need to learn how to remove the bodywork anyway, and it is easy. I think you do not really need to take off the right hand side, but the Left side off will make it far easier if you take that off.

I took power from the plug under the headstock- the same plug I used for the Zumo 550 power. You can take power from many other places, but I wanted switched-power so I know it was off when the bike is off.

Running wires to the front is not really all that hard. There is plenty of room. In-fact I ran many of my wires with the fairing on. I use a flexible parts grabber tool in stead of a coat hanger.

One caution is to be sure to use care not to disturb any factory wiring or other cables on the left side. There is one throttle cable on the left down near the intake that, if moved too much, will throw off the Throttle Body setting... not likely to happen unless you get aggressive- and you do not need to.

I recommend using a good weight of wire with decent insulation and avoid the really small gauge stuff. Use plenty of tie-wraps to keep things secure. You do not want vibrating wires.

 

I had to go back and put tie-wraps around the Autocom unit to ensure the plugs did not come out. I had one come loose- but it was my fault for mucking around in the tail piece and did not check good enough upon reassembly.

 

Where you choose to put the unit is more a factor of what you are doing with it. If you are generally a solo rider then the radio box is ok, but I like having the space there for other things and I didn't want to have to run Intercom wires to the rear for my passenger. Also did not want to drill holes in the box.

 

This is a fun project if you are a DIY kind. Just be careful of 12volt wires and the rest is easy peasy.

 

Let me know if I can help.

 

[Satguy]

Also did not want to drill holes in the box.

 

 

There was already a large hole in my glove box with a rubber cover over it where the factory wiring passes for the radio. I simply made a small hole in the rubber cover thingie and good to go. Yours may be differnet.?

[ni30749]

I have a 2007 RT and I actually put mine in my RT tank bag and I used the powered PTT. I like it because at the end of the day, I can take everything off the bike without popping seats, etc. and I have the internal rain cover to help keep the Autocomm unit, my radio, my cell, etc. all nice and dry.

 

Now I guess this could be clunky if you ride two up....but I don't

[Hall Vince]

I have a 2007 RT and I actually put mine in my RT tank bag and I used the powered PTT. I like it because at the end of the day, I can take everything off the bike without popping seats, etc. and I have the internal rain cover to help keep the Autocomm unit, my radio, my cell, etc. all nice and dry.

 

Now I guess this could be clunky if you ride two up....but I don't

 

I know a chap that does this as he runs more than one bike.

I've been thinking about doing this as I use a bike to bike radio and have just got a Starcom 1 to add to the system. I'm not sure whether to use the radio box or tank bag. How do you power the unit in the tankbag without water creeping in the cable outlet?

\v/

[ni30749]

I actually poked a hole near the back/bottom of the tank bag, ran the power connector through it then dabbed some silicone around it just to help keep the moisture out. I don't think I needed to do that...it'd have to be some crazy rain for water to get in....but the whole ounce of prevention thing.

 

Once I mount the bag on the bike, the power/ptt cable comes up at the front of the rider seat - like the helmet cable would if you mounted under the seat. In my case for my helmet cable, it's inside the bag, so I just position the zippers to the bottom of the bag and close them off around the cable, again to keep the weather out.

 

I've ridden like this for 2 yrs and through snow, sleet, rain and it's been pretty bullet proof and, like I said, when it's time to unload the bike and get to the radio itself...it's all one package and I don't have to tear the bike apart to get to stuff.

[Mike05]

Very good presentation/overview by hopz re: the Autocom installation.

 

Here's a couple of pics of a unit mounted in the tail section, velcroed atop a piece of "layered" styrofoam (easier to work with when running wires & serves as a decent "shock absorber as well).

 

After posting pics I realized you can't see the styroform but it's there.

 

 

Best of luck with your install.

[Hall Vince]

I actually poked a hole near the back/bottom of the tank bag, ran the power connector through it then dabbed some silicone around it just to help keep the moisture out. I don't think I needed to do that...it'd have to be some crazy rain for water to get in....but the whole ounce of prevention thing.

 

Once I mount the bag on the bike, the power/ptt cable comes up at the front of the rider seat - like the helmet cable would if you mounted under the seat. In my case for my helmet cable, it's inside the bag, so I just position the zippers to the bottom of the bag and close them off around the cable, again to keep the weather out.

 

I've ridden like this for 2 yrs and through snow, sleet, rain and it's been pretty bullet proof and, like I said, when it's time to unload the bike and get to the radio itself...it's all one package and I don't have to tear the bike apart to get to stuff.

 

Thanks.

I may just go for this option, I have a camera set up in the radio box and don't want to cause problems with that, so the bag is looking more likely.

\v/

[hopz]

Also did not want to drill holes in the box.

 

 

There was already a large hole in my glove box with a rubber cover over it where the factory wiring passes for the radio. I simply made a small hole in the rubber cover thingie and good to go. Yours may be differnet.?

 

My '05 does not have holes or rubber plug... I looked...

[Survived-til-now]

Many ways to do this....

 

Mine is fixed in the position just below the white label in Irish Mike's photos - no problems over 6 years with water etc. The key this is that the feed cable rider's socket can just be tie-wrapped up to emerge at the top centre of the rider's seat - no need to remove loads of tupperware and the unit is well placed to feed the pillion.

 

Power from the rear aux socket (using the BMW extension kit to feed a third aux if you do not have one) - this way you don't even have to think about power and the bike manages that for you.

 

I get on the bike plug in my phone in the rear top-box and plug in the headset to the socket by my leg and go....................

[Stormy60]

I recomend installing a fuse box like this one so you can install all your accessories. http://www.cyclenutz.com/Fuzeblock-Fuse-Block-FZ-1_p_92.html. It wires directlly to the battery and you run a trigger wire to the parking light which is one of the only place on the bike not tied into the CANBUS system. The Autocom is best suited under the passenger seat. Ground directly to the battery and power to the fuse box. Run the communication wires on one side forward and power on the other as there will be less interference. I recommend using this mount http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/1735/PN-065-0151/Zumo-550-450-Handlebar-Mount-LOCKING-BLACK and their dash or handlebar mount. Don't buy the BMW GPS Dash mount for the Zumo 550 as it won't fit. It will fit the Zumo 660/665.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Here's my Autocomm install on my 1200RT:

 

 

Can't see it? Good! It's at the top-center of the photo, hung up on the ceiling of the cave underneath the rack. The module is longer than the ceiling's flat space, so there's a custom spacer in there:

 

-a flat plate, secured to the ceiling with 3M Duolock;

-a 3/4" spacer bolted to that plate

-a second flat plate bolted to the bottom of that spacer, from which the Autocomm hangs with more Duolock.

 

Hanging it from the ceiling leaves the cave free to store more stuff, like spare parts and tools.

 

Duolock (go to www.mcmaster.com, search for Velcro, then select "self-lock mushroom head" and order a nice long 3" wide strip of it) is by 3M, and if the mounting surfaces are properly cleaned and the Duolock is applied with even/firm pressure, the adhesive is tenacious stuff. I installed my Autocomm in spring '09, and it's still hanging in there, 13,000 miles later. Not expecting any problems in the future.

[Survived-til-now]

Mitch

 

Sure looks neat - but that is where my first aid kit sits and when I wash the bike it gets pretty wet just there.

 

If you really do like that position how about puttting a square of plastic sheeting just in front of the autocom so that rain etc is deflected off the unit.........

 

Andy

[ccii42104]

I moved mine from my 07 GT to a 09 RT, easy. pull the plastic, take your time, i run the helmet plug under the tank bag. The Radar, power and mp3 input under the tank cover too. I have the blue tooth module and pair it to my black berry. Very nice to be able to talk on the phone while flying down the road.

 

 

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Sure looks neat - but that is where my first aid kit sits and when I wash the bike it gets pretty wet just there.

 

If you really do like that position how about puttting a square of plastic sheeting just in front of the autocom so that rain etc is deflected off the unit.........

 

It's been installed there for two seasons now, including a few washings and some heavy rains. No problems yet. The box itself is pretty well-protected from the elements; the only question mark might be the plugs themselves, whose connections could get damp/corroded. Your suggestion of installing a small splashguard is a good one, and easy enough to implement with some more Duolock; I will come up with something there before my first road trip this spring.

 

Thanks!

[Ralphie]

Thanks for all of the help. I'm going to pull power from the aux. 3 pin connector near the headstock of the bike as I did on my '07 GT. It worked well there without any engine noise or interference through the headset. Hope it works well here. I wanted to stay away from a fuse block for the relatively low amp load I'll be pulling.

 

Thanks again for the collective input. Very helpful.

[johnlt]

For your ground line, I'd recommend "direct to the negative terminal of the battery". This really helps eliminate noise for autocoms.