Bottom of Rear Fender

[MichiganBob]

Good morning. At the bottom of my 2018 rear fender below my license plate is a raised box with two holes. Is that for a BMW auxiliary light?

 

Thanks.

 

B

[MichiganBob]

Here it is.

[AndyS]

Well, it is used for (at least one purpose) to mount a UK Number plate (registration plate). 

[MichiganBob]

That's interesting.

[mileypop]

1 hour ago, AndyS said:

Well, it is used for (at least one purpose) to mount a UK Number plate (registration plate). 

+1

[Paul De]

Some folks have used that flat boss for accessory lights.  You might have to drill a third hole to run the wiring up the inside of the fender

[dirtrider]

5 hours ago, MichiganBob said:

Good morning. At the bottom of my 2018 rear fender below my license plate is a raised box with two holes. Is that for a BMW auxiliary light?

 

Thanks.

 

B

 

Afternoon Bob

 

As mentioned above those holes are for a larger (non U.S.) license plate.

 

For the 1200RT wethead BMW has offered a high brake light to install in the BMW top case. (I think I remember reading that you are not using an OEM BMW top case?). Maybe your top case brand has an add-on brake-tail light available for it.

 

There was a BMW aux rear light available the the older bikes that attached to a bracket that fastened under the existing license plate (some mounted that aux light directly to the rear splash guard  without the bracket.

 

In any case you can use any number of aftermarket aux. rear brake/tail lights (as long as they get along with your existing computer controlled rear lighting). Some can be can be fastened  directly to those existing holes, or to a simple bracket made to use those holes.

 

Others just put a small round reflector in each hole & call it good.

 

I have  added  aux. rear brake/tail lights  to that area on the rear splash guard for a couple of fellow riders. I usually run the wiring under the license plate & up that way as going through the rear splash guard & up the inside leaves the wiring exposed to  rocks & sand thrown up by the rear tire (especially if the movable rear fender 'mud guard'  lower extension is in the  lower positions). 

 

My personal favorite non BMW rear add-on brake-tail light is a simple license plate frame with 4 LED arrays (top/bottom/L, side & R side). Those glow at about 1/2 intensity for tail light & light up almost as bright as the sun for brake light.

 

It takes a little finagling to get the lic plate to clear the wiring but once done correctly you can't see the wiring & it makes a real clean installation that looks like it belongs.  

 

 

 

 

[John in VA]

I don't have anything mounted on that fender area, but take a look at Hyperlites.com for "3-Way Flashing Brakes/Running/Turn Signals" mounted on their license plate bracket. I like having extra running/brake lights (that are red) and extra amber turn signals. I've had them on my hexhead, camhead and current wethead. Easy to install and very bright.

[Skywagon]

by the way if you don't know, that part of the fender is adjustable.  Loosen the screw and you can extend the fender a good bit.  I have mine extended and it helps with road grime.

[AndyS]

13 hours ago, Skywagon said:

by the way if you don't know, that part of the fender is adjustable.  Loosen the screw and you can extend the fender a good bit.  I have mine extended and it helps with road grime.

 

Yep, good for winter crappiness. Also good for other riders if you are riding in a group. Less grit gets thrown at following riders.

[longjohn]

On 6/25/2019 at 11:50 AM, Skywagon said:

by the way if you don't know, that part of the fender is adjustable.  Loosen the screw and you can extend the fender a good bit.  I have mine extended and it helps with road grime.

They should have an adjustable one up front too.  I'm thinking of gettin one of those $80 ones to keep the engine cleaner.

[wbw6cos]

3 minutes ago, longjohn said:

They should have an adjustable one up front too.  I'm thinking of gettin one of those $80 ones to keep the engine cleaner.

 

I just got the Machine Art Moto Avant 1250 for my RT, which just became available. I will get it installed once I return stateside.

[Skywagon]

the avant on my 1200RT is great..works great...no holes...takes 2 minutes to install.

[DesertBob]

I have the Machine Art Moto Avant on my 2018 RT and it is worth the price; also very easy to install,

[Rinkydink]

I added this roundel 

 

 

[wbw6cos]

Old fort?

 

Front?

 

[MichiganBob]

Years ago, I decided that it was time for a vanity plate. Michigan is limited to five letters/numbers so mine read "BEEMR." My wife comes out to the garage, stares at the plate and then asks me "whose Be Mister." I didn't renew the plate.

 

B

[Rinkydink]

5 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Old fort?

 

Front?

 

That would be old fart

[92Merc]

A guy named GARS over on the k1600forum.com makes these black metal plates to cover that area up.  He supplies 2 bolts too.  It typically ships with 2 holes in them.  You're supposed to buy a 58mm roundel, I forget from which older bike.  Instead, I ordered mine with no holes and bought some cheaper metal stickers.  I think the BMW roundel was $60-70 range.  Instead, I bought a piece on EBay that is same diameter that is supposed to go in as a center cap to a BMW auto rim.  The ones I bought had a slight bubble to them that I didn't know about.  But I was able to press them flat when installing.  It ended up being a couple of mm's larger than the plate.  So my sticker hangs over the edge slight.  But if you don't bang that edge with something heavy, you'll never know.

 

I think it was around $20 for GARS plate.  Very heavy plate BTW.  Then another $16 for the metal sticker.  I put one on both my bike and the wife's.  It does it's job covering that area.  And I didn't spend any more than I had to.

[Rinkydink]

Looks a lot better than mine. (pic posted above)