Making It Mine.

[Lost Rider]

Here's some of the things I have done to personalize my new R.

First I had to start with mounting my Bags Connection tankbag, since it holds my GPS, XM antenna, and headphone splitter/amp. A must have for upcoming long trips.
The problem the SM-MOTECH is still developing this ring for the bike, and it was going to be months according to Twisted Throttle. Unacceptable.

Upon further inspection I felt I could mount the bag-ring to the tank cap ring by drilling holes through it, though it looked like I was going to have to trim some plastic in order for the cap with screws to fit back on the tank.








After drilling the tank cap this is both rings screwed together.








After bolting them together, I was able to see where I was going to have to dremel out so it would fit back on the orange piece correctly





After cutting some notches out.






A little more grinding to make it fit.




Finished.







After this I routed the Garmin power cable and 2 - 1/8th inch headphone extension under the tank to the battery. Wired the garmin directly to the battery. ( Garmin motorcycle kit)
I have a Boost-a-Roo headphone amp/splitter in the tank bag. Audio out of Garmin to splitter, 1 line to me, 1 line to the back for a passenger.
This was my setup on my 1150, so once you have everything, it's quite simple.




Here's where I have the plug come out for me to plug in, along with the Gerbing's power cable.





I wired in the Gerbing power-cable and routed it to the front of the bike.
I found this great spot (so far, maybe I'll need to have a super mini rain cover)



I scuffed up the plastic and used some industrial double stick tape to mount it. The fork comes within a few millimeters, but clears it. The controller virtually disappears, hardly noticeable but easily adjusted while riding.




Here is the battery tender charger plug wired directly to the battery. It's my understanding that some people have had problems trying to charge through the accessory outlet from the CANBUS system.





Turns out the dealer had put in my invoice $105 worth of labor to install the touring shield ( took me 10 minutes) and the luggage and top rack ( took me 15 minutes). I opted to install it myself and took a parts department credit.
No pics of the install because it was quite straightforward, especially with the easy to read instructions from BMW.
The new bags seem pretty nice, though the plastic seems..... thinner. Quite a bit different from the older system cases.
They look bigger on the outside, but they are double walled, so it's not all useable space, as you can see.
I really like the fact that you can shut them securely to ride, but you don't have to lock or unlock them with a key. Access without a key is a big improvement IMO, especially on a camping trip where there's little need to lock the bags in rural area's. The bag also doesn't just fall open and snap the button on the strap holding the lid like the old ones. The new mechanism kind of dampens the opening of the lid, at least when it's empty.












Here's a video of how the locking mechanism works:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmTXupnASZQ



A couple of pics with bags.













I also added the bar risers off of my 1150R, fit's fine and helps quite a bit. That was actually the first thing I did, straight from the dealer.

Throttlemeister installed, haven't really used it, but expect the same convenience as before with it.

I have a top box on order, and hope to go on a short camping trip next week, so we'll see how the 1200R is packed up.
As for other mods, really the only big thing is waiting for the Wudo fairing.

[fly]

I was looking at the same place for my Gerbings variable controller that I picked up today. I haven't decided between there or on the side of the airbox down by the factory accessory plug.

[Lost Rider]

I forgot to add, the dealer informed me that if you disconnect the battery, after re-connecting it, you must turn on the ignition, don't start it, and twist the throttle all the way open then closed, then open again.
Something about having to reset the rheostat's(?).
He said if you don't the bike won't run right.

[celticus]

Something about having to reset the rheostat's(?).
He said if you don't the bike won't run right.

I have disconnected mine twice and have done nothing more that reset the clock. I haven't noticed anything amiss.

Mark

[fly]

Something about having to reset the rheostat's(?).
He said if you don't the bike won't run right.

I have disconnected mine twice and have done nothing more that reset the clock. I haven't noticed anything amiss.

Mark

Same here - no problems noticed.

[DJ Downunder]

Where's the cup holder.... ....just kidding...thanks for the info and pics.

DJ

[TWI]

I don't understand the bag size issue. I had the old bags (on a R1100RS) and the new bags (which I bought for a R1200ST) . I can fit my 'stich into the new ones, just like the old ones.

It is a hell of a fun bike, all around.

[celticus]

When I first got my bags the instructions were IN the locked bag so I got to figure it out all for myself. now that I have I like these bags much more than I liked the bags on my 98 K1200RS.
Mark

[Skippy]

Great report on the mod ChiTown. One picture I would like to see though is one of the sw motech ring mounted on the tank without the bag. I'm thinking of converting a magnetic tankbag to the sw motech system(basicly put an alu plate in the thankbag and bolt the other site of the sw motech connector to this). Any thoughts if this might work?
So I want to buy these two parts and make my own quick lock bag.

http://www.bagsconnection.com/ql_tankri ... esten.html

http://www.bagsconnection.com/ql_tankri ... auben.html

[Lost Rider]

Great report on the mod ChiTown. One picture I would like to see though is one of the sw motech ring mounted on the tank without the bag. I'm thinking of converting a magnetic tankbag to the sw motech system(basicly put an alu plate in the thankbag and bolt the other site of the sw motech connector to this). Any thoughts if this might work?
So I want to buy these two parts and make my own quick lock bag.

http://www.bagsconnection.com/ql_tankri ... esten.html

http://www.bagsconnection.com/ql_tankri ... auben.html

I don't see why it wouldn't work, if the shape of the bag would allow it
I'm not at home, so this is all I have for a pic, keep in mind the SW-MOTECH is recessed where the mounted bracket is. You might not even need an aluminum plate. Mine has something like a plastic sheet, you could make a backing plate out of anything, about a 4" x 4" piece of plastic would do it.


Hope this help, I can take more pics after I get home if you'd like.

When I first got my bags the instructions were IN the locked bag so I got to figure it out all for myself. now that I have I like these bags much more than I liked the bags on my 98 K1200RS.
Mark

Same here, I was sitting there looking at it after I mounted the rails, trying to open them up, laughing at myself before I figured it out.

Something about having to reset the rheostat's(?).
He said if you don't the bike won't run right.

I have disconnected mine twice and have done nothing more that reset the clock. I haven't noticed anything amiss.

Mark

Just passing on what the dealer said. I thought my bike was running good too, but the service manager explained this to me after he saw that I had added some stuff to the battery.
I do the easy procedure either way

[Skippy]

Thanks for the reply ChiTown. I own a brand new magnetic tank bag but the shape of the r1200r tank isn't very compatible with it. I do like the bag so think I'm going to have a try at modding it with the parts I mentioned earlier. As you I couldn't see why it wouldn't work and in the worst case I end up having to buy an original sw motech bag, if it does work I save about 100 euro's.

[budzz89]

Great report on the mod ChiTown. One picture I would like to see though is one of the sw motech ring mounted on the tank without the bag. I'm thinking of converting a magnetic tankbag to the sw motech system(basicly put an alu plate in the thankbag and bolt the other site of the sw motech connector to this). Any thoughts if this might work?
So I want to buy these two parts and make my own quick lock bag.


http://www.bagsconnection.com/ql_tankri ... esten.html

http://www.bagsconnection.com/ql_tankri ... auben.html

I don't see why it wouldn't work, if the shape of the bag would allow it
I'm not at home, so this is all I have for a pic, keep in mind the SW-MOTECH is recessed where the mounted bracket is. You might not even need an aluminum plate. Mine has something like a plastic sheet, you could make a backing plate out of anything, about a 4" x 4" piece of plastic would do it.


Hope this help, I can take more pics after I get home if you'd like.

When I first got my bags the instructions were IN the locked bag so I got to figure it out all for myself. now that I have I like these bags much more than I liked the bags on my 98 K1200RS.
Mark

Same here, I was sitting there looking at it after I mounted the rails, trying to open them up, laughing at myself before I figured it out.

Something about having to reset the rheostat's(?).
He said if you don't the bike won't run right.

I have disconnected mine twice and have done nothing more that reset the clock. I haven't noticed anything amiss.

Mark

Just passing on what the dealer said. I thought my bike was running good too, but the service manager explained this to me after he saw that I had added some stuff to the battery.
I do the easy procedure either way

yeah your right with this what problem with this SW-MOTECH, take it, buy another

_________________
aluminum plate

[celticus]

In Joe's first picture of the open pannier I notice that the piece in the middle of the strap's "X" is different than mine. On mine there is a red button for a latch. My latch connects the two straps >< not like two Vs like Joes. It has an adjuster to lengthen one of the < to accommodate larger loads. The one in the picture looks like the straps in my 98 K1200RS bags.

Mark

[Dale_K]

How many miles are on the bike in the picture? Reason I ask I'm trying to understand how quickly the exhaust pipes discolor. Yours actually looks pretty good, certainly better than the crummy brown appearance on the R I just bought. From what I hear the discoloration comes back pretty fast but I can't stand the brown look. Knowing how many miles your bike has would help me understand whether it's worth it to clean up mine.

[dderrig]

Dale it only take about 250-500 miles before they start turning brown, some people don't mind the look but I don't like it either. I think the only option I know of is the BMW Chrome headers that turn more of a blue and they are around $1,400!!!! Let me know if you find another option.

Dave

[AmostThere]

I have heard different things about ceramic coatings, i.e. JetHot. Some say that the discoloration still returns but it just takes longer. Has anybody tried it?