Heated seat on a GSA?

[Ibex]

During my few years away from GS's I rode a 1200Rt all over Europe and found the heated seat surprisingly useful. I found it extended my personal range on the bike in bad weather. An obvious statement perhaps but it was a very welcome facility to have when faced with a long way to go in poor weather and no divert option. I have since sold the RT and returned to a GSA, but still have an RT seat in the garage, complete with heated pad and plugs - dead easy to fit to a standard GSA seat (by my trusty seat person.) The question is how to wire it in to the bike? Has anybody out there all ready done this and are to ashamed to admit it? Your secret would be safe with me.

 

[MWH]

Not done it but I guess the rule of electrics on GS's is to fit a relay switched by the underseat plug. Find out current draw and fit correct gauge wiring and switch.

 

[Bear]

Powering the seat pad via a relay triggered from the ignition is the way to go. There's two reasons for not using the accessory socket to power the relay coil. Firstly, it stays on for a while after the ignition is switched off, during which time the seat pad is draining thy tiny battery the GS suffers from. Secondly, if you plug a trickle-charger (Optimate 4 of BMW's own) into the socket, the relay coil energises and your seat pad draws more power then the charger can give, again flattening the battery. If I knew how to get at it, I'd suggest using the tail light feed to get round both problems.

 

[Bendy toy]

This seat really should be switched so you could simply ensure it's turned off when plugging in the canbus battery charger. Even better, use an ordinary conditioning charger plugged direct to the battery and totally avoid all the canbus malarkey.

The tail light feed means taking off the under seat panel - bit of a faff but not a big deal and the spliced connection is protected from weather and undue vibration. You also get chance to repaint or replace the rear light bracket which isn't well finished and rusts away quietly unseen.

 

[Wapping]

Sargent used to do heated seats for earlier GS variants. Might be worth a look.

Other than that, a simple relay and switch (maybe variable, if you want to get flash) will do. With a bit of bikermate invention, you could put a pressure sensitive switch into the seat, so that it only ever came on if you were sitting on the bike; rip one out of a car seat, that pings (annoyingly) if you don't have your seatbelt on... Assuming that is how they switch the ping into life?

Failing that buy a 1600 or an RT and spare yourself a load of hassle.

 

[Bendy toy]

Fixed

Failing that, part-ex the RT for a 1600 and spare yourself a load of hassle.

 

[Wapping]

http://www.sargentcycle.com/Seats-A...formance-Plus-Seat-BMW-R1200GS-R1200GSA-2013/

Problem solved

 

[Ibex]

Fixed

Been there, done that, gone back to the GSA - and very pleased to have done so.

The Sergant wiring diagram also appears to lean towards the rear light as the signal voltage for their version so I guess I need to find that connector under the seat pan! It seems deceptively simple. I suppose the increased current draw required of a signal voltage to the relay is not enough to upset the electronics into thinking something's wrong?
It's a 2010 bike incidentally.

 

[GS TRV]

Totally agree - love the heated seat on my SA

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Totally agree - love the heated seat on my SA

Yup, I always thought a heated seat on a bike was as much use as a chocolate fire guard until I got my SA. It doesn't exactly make a bike welcoming on a cold wet night but it makes it a lot more bearable.