NEWBIE advice needed please

[bjenkinsbri]

Hi everyone, only had the bike for 10 days but love it. i have had all the big Honda's out their and my last bike being a Suzuki hayabusa.Changed to R1200 GS 2008 and loving what i am seeing. Now for the help please. I am to fit my garmin Streetpilot to my new bike do i fit straight to the battery like a done before or anyone with any better ideas. Side Panniers ,What is the best ones to get for fitting kits etc some are saying you have to have one box smaller than the other, all quite confusing. I will hopefully try and get some second hand because i wont be using them that often and will only be sat in the garage so i need to know what to look for. If anyone is selling any then please let me know. Well that's it for now and it's sunny day im am out of here and you can guess where to.
cheers
Brian

 

[John Armstrong]

Powering the GPS from your headstock socket will be the best IMVHO.

Panniers, top loaders tend to be easier to use, especially if you're carrying two peoples worth of clothing. Using the vario panniers is probably ok if you are on your own and you use them a lot in town. Prices vary widely for either type, mainly depending on the name on them!

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Options

You are going to receive plenty of advice now and the problem is that after just 10 days you will not know enough about the bike. Are you satisfied with the screen - if not the screen from the 1200GSA can be fitted (expesive but excellent) and the additional support will give you an ideal mounting point for the GPS. There has been lot written about wiring up and it can be wired to the headstock - remembering that it will not then be easily detachable when you park. On my last 1200GS I wired mine direct to the battery with a fuse (easy to gently poke a wire through) and connected to a socket provided on a Touratech dashboard. Very neat BUT it was really a devil to fit the dashboard and on my present bike I will fit another socket (in the space provided) and wire direct to that. I found that the BMW Vario Panniers were excellent, easy to get on and off, easy to adjust in width and fully waterproof - and of course they do not require an extra key.

 

[Pukmeister]

Be aware that BMW dealers sell a front auxiliary power socket kit for the 1200 models, which piggy-backs into the socket under the seat for its power. It comes with a template for drilling the mounting hole and is deal easy to fit, the hardest bit is running the cable neatly.

With a front aux power socket you could make your Streetpilot easy to remove ?

If you have a dedicated bracket for it and it is a removable model of GPS, I'd say just wire the brackets power cable into the headstock socket.

I use vario panniers and topbox (as per my Avatar), but will eventually upgrade to top loading Touratech Zega panniers and sell on my Varios. Sadly I am in Australia for the foreseeable future, otherwise I'd have offered you a deal on them.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

A sensible addition

Be aware that BMW dealers sell a front auxiliary power socket kit for the 1200 models, which piggy-backs into the socket under the seat for its power. It comes with a template for drilling the mounting hole and is deal easy to fit, the hardest bit is running the cable neatly. That is obviously the best solution (although it is bound to be pricey.) All I got on my 2004 model was a picture in the handbook - but it was an expensive extra.

 

[AndyW]

Powering the GPS from your headstock socket will be the best IMVHO.

Here's the 'how to' article and an alternative
GPS Sat Nav Power Connection

GPS SatNav Power Connection (2)

With a front aux power socket you could make your Streetpilot easy to remove ?

I need to update the first article above.......you can add an extra connector in the power lead, near the GPS end, making it quick to disconnect the lead and remove the GPS and cradle attached...

 

[bjenkinsbri]

Thank you for advice

Hi all, Thank you for all your advice, have now bought some panniers off this site and will have them next week also, will do wiring and it will be all systems go.
Brian