These notes will help you install a Roadhawk or Dogcam bullet R+ camera to a 2014 or later BMW R 1200 RT.
You will need the following items;
• the bullet camera
• the adjustable mount
• the curved tray
• hard wiring kit
• Either a BMW Navigator or the tail connector that plugs into the BMW harness
• An SAE connector (optional)
• M4x35 stainless screw
• Camera tether.
• Stainless steel self-tapping screw
I split the installation into two parts; 1) the camera mounting; 2) the electrical supply.
CAMERA MOUNTING
The underside of the clear plastic headlight has a single curve and is a good place to mount the camera, however the mount is meant for helmet so has a double curvature.
To remedy this, I taped a sheet of course sandpaper to a normal household plastic bucket, and sanded down the double curvature to just one, after I removed the double sided sticky pad. When the double curve has gone, use a finer grade paper and some water to get a smooth finish, and then clean and degrease and put a new sticky pad on. Degrease the area under the headlight and attach mount to bike (might help to have the camera in the mount to get best positioning).
Next comes the adjustable mount, and this needs the knurled screw removing and replacing with an M4x35 screw (I used stainless steel), when I put the mount and the tray together I noted that there was about 2mm of play
so used a stainless self-tapping screw to join the mount and tray, this also stops the two from coming apart quite so easily. Also the mount has an open frame to allow the camera to be snapped in and out, and
initially I used plastic cable ties, but am working on a better solution to stop the camera from being snapped out of the mount so easily.
I used a tether from an earlier RT that secured the mirrors, but you can get Go Pro mounts that will do just as nicely. This loops around the plastic fairing and then around the M4x35 screw (you may need a washer).
So that is the camera installed.
ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
The RT has a
switched supply to the sat nav that is underneath the nearside windscreen (
kind of wing mirror/speaker area) If you have a sat nav then you can tap into the wiring loom, if not Nippy Normans sell a plug for the job. I removed the screen and cowl, then two screws and two plastic grommets and the sat nav mounting panel is off. I have a Navigator V
so tapped into the feed on the loom (so not the bike end). I wanted to have the ability to disconnect the whole loom so the SAE (same as most 12 battery tender cables) was attached in the sat nav loom, and the other end to the camera loom.
I wanted all the cables at the top away from the water, so dangled the cable down and attached it to the camera, then cable tied it on to the bike (left some slack so I can undo the camera or cable) and the spare cable was cable tied up and put in the
space between screen motor and the back of the sat nav housing. I put some closed cell foam padding in around the components so no chaffing should occur. I also use self amalgamating rubber tape to cover the cable looms. Looks factory and no glue.
A quick test and power up then re-assemble
the screen and sat nav mount.
Job done.
