Under Passenger Seat Space

[Rasher]

I was told by the nice man who sold me my GS that there is some space beneath the pillion seat for putting electrical stuff.

Can anyone save me some time and tell me if this is large enough to fit an Autocom (200) and maybe what is involved in getting to this area.

If not I will have to put it under the tool tray.

Plus where is the best place to pick up a 12v switched supply (i.e. comes on with ignition) for powering Sat-Nav and Autocom.


Thanks in advance

 

[Wapping]

I was told by the nice man who sold me my GS that there is some space beneath the pillion seat for putting electrical stuff.

Can anyone save me some time and tell me if this is large enough to fit an Autocom (200) and maybe what is involved in getting to this area.

If not I will have to put it under the tool tray.

Plus where is the best place to pick up a 12v switched supply (i.e. comes on with ignition) for powering Sat-Nav and Autocom.


Thanks in advance

To save you time at 07:40 this morning when the whole day stretches in front of you. No it is not.

Question dealer - who appears to have gone from zero to hero - as to why they gave you such poor advice and / or leave yourself wondering whether they really did do all the work they claimed. Unless he means somewhere beneath the bike's plastic frame / support onto which the pillion seat itself sits? God knows if there is any space as I have never felt the pressing need to take it all off to look. If there is it seems like a hell of an effort just to plug things in and out / fiddle about.... and can't recall ever reading a thread where anybody has done it. I suspect that matey meant to say, beneath the rider's seat there is space, perhaps?

How do you look in future? Lift pillion seat, disengaging it with the ignition key. Method shown in owner's handbook and / or explained by dealer on delivery. Same for lifting rider's seat. Some bods struggle disengaging and / or replacing the rider's seat (see threads) - poor design, is commonly blamed, with some bods modifying theirs - but hey-ho, that's life.

Lots of threads on the where's, hows and why's of Autocom installation.

Lots of threads on powering ancillaries, including one sticky on 'Switched power the easy way'. To save you more time: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180464&page=2 #17

In the same http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134046 area you will find lots of other 'tints and hips' on all things 1200 GS related, lovingly assembled first by Fanum (aka The big ginger, Tossr) and then by Toad of this parish. There was even a debate as to whether it should have been called a font or a fountain.....

 

[Rasher]

I know how to lift the seat, under the pillion seat is the "tail section" and apparently there is some space underneath, just wondered if anyone knew how much space to possibly save me pulling the bike apart to discover it won't fit.

Not a job for today though, got more riding to do, searching for the Holy Grail, well cheapo twat suits, which are probably harder to find - unless your XXXXXL or XXXXXS in which case George White is your man.

 

[Wapping]

The really easy place remains where the truly useless tool kit is meant to reside. This sits on top of a removable plastic tray.

Taking the tray out creates more space.

Many bods (me included) stand the Autocom where the owner's hand book is apparently meant to go, saving the tool tray area for a hard wired Kenwood bike-to-bike radio. It's all easy to get to.

You can stack a Centec box in the tool area, too.... or in the owner's handbook space, instead of the Autocom. Juggle them around to suit what you fancy.

The bods at Autocom claimed that standing the device in the owner's handbook space will fill the Autocom unit with water as it runs down the tank and through the (often significant) gap twixt tank and seat. Mine never has and it has got plenty wet enough.

Once installed and running it should all keep gong under it's own steam for thousands of miles. I didn't touch mine for well over 40,000. The radio emerged filthy with road crap but worked fine. The only thing that has just gone US is the PTT switch. But I think that is now about six or seven years old or 100,000 miles plus, it having been on three bikes.

 

[Rasher]

Thanks for the advice, I will have a go on the next rainey weekend

Not too bothered about retaining toolkit, on long runs I put tools in luggage, locally I take my chances, not that I really feel having the toolkit will make much difference if you break down on a modern bike...

Especially as I cannot remember doing anything other than chain adjustments when out and about in the last 20 years.

 

[Kremmen]

Fitted my Autocom underneath the tray, with a bit of fiddling & routing the wires correctly the unit fits nicely and the tray refits

Placing the unit inside a plastic bag will reduce any water ingress.

 

[Wapping]

Fitted my Autocom underneath the tray, with a bit of fiddling & routing the wires correctly the unit fits nicely and the tray refits

Placing the unit inside a plastic bag will reduce any water ingress.

With the plaggy bags it's possible to get condensation. I saw one with a nice fungal growth, like a hot house mould.... the Autocom was fine, though.

 

[Racey]

Maybe your dealer was referring to the space beneath the parcel "carrier / shelf / tray", beneath the pillion seat ?

When I had to do a bit of work on my bike with Mr Wassell of this parish we needed to remove rear seat and the "carrier". There is, indeed a fair bit of space under there - but it is "hell's fiddly" to get to...

I believe this is where BMW site the "controller" unit for the alarm on some bikes.

So, in conclusion, there is space down there !! But it really isn't practical for easy access.

The only observation I'd make about siting the Autocom where the manual usually sits is to ensure you attempt to restrict the water flow that may run down between the tank / seat (unless you have the typical GSer belly which stops this !).

Ritchie at Autocom once told me that they used to receive a tremendous number of failed units back for repair, damaged by water ingress, that had been sited there...

His preference was always to site the control box where the tool roll had been sitting.

 

[Wapping]

Thanks for the advice, I will have a go on the next rainey weekend

Not too bothered about retaining toolkit, on long runs I put tools in luggage, locally I take my chances, not that I really feel having the toolkit will make much difference if you break down on a modern bike...

Especially as I cannot remember doing anything other than chain adjustments when out and about in the last 20 years.

The sticky on tools will tell you all you will ever really need.

If you have not got the optional power extension on the beak, fit one or get one fitted ASAP. It makes it really easy to run power into a tankbag, using a Powerlet gizmo or summat similar.

Powerlet are good. Not cheap but they work well. It is easy to run power to a topbox or panniers, too.

What tank bag? Like tyres, helmets and much else it's a personal thing. Me? I like TT's bags. Others hate them and TT's UK distributor even more.

http://bluesea.com/

http://www.nippynormans.com/Centech-AP-1-Auxiliary-Power-Fuse-Panel/productinfo/CEN-AF1/

http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/main.html

http://www.powerlet.com/shop-by-product/luggage-electrix/LUGTRIX

https://powertraveller.com/

You may need this too in a day or so:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117400&highlight=canbus

I have never bothered with a Centec, never having had enough assorted items to power at any one time. The Autocom and Kenwood's power come from an extension to the aux. socket with no need for a relay as their combined draw well under the Canbus trip limit of 5 amps. Phone charger and camera? In a tankbag via a Powerlet to the beak. Job done.

 

[Giles]

Rasher, I ditched my tool tray altogether and have used the space left behind for comms. I very rarely take my top box off so keep a few tools in there instead.

 

[Poley]

As your dealer and srace7 correctly state, there is some space in the tail section below the pillion seat. I recently fitted a mounting plate for the BMW top-box, which involved removing this entire assembly. However, it's quite a hassle to get to, so you would only install stuff there if you didn't want to access it very often. There is definitely enough room for a Centech and an Active 7 Smart Autocom unit, and quite a bit of wiring, because I test-fitted mine. I would imagine that it's fairly, but not entirely, waterproof under there - about the same as the tool tray.

I'd consider Velcro-ing an additional fuse box under here, since I don't need regular access to it; but I would definitely site my Autocom unit under the rider seat so I could easily access to fettle with the volume and squelch controls.

The steps to access the below-pillion space are (from memory):

• Remove the pillion grab handles (2x Allen key bolts on sides and 1 Torx bolt on top IIRC). This may involve removing the adjustable side pannier attachment bolts to access the bolts that secure the handle. Watch out when removing the handles as there are some spacer washers on each side that can easily fall out. If you have a top-box mounting plate then you will also need to remove two more Torx bolts that attach the plate support brackets above the rear lamp.
• Undo the several (6?) Torx bolts that secure the parcel carrier plate, and remove it.
• Below this is another plastic plate attached by 5(?) more Torx bolts - 4 on top and one next to the seat lock mechanism. Remove this plate too.

You could probably get the removal operation down to about 15-20 minutes if you did it a few times. It's all pretty obvious, but if you're unsure, I have a diagram and instructions that came with the top-box mounting plate which I could scan and send.

Once you have got past the two plates, you will find a reasonable amount of space towards the back (immediately forward of the rear light cluster).

Refitting is the reverse of removal, to quote a phrase.

 

[Rasher]

Thanks guys, had a better look just with a torch and it looks a bit fiddly under there, I also wondered how wterproof it may (or may not be) plus it looks a pain to get to, although I "should" not need to get to the Autocom often.

Tool tray looks best bet, I also will leave top-box on as there too damn handy - be even handier if they could take a bloody helmet- what a design f*** up!

Probably going to go for a SW Motech tank bag with the internal power, mainly as I still have one from last bike so only need fitting ring.

I also discovered the accessory socket is of some non-standard type, I assume this is either a European standard or some sort of BMW own affair, either way it is absolutely pointless as it won't power anything bought in the UK!

I think I will remove this piece of useless crap and throw it away which will free up more space, or just hook the wires into a standard ciggy lighter socket instead and mount this somewhere.

I was also looking for power "up front" and was hoping to locate a spare wire, failed miserably, but did notice horn wires look easy to get too, anyone know if they are switched on the nuetral side? (i.e. has a 12v wire that is live with ignition on) - save me trying to dig out my old multimeter.

And where is the manual supposed to go? I cannot see anywhere other than under the tool tray, but this has a hole so is damn sure to get wet, or are BM manuals waterproof, that would explain the cost of the bikes!

 

[Beemerman59]

I have fitted the 6 switched/2 unswitched fusebox from eastern beaver (see link above) and this is sited in the tooltray. It's switched from the parking light. This powers my Zumo, heated gear, spotlights etc. The unswitched side has an accessory socket (replacing the standard one) so I can power anything I want without powering up the bike plus use for charging the battery). I also have a USB power connector which is unswitched. With the seat in the high position I can still fit the useless toolkit there but don't usually bother.

The accessory socket is a standard DIN type also common on Triumphs, Dukes etc. I replaced mine with a powerlet one and connected in to the fusebox so there's no issues with canbus etc. I also have a cigarette lighter socket comnnected in parallel which sits under the seat just in case.

I had to get all my wiring checked over by an independant with a letter to my insurance company so they were happy to insure it - all OK.

I also fitted twin Magnum horns which are wired direct to the battery as they pull 12amps on their own with a trigger to a relay from the standard horn.

Eastern Beaver to great wiring looms at a reasonable price - I can recommend them if you don't like to do your own.