First Modification to your motorcycle

[BradfordBenn]

Well I just finished up my first modification to my RT. Not just adding something like a shelf of a tankbag. I actually took the plastic off and removed the battery to wire in the Gerbing.

Other things like Hyperlights and additional Accesory Sockets I have had done by my dealer.

So I was curious how many years did you own a motorcycle before the first time you did a major change? I mean do it yourself, not have the dealer do it.

Oh yeah, the worst feelings:

1) Air filter cover was a pain to go back on.
2) Having a left over part in the bowl after it was all back together.












Oh yeah, it was a crush washer which I had already taken from my stash of parts.:p

[kbasa]

I'm cheap. I've always done it myself.

I learned to work on my cars when I was in college and had a string of $100 vehicles. After crawling around, under, over, inside, through cars, motorcycles were crazy easy to figure out. All the parts are out where you can see them instead of being routed through fenders and stuffed up next to firewalls.

[crvalley]

I owned my bike for about 3 days before I did the following:

1) Replaced stock seat with custom Sargent.

2) Replaced stock high / low beam with replacement PIAA's.

3) Replaced stock wind shield with long shield. Although not that long, it helps direct the wind just above my visor area...

4) Added system bags (touring and city).

5) Added sport rack.

6) Removed Mickey Mouse reflector license plate frame used by prior owner, and purchased nice clean allen bolts to secure license plate...

7) That's all...for now...

These aren't major changes, but I thought I'd chime in just to avoid doing my school work this evening...

[cruisin]

I voted less than 30 days. The actual time on each was while still in the parking lot where I purchase them. With the R1200C I tilted the handle bars back to make it a more comfortable reach. On the RT I borrowed a few tools and cut off the rear seat spools & posts to lower the seat. for my 450 mile ride home. Since then I have made approx. 10 to 12 mods to each bike.

hmmmmm, maybe I'll make a list. . .

later

[Cliffy777]

We (I) don't need no stinkin' mods.

[YB in IN]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Well I just finished up my first modification to my RT. Not just adding something like a shelf of a tankbag. I actually took the plastic off and removed the battery to wire in the Gerbing.


I purchased my Gerbing jacket before a catering shift that I had at a big public park. I had time to kill before everyone got there to set up, so I took everything apart in the parking lot and wired everything up. It was also my first experience with the battery cover of a K-bike. A bit weird after the airhead. I got some real strange looks from some yuppies floating around with their kids. Fired up the jacket for the ride home later that night, and was in heaven. :)

[jdcoffman]

I walked into the BMW shop on a Saturday afternoon in Aug of '02 Thinking about getting back into motorcycles, had seen the brochure on late model Beemers I was really interested in getting an RT since my first beemer was a '74 R90S. I am too old and much too large for a "sporty bike" but they had this real pretty R1100RS I kept sitting on. So I asked the salesman whom I thought was too busy to help me if he would be able to sell me this and finance it etc. Sure enough he said he could..

So as I was riding off to pick up my wife and let her know the good news, (boy was she suprised) and have her ride back with me to pick up our truck, it took me about 10-15 minutes until I couldn't feel my right hand. I mean it was so numb that it was hard to use the brake. We arrived back at the dealer just as they were closing I mentioned the numbness to the salesman and informed him that my 300 mile ride back to Nebraska would be real intresting. He was nice and since I just spent $12,000 for a used motorcycle he went in and came out with a "throttle rocker". And that was my first modification. Throttle Miester came a little later, what happened to that little screw the air heads had???

[kbasa]

If you have the Motronic 1 switchgear (looks like early Kbike switches) you can buy a police housing for the throttle that will accept a throttle screw. We have on on our RS, but ours in '94 vintage.

Do you have the hazard flasher built into the left cluster? That's probably the first indicator that you have Motronic II switches. I think the piece is $42 and the screw is $7 or so. Since the screw will mount on the top of the switch, you need to make sure that you have the Oring on it to keep water and debris out of your switch gear.

If you want, I can put up a picture.

[subvet]

A new record for me....I've owned my 1st beemer (RT) for exactly 6 weeks and have done nothing to it and am almost perfectly happy with it. Fixin' to have the Mayer seat re-worked though.

Have owned many HDs and Yamahas over the past 25 years. With the Yamahas, never had any $$ to change anything, that's why I owned them. (early biking days)

The Harleys.......well, if you've ever owned a Harley, ya know what I mean.

Besides the wrenching required on the old ones (shovelhead and earlier) there is a certain appeal in making an HD a one-of-a kind...all it takes is time and $$

[mdcruiser]

Do attaching one of those real neat clocks to my R1200CM's handlebars, and installing a luggage rack behind my comfort seats, count as modifications? If so, I've made some!! ;)

[exharleyscott]

only thing added in the first three weeks of being a new owner is gas. Owned harleys for years, tierd of the fashion show. now it's time to get down the road!!!

[lewlei]

Just got a new R1150GS (R1100RT and R1200C previously). Had the dealer install Hyper Lites, & the module that lites the rear turn signals all the time and flashes when first applying the brakes - extra 12V outlet, system bags, throttlemeister, and an engine guard on order. I bought and installed, Aeroflow screen, bar backs and peg lowering kit. The bike is now three weeks old and I love it.

When I get over the shock of all the $$$ going away, I still want a tank bag, luggage rest and a back rest. Maybe later (next year) if there is a mod kit available, the new 1200GS bags appeal to me.

Oh, and I don't know if this counts as an accessory or not, but just ordered a copy of The Milepost.

Lew

[eljeffe]

I know this is probably covered with the "Less than 30 days" choice, but you should add:

"Before it left the showroom floor"

[kbasa]

Originally posted by eljeffe
I know this is probably covered with the "Less than 30 days" choice, but you should add:

"Before it left the showroom floor"

Yep. I installed the tankbag on my S with the tools under the seat while it was still sitting in the showroom with my name on it.

Not sure how the dealer felt about it.

:p

[CustomSarge]

There isn't a catagory for me & I'm not sure I'd like the name if there were. To me, one huge upside to getting a crashed unit & building it back up is that you don't remove servicable components just to tweak an aspect of the machine that doesn't suit you. I'm (obviously) a big fan of rearranging your scooter in both ergonomic & cosmetic manners. However, at the times I've seen a new HD with $1k+ of "custom" parts replacing their new original parts, the phrase "more money than..." pops up. This syndrome doesn't seem to infect BMW types much, most all the mods I've seen are ergonomic or gizmo related.

[deilenberger]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn

So I was curious how many years did you own a motorcycle before the first time you did a major change? I mean do it yourself, not have the dealer do it.


On THE K75S - it was +/- 5 minutes. I dunno if I paid Klaus for the bike before or after I put my Wilbers shock on it (and it was handy to do since Klaus is the Wilbers distributor..)

No use waiting..:p

[Colt03]

When I purchased my K1100LT i didn't do any mods for over a year. And then it was just to add a hard wired GPS supply.

However, when I purchased the GS, I ordered a Staintune low pipe and installed it with in 30 days. When that was done, I ordered the Jesse bags, for the low pipe. Then the Hepco-Becker engine guards and then a Wunderlich tankbag with panniers. Ram mount for Gps and Radar detector, Extra power outlet like the ADV has from the factory, I've had the bike almost a year now and I just got the Lightforce lights in the mail Saturday.

The LT came set up to go. The GS is just a blank sheet of canvas waiting to be painted.

Craig Cleasby

[DesertRider]

There are some mods that I automatically do to any bike as soon as I get it:

- Hyperlites
- Additional forward lighting if it doesn't have it already
- Mount for my Magellan GPS
- LCD multi-display that includes time/stopwatch, digital voltage readout with voltage alarm, air temp display with black ice alert (see photo below)

http://www.thedesertrider.com/misc/Voltmeter_R1100R_IMG_1035.jpg

[RevWillie]

I have had 5 solo BMW's and 2 BMW sidcar rigs in my 30 years with the brand.

EVERY ONE of my solo bikes have had aftermarket seats put on them: (LTC,Russell,Corbin,Sargent,Rick Meyer)

BMW cannot make a seat that is comfortable to ride in--I think that the aftermarket seat industry owes BMW big time for their success.

PS: my first sidecar had a Pegusa solo seat (it was a /2) and my second rig (R75/7)got the Russell after the solo bike got totalled.
:dunno

[manicmechanic]

Let's see, I've had the Great Pumpkin a week. So far I've added a Gerbing's power cord, an aux power outlet for the GPS, and a headlight guard. Today ordered a couple items from Best Rest Products. Mounted a tank bag already. Hmmm, what's next?

[kbasa]

If you got a Stop N Go Tire Plugger, you'd have a Pumpkin Patch.

[manicmechanic]

And if I put a big skate key on the back I could call it the Clockwork Orange!

[JimVonBaden1]

Originally posted by DesertRider
There are some mods that I automatically do to any bike as soon as I get it:

- Hyperlites
- Additional forward lighting if it doesn't have it already
- Mount for my Magellan GPS
- LCD multi-display that includes time/stopwatch, digital voltage readout with voltage alarm, air temp display with black ice alert (see photo below)

http://www.thedesertrider.com/misc/Voltmeter_R1100R_IMG_1035.jpg

Hey Desert Rider, do you have a link to a website for the LCD multi-display? I want one!

Thanks,

Jim

[JimVonBaden1]

I added a Gustafsson +3, +4 windscreen, a new set of tires and recovered the Corbin seat within 30 days.

I have ordered, but not installed, a set of used 3-spoke wheels, all the parts necessary to convert the drum brake to disk brakes, a set of PIA driving lights, 3M paint protector film and new clutch and front brake lever.

By month 3 I will have all this done, and will no doubt be looking for more to do! I love to tinker.

Jim:brow

[DesertRider]

Originally posted by JimVonBaden
Hey Desert Rider, do you have a link to a website for the LCD multi-display? I want one!

I'm sorry to day that I no longer know where to get one. I used to buy them (one for each new bike) at All Cycle Sales in Tempe, Arizona, so I went by there today to see if I could get more info. Alas, All Cycle has shut down permanently ("due to disastrous business conditions," the sign on the door said). I looked on the unit itself and other than saying it was made in China it doesn't have any other manufacturer markings. I did a quick search of the Web and the closest I could come to is this:

RoadPro LCD multi-display (http://www.brandsmall.com/0006-1214.html)

So, I can't help you with a new one. However, doing a bit of digging I found one of those units that I took off my wife's former 650CS. The temp sensor wire was cut in the removal, so you'll have to splice it back together, but other than that it was working fine when I removed it. If you want it it's yours free, just email me your address and I'll send it to you.

[04gt4me]

:bliss When you grow up You get an ERECTION SET! Its called a MOTORCYCLE!:clap When your on it, it becomes part of you. You can ether give it an EXTREEM MAKEOVER or keep it like it was borne, thats the fun of it.:brow

[Doc nacho]

I put an accessory outlet plug on my BoxerCup within about 3 hours of buying it. 3M clear plastic went on to the front of the belly pan (I hate paint chips) and the tankbag mount went on it too.

[lorazepam]

I saw one of the exact multifunction displays that you have on your bike in a truck stop, actually a speedway gas station that had a truck stop in it.

[paulsibek]

I have silver K75 with a low seat. It has the black rubber thing in between the tank and seat.

I had the local seat guy dye the rubber pad silver and recover the seat in a medium grey. Now the bike sort of visually flows.

I was LUCKY to find a cheap new condition Staintune on the www and added a K&N filter. The additional hp gives the bike some excellent power in the mid and high rpm. from 55-100 it goes like hell now.

[JimVonBaden1]

Originally posted by DesertRider
I'm sorry to day that I no longer know where to get one. I used to buy them (one for each new bike) at All Cycle Sales in Tempe, Arizona, so I went by there today to see if I could get more info. Alas, All Cycle has shut down permanently ("due to disastrous business conditions," the sign on the door said). I looked on the unit itself and other than saying it was made in China it doesn't have any other manufacturer markings. I did a quick search of the Web and the closest I could come to is this:

RoadPro LCD multi-display (http://www.brandsmall.com/0006-1214.html)

So, I can't help you with a new one. However, doing a bit of digging I found one of those units that I took off my wife's former 650CS. The temp sensor wire was cut in the removal, so you'll have to splice it back together, but other than that it was working fine when I removed it. If you want it it's yours free, just email me your address and I'll send it to you.

Thank you very much. I received it the other day, and have it on my bike now! I really appreciate it! If you are ever in the Northern VA area, I'll be happy to buy you lunch!

This is exactly why I love BMW's and the people who ride them. They will do anything to help a fellow rider, even if they don't know them!:bliss

Jim :brow

[dzimbric]

The dealer added an accessory outlet on the dash of the '04 Rt when it went in for the 600 mile service. I added a headlight guard before it left the dealership.
My big mod, installed soley by myself was to the left head cover, I used rain, a blurry shield, a small stick and a parking lot to install it.
PS Always wear the gear, mine worked fine.
Did you know that the amount of time it takes you to pick up your bike is directly related to the number of people that are watching.