[BaldyDave]

Nice work, @Dirtmerchant!

 

[BaldyDave]

@BaldyDave Quick question... Do you have any pics handy of where/how you routed the excess wire under your tank? I bought a Zumo 395 for the NineT as well as the BMW Repair Plug and would like to try to do it right the first time.

It was a few years ago that I did the work and my dodgy memory seems to recall that as well as hacking the Garmin wiring loom into pieces to solder on the BMW accessory plug and cut off the audio connectors etc, I'm also fairly sure I shortened the SatNav loom length too so I didn't have a lot of wiring to tuck away. I don't think i have any photos of this but if I do I'll post them on this thread.

 

[BaldyDave]

Good question @Dirtmerchant and answered perfectly by @gristle

I mounted my Zumo 590 on my 2014 bike and it was easy using the repair plug and existing gps connector under the tank.

This topic has actually been quite extensively covered so I've moved it to the appropriate thread. This should give you some more pointers should you need it. Feel free to have a read through.

 

[BaldyDave]

The touratech cable listed in this thread will work, but like a lot of BMW stuff it's expensive. I got my plug directly from BMW but as it was so long ago I can't remember the cost.

REAL OEM Show the official BMW plug, double-check with the dealer before ordering it.

 

[BaldyDave]

Which GPS unit is the plug on the R9T for, TomTom or Garmin?

Good question! The GPS connector on the bike isn't model specific. You have to wire it to the plug using an adapter that you can get from BMW or various other sources. There is actually a lot of discussion in a big thread in the electronics section so I've moved your post there (or here as it's already been done!) . Please have a read through this thread and you should find all the info you need. If you've still got any other questions please feel free to ask.

 

[BaldyDave]

I have purchased the required plug to wire up my Garmin device to the dedicated canbus plug just below the headstock as identified in earlier posts on this thread.

My question is can I (should I) remove the in line fuse, voltage regulator etc ...i.e. cut the wire to the left of cylindrical device (not sure what that is?) and merely wire up what is the black and red wire to the correct spades in the OEM plug that I have purchased (I understand that the third spade is left blank and not used). Please see image below of my Garmin wiring loom.

Regards

Dave

The large cylindrical thing is a noise supressor and it should be left in place.

Whatever you do, DO NOT cut to the left of the supressor. This will remove the voltage converter and as a result you would probably fry the GPS. The converter takes the 12V from the bike and drops it to the 5V that the GPS unit uses.

If it were me I would leave the in-line fuse in place, even though the canbus system (I think) has electronic over-current protection built-in. Play it double-safe if you like.

I would do as @sir.tooby says and just cut off the ends ends of the connectors that were originally meant to connect directly to the battery and wire them to the plug you bought and all should be well.

 

[BaldyDave]

@Brendan Muldoon

No mate, there is a different socket cable tied to the frame under the left bottom lip of the fuel tank.

See this link (and the link indicated in my post for more information).

Hope this helps. let me know if you need any more info.

http://www.ninetowners.com/forum/electronics/55122-gps-nine-t-thread-merged-20.html#post466145

 

[BaldyDave]

My dealer installed a relay next to the terminals. My GPS is wired to relay. This has the effect of powering down the GPS when the ignition is switched off so as not to drain the battery.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is a dedicated GPS socket under the fuel tank that powers down using CANBUS. No need for a relay and the wiring is very discrete. No drain to the battery after CANBUS shuts power down about a minute after the ignition is turned off. Time consuming but easy DIY job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BaldyDave]

***EDIT***

For me the difference is that the map generally does a better job of letting me anticipate (e.g., get in the correct lane) than just voice commands.

***EDIT***

I have to say I agree with this. I tend to use my sat nav when going somewhere where I have little/no knowledge of, so its good to be able to see what to expect ahead so you can get in the right lane or navigate a complex road junction or roundabout. My satnav also doubles as a music player and has tyre pressure monitoring capability so it makes sense to have the satnav on the bike rather than tucked away in my jacket or tank bag.

Each to their own though, whatever solution works for the individual.

 

[BaldyDave]

I'd get a RAM ball mount that replaces one of the handlebar clamp bolts, and then see if you can cannibalise the GPS mount that you have to fit on the RAM ball mount. I did something similar to my bike. See below for a link:

http://www.ninetowners.com/forum/bm...m/bmw-ninet-general-discussion-forum/66002-baldydaves-9t-mods-4.html#post354321

I'm not familiar with the GPS you have purchased, but I think @Captain was more referring to the point that some GPS may run off 5V supplies and rely on an adapter to step-down the voltage. Yes there are only 2 wires on a lot of GPS leads, but it might not simply be a question of getting the polarity right... If the step-down voltage circuitry isn't included inside the GPS itself or is hard-wired to the supply lead, make sure you include it in the install.

I'm pretty sure someone on this very forum connected a 5V GPS to the 12V accessory socket without any adapter with unfortunate and expensive results - one barbequed GPS!

 

[BaldyDave]

All good points, but the great thing about having a SatNav on the 9T is that I don't use it when I want to go and get "lost" down some country roads, but then when its time to go home, I turn on the SatNav and tell it to get me outa here!

SatNav IMO certainly has it's place on a motorbike, and is excellent for touring or simply digging yourself out of a hole when you haven't a clue where you are. Cool for avoiding some speed traps too.... Oh and finding the nearest petrol station when your fuel light comes on...

 

[BaldyDave]

Nice and neat idea for mounting on clip-ons!

Not wanting to push this thread off topic so it would be good if you started another thread about what that little dial on the steering stem is!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BaldyDave]

Thanks guys -- one final question: does anyone know which of the pins on the BMW plug is the positive? Is there an easy way to tell? Or from the wires leading to the plug on the bike?


Thanks again for all the help everyone.
David

To be honest I can't remember! However I worked it out with a Multimeter, perhaps you could do the same? I haven't read through this thread, is there no answer to this there?

 

[BaldyDave]

Dave and others - has anyone ever soldered the GPS plug attachment to an iPhone cable? I've done this with the Garmin Zumo on my former bike and worked brilliantly but am now thinking about using iPhone for navigation. What would be the best approach to get the switched power from this plug to the iphone using the BMW adaptor cable?

Thanks!!
David

I haven't tried this, I cannibalised the stock Garmin satnav wiring loom and added a BMW connector to mate it with the GPS connector on the wiring loom of the bike.

The Garmin Satnav has been designed to run off the 12V output that the GPS outlet provides. The iPhone's input will be 5V (USB standard output) so I'd be extremely cautious about pairing this to the GPS connector without some additional form of voltage step-down device wired in. You risk frying your phone! IMO you would be better getting a USB output adapter for the standard accessory socket and power your iPhone from that.

I'm afraid I don't know anything about the iPhone BMW adapter cable. Does this have voltage reduction circuitry within it?

As @rkevwill says, the iPhone has good SatNav software but the limitation it has is not being sunlight, water or glove friendly. If you can accept these limitations it is a good navigator.

 

[BaldyDave]

Thanks Dave!
Will re-arrange the wiring around the dock this afternoon so that I can remove the mount. The dealer strapped it in. That will be the fix until fall If i notice that the battery gets bad I will deal with it! Not a major problem

Not too sure what you mean about removing the mount. Just to be clear, I think all you would need to do is remove the Tomtom Sat Nav from the dock (which I assume is quick release). Then just keep an eye on things from there.

 

[BaldyDave]

Thanks for your reply!
Ah, now Im worried. But lack the skills to re-wire this and Im going on a trip at the end of this week.

How fast drainging are we talking about?
Battery is fully charged and checked with the service last week. Can I have it like this a couple of months and re-wire in fall? Or will it drain the battery in a couple of days?

Will it absolutley not drain the battery if I disconnect the mount?

I can't speak from direct experience of the TomTom dock, but I do have an additional auxiliary power socket which provides 12V "cigarette lighter" socket and a 5V, USB outlet wired permanently to my bike's battery.



I'm pretty sure the 5V outlet might be drawing a very slight current from the battery, but my bike has been left for a few days without being started with no ill-effects, indeed when I hooked up my Optimate battery charger to the battery after the few days, it went straight into the maintenance cycle meaning the battery was almost fully charged.

I guess it's u to you to decide what to do, but if I was in your position I wouldn't be unduly concerned if you undock your Tom-tom after use.

 

[BaldyDave]

Like @25PSi says, the ram mount is a replacement for one of the handlebar clamp screws. Here's a photo:

 

[BaldyDave]

@Lost Rider also did something similar to me here (in fairness he did it first! lol).

Here is his take on the GPS install.

http://www.ninetowners.com/forum/electronics/49538-wiring-gadgets-ninet-thread.html#post114858

 

[BaldyDave]

I looked for this but am having trouble finding it... could you give some more specifics as to location and appearance? Thanks!

The satnav socket is cable-tied to the frame under the tank (left hand side as you sit on bike). Mine was on the first upright frame brace as you follow the frame going diagonally back from the headstock.....







You can buy the plug from BMW and solder it onto the satnav wiring loom like I did here:

http://www.ninetowners.com/forum/bm...w-ninet-general-discussion-forum/66002-baldydaves-winter-mods-4.html#post354321

This way you don't have to gut off the stock GPS plug.

Hope this helps.

 

[BaldyDave]

Yes, these devices usually work from 5V and so there is an electronic converter circuit, often a switched-mode device, working all the time.

Ahh I stand corrected. You are right, and I should have realised that as my Garmin Satnav can be charged from the USB socket, that the device runs on 5V.

D'oh!

Like you say though, the drain on the battery would be very small, but if the OP is concerned he should consider wiring the Tomtom to the satnav socket under the tank.