I seek wisdom and enlightenment

[big dog]

Been surfing through a lot of the threads and into the Hall of Wisdom getting ideas for what can be added to the bike. As this is the first Beemer I've ever owned, I'm open for what little bits and pieces can be added to increase comfort, rideability, enhancements for riding pleasure, etc.

My list of current extras is reasonably short:

1. Starcom intercom / UHF 2 way radio
2. Classic Trailers tow hitch
3. HD Road King luggage rack for the top box (bigger than the genuine BMW rack and 1/3 the price too :D ). This is yet to be fitted.

Future additions (when I can convince SWMBO that I really, really need them.....):

1. Driving lights as I don't know if I can get the price of HID's past the accountant
2. Bracket to hold the 2 way UHF radio using the extra mirror mount hole on the L/H side switch block

So, wise ones :) , what else can I do keeping in mind budget, availability and ease of fitment?

TIA

[Jerrod Maguire]

Many will tell you that the bakup backrest is a great addition and it's very easy to install. The comfort gleaned form this add-on is remarkable. They are pricey though ($395) so find a used one. Goodluck

[meese]

HID kits can be had for about $125 with shipping from CQLight (http://www.cqlight.ca/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=32_45&products_id=69&osCsid=85b61a4f89057971945b2ba0196af793). You need an H7 for the low beam, 5000K.

It's the best upgrade I had on my '99 LT, and the first thing I did to my '02. I'd rank it way up above anything else on your list, just for the safety factor alone.

[onions]

It's the best upgrade I had on my '99 LT, and the first thing I did to my '02. I'd rank it way up above anything else on your list, just for the safety factor alone.
Big Dog,
Gotta agree with Meese, HID are absolutely worth the money and far more worth while than fitting driving lights (unless such are HID...but these are REALLY expensive)...

Other items that I would put on the wishing radar include:
Headlight protector (adhesive type...cheap insurance)
Smartire tyre pressure monitor
BMW (Garmin) navigator
Muth signal mirrors (pretty expensive though...good but)
Saddlebag running lights
Bike bra (protect paint work)

I could go on and on, but that should take care of the bank balance for a little while :D

Please don't tell your wife that any of these ideas came from me...:D

[Dezrae]

Big Dof,
I bought my HID hi/low conversion from
http://www.importdriver.com.au/

got both delivered to my door for under $500.

You can also make the extra brake light at the rear work for about 20 cents.
if you put a rubber band round the hand brake and look at the rear of the bike you will see that 2 of the 3 brake lights light up.
remove the tail light assembly and you will see the lights are the same but a wire is missing from the middle one.wire it to one of the outside ones and you will now have 3 rear brake lights.

have you put teathers on your mirrors yet??
get some fishing leader line, about 150 lb and wire your mirros to your bike.
under $10 from a good fishing store

[big dog]

Thanks everyone for the tips and tricks.

Jerrod, a back rest sounds good, unfortunately, Mrs Dog is limited in getting her leg high enough over the rider's seat when it is on the highest setting, so a back rest would cop a kicking every time she get's onto the bike. One of the reasons that I got the LT was the very upright riding position when compared to my cruiser. Besides, that's what the pillion is for isn't it, the back rubs going down the road :D ?

Meese, Onions and Dez, might have a closer look at getting the HID's then. Just have to convince her to release some funds when the time arises. As for the wish list radar Onions, forgot to include the headlight protector in my list, already fitted. The bra would be a handy investment, any ideas where these can be located, or would they need to be custom made? As for the others, very careful negotiations with SWMBO might realise these in the future. I promise I wont reveal your name Onions as the instigator of these suggestions. However, I do have a very low threshold of pain and you name could slip out under interrogation..... :D

Dez, the mob I bought the bike from had already fitted the good old cable ties in the mirrors. My FIL is a keen fisherman so I might even change the plastic ties out for the S/S suckers in the near future.

Any other tips or tricks that I need to be aware of with the bike. Should I be concerned about the final drive problems that I've ready about on the forum?

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.

[onions]

The bra would be a handy investment, any ideas where these can be located, or would they need to be custom made? As for the others, very careful negotiations with SWMBO might realise these in the future. I promise I wont reveal your name Onions as the instigator of these suggestions. However, I do have a very low threshold of pain and you name could slip out under interrogation..... :D

G'day BigDog,
I had mine made up at Car-Bra Australia, a Melbourne based company who I understand will ship Australia wide. They custom made it for me along with fitting it but I understand that they kept the patten for future reference...they can be found here http://www.carbra.com.au/contact.htm...

You gotta stay strong under any form of interrogation mate! :D

Later,

[tmgs]

Thanks everyone for the tips and tricks.

Jerrod, a back rest sounds good, unfortunately, Mrs Dog is limited in getting her leg high enough over the rider's seat when it is on the highest setting, so a back rest would cop a kicking every time she get's onto the bike. One of the reasons that I got the LT was the very upright riding position when compared to my cruiser. Besides, that's what the pillion is for isn't it, the back rubs going down the road :D ?

Meese, Onions and Dez, might have a closer look at getting the HID's then. Just have to convince her to release some funds when the time arises. As for the wish list radar Onions, forgot to include the headlight protector in my list, already fitted. The bra would be a handy investment, any ideas where these can be located, or would they need to be custom made? As for the others, very careful negotiations with SWMBO might realise these in the future. I promise I wont reveal your name Onions as the instigator of these suggestions. However, I do have a very low threshold of pain and you name could slip out under interrogation..... :D

Dez, the mob I bought the bike from had already fitted the good old cable ties in the mirrors. My FIL is a keen fisherman so I might even change the plastic ties out for the S/S suckers in the near future.

Any other tips or tricks that I need to be aware of with the bike. Should I be concerned about the final drive problems that I've ready about on the forum?

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.


if it hasn't been done, do the gas cap mod, it lets you remove the gas cap without the key or you can still lock the cap. search for this <Can the gas cap be modified so I can leave it unlocked?>

Wilbers Shocks are a must have!

You can also (if it hasn't been done) move the tour pack back there are factory holes allowing this, and it gives the passenger much more room.

and you will need one of these http://tinyurl.com/d8j4v
shameless plug.......

you can also move the fuel filter externally and the air filter making services much easier

Tom

[meese]

Remember David, the HID is a safety item. Really. One night ride with it and you'll wonder why BMW didn't fit one from the factory.

[big dog]

Must admit Meese, I went for a twilight ride with my Ulysses branch November last year and riding through the forests outside Cessnock (around 30 minutes west of Newcastle) on the way home at night, found that I was happy with the spread from the high beam, but low beam needed some extra herbs :) . Could see lots of skippy's in the shadows (or maybe that was my over active imagination working) and sort of decided that a set of spot lights / driving lights would be the go.

Again thanks everyone, truly the force is strong in you all :D

Ride safe

[rmg08057]

Big DOg

I put the BMW rack on because it has a brake light built in. I then put a Kisan flasher in it, so I have left my brakes standard and have a flashing brake signal at eye level for the cage drivers. I have had comments on visibility with this setup. There are 2 or 3 excellent bags for the rack that all fit beautifully. When I travelled for 3 days with my daughter I gave that bag to her and said - you have to live out of this. Worked a treat.

[Dezrae]

found that I was happy with the spread from the high beam, but low beam needed some extra herbs :) . Could see lots of skippy's in the shadows (or maybe that was my over active imagination working) and sort of decided that a set of spot lights / driving lights would be the go.


Big Dog,
I know all about Skippy and his mates up here, if you want a few extras i can send some down to you.
Trust me, after riding with hi/low HID you will never go back to stock.
IF you can catch a plane flight to townsville on virgin on jet star just for the night i will gladly let you take my LT for a night time ride so you can see how good they are.
What the hell, if you pay my air ticket to where you are, i will fit them for free!

[PhillWard]

Big Dog,
What the hell, if you pay my air ticket to where you are, i will fit them for free!

Morning Dezrae,

Ahhhhh what generosity from the Oz folks wayyyyyyyyyyyy up there.... in the never never land. ("never" has to go through 40 sets of traffic lights to go to work, "never" has to fight off these blind cage drivers who want to travel within your top box, "never".....well you get the idea....)

Who the f$#@ is Michael Mackson??? Is he the USA guy who is gradually bleaching his skin by standing in front of a K12LT HID beam???

spose these HID's must be good if you can do that.....

cheers

Phill, talking to you from the "Sea of Tranquility"...
'78XS1100E "The Tardis" (ret)
'99K1200LT "Beryl Beemer" moon walker.

[cws]

Back-up... Im warming to the idea of this. On my trip south I had a bag packed with camping gear where dear pillion normally sits, and made sure the soft tent was packed at my back. It gave great back support on the long stretches, which a pillion doesn't quite do the same.

Re headlights, I finally got to work out the headlight dial on RHS while on a long straight stretch at night. I got the low & high beams to converge correctly, and found them MUCH BETTER than I'd been using for city running. I guess the HID's would blow them away though, but properly set-up I had no problems with the standard lights.

[big dog]

Big Dog,
I know all about Skippy and his mates up here, if you want a few extras i can send some down to you.

Gee thanks Dez, I'm sure that the couple of hundred thousand we've got down here will more than welcome their northern relatives :) .

[QUOTE=Dezrae] Trust me, after riding with hi/low HID you will never go back to stock.
IF you can catch a plane flight to townsville on virgin on jet star just for the night i will gladly let you take my LT for a night time ride so you can see how good they are.
What the hell, if you pay my air ticket to where you are, i will fit them for free!

Again thanks for the offer, looking into it with that link you very kindly put in one of your previous posts. What's that dear? Yes, Dez would like me to pay for his airline ticket here to fit up the HID lights...... <crickets chirping in the background>. :sleep:

I'll have to get back on you about your kind offer Dez :D . Let's call it a work in progress.

[Daza]

Back-up... Im warming to the idea of this.

Chris,

Of all the mods and additions to my LT (and there's a lot) the backrest sits at number 1 !!!!

Bought it at last years Ulysses AGM in Canberra and would never go without it now.

[rmg08057]

Daz

I strongly concur regarding a backrest. After cruise control (the #1, essential, mandatory, need-on-every-bike item), the backrest is next in line favourite thing on the bike. I've done 150,000 km in the last 5 years on the LT and this is the best thing I have done for my comfort. At 5' 19" my back takes a pounding.

PS: I have the stock seat which I use in the high and low positions, just for variety.