BMR FlatBed for 2010 BMW R1200RT
Motorcycling with extra gear can add a challenge to the sport. There are many obstacles on the road and you must be prepared to strap things to the bike…gallon of water, groceries, firewood…whatever. The RT has a limited selection of lash points in the rear quadrant past the hand rails…just not much there. The GS series is more conducive for this but I love my RT and with the BMR FlatBed it’s a totally different machine.
The FlatBed is a 25” x 12” solid rear luggage shelf that clears the back seat. It does not move. There are 13 fore and aft tie-ports and a soft grip handle to lift the bike to center-stand. Pricing as of June ’10 is $315.00 from http://www.bmrproducts.com .
When the box arrived it was obvious what the quality of the product was going to be. It arrived in one day, had full edge protectors, was perfectly packed and the FlatBed itself had foam protection all around the edges. This is serious business and the price quickly begins to justify itself. The part is beautifully coated, no rough edges, reflectors in place and all parts shiny and new.
Installation took about 15 minutes, I wasn’t sure if the BMW insert lugs were to be removed or stay in and a call to Brett at 7:30pm gave me the answer…leave them in and only replace the screw. The brackets assembled quickly… make sure they are tight (as stated in the instructions.) They need to be tighter than the original screws.
After putting the thumb screws in, the FlatBed might rock just slightly and Brett said that is OK. BMR was smart enough to incorporate a nut as part of the thumb screw so kudos for that; just in case I want to tighten them up a bit. I was warned not to strip them by tightening them too much. Quick note… don’t forget to put your tool kit back under the seat and put the seat back into place before you install the FlatBed. I almost forgot and wouldn’t want to unscrew everything again. Good thing registration and insurance cards now reside in the glove-box up front.
One of the first things you notice is that you’ve built a workbench on your bike. Throw your wrench on it, clothing, whatever…it’s a level surface. You can have a picnic on it.
OK…does it do what it’s supposed to? Yes, it does. The first thing I did was lift the bike onto the center stand using the FlatBed…a little awkward at first (because the handle is higher) but it works. I hope it lasts and doesn’t bend or warp because it’s a killer app. If I couldn’t lift the bike with the FlatBed installed I would have returned it, and in discussions, BMR took this into consideration. Forget about using the bike’s rail to lift the bike because the thumb screws are in the way and it’s impossible to get a grip around the bed. I put 130lbs across it and it didn’t budge.
A tent, sleeping bag and other gear were strapped using 2 ROK straps. Initially 2 inner tie-down ports were used but then switched to the outers and crisscrossed them. Much better. The side hard bags open easily and are removed without interference. After riding 50 miles with the gear strapped on, there was no shift and the thumb screws stayed right in place. I’ll follow up after a few thousand miles.
Next, will the top case stay open? Yes & no. If you pack tall and block the swing space needed, it won’t open all the way, but if baggage is loaded in a thoughtful way, sure. The more you compress your baggage your odds go up it’ll open and those Rok’s help out. If you block the swing space totally, the top case will have a problem opening, so be mindful.
Improvements? I’d like additional tie-down ports on the short sides so straps can run the long way. The bottom gear won’t slip due to the ribbed bottom, but gear stacked on top of gear can slip, especially with nylon or even Seal bags. I was able to snake a bungee underneath a corner then come over the top lengthwise, so this can be solved. Most bungee cords will not weave through the tie-down ports so you have to be creative or stick with ROK’s. I’ve used bungee’s for 23 years and am looking forward to retiring them (nasty buggers when they snap back at you). There are 5 ‘ribs’ on the bottom made of smooth plastic and not ‘tacky’ to stop forward movement. Side to side movement is probably reduced but it would have been nice to have them stickier.
The BMR FlatBed is a great resolve to baggage storage and is a godsend for my use. If you ride solo, plan to leave the FlatBed on permanently, you never know when you have to strap something down and for camping, it’s invaluable when stacking groceries or anything that might damage the seat. It’s uncertain if it will fit with all custom seats but read another review below.
Full disclosure, I have the BMR Co-Pilot Shelf System and it is a great product. BMW installed it for my Zumo and XM puck…it just works, end of story. I’m also a US manufacturer of my own products and know the limitations and challenges of making 3rd party products. I believe BMR has done an excellent job at delivering a product that solves a problem with great quality and value.
See another review with video & pictures here: http://kc6tew.com/modifications/rtmods/bmrflatbed/bmrflatbed.aspx
Motorcycling with extra gear can add a challenge to the sport. There are many obstacles on the road and you must be prepared to strap things to the bike…gallon of water, groceries, firewood…whatever. The RT has a limited selection of lash points in the rear quadrant past the hand rails…just not much there. The GS series is more conducive for this but I love my RT and with the BMR FlatBed it’s a totally different machine.
The FlatBed is a 25” x 12” solid rear luggage shelf that clears the back seat. It does not move. There are 13 fore and aft tie-ports and a soft grip handle to lift the bike to center-stand. Pricing as of June ’10 is $315.00 from http://www.bmrproducts.com .
When the box arrived it was obvious what the quality of the product was going to be. It arrived in one day, had full edge protectors, was perfectly packed and the FlatBed itself had foam protection all around the edges. This is serious business and the price quickly begins to justify itself. The part is beautifully coated, no rough edges, reflectors in place and all parts shiny and new.
Installation took about 15 minutes, I wasn’t sure if the BMW insert lugs were to be removed or stay in and a call to Brett at 7:30pm gave me the answer…leave them in and only replace the screw. The brackets assembled quickly… make sure they are tight (as stated in the instructions.) They need to be tighter than the original screws.
After putting the thumb screws in, the FlatBed might rock just slightly and Brett said that is OK. BMR was smart enough to incorporate a nut as part of the thumb screw so kudos for that; just in case I want to tighten them up a bit. I was warned not to strip them by tightening them too much. Quick note… don’t forget to put your tool kit back under the seat and put the seat back into place before you install the FlatBed. I almost forgot and wouldn’t want to unscrew everything again. Good thing registration and insurance cards now reside in the glove-box up front.
One of the first things you notice is that you’ve built a workbench on your bike. Throw your wrench on it, clothing, whatever…it’s a level surface. You can have a picnic on it.
OK…does it do what it’s supposed to? Yes, it does. The first thing I did was lift the bike onto the center stand using the FlatBed…a little awkward at first (because the handle is higher) but it works. I hope it lasts and doesn’t bend or warp because it’s a killer app. If I couldn’t lift the bike with the FlatBed installed I would have returned it, and in discussions, BMR took this into consideration. Forget about using the bike’s rail to lift the bike because the thumb screws are in the way and it’s impossible to get a grip around the bed. I put 130lbs across it and it didn’t budge.
A tent, sleeping bag and other gear were strapped using 2 ROK straps. Initially 2 inner tie-down ports were used but then switched to the outers and crisscrossed them. Much better. The side hard bags open easily and are removed without interference. After riding 50 miles with the gear strapped on, there was no shift and the thumb screws stayed right in place. I’ll follow up after a few thousand miles.
Next, will the top case stay open? Yes & no. If you pack tall and block the swing space needed, it won’t open all the way, but if baggage is loaded in a thoughtful way, sure. The more you compress your baggage your odds go up it’ll open and those Rok’s help out. If you block the swing space totally, the top case will have a problem opening, so be mindful.
Improvements? I’d like additional tie-down ports on the short sides so straps can run the long way. The bottom gear won’t slip due to the ribbed bottom, but gear stacked on top of gear can slip, especially with nylon or even Seal bags. I was able to snake a bungee underneath a corner then come over the top lengthwise, so this can be solved. Most bungee cords will not weave through the tie-down ports so you have to be creative or stick with ROK’s. I’ve used bungee’s for 23 years and am looking forward to retiring them (nasty buggers when they snap back at you). There are 5 ‘ribs’ on the bottom made of smooth plastic and not ‘tacky’ to stop forward movement. Side to side movement is probably reduced but it would have been nice to have them stickier.
The BMR FlatBed is a great resolve to baggage storage and is a godsend for my use. If you ride solo, plan to leave the FlatBed on permanently, you never know when you have to strap something down and for camping, it’s invaluable when stacking groceries or anything that might damage the seat. It’s uncertain if it will fit with all custom seats but read another review below.
Full disclosure, I have the BMR Co-Pilot Shelf System and it is a great product. BMW installed it for my Zumo and XM puck…it just works, end of story. I’m also a US manufacturer of my own products and know the limitations and challenges of making 3rd party products. I believe BMR has done an excellent job at delivering a product that solves a problem with great quality and value.
See another review with video & pictures here: http://kc6tew.com/modifications/rtmods/bmrflatbed/bmrflatbed.aspx
so now it really is a hauler..... 
