Tank bag for 2 bikes?

[RT Russ]

So with the addition of the R1100S back in April, I have been looking for a suitable tank bag to swap between the the S and the R1150RT. My desire is to put my Autocom , iPod, GPS etc in the tank bag and then move it between bikes so I have all of my electronics on either bike. Bags Connection electric mount for 2 bikes along with a tank bag from them would be well over $400! OUCH!. So, yes, I'm frugal......cheapest thing on a BMW is the nut holding on the handlebars, right? I've got a Fieldsheer strap mount bag but it is a 3 point strap mount and moves enough to hit the horn button on the RT when I turn the bars. Any advice from the wise collective?

 

Hawk

[ElevenFifty]

Someone needs to machine the Big Mak mounting hardware. I have one and it is a prized possession. If you don't know what they are then heres the description:

 

A mounting ring is attached around the gas tank filler. A large plate is attached to the ring, hinged so that it lifts up to access the filler. A bag with a pocket on the bottom slides onto the plate and is secured by velcro. To fuel up, tilt the bag forward. To remove the bag, undo a piece of velcro and slide it off.

 

I have managed to jury rig a couple of different bags to work with the mount. My Big Mak bag is faded, restitched, dyed, stretched out and is still my favorite but I think you could make any bag work with that mounting system.

 

 

[RT Russ]

I agree, I searched the Pelican Parts forum for R1100S tank bags and the Big Mak came up a lot. That looks like a decent tank mount. Send me yours and I'll get the guys at our machine shop to fab some up.......trust me

[Effjay]

The S-bike I bought a few months ago came with BMW "egg" tankbag and also Wunderlich (by Kahedo) tailbag. The egg bag isn't ideal but nicely fits the moto as if (um) it was made for it. Its shape and function wouldn't suit your stated objectives in any case.

 

BTW, the Kahedo tailbag mounts over rear seat portion (with pillion cover removed) to existing the cover screws in front and wire loops in rear. I have one that I plan to advertise soon on Pelican.

[mcollect]

I just found a Big Mak on the MOA site, I snatched it in a heart beat, as I sold my r1150 with the bag. It is tyhe best tank bag I have had in my40 years of riding. I hope it fits the R1200RT if not I'll sell it for what I paid for it. God I hope it fits!!!

[bikebits]

I have an old Eclipse Sportpack tank bag that has served well for many years. The nice thing about the Eclipse stuff is that all the parts and accessories are available separately.

 

I have a second mounting harness so I can switch between bikes, you can get spare map compartments, backpack harnesses etc. Simple but well made. It took me over twenty years to wear out the first one so I got another.

[fastlarry]

I had a R1100S and a R1150RT several years ago and I used a Bagster tank bag that was a good quality product. It required a "bra" to be strapped to the tank, a bra custom made for the tank. I don't know if Bagster is still out there, but if they are I have the bra for the R1100S, which I would sell since it is just gathering dust.

 

Larry

[szurszewski]

I had a R1100S and a R1150RT several years ago and I used a Bagster tank bag that was a good quality product. It required a "bra" to be strapped to the tank, a bra custom made for the tank. I don't know if Bagster is still out there, but if they are I have the bra for the R1100S, which I would sell since it is just gathering dust.

 

Larry

 

If you were interested in that, and it would fit, I think I still have a bag and "bra" that came with my R1100RT; they aren't in great shape, though the bag has new zippers, and the bra is colored to match Glacier Green...

 

If they're around, I could be talked out of them pretty easily.

josh

 

 

[Bud]

I just found a Big Mak on the MOA site, I snatched it in a heart beat, as I sold my r1150 with the bag. It is tyhe best tank bag I have had in my40 years of riding. I hope it fits the R1200RT if not I'll sell it for what I paid for it. God I hope it fits!!!

 

Yes you did as I was the seller.

 

I'm glad you were so happy to get it and I also hope you can make it work.

 

I had to put the mount on backwards on my R 1100 R as there wasn't enough room from the front of the gas filler to the handlebars to mount it in the usual way.

 

 

[Bud]

I bought the electrical connection to have power inside my bag on E-bay Here

 

You could buy on extra power cord and then use it on both bikes.

[FlyingFinn]

Well, since what you're working on there is so close to what I use on my GS I'll show you what I have.

 

I'm using the R1100S "egg" shaped tank bag, I like the size of it and the very quick on & off attachments.

 

 

Inside the bag is my comms system, Autocom, bike-to-bike radio, interfaces for a GPS and radar detector.

 

The comms stuff tends to suffer from bad connections and other general unreliability if the components and cables are allowed to move around. So I made a "form fitting" carbon fiber base plate that the comms components attach to.

 

The plate can be lifted out and all comms stuff comes with it.

 

 

The comms stuff is under the built-in flap of the tank bag, leaving a clean space on top for gloves, camera and othe little items.

 

 

The bag attaches to the bike using a zipper in the back

 

 

and buckles in the front. Just like it does on the R1100S.

 

 

In that picture you can also see a 5-pin DIN socket that's used to connect the comms system to the bike.

The connector provides power to all the components and a connection to the PTT button on the left handlebar. (the blue button)

 

There's also one separate lead that connects to the Zumo bracket for nav and music audio.

 

 

Overall it's pretty clean and slick package.

The tank comes off easy, contains all the Autocom stuff, still has room for little nicknacks and looks good on the bike.

 

 

 

 

--

Mikko

 

 

[Bud]

Nice! Well done. Thanks for the pics. It helps so much when trying to tell what you have done.

[RT Russ]

Very nice. That's very much what I hope to do for my bikes. I do hope for a bag a bit bigger than the Egg though. Nice set up!

 

Russ

[FlyingFinn]

Thanks.

 

When putting the Autocom stuff into tank bag (and on a GS there's very little space to put it anywhere else!) it's important to plan the wiring and all connections so that the there's a clean split between the "bag segment" and the "bike segment" so that the bag can be removed without too much hassle.

 

That also makes it easy to use same bag on multiple bikes, just replicate the bag mounts and connection points on each bike.

 

My second idea was to do exactly what the OP of this thread at Advrider has done.

 

 

Mounting a small Pelican case with a SW-Motech tank ring.

Comes on & off easy and is for sure 100% weather tight.

But after mocking it up on the GS the Pelican case was too much on the way for my taste.

 

--

Mikko

[RT Russ]

thanks Mikko. I looked at the Bags Connection/SW Motech stuff but it would be WELL over $400 to go that route. I've looked at Cortech Dryver but there seems to be an issue getting the mounting ring in a timely manner. At present I'm looking at the Givi T480. Givi USA told me I can get a second ring for $8.00. Looks like I could be set up for 2 bikes for around $180.00. I'm still thinking about it.....no need to rush.

 

Russ