Gutting Graf Zeppelin

Thanks, Ron, for the before picture of the bike.

Last Saturday, Ron, Buster and I spent most of the day gutting Graf Zeppelin. And bickering. We installed a RAM Mount for a Garmin 276C, the motorcycle power and audio cable for same, and a BMW accessory plug. Did I mention we bickered a lot?

The RAM mount attached to a bolt hole in the middle of the "triple clamp," under the plastic cap, located beneath the adjustable handlebar. I used a three inch arm to connect the bottom ball to the 276C holder.

We hard-wired the motorcycle power and audio cable to the battery, conveniently located under the small fairing piece just in front of the gas filler nozzle and just under the mounted GPS. The Garmin-supplied cable includes an audio-out patch cord which will allow interface with the BMW/J&M communications system yet to be installed.



Likewise, the BMW accessory plug was wired directly to the battery. The large side fairing piece required removal for this installation.

Both wirings either had or were fitted with in-line fuses.

And now for the rest of the story.... We bickered for hours. Several of us wanted to install a Centech fuse panel, switched with a relay, and route all wiring through that. One of us pointed out that we were only installing two items, one of which would be less useable if switched.

BMW uses a new wiring system in the K1200GT. The CAN Buss is a one-wire system, somewhat like ethernet. Amperage limitations exist, so battery tenders, air pumps, and most important, heated clothing may not run with an accessory plug fitted through the CAN Buss.

Projects One and Two complete. I owe Ron and Buster lunch for their help.