CANBus Bikes  These new BMWs (and other makes now too) have this very sophisticated electrical system. See here for more information on the CANBus system. Do not modify a CanBUS bike's headlight system.

You can safely use certain connection points to tap switched power for a relay. Use a Posi-Tap for this purpose. DO NOT use a Scotchlock or other type of clamping tap as it will cut wires strands!

The CANBus bikes have an accessory socket up front which has a ground and two hot leads. However, the one hot lead is a pulsed lead from the speedo which is meant to connect to the BMW Navigator GPS system for a speed input. The other hot lead remains on for 30 seconds after shutting of the bike and so may not be a good choice for triggering a fusebox or Aux. Lights relay.

The Parking Light circuit is a good place to tap switching power. Some have tapped the rear diagnostic plug's blue/green for switched power.

In all cases I suggest using the inline diode option that I offer to prevent reverse EMF Voltage from going to the bike's expensive electronic components.

The stock BMW CANBus Socket has proven to be rather useless unless the special BMW charger is used. The Socket will not provide enough power for some heated clothing either. So keep the stock Socket and use it for whatever you can like a GPS etc, and install a Powerlet Socket either directly from the battery or into an unswitched circuit on a fuse panel. That way you can use a standard battery charger to charge the battery through the socket, and you can power your heated gear from the Socket as well.

INTRODUCTION

Let me try and straighten out some of this electrical accessory powering dilemma. First decide what you need to power on the bike. You might think about any future additions as well. Find out what options are available to mount and power them. Decide on where you'll mount them. Get or make an accessory shelf if necessary. Then you can decide on how best to power them all on your bike.

I will list up various problems and solutions. At the bottom of this page will be overall solutions and how to go about implementing them. This list will grow and change over time, based on actual customer solutions and problems. I hope that this page will help my customers find the right solutions to powering their accessories, and perhaps cut down on customer inquiries about these things as well. I seem to be answering many of these things over and over in E-mail and it's a lot of work keeping up with it. Here then, is a work in progress. I hope it helps someone.

SECTION ONE, LOW CURRENT ACCESSORIES

Some thoughts to start:
I think it's dumb to install special Powerlet sockets and plugs for all the low current stuff like GPS and Radar Detectors. It's just such a hassle and expense mounting a 15A socket for a 1A current draw. And we all want everything to look tidy and easy to use, as well as being sound and useful.

Two scenarios:
1 - accessory mounted on moving handlebar needs power on the bars. I have a GPS mounted on my bars and use a coiled power cord. The GPS is light and I'm careful about routing the wire so it never gets yanked by bar movement.

2 - accessory mounted on the fairing or dash shelf does not move and needs power nearby. An accessory shelf is a great thing to mount these low current accessories on. Your GPS, Radar Detector, etc. can be velcroed/strapped/glued/screwed to the shelf.

Personally I don't like anything heavy on my bars that might affect handling. Plus, I dislike wires going to the bars which are subject to pinching and pulling by handlebar movement. Even mounting something like a Powerbar on the handlebar requires that it's wires come up from the bike (likely under the tank) and those wires are constantly being twisted when the bars turn. However, if you have a Powerbar on the handlebar, that can work well if the leads to it are well sheathed and properly routed. The problem is many bikes these days don't have exposed handlebars, in fact many don't have the old round bars at all to mount to, but rather have fancy cast aluminum brackets which make up the 'bars'.

Where you mount accessories and how you power them depends a lot on how many of them you have.

Problem - multiple power feeds needed:
Power leads to various devices have different connection requirements. If the device allows the power cord to be easily unplugged at the unit end, you can use hardwired cords that are tie-wrapped or velcroed to their mount when not in use. This can work even on handlebar mounted accessories, using a simple cable tie.

Solutions:
Clean install of wires to shelf or bars - no plugs or sockets needed by hardwiring the feed end of all power cables. Take all wires to a fairing mounted fuse panel, or use large Posi-Locks on one set of fused leads from the battery to power several units up front. Put the Posi-Lock connectors in the fairing, tie-wrapped out of harms way. Run all leads from the accessories into the fairing through a small hole with rubber grommet. When you remove an accessory, unplug it's power cord and leave the cord in place (cable tied to the mount).

Problem - potential theft:
Potential theft of these accessories is always an important consideration. Just leaving your bike to go into a restaurant to eat lunch might require you to remove the GPS, Radar Detector, etc. If you have a plug in power cord on them you'll have to remove those too.

Solutions:
Hardwiring these units prevents their expensive adaptor cables from being stolen. Sure it's still possible some idiot might yank the adaptor out or cut it off, but then there's likely other stuff an idiot could yank or cut off your bike too ;-)

If a power cable is hard-wired it won't likely be stolen since it would have to be cut off. Thieves might take an expensive adaptor plugged into a socket and easy to remove, but a cut off adaptor is useless to them.

Problem - using accessories in two vehicles:
You may want to move devices from one bike to another, or from bike to car. The vehicles might have different sockets available. In these cases it is likely necessary to have separate power cords for each vehicle, for those accessories you want to move.

Solutions:
You might need adaptors, especially in a car which likely only has one Automotive socket. In a car, hardwiring is usually the solution for regularly used accessories like a GPS or Radar Detector. Adaptors are available though to plug in a Powerlet plug to a cigar socket. Using a splitter adaptor, several units can be powered from one car's cigar socket. This is not the answer though if you are using these items regularly in the car. In that case, hardwire in permanent power cords in the car where you need them. Extra power cords are usually cheaper than adaptors and extra sockets.

I keep one power cord for my GPS in the car with an Automotive plug on it, and have another adaptor with Powerlet plug for the bike (plus Ram suction cup mount for the car). This way I don't have to move the adaptor even if I do take it off the bike. I just take the GPS to the car and plug it in with the car adaptor. I should note that both are removable and not hard-wired, but I don't use a lot of accessories, mainly just the GPS.

If you have two bikes and want to swap your GPS, Radar Detector, etc. from one bike to the other, a solution might be to have two sets of power leads hard-wired on each bike. Keep in mind that if you only have one or two accessories, having plugs on each unit, and a socket for each can be a good solution. It's just that when you get the third unit, having three sockets up front on each bike gets to be a bit much.

Using a powered Tankbag is a good solution for some riders. It's easy to swap from bike to bike, and you only need one power socket on each bike to power a bunch of accessories. Some accessories are better off in a tankbag due to the vibration being so much less in a tankbag. As well, the tankbag will keep rain and dirt from accessories. Items like MP3 players, battery chargers, and cellphones are much better off in a tankbag.

But not everyone likes a tankbag or always uses one. And some items like a GPS are no good in a tankbag, you have to have it out where you can see it and use it.

Problem:
You have to find a way to make good clean electrical connections if you do hardwire accessories into your bike. You likely have a bunch of different wire sizes/types. And then there's the problem of where to go for the source of that power, where to run the power feeds, whether you need fuses on the units, etc.

Solutions:
PC-8 fuse panel in the fairing. This fuse panel makes it very easy to wire in a bunch of accessory power cords. If you want to wire in auxiliary lights, high powered horns, and accessories, then a fuse panel is your best option. You can wire all those things plus your low current accessories to the fuse panel.

But not everyone needs an expensive fuse panel. If you just want to run a few low current devices up front on your bike, you can use Posi-Locks to connect them all easily and safely to one set of leads to the battery. Posi-Fuseholders can be added to any wire for an inline fuseholder. These units allow you to shorten your power leads to just the length you need and put the fuseholder where you can access it. Add a Powerlet Socket for your heated clothing and like me, that's likely all you'll need.

Problem - expensive adaptors for each unit:
Power adaptors to various devices often have different socket requirements. And let's face it, many adaptors to power accessories are expensive. And you likely end up needing a separate expensive socket to plug each adaptor into. Then there's the problem of how and where to mount a socket (or two, or three).

Solutions:
 If the device allows the power cord to be easily unplugged at the unit, why not have hardwired cords that are cable tied or velcroed onto their mount (shelf) when not in use. This can work, even on handlebar mounted accessories. Why bother with a high quality plug and socket that's not necessary for a low current device. Since the units are likely always used on the bike, their cords never need to be removed from the bike. It makes no sense to have a plug and socket for each one. You just want to remove the devices easily when you're not riding the bike or going into a restaurant to eat lunch. You don't want to have to remove the adaptor cables too, and you don't want them stolen.

Some devices with Automotive plugs have built in Voltage converters in the plug. You can't just cut the plug off these and hard-wire them to the bike. However, Automotive sockets are large and generally not suited for bike use. Powerlet does make adaptor cables for most of these devices with inline Voltage converters. These can have their plugs removed and be hard-wired. Any device which runs on 12V like a Zumo can have its power cable hard wired to the bike without any Voltage convertor.

As stated before most of these devices with Automotive plugs are better off in a fairing pocket or tankbag in any case because their plugs are not waterproof and neither are the units. However some like my Legend C GPS needs to live outside and so I use a Powerlet adaptor with inline Voltage converter, curly cord, and a Powerlet plug. I remove it with the GPS when I'm leaving the bike. I could cut the plug off and hard-wire it if I had a lot of accessories and not enough sockets, but I don't. I also use its Socket for charging my battery.

I now use a Nuvi 550 on the bike, and it uses the same MiniUSB power adapter and a Powerbar Socket on the bars. Be careful with Mini and Micro USB cables. Do not get water into their plugs or they will be ruined.

SECTION TWO, HIGH CURRENT ACCESSORIES

Heated clothing, cigarette lighters, horns, heated grips, and auxiliary lights are some of the things you might want on your bike, that need special consideration to power them. These items generally need larger wiring, better connections, relays to switch them, and if they're removable like heated clothing, you'll want good quality Powerlet plugs and sockets.

Side Sockets:

Most of the low current devices need power up front on a bike, but some high current devices like heated clothing are better powered from a socket on the side of a bike. Putting a socket on the side of a bike is usually pretty easy. The battery is close by and little wire routing is needed. Usually there's no need to remove anything major like the gas tank, and there's plenty of frame tubes and bolts to mount up a socket bracket.

If you have a regular passenger you could mount two sockets on the side of your bike, for powering heated clothing for rider and passenger. You can run two circuits of wire to the Sockets, or you can use an adaptor that gives you two sockets from one socket connector using a second socket wiring kit.

Front Sockets:

There are very few good solutions to adding a socket to a bike with no fairing. The Powerlet Powerbar is a great unit that goes on the handlebar (or frame tube) and provides a high quality socket where you can plug in anything you want. But it only provides one socket, and it's expensive and bulky.

Fairings are great places to drill a hole and mount a Powerlet socket. You can mount one on a knee pad, front shelf, accessory shelf, or instrument panel depending on what your fairing has to offer that is best for a mounting location. A Powerlet Panelmount Socket works great on an accessory shelf or flush on the surface of a fairing.

Dangling Adaptors:

SAE cords tucked up under the seat or tie-wrapped to the frame on the side of a bike are not good long term solutions. They will corrode, get pinched and short out, get caught on things, and generally aren't the answer in the long run. However, I do sell the new Powerlet SAE cords that have a tethered cap on the end to keep out moisture and dirt.

SAE cords coming out the front of your gas tank have to be carefully routed and tied up. They often get caught in the moving parts of your steering and get chewed up. Be careful!

When it comes to an inline Powerlet or Cigar socket that is on the end of a cable, I do sell Powerlet clips that can hold these inline sockets in place. These clips can be mounted in many different places on the bike and make it easy to keep your inline sockets from getting munched by the fork tubes etc.

SECTION THREE, OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Switched or Unswitched?

Most accessories, you'll want to be powered when the bike is running, and go off when you turn the key off. However, for some items like a GPS or Communicator, you might want to have them remain on, even when the bike is off. This is the way I like my GPS connected and I use an unswitched Socket for it.

I can also charge my bike battery through the same unswitched socket. I often stop my bike somewhere and still want to use the GPS to see the route up ahead etc. Yes my GPS runs on batteries when needed, but I like to conserve batteries and like full back lighting on the GPS at all times.

Using a relay is a good way to have power switched by the bike automatically. Or a good way to safely use a manual switch on a high current device. You can power low current devices through a decent switch without a relay. You can also use a Heavy Duty Relay to switch a fuse panel, either manually or by the bike's ignition.

The simplest way to power something Unswitched, is to run a set of leads with a fuseholder from the battery to the unit. If you have more than two of these, you get too many connectors on the battery and a fuse panel is needed.

Fuse Panels:

A fuse panel is a really great thing to have. First, it means less connections to your battery. Second, it makes it easy to wire in accessories with shorter leads and individual fuses. The best place to put a fuse panel, if possible, is up front in the fairing. If you have no fairing, you will have to mount it somewhere else. Maybe you can mount one under the seat, beside the battery, or as a last resort maybe in the tail section. I now make and sell various wire looms that make it easy to run a bunch of power and ground wires from the tail or under seat area to the front of a bike. Also, take a look at my 3 Circuit Solution if your power needs are more modest.

Posi-Locks:

Some of the Posi-Locks can be used to connect multiple wires into one wire. These are great for connecting many low current devices into one larger set of wire leads. For example, four sets of bullet connectors can be attached to two large Posi-Locks on a set of leads with fuseholder back to the battery. This is a nice neat way to connect a bunch of low current devices up front on your bike. Remember though that the fuse must sized to protect the smallest wire in the group.

Accessory Relay Kits:

These Kits are great for ignition switched powering of combinations of high and low current devices without a fuse panel. You can connect one or two switched Powerlet Sockets and a hard-wire several low current devices. I now have Socket Adaptors that will allow you to hardwire and run a Socket from one Socket T-Connector. When you turn the bike off, everything wired to this Kit will also go off.

The Accessory Relay Kits can also be controlled by a manual switch. The Accessory Relay Kits can all accept a manual switch, be ignition switched, or both.

Switches:

Getting the right switch and installing a switch are sometimes even more difficult than installing a socket on a bike. Some things like Auxiliary Lights are best controlled with a bar mounted switch, while other things like sockets are fine when used with a fairing mounted switch. Again, a bike with no fairing makes it more difficult to mount a switch.

I am currently sourcing more switch solutions for bikes. I do have some sealed toggle switches with rubber boots and sealed rocker switches that are great for fairing mounts. I also have a small waterproof push button switch that can be strapped or velcroed to the bars for switching Auxiliary lights.

Nobody wants to drill a hole in their brand new bike's fairing or dash panel. But let's look at the facts. You want to use your Radar Detector, GPS, etc on your bike and you want to do it right. You'll have the bike for awhile, and you don't have to remove your sockets, switches, fuse panels, etc when you sell it. Drill holes where needed, do a good job, and wire everything in well and you will have a feature when selling the bike, not empty holes in the fairing or messy wiring. Don't dangle adaptors around your bike because you can't bear to drill a hole in that expensive fairing panel. Just do it right!

SECTION FOUR, CONCLUSIONS:

Hard wiring low current devices just makes sense. Besides, you can avoid drilling larger holes for sockets, and run these wires as a group with sheathing and a grommet into your fairing with one smaller hole. You might have to take your fairing off, but do it right and you'll only have to do it once. With a fuse panel, adding more wires is so easy that you can run wires now for future additions without having to remove the fairing again. Try and find a place like a fairing pocket with a door to install your fuse panel. Or, if your fuse panel is less accessible, install a few extra wires while you're in there and you can leave a Posi-Lock on the end of each in a more accessible location, ready for future additions.

If you need to have a Powerlet Socket up front, find the best place to mount it. Look carefully at the back of where the socket will go to make sure you have enough clearance for the wires. Get a low profile socket if you don't have much clearance. Use a rubber boot on the back where possible. Then drill the hole for the socket. Wire it up right the first time, with the right wiring and connectors.

If you have any further questions, please and I'll try and work up a solution to your needs. Everyone has different accessories, bike, and needs. There is no one answer that fits all.