While John talks about using a
Thunderbird bag, this process works equally well with the ST or RS bags - Eric
I just completed making an "Electrified" Triumph tankbag for my
Thunderbird. With my new tankbag set up, I can easily plug in my Widder
electric vest, my electric gloves and my radar detector. As an added bonus the
bag has a switchable map light. With a few changes, this will also work on any
of the Triumph classic bikes and the sportbikes (even the Trophy but you guys
have a fairing to put electric sockets into).
Materials:
1. Triumph Thunderbird tank bag; A9518001; price is around $130 (substitute
Daytona bag for Daytona,etc.)
2. BMW tank bag electrification kit; 970925; price is around $160 (dealer let
me have one for $110)
3. Uni-Solar 2' fused battery cable; MBC-FBC 2; price is around $10 (got mine
from West Marine--this is a fusible link that is attached to the battery and
allows for a quick connect/disconnect using a one way plug to avoid switching
polarity, can also be used with Battery Tender charger)
4. Marinco Delux 12V receptacle; 12VRC; price is around $13 (this is a
cigarette lighter style socket-got it from West Marine)
5. Cole Hersee Co. trailer connection; 11172; price is around $3; (from West
Marine-allows for a quick connect/disconnect using a plug that can only be used
one way to avoid switching polarity)
6. While at West Marine, you will also need to pick up a10 amp fuse (slow fuse
if they have it) and several heat shrink tubes to waterproof all joints and
connections.
The BMW electrification panel consists of two 3" by 3" aluminum
plates, containing two BMW style electric sockets, a map light within the
panel, the wiring, connectors and a switched third socket for inside the
tankbag. The two aluminum plates make up the frame and one plate fits on the
outside of the tankbag and one plate fits on the inside. The two plates are
screwed together with five screws and keep the tankbag rigid at that point. I
like the Triumph tankbags because they are very well made, are rigid and
waterproof. On the Thunderbird tankbag, there is a small, removable pocket in
the front (the front being that part of the bag the rider sees while riding).
This pocket part zips in and out and that is where I mounted the BMW panel.
Take out the maplight and the two sockets from the panel frame and screw the
two plates in (use a drill to drill the holes after lining up the outside and
inside panel plates). Next use a soldering iron to cut the square hole for the
maplight and the two round holes for the sockets. The tankbag is made up
plastic and nylon so the soldering iron works great for this. Put in the map
light and two sockets and connect the wiring that came with the BMW panel.
There is a small hole in the panel to allow the BMW wiring to come out the
front (towards the rider). Cut the two small male push pins off the end of the
BMW wiring and connect the quick connect (Cole Hersee trailer connector-red
wire to BMW white/red wire and black wire to the BMW brown wire). Solder the
connections and use shrink wrap tubes to waterproof everything. Connect the
Uni-solar fused battery cable to the battery, red to positive and black to
negative. Install a ten amp fuse (the Uni-solar has a waterproof fuse holder
for a "ATC blade" fuse). I substituted a Marinco cigarette lighter
style socket for the third BMW style socket (that is inside the tankbag)
because my Valentine radar detector uses that size). I glued Velcro to the
bottom of my detector so I can attach the detector to the Triumph tankbag which
already has Velcro on the top.
Put the tankbag on, connect to the quick connect, put on your electric vest and
think warm and fuzzy thought while riding. This setup is not the cheapest way
to connect up to the battery but the Triumph electric tankbag setup is very
trick looking and works wonderful. The maplight and sockets are right where you
want them, immediately in front of you as you ride. You can easily take your
tankbag off at night with the quick connect plugs and the quick connect can be
used with a Battery Tender to charge your battery. I have the quick connect
wire from the battery rout ed under the gas tank and above the chrome
"900" panel to the tankbag. If I want to take the tankbag off and
hide the wire, I take the seat off and pull the quick connect plug back through
leave it rolled up just in front of the toolbag underneath the seat.
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