Wiring a Garmin Montana GPS directly to the watercooled 2013 R 1200 GS Battery
This step by step tutorial shows how to easily wire a Garmin Montana GPS unit to your BMW R1200GS water boxer (2013-on) by removing the appropriate body panels, and running the wires to the battery for power. While the instructions picture a Garmin Montana GPS unit being installed, the methods can be applied to just about any GPS wiring kit.
Synopsis:
These instructions are for connecting the GPS directly to the motorcycle battery. In this case you will be able to use the GPS with the motorcycle key in the OFF position. Remember to turn your GPS OFF or the GPS can drain your motorcycle battery it left operating for a long time while the motorcycle engine is OFF. For long-term storage it is advisable to remove the 2A fuse from the fuseholder.
During this install you will need to remove the seat, the battery cover (at right side ahead of seat) and the center tank cover. Remove a couple screws to loosen the side tank cover and run the wire behind the cover. The power is taken from the motorcycle “jump” terminal.
Garmin Montana 600 in the TOURATECH 065-0599 Locking vibration-isolated GPS mount. The mount is designed to fasten to the OEM fairing brace below the windscreen.
Before you start, you’ll need the following equipment:
- T25 Torx Driver
- T30 Torx Driver
- Montana GPS Unit
- 065-0599 or 065-0600 Locking GPS
- G11654 AMPS motorcycle cradle w/ wiring harness
- Two ring terminals
- Crimp tool for ring terminals
- Zipties
First, remove the R 1200 GS seat. Remove the battery cover on the right side of the motorcycle, just ahead of the seat, it is held on with one Torx T25 screw.
Remove the five screws that secure the center tank cover. You will need a Torx T25 and T30 screwdiver.
With the five screws out, wiggle the center tank cover at the bottom end near the seat. The tank cover is fitted around the tank filler by a friction fit. As you wiggle the bottom while pulling vertically upward the cover will slide off the tank filler.
Remove the two screws on the right-side tank cover, and the two screws of the black fairing piece below. Flex the cover away from the tank just enough to slide the wire behind the cover in the approximate path shown by the arrows..
The wire will exit behind the frame tube, directly above the battery.
Coil the extra wire in this area ahead of the fuel filler. There is lots of space for this coil. In this picture, the audio plug will not be used.
This pic shows the wire exiting to the battery behind the frame tube. Using a ring terminal, connect the black wire to the battery negative. Using another ring terminal, connect the red input to the fuseholder to the “jump terminal”.
The G11654 Montana cradle wiring has three extra wires for data, they are Green, Yellow and Brown. You can cut these wires off at their base, there is no possible use for them on a motorcycle. The only wires you will be using are the Red for 12v+ and Black wire for 12v Ground.
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