In and Under Seat Storage for the BMW K1200RS
by Deryle Mehrten
The storage in and under the seat of a BMW K1200RS is limited to say the least. I don’t believe BMW meant for K1200RS owners to carry any kind of tool kit, or pack a bunch of other stuff under the seat like most of us do.
Here is how I’ve made the best use of the space in and under the seat of my 1998 K1200RS.
First, the evaporative canister has been removed from my bike. The tool bag slides into that vacated space. The BMW rear lug nut wrench is about the longest tool I have and it fits fine. I have a fairly comprehensive set of general tools.
Between the right side cover and the frame rail I stuff our first aid kit. I put the kit together based on Dr. Flash Gordon’s excellent article. You can find it at: http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/firstaid.html.
I stuff the tire repair kit between the left side cover and frame rail. To make this fit a bit better, I removed the clip that holds the diagnostics socket that is attached to the frame that normally resides here. I zip tied the socket to the bundle of wires just below it, freeing up quite a bit of room.
The tire repair kit is a collection of pieces that you should be able to get at any motorcycle or bicycle shop. I recommend replacing any tubes of glue or sticky string plugs every year. They tend to dry out and lose their stick. I carry the type of co2 cartridges that are readily available at any big discount store.
The bag of “stuff” goes right over the battery. I don’t use the stock tool tray, it’s just too small. “Stuff” covers a lot of ground - cell phone charger, Leatherman, duct tape, multi-meter, wire, etc. Before we leave for the BMW MOA National this year there will probably be a few additional items of “stuff”!
In the OEM seat compartment we carry the vehicle registration and proof of insurance, along with a BMW MOA Anonymous Book. I also squeeze in a set of jumper cables stuffed into a nice bag Wanda made.
The last few items are a bit hidden: three feet of plastic tubing stuffed under the rear tail light; our Autocom intercom 9-volt power supply just under the left side frame rail; and both of our Gerbing Jacket power supply cords tucked into vacant space between the left side cover and frame rail.
Well, that’s it. Most of this stuff (less the tools) used to be in the tank bag. Now the tank bag carries a whole fresh batch of stuff looking for a home under the seat !