General topics » GPS cradle removal?

Anyone remove their GPS cradle? What's involved? As a potential buyer with no need for GPS, I'd want to remove the cradle. I suppose I could have the dealer do it on delivery, but was curious if there's any complexity involved in the removal.

Thanks.

4 bolt removal. T30 if memory serves. not hard.

However, you'll want to source replacement bolts of shorter length for a more finished look once removed.

If dealer will do, ask for parts back and hope they have suitable, shorter bolts.

Your dealer can supply the replacement bolts. I think mine cost £8 for all 4. Yes I know I could have saved £3 by buying them off eBay, but I thought what the heck! Torque to 19Nm. It looks so much nicer without the mount there.
That’s the easy bit. You may need to remove some panels to get a the connector down under the tank on the right hand side. I repositioned mine so didn’t have to do that part.

Zitat von BEARR im Beitrag #1

---

Anyone remove their GPS cradle? What's involved? As a potential buyer with no need for GPS, I'd want to remove the cradle. I suppose I could have the dealer do it on delivery, but was curious if there's any complexity involved in the removal.

Thanks.

---

Zitat von BEARR im Beitrag #1

---

Anyone remove their GPS cradle? What's involved? As a potential buyer with no need for GPS, I'd want to remove the cradle. I suppose I could have the dealer do it on delivery, but was curious if there's any complexity involved in the removal.

Thanks.

---

Zitat von Mr. 36654 im Beitrag #6

---

Removing the throttle side tank panels to disconnect the cable is the hardest part of the job. Should be several threads on the topic.


https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php...=cradle+removal

---

Easily done.. replacement bolts either from dealer (dry reaming) or online (motorworks.co.U.K.) but not essential. Don’t need to remove side fairing - just use long snips to cut zip ties retaining the cable (be careful not to cut cable!!), disconnect and replace zip tie. Feed out cable and remove cradle. Simples.

Zitat von mattblack000 im Beitrag #8

---

Easily done.. replacement bolts either from dealer (dry reaming) or online (motorworks.co.U.K.) but not essential. Don’t need to remove side fairing - just use long snips to cut zip ties retaining the cable (be careful not to cut cable!!), disconnect and replace zip tie. Feed out cable and remove cradle. Simples.

---

ha. it is way easier if you remove the right side panel. I suspect if you can get lucky enough to be able to reach all the zip ties with the forks turned all the way left, they're just behind the frame piece there and then it's not so bad. where the GPS connects, however, can be tucked away in a dark place that's conveniently located near a sharp piece of the frame, so it was much easer to push a bit from the side to get at. could be my hands are too big or wrist not flexible enough too lol

Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #11

---

Zitat von Mr. 36654 im Beitrag #9

---

Zitat von mattblack000 im Beitrag #8

---

Easily done.. replacement bolts either from dealer (dry reaming) or online (motorworks.co.U.K.) but not essential. Don’t need to remove side fairing - just use long snips to cut zip ties retaining the cable (be careful not to cut cable!!), disconnect and replace zip tie. Feed out cable and remove cradle. Simples.

---

I would love to see a video of you doing that cable removal. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm just admitting you're a better man than me.

---

I gave up trying to undo the connector. It was hidden behind the frame and I gave up skinning my knuckles disassembling barely accessible wiring harnesses when I moved from fixing assembly cock-ups on a Xerox production line in 1990. There is a nice space behind the top right panel so I just cable tied the cradle into that space an refitted the panel. It will be a little bonus for any future owner of the bike if I haven't been arsed to restore the bike to stock, or have dropped dead.

---

Hi
I did remove it completely and it is a bit of a phaff to get the connector out, as you do need to remove the right fairing, but if I can do it anyone can and far better looking without the cradle. Easy enough to put back in if you want to sell on but my local BMW garage have already told me, if and when I want to trade in, just hand them the cradle unit and it won’t affect the value, as they will sort it. I have also added a usb charge point running from the connector to handle bars and works great with my mobile and ultimateaddons waterproof case.

When I got the 2016, no cradle but the bolts were there. First thing I did was find a cradle for my Nav4. I make no trips without the Nav unit up and running. I dislike being on the road and wondering "where to hell am I", or "how far to the next direction change" etc.

It's become somewhat of a crutch, and not being much of a tech type, now that I've used it to move about the country, it's far easier than pulling out my cheat sheet made before trips in the past. Some technology just helps and some isn't that helpful.

Moving from Fairbanks to Az on the way home [ 4K miles ], I hit home on the Nav and headed out. Take as many side roads as I want to explore in various areas, and didn't need to know how to find my way back to get on the correct path once more, the Nav directed me for 4K miles and NOT once did I not know where I was or how far it was to the nearest gas, room, food, while in the middle of nowhere in BC and Yukon territory.

Gone are the days of swinging into fire depts, police stations, or asking strangers I'd just pull up to. I've become more self sufficient in that regard. My old system moved me about the country, but once I got into a city, it was stop and ask, stop and ask, stop and ask instead of today, punching in an addy and just getting there.

I use my phone as a phone, I don't want it out in the open exposed to the heat of the day while riding. It's detrimental to the electronics and the phone costs more than any damned gps to begin with. As a back up in emergencies should something go haywire with the Nav, fine, but it's a work around not a primary source of directions.

It’s probably somewhere on this site, but who has found a mount (in the US) for placement above the dash?