Canbus installation for trailer plug (and other accessories)

[Aussie-Hoss]

installing a canbus on the R 18 series is (as it turns out) a simple operation. I used the HEX ezCAN K1600 unit. See the attached installation guide that I and the tow-hitch installer wrote. On my Transcontinental I had a tow hitch made by TEXASSIDECARS. It is a bespoke hitch as no-one has previously manufactured one. I understand that TEXASSIDECARS are intending on producing this hitch commercially. In a nutshell - DO NOT install the canbus to the wiring loom under the seat. It is installed into the DWA (ALARM MODULE) which is located above the battery behind the left side panel. The OBD-II port sits in a cup housing located at the front of the DWA module which has to be removed to expose the left plug housing on the DWA module. It is into that socket that the canbus is connected, and the existing DWA plug is connected to the socket on the canbus. The fused + wire from the canbus controller module is then fed under the mono-shock to the right side of the bike and connected to the remote + battery terminal, and the earth - wire connected into the existing unused tapped M8 hole on the top of the seat sub-frame (or anywhere else you might like to connect it - this location is ready made and the easiest to use). FOR A DETAILED INSTRUCTION GUIDE - SEE THE ATTACHMENT.

Hexcan HEX ezCAN® K1600 canbus BMW R 18 installation guide UPDATED 30Aug2024

 

[Aussie-Hoss]

TOW BAR [trailer hitch] + trailer wire socket fitted to R18 Transcontinental. Hitch is from Texas Sidecars. Claimed tongue weight of 40lbs (yes as a citizen of the rest of the civilized world I had to do an online conversion to derive 19kg tongue weight (rounded to 20kg tongue weight) - equates to a AGM of around 200kg [440lbs] for the trailer [using the 10% rule], or for the really adventurous who want to use the 2/3 rule for the Transcontinental kerb weight of 427kg a trailer AGM of 285kg's [628lbs]. NOTE - BMW Rider Manual states that the maximum payload for the R18 Transcontinental is 203kg [447lbs]... quick math - 203kg [447lbs] less 30kg [66lb] being 10kg [22lb] in each case = 173kg less 20kg tongue weight = in theory you could then carry a 153kg [337lb/24st] pillion passenger (important note - get a lighter friend)