BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

I’ve done some research and I think I know what I need but I have a handful of remaining questions:


1- can the fat touring saddle be used with a pillion seat?


2- will the passenger be extremely cramped on the pegs with the service duty panniers? Photos seem to suggest so. My pillion has smaller feet so maybe ok?


3- I read that the front spring is HD to account for the weight of the secondary battery. I’m 215 lbs in my socks. If I remove it will I find the front end harsh?

I’m laughing at myself that this would be my first post. Of course I would buy a project.


I’m open to any sources for inexpensive parts, helpful links, etc.


I’m also curious- BMW equips these bikes with police lights and all from the factory. The original owner was a cycling moto-ref and supposedly bought it out of a warehouse in NJ as a crate bike. Seeing as there are no holes for light modules in the rear trunk/seat cowl/hump, is it possible there is another designation for service duty bikes than police units or perhaps he simply opted to not have them installed. I just thought I saw reference to the idea online.


Thank you for any/all info!

Found this video which might be helpful, Police Bike to Civilian Bike Project - YouTube

1 - Don't know what a fat touring saddle is but it shows a rider and pillion seat being used together.

2 - To fit passenger pegs, it looks like the rear crash bars/pannier racks need to be removed.

3 - The weight of the battery is ~14 lbs, if the rider was this much heavier, would the front spring be HD.

From the photos I've see of the rear, any additional lighting modules are bracketed to the bike without making holes in the rear trunk/seat cowl/hump.

Seen someone at my local bike cafe who converted a Pold bike to a civvy bike. He said the biggest problem was fitting a pillion seat. The first was compared to a standard bike the panniers are mounted more forward hence the lack of legroom on the Police bike. He had to buy lots of parts to fit normal panniers and on removing the seat hump box he also needed the parts for the locking mechanism and the frame panels etc. The Pold seat can be kept as it is a standard front seat. He bought 99% of the parts used from eBay but said it wasn't a cheap job to do

Front spring is HD due to all the agressive and numerous stop/starts done expected in police driving, not to ofset the battery weight.


The metro panniers are longer and more forward than regular - everything I've seen says that they will interfere with passenger.


Not all authority bikes are ordered or come from the factory with light pods. Looks like yours was one of those as I don't see any holes for the pods.

I own a 2006 RTP ex Strathclyde Police in Scotland. It wasn't converted by me but it was the previous owner, he said as much as he enjoyed converting it, he wouldn't do another conversion. My bike has the full bmw luggage not the police issue small cases.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Thanks for all the insight. Thinking either move the factory bags back somehow or I have a quick release kit for DIY applications (like mounting pelican cases). I have some airhead Krauser bags that might fit the bill. Either that or I’ll try to source some crashed bags to refurbish.

I converted my R1200RTP back to civillian, this was my parts list which I eventually sourced outside of the UK from a country that doesn't use RTP models, that way prices are not at a premium.

https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthrea ... ost5379958

46547699903 Case Holder Left
46547699904 Case Holder Right
07129904588 M6X16-8.8-ZNS3 We need 8
Rear seat pod lock release  £20.00
46547681144 Luggage rack
46547681147 Left rear handle
46547681148 Right rear handle
46712310403 Foot rest rear left £25.00
46712310404 Foot rest rear right £25.00
46717664225 Foot rest rubber We need 2 £ 8.00 EA
46627692858 License plate holder £45.00
46627682759 Rear tray £25.00
71607694184 Rear mudguard £30.00


This is the list of parts I purchased:
1. Seat heated, black rear (part no. 52537683652)
2. Adapter cable for seat heater, rear (61127688147)
3. Rear seat lock (?)
4. Luggage grid (46547681144)
5. HANDLE REAR LEFT (46547681147)
6. HANDLE REAR RIGHT (46547681148)
7. Pannier holder left (46547699903)
8. Pannier holder right (46547699904)
9. Footrest rear left (46712310403)
10. Footrest rear right (46712310404)
11. Pin x2 (46717654258)
12. Circlip x2 (07119901545)
13. Footrest rubber x2 (46717664225)

14. Pannier back half, with fittings left (46547714437)
15. Pannier lid left (46547679271)
16. Pannier back half, with fittings right (71607699902)
17. Pannier lid right (46547679272)

Here is an 2018 R1200RTP I converted. Went well. I hadn't anticipated the need to buy a standard horn and an EZYCan to run it all. The most costly part was getting someone to snip all the police wiring and tuck it away. I did all else, which was like Lego...and fun.