• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Integrated Garage Door Opener...

marlen.padberg

New member
Hey all! Always enjoy starting a conversation thread here - so many people chime in with good ideas, and what to avoid. I purchased myself a new R1250RT and its in right now for its 1000km service checkup (actually went in with 3000 kms - oops!) Anyways, one of the things I've always done on all my bikes is integrate a garage door opener on them. On my old 2010 RT, I took the plate where the audio controls typically go, and drilled a hole, mounted a small push-button and soldered in a dissected garage door opener, and mounted it behind the fairing panel. My old RT did not have the audio system, so that audio controls panel was just a plate and plenty of room.

Now onto my new RT... What have you guys done to integrated a Garage door opener? Flash to open? Mount a switch somewhere? I was thinking about a flash to open, but I'm sure somebody with some basic circuit building skills could easily reproduce the same thing with an output that is a pair of wires that will be contacted together (like the button on my old RT).

Has anybody built their own flash-to-open type device and tied into the high beam switch? Locate a switch somewhere else? Where? Other solutions? I'd prefer a garage door opener mounted on the bike, not in my pocket (multiple jackets).

How did you solve this problem?

Marlen.
2010 R1200RT 133,000 kms
2019 R1250RT 3000 kms
 
I have a ‘19 R1250GSA with Clearwater Darla lights. One of the outputs from their system is a line that goes high with the high beam. I connected a relay timer to it that holds a 12V input high for 2 seconds and then drops it (regardless of the high beam status). The output is connected to the battery terminals of a 12V garage door opener programmed for the door. I shorted the switch contacts so when 12V is applied at the battery terminals, it activates the remote. Flash the high beam and the door opens/closes without the opener getting more than 2 seconds of power. It worked beautifully until the opener motor failed about 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, the new opener (same brand) isn’t nearly as sensitive to RF, so it’s not “seeing” the remote buried in the tail. Until I figure out a new weatherproof solution, I’m just using one of the remotes in my tankbag.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
My solution is slightly less elegant than the approaches you mentioned. I simply put the garage door opener in the left locked compartment. When I want to open the garage door I open the compartment and push the button. I know. Pretty low tech. But it works. Every time!
 
Sounds like a lot of work to re-invent the wheel. :)

I use a keychain opener on a mini-carabiner clipped to my tank bag or a jacket zipper; it goes bike-to-bike with me. But if I wanted just a button on the bodywork I’d pick up one of these. Unfortunately, Revzilla is out of stock on them right now—but maybe another vendor has one on the shelf.

Best,
DeVern
 
I installed a mini three channel door opener to the inside top of the right side cubby using two dual-lock fasteners. I just pop that open and have easy, secure access to the remote.
 
garage door opener

Hey all! Always enjoy starting a conversation thread here - so many people chime in with good ideas, and what to avoid. I purchased myself a new R1250RT and its in right now for its 1000km service checkup (actually went in with 3000 kms - oops!) Anyways, one of the things I've always done on all my bikes is integrate a garage door opener on them. On my old 2010 RT, I took the plate where the audio controls typically go, and drilled a hole, mounted a small push-button and soldered in a dissected garage door opener, and mounted it behind the fairing panel. My old RT did not have the audio system, so that audio controls panel was just a plate and plenty of room.

Now onto my new RT... What have you guys done to integrated a Garage door opener? Flash to open? Mount a switch somewhere? I was thinking about a flash to open, but I'm sure somebody with some basic circuit building skills could easily reproduce the same thing with an output that is a pair of wires that will be contacted together (like the button on my old RT).

Has anybody built their own flash-to-open type device and tied into the high beam switch? Locate a switch somewhere else? Where? Other solutions? I'd prefer a garage door opener mounted on the bike, not in my pocket (multiple jackets).

How did you solve this problem?

Marlen.
2010 R1200RT 133,000 kms
2019 R1250RT 3000 kms

this is not my father's Oldsmobile! I just put a door opener on my jacket pocket and push it when I leave to close and push it when I arrive to open the door. I can do that with the pocket zipped close and my gloves on. What's the purpose of integrating it into the bike??? With "multiple jackets" you just move it to another pocket:)
 
this is not my father's Oldsmobile! I just put a door opener on my jacket pocket and push it when I leave to close and push it when I arrive to open the door. I can do that with the pocket zipped close and my gloves on. What's the purpose of integrating it into the bike??? With "multiple jackets" you just move it to another pocket:)

Ditto. Works a treat and is pretty secure.
 
this is not my father's Oldsmobile! I just put a door opener in my jacket pocket and push it when I leave to close and push it when I arrive to open the door. I can do that with the pocket zipped close and my gloves on. What's the purpose of integrating it into the bike??? With "multiple jackets" you just move it to another pocket:)

This also means if you ride more than one bike you don't have to wire each bike for a garage opener. I've used this same opener in the pocket method for years. Also, when I sold my last bike I didn't lose the garage door opener.
 
If you are wearing an Apple watch, install a HomeKit controlled garage door opener that works off your WiFi. Once set up, all you have to do is say ”Open Garage” while sitting on your running bike.

I'm sure something similar exists for Android watches.
 
My solution is slightly less elegant than the approaches you mentioned. I simply put the garage door opener in the left locked compartment. When I want to open the garage door I open the compartment and push the button. I know. Pretty low tech. But it works. Every time!

I am doing the same thing with the remote control for the security gates at work. Low tech it works all the time and if an opener goes bad you take the old one out and put the new one in.:thumb A real plus is no mods to the bike that need to be fixed when you trade it in.
 
Momentary switch hack...

sSZqE5S.jpg


TFiErIm.jpg
 
... On my old 2010 RT, I took the plate where the audio controls typically go, and drilled a hole, mounted a small push-button and soldered in a dissected garage door opener, and mounted it behind the fairing panel. My old RT did not have the audio system, so that audio controls panel was just a plate and plenty of room....

That's the solution that works best for me. I lost one opener carrying it in the tank bag - not totally zipped for easy access, flipped it over when gassing up, I think.
Opener in pocket does not work for me, too much room for it to move around in the pocket, so I have to hunt for it and it sometimes gets flipped over so the buttons are on the wrong side. With gloves, it just means too much time with my hand off the bar while on approach to the driveway. And that's assuming I remembered to transfer the remote from my other jacket. On the bike, I can find it quickly without looking because it is always in the same spot. It also comes in handy when working in the garage because I'm usually closer to the bike than the other door buttons at the house door.
 
While this appears to be an attractive solution I understand this can be an expensive alternative and often has unwanted feedback.

As a stand alone product that is probably true. But if you get it as part of a package deal it’s pretty economical.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I have a small remote on the fairing near the speaker. I attached the remote with Scotchlock so I can stow it when I am traveling away from home. The speaker shields the remote from rain a bit. I've had it soaked in the rain once and had to replace the battery when it dried out.

I have a similar setup on the R80RT using a larger remote. The R80RT used to sit outside at work so I added tape to make the remote more water resistant. I solved the problem by retiring so the R80RT does not have to sit outside anymore.

IMG_2264.jpgIMG_2265.jpeg
 
Back
Top