Fitting a CHIGEE AIO-6 MAX to a 2009 BMW R1200RT SE

An owner's account, shared with permission.

We bought our R1200RT SE in late 2024 from its first owner. It had 26,000 km on the clock and had been looked after properly, and we have spent the time since punting it around Tasmania.

That is about to change. We are taking the bike to the mainland, over roads I have not ridden in nearly forty years. Tasmania is small enough that a phone in a cradle will get you through the day. A long trip on unfamiliar roads is a different job. Kurviger on the phone was not going to cut it, so I bought a CHIGEE AIO-6 MAX.

Which left one problem: how to mount it.

The mounting problem on a pre-2010 RT

Accessories for bikes of this vintage are getting harder to find every year. I also wanted to run the CHIGEE quick release plate, so the display could come off the bike whenever it was parked. That ruled out any solution where the screen lives permanently on the bar.

I looked at two mounts. Both attach to the upper instrument trim shroud, which is the natural place for a screen on an RT — it sits high, central, and just below your line of sight.

Option 1 — a Wunderlich-style GPS mount.

Wunderlich used to make a GPS mount for the up-to-2009 bikes. They are no longer producing it . A well-made alternative that looks identical is available here: Amazon AU listing

The one that arrived did look identical to the Wunderlich part. I never fit-checked it, because the other mount had already arrived and was assembled. If you go this way, the question to answer first is whether the four red silicone bushes can still be used once the quick release plate is on top.

Option 2 — Hornig GPS Mount 3 for 2005–2009 RTs.

This one takes an adapter for a 1" RAM ball, and CHIGEE offers a 1" RAM ball adapter for the display. Problem solved.

Hornig GPS Mount 3

I went with the Hornig because it arrived first.

Both mounts are third-party parts. CHIGEE does not sell or test them, and fitment here was confirmed on one bike only. If you are choosing a mount for a different model, start with the CHIGEE mount selection guide.

Powering the display

I ran the AIO-6 MAX from a spare channel on my HEX ezCAN. There is a CHIGEE support article covering this: Can I use HEX ezCAN to power the device instead of connecting directly to the battery?

On my bike the wiring went as follows:

• Black (−ve) to black
• Red (+ve) to the channel colour
• Yellow (ACC) to the banded channel colour

I did not need to join the yellow and red leads into a single pin. From there, configure the channel's software fuse in the ezCAN app, and set a shutdown delay if you want one. It works.

If you are not running an ezCAN, the standard route is a hardwired connection to ACC or the battery, as described in the AIO-6 MAX documentation.

Fitting the mount

Do the assembly work on the bench first. It is much easier than doing it while leaning over the bike.

1. Assemble the mount, the 1" RAM ball adapter and the quick release plate on the workbench.
2. Check the quick release locking screw before you go any further. With this mount configuration you will not be able to reach that screw once everything is together. Make sure it is in the unlocked position and turning freely.
3. Remove the windscreen. Not strictly required, but it makes the next steps much easier.
4. Undo the two bolts holding the upper instrument trim shroud.
5. Sit the assembled mount on top of the shroud and secure it with the two new bolts supplied with the mount.
6. Refit the windscreen.

That is the whole job. Follow BMW's service instructions for torque figures on the shroud bolts.

Routing the cable

I ran the cable down through the groove between the instrument cluster and the trim panel. It sits neatly and stays out of the way of the bars.

Whether it stays there over a long trip is still to be tested. I will know more after the mainland run.

First setup and pairing

Follow the instructions to update the software first. Then pair the AIO-6 MAX with your phone — but make sure you pair with the Bluetooth device Chigeexxxxx le. There are two devices listed. The other is Chigeexxxxx Source; do not pair with that one.

Your phone will then mirror to the display, and for me navigation via Kurviger works just fine.

Editor's note. CHIGEE's support documentation describes these two channels differently from the author's experience above. Officially, CHIGEE-XXXX is the CarPlay and Android Auto channel and is the one to select for screen mirroring, while CHIGEE-XXXX LE carries iOS notifications (ANCS) and is also the channel the CHIGEE GO app uses to download dash cam footage. Channel names can display differently depending on the phone. If mirroring does not start on the channel described above, try the other one. Full details: Bluetooth Channels Explained: CHIGEE-XXXX vs CHIGEE-XXXX LE

What I would tell another RT owner

The install itself is straightforward — an hour on the bench and twenty minutes on the bike. The hard part is sourcing a mount for a bike this age, and that is worth doing before you order anything else.

Two things I would flag for anyone following this route:

• Sort the quick release locking screw before assembly, not after.
• Decide early whether you want the screen to come off the bike. It changes which mount makes sense.

Happy chappy.

FAQ

Does the CHIGEE AIO-6 MAX fit a 2009 BMW R1200RT?

Yes, with a third-party GPS mount. There is no CHIGEE-specific bracket for pre-2010 RTs, so you need a mount that fits the upper instrument shroud and accepts either a 1" RAM ball or the CHIGEE quick release plate. A Hornig GPS Mount 3 for 2005–2009 RTs worked on this bike.

Can I use the CHIGEE quick release on an older BMW?

Yes. The BMW plug-and-play quick release module is for newer BMW models, but on an older bike you can fit the standard CHIGEE quick release plate to a third-party mount using a 1" RAM ball adapter. Just check you can still reach the locking screw once everything is assembled.

Can I power the AIO-6 MAX from a HEX ezCAN?

Yes. CHIGEE has a support article covering ezCAN power, including how to configure the channel's software fuse and shutdown delay. If you are not running an ezCAN, the display hardwires to ACC or the battery.

Why do two CHIGEE Bluetooth channels appear on my phone?

That is normal. CHIGEE-XXXX is the CarPlay and Android Auto channel, so pair with that one for screen mirroring. CHIGEE-XXXX LE carries iOS notifications and is also the channel the CHIGEE GO app uses to download dash cam footage.

Do I need to remove the windscreen to fit the mount?

Not strictly, but it makes access to the trim shroud bolts much easier and takes only a couple of minutes.