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Hi all,

I last week purchased a 2021 c400gt, as I was combing the internet looking for more info on the motorised lounge-chair I just purchased I kept finding myself reading threads on this forum, so why not sign up?

We have a few motorbikes parked out the front of our house, a Honda, a Yamaha and a Vespa.. this is our first BMW.

Thanks already for the information I’ve gathered :)
 
Afternoon from Kent, England. Had the 2021 BMW C400 GT SE for a few months now ( traded in a Burghman 400 ) for it. Needed something solid and quality and love it for the quality, power, tech and who knew I needed a heated seat !!! :) Storage space is the only down side so far.
Using it for commute into London in all weathers doing 50 miles per day when I do.
Whisper it quietly but I even prefer it to some other bigger bikes I have owned !

Looking forward to getting involved and finding out more.
Plan is to put some front spot lights on and maybe wire in a dashcam...
 
Hi All.
Name is Nick and I live in Shropshire UK.

About a month ago i purchase a 2023 C400X with a very low 395 miles on the clock. Not sure why. Just fancied it I guess. No regrets so far. It’s a lovely thing.
Think I enjoy the lightness and the economy. But mainly the fact that the newly purchased Cardo helmet intercom works so well with playing music, satnav instruction and telephone.

I have been a very keen biker all my life. Mainly the big stuff. presently own a 2017 BMW K1600GT SE. But started my biking life with a Triumph Tina scooter back in 1969 when I was 16. It cost £20. Really wanted a Lambretta TV175. But they were about £75 at the time for a reasonable used example. I was still at school. So I took on a few extra jobs, washing dishes in a posh restaurant. Filling shelves at a local supermarket. Paper round as well. I did get my TV175. But that didn’t last long. Started work as an Apprentice Electrician and shortly after, discovered motorbike in the form of a Yamaha YDS5 250 twin.

I did buy another scooter about 20 years ago. But that only lasted about a day. It was a Vespa T5. It just felt so slow! I rode it around for a couple of hours. Then ended up at a scooter shop in Hounslow or Twickenham near London where I sold it and got a taxi home.

Anyway, early days. Larger Wunderlich screen fitted, then removed as the weather changed a few days ago. and it went from 10 degrees to 19 the other day. It’s back to 10 degrees again now. So may go back on. BMW Rack and topbox also fitted. May get the BMW crash bars. But not sure as they seem to poke out a bit.

Look forward to reading all about other mods and accessories I did not know I needed.

 
Hi Nick, welcome to the forum. I'm also in Shropshire (Telford) and like you I bought my 2021 C400X on a bit of a whim with a similar mileage. Again similarly I have grown to love it, it's quickness, economy and practicality come to mind.
Love the setting for your photo. Just outside Leighton, overlooking the River Severn meandering through the Shropshire countryside. A well known bike/scooter photography location.
I purchased the BMW crash bars but sent them back as the quality wasn't up to standard and as you said they do seem to protrude a bit. Maybe if I find a second hand pair 🤔. I have fitted the YSS rear shockers and don't regret doing it as it handles far sweeter. Not cheap tho! ( From WEMOTO). I'm undecided whether to upgrade the front forks as yet..... Topic for another day I feel.
Ian R
 
Hi, I am Fred and I live in San Antonio, Texas. Just purchased a 2024 c400gt and thinking about various additions and mods. First thing is to add the luggage rack. I am retired, and have been riding big cruisers … Indian, Victory, Harley for most of my life. This is my second scooter. So far, I love it. Very light and nimble.

If anyone has suggestions re: luggage rack (get it from dealer and have them install it, or save a few bucks by ordering and sel-install), taller windscreen, top case and/or bags, storage in general, please give me a shout!

And anyone in my area who likes to ride the hill country and wants to go on morning rides before it gets blazing hot, let me know.
 
StrangeCloud said:
Hi, I am Fred and I live in San Antonio, Texas. Just purchased a 2024 c400gt and thinking about various additions and mods. First thing is to add the luggage rack. I am retired, and have been riding big cruisers … Indian, Victory, Harley for most of my life. This is my second scooter. So far, I love it. Very light and nimble.

If anyone has suggestions re: luggage rack (get it from dealer and have them install it, or save a few bucks by ordering and sel-install), taller windscreen, top case and/or bags, storage in general, please give me a shout!

And anyone in my area who likes to ride the hill country and wants to go on morning rides before it gets blazing hot, let me know.
Click to expand...
I've owned a Valkyrie Interstate and a Victory Cross Country Tour over the years (and a couple of Burgman 650 scooters, and some other bikes), so I know where you're coming from.

I would get the Shad 58X for storage. I have the small (30 liter) BMW case, but that's because my wife liked the ergos -- with the case, and its flat pad -- on a C 400 X that we toured on; that was the main reason I bought the bike, and I didn't want to mess with success.

That Shad has adjustable volume, so you can keep it small for around town, and expand it for long trips, or putting two helmets in, etc.

The Shad can be mounted to the bike with a Shad rack built for that purpose, or it can easily be mounted to the BMW rack. I would get the BMW rack, because it's extremely robust -- more so than the Shad rack -- and nice looking. There are some threads here and also some YouTube videos on some similar ways to mount a Shad on the Beemer rack. If I had a little more time now, I would search them out for you.

The Beemer rack takes the place of the passenger grab rails, but being one-piece it's a little harder to mount. You need to take the rear trim pieces off; they're held in place by a single screw underneath, and a gaggle of metal spring clips. (I coat such clips with plumber's grease whenever I first remove a piece, for easier work next time. And almost all the bodywork screws are T25 Torx; since acquiring a C 400 GT, I've purchased three sets of Torx: short with a socket, long with a socket, and just the bits.)

Then you have to take out a bunch of screws, and two push-pin-rivets up front (I believe they're the only push-pins on the bike), to either remove the underseat tub, or get it very loose. If you remove or otherwise manipulate the tub a lot, be very careful of the tiny switch in the rear of the tub, the one that won't let you start the bike if the flexcase is down. I broke that myself, is how I know. Take a look at my gallery for some pics of this:

billanddot.com

'22 & '23 BMW C 400 GT

billanddot.com

Then you have a couple of bigass Torx bolts to put in -- the ones that held the grab rails in. The new rack sort of goes underneath the tub or something in that area, as I recall. (I've removed the rack, the tub, and most of the bodywork on the bike, to add lighting, as you can see and read about in my gallery.)

Bags? I don't recall much reading about them. I had a medium MotoFizz for many years, and recently replaced that (again, see gallery). This is for rare out-of-town trips, with the bag sideways across the passenger seat.

For daily use, if you absolutely need the storage, or for long trips, there are assorted soft-bag manufacturers, with straps over or underneath a rear seat. This is a big topic in the Burgman forum, but I don't recall reading much, if anything, about that here.

On the windscreen front, I added a Wonderlich Marathon; pics and links in the gallery. @mzflorida, who's taller than I am, has tried several, and likes CalSci. And there are some others. I believe we're all "look-over" riders, those of us who've commented on windscreens; search the 400 forum for this subject, as there's a good thread or two. How tall are you? Also a look-over rider?

I guess that's all I have for now. Happy motoring.
 
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Thanks for all the great, detailed info! I ordered the BMW rack and hopefully will be able to install it. I will take a look at the SHAD case and a few others. The SHAD seems to be quite popular! For daily riding I don’t need a lot of storage, but I would like be able to take 2-7 day trips occasionally. 90% of my riding is just me. My wife does join me (rarely) and she will need some type of backrest or pad on a top case.

I’ve read some comments here on various windscreens. Differing opinions based on needs. I’m a little over 5’10”. Depending speed and roads I might want to look over or maybe through. Main concern is buffeting at higher speeds. Maybe just a clip on extender for the stock screen?
 
StrangeCloud said:
Thanks for all the great, detailed info! I ordered the BMW rack and hopefully will be able to install it. I will take a look at the SHAD case and a few others. The SHAD seems to be quite popular! For daily riding I don’t need a lot of storage, but I would like be able to take 2-7 day trips occasionally. 90% of my riding is just me. My wife does join me (rarely) and she will need some type of backrest or pad on a top case.

I’ve read some comments here on various windscreens. Differing opinions based on needs. I’m a little over 5’10”. Depending speed and roads I might want to look over or maybe through. Main concern is buffeting at higher speeds. Maybe just a clip on extender for the stock screen?
Click to expand...
Shad actually seems to have given some thought to their backrest pads. Givi, for instance, has a hard, misplaced lump that is worse than nothing.

Re the clip-on, they’re pretty cheap to try out.
 
StrangeCloud said:
Thanks for all the great, detailed info! I ordered the BMW rack and hopefully will be able to install it. I will take a look at the SHAD case and a few others. The SHAD seems to be quite popular! For daily riding I don’t need a lot of storage, but I would like be able to take 2-7 day trips occasionally. 90% of my riding is just me. My wife does join me (rarely) and she will need some type of backrest or pad on a top case.

I’ve read some comments here on various windscreens. Differing opinions based on needs. I’m a little over 5’10”. Depending speed and roads I might want to look over or maybe through. Main concern is buffeting at higher speeds. Maybe just a clip on extender for the stock screen?
Click to expand...
Hi @StrangeCloud. If you want to ensure buffeting is gone, go with the Givi. This screen is absolutely a function over form design; it's not a looker. You will have to look through it but it is whisper quiet with zero buffeting. The installation hardware is very well designed and will stand up to the forces caused by the increased surface area of the screen. If you go with a lip, buy a good one. The optical clarity on some (most) of the knock-offs is so horrible it actually becomes distracting (without exaggeration). Puig is a good example of a lip with exceptional clarity.
 
Hi everyone picked up my C400GT last Friday 2023 model 1266 miles on the clock, traded in my Kawasaki J300 - initial thoughts a real step up in quality and I loved my Kwakka!
 
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