I need advise on a GPS mount I'm making!

[Ironheadziggy76]

I'm scratching out a mount to attach a RAM base to since it is sleeting outside. It has the 2.5" base and I'll be using a 3" arm. Do the RAM mounts have much flex or bounce to them while riding? I may need to strengthen the mount a little as I have room to add a support to the bottom. If you all don't talk me down it will end up weighing 50 pounds! :p I'm planning on painting to match the inner fairing so it should blend it well enough, and actually clean up the area around the windshield mount.

Tell me what you think, it will never work, looks crappy, toss it in the trash, etc.

Windshield off,
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics001.jpg

Piece of scrap aluminum out of the Black Hole that is my shop!
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics002-1.jpg

A few pics after I cut it down to the size of the RAM base that is the size of the Skoal can,
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics003.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics004-1.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics005.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics006.jpg

This makes it look a lot better!
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Bikepics009.jpg

[G wizz]

Now, I may be wrong, (I've been been wrong before) but my guess is ... it's going to flutter like a leaf in a breeze.

G wizz

[Yamifj1200]

Steve,
I dont remember what GPS you ended up with, but the Nuvi I am using does not move at all while riding using a ram ball a mid length support and a ram cradle. I have one question on your mount, is the aluminum mounting plate fastend to the windshiled mount or does it sandwich in between the WS mount and the screen? Paint it black to reduce glare and it looks like your on your way to a custom mount for your gps..

Eric

[wwells]

I just got a RAM mount setup from Mounting Innovations http://www.mountinginnovations.com/index.htm Mine connected to the mounting bracket on the left handlebar. I use a medium waterproof lockable box for the Garmin Nuvi 750 I use. There is no "shake" in mine, but then, I ride a Wing and it really doesn't like to get onto dual sport kinds of roads.

[Ironheadziggy76]

G wizz, when I get finished I'll be able to lift the front of the bike with it. :D

Eric, it will be bolted solidly through the windshield mounting bracket to the framework that holds the fairing. I have a length of 2.5" wide by 1/8" thick aluminum flat strap that I'm going to add to the back of it just in case.

wwells, that's good to know, I've never used a RAM mount before, and I didn't know how rigid they were when mounted. If I ride anything very rough I'll probably just take it off and stick it in the tank bag.

[Mr. Guy]

Hi Steve,

You can see my RAM Mount in this pic. I've never had any trouble with it shaking around. The ball mount are rubber covered and provide a little shock absorption. It's been over some pretty rough ground too.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_eAeUVzxF-uc/SNpQL_fNsWI/AAAAAAAAADU/hn3QFyORsaY/s640/PICT0023.JPG

Guy

[Ironheadziggy76]

That's good to know Guy! I keep checking out the new DR650 every time I go by my local dealer. :D

Eric, I ended up going with the nuvi 550, it should be here Monday. P^

[Trekker]

Steve, just thinking out load here.....

Do you need to have that horizontal section over the gauges come out so far? If it is shorter, or not even there, you'll see less "bounce" with the RAM mount. I'm wondering if you could mount the base RAM ball to the 'front' section of the aluminum plate and use an appropriate length RAM arm to put the GPS where you need it.

[G wizz]

Steve, just thinking out load here.....

Do you need to have that horizontal section over the gauges come out so far? If it is shorter, or not even there, you'll see less "bounce" with the RAM mount. I'm wondering if you could mount the base RAM ball to the 'front' section of the aluminum plate and use an appropriate length RAM arm to put the GPS where you need it.

I agree, That just may rid him of the leaf in a breeze affect. Good idea!

G wizz

[Ironheadziggy76]

Good ideas guys P^, I should have the unit here Monday so I'll know for sure how much clearance I'll have under the windshield. I have toyed with the idea of cutting the mount off and mounting the base underneath.

[Yamifj1200]

"Eric, I ended up going with the nuvi 550, it should be here Monday."


Steve I looked at the Nuvi 550 online, looks like its the same size as my old Nuvi 200. I still have that cradle if you would like it... They hold the Nuvi's very well....

Eric

[Ironheadziggy76]

Eric, I appreciate it, but I forgot about you having it and ordered one the other day from CycleGadgets.com. DOH! :o

[mklep]

A little late to the party, but here is what I did on my DL650.
Using stainless screws, a piece of 1.5" x 1" angle painted steel mounts through the Madstad bracket top holes. Then, a Ram diamond mount, a 1.5" Ram arm, another Ram diamond mount, and a Ram gps cradle. Rock solid on paved and unpaved roads. Hope it helps.

http://mklep.smugmug.com/photos/500434165_CLJYi-Ti.jpg

http://mklep.smugmug.com/photos/500434202_YdUdQ-Ti-0.jpg

[Trailace]

A little late to the party, but here is what I did on my DL650.
Using stainless screws, a piece of 1.5" x 1" angle painted steel mounts through the Madstad bracket top holes. Then, a Ram diamond mount, a 1.5" Ram arm, another Ram diamond mount, and a Ram gps cradle. Rock solid on paved and unpaved roads. Hope it helps.

http://mklep.smugmug.com/photos/500434165_CLJYi-S.jpg

http://mklep.smugmug.com/photos/500434202_YdUdQ-S-0.jpg
mklep Welcome to the site it's never to late to help out.

[Ironheadziggy76]

Welcome to the site mklep! Your mount looks good, thanks for posting up the pics. P^ I decided not to paint mine, instead just giving it a scotchbrite finish. I ordered a 1.75" arm yesterday to compare to the 3" arm I have.

[JaySoy]

I saw a joke on ADV where a guy was making a GPS mount out of a spatula. I thought it was a pretty good idea!

I even carry a sandwich bag and a rubber band for the rain. It works! P^

(sorry about the weird labels, I had these pics for another post on a KLR forum)

http://jaysoy.smugmug.com/photos/422321037_LkBGQ-M.jpg

http://jaysoy.smugmug.com/photos/422321471_GhUb6-O.jpg

http://jaysoy.smugmug.com/photos/422321546_xEbwU-L.jpg

http://jaysoy.smugmug.com/photos/422321049_QqtQZ-L.jpg

[Flashdog]

It looks like the VStrom has a tubular handlebar like my R1150R. If that's the case the RAM mount I have will work perfectly for you. Mine is for the TomTom but, they make the top part for all the popular GPS'es. Attached is a picture. Also, on the left of that mount is the mount for my Garmin Etrex Legend. (That's the rectangular black thing to the left) It's a handlebar mount that utilizes a new battery cover it comes with.

[bigTom]

How about 2 over medium with bacon and hash browns. You can use your GPS mount to cook with...

What a great idea. I just love stuff like that!

[Dstrickland]

I'm a little late to stick my two cents in but I love the can of tobacco sitting on it. I figure mount the GPS on the handle bars if there's room and mount the dip tobacco on the bracket you made.

[Ironheadziggy76]

I think I'm going to have to move it to the handlebars, I keep staring at it! :p I thought I would like it in my line of site, but it's kind of distracting. :eek:

[wwells]

Hey man... you may not have to move it. I don't think it would matter where it is as long as you can see it. We mounted ours before our summer trip last year. I noticed the same problem even though it was on my left side. I rode 50 to 150 miles several days in a row forcing myself to NOT look at it. When I accomplished that, I used the thing to "direct" me to places I knew how to get to anyway. During those those trips I forced myself to look at the thing for just a second. When I was looking at it, I looked at the distance to the next turn and adjusted when I would look again. My nuvi has the option of just looking at the road changes. In cities or areas where I would be turning several times in short distances, I just looked at these. I could see the interchange/intersection, the distance to it, and the next turn in the same glance. again... 1 second glances even if I had to do several within a short time.

With me it was a matter of training ME instead of moving IT. (Princess reminds me that I'm not normal so what works for me may not even make sense to normal people. Maybe this will help though.)

[Ironheadziggy76]

If I mount it down on the bars between the handlebar clamps with the shorter arm it will be out of my line of sight. That way I will be forced to just glance down at it like the speedometer on my Road King. I think I'll try that and see how I do, maybe that will keep me out of the ditches! :p

[Trekker]

Had mine up on a dash shelf.... moved it down between the handle bars. Much better location and less distracting. Easier to reach when I need to fiddle with it too.

[TJ Willy]

Ram mounts rule! Easy to adjust before or after the gps is in place. I use the handlebar mount to a mid length arm with a ball base and cradle for my GPS.

[HOGCDR]

As TJ indicates, Ram mount is the best. More than one bike, remove and place on 2nd ram mount.

[Dstrickland]

My turn. Although I still think the shelf should be kept for important things like Skoal BanditsP^

Here's my set up. Tom Tom One 130 with the appropriate Ram Mount cradle and mount straight to the handlebar without the use of the arm. Low profile, high speed. Close enough to use and dead center so I can use either hand.

[TJ Willy]

I think I'm going to have to move it to the handlebars, I keep staring at it! :p I thought I would like it in my line of site, but it's kind of distracting. :eek:

That shelf you have there is actually a great place for either the radar detector or depending on what you get, the visual alert FOR the radar detector. I don't think you should scrap your idea all together unless it (shelf) flutters too much at speeds.

It was actually an innovative design idea for your bike.

I got my DeLorme Craddle from CustomMounts.com. And I picked up my mount and Garmin craddle from an ebay seller. I would buy from Custom Mounts again. They were awesome.

[Ironheadziggy76]

TJ Willy I was thinking of using it for mounting an MP3 player, but now you are going to make me go out and buy a radar detector! :D It works great with the GPS but I find it a little distracting.

Dstrickland, I like the way you have yours mounted, all I have to get is a handlebar base mount and I will be ready to go. P^

[rbertalotto]

I tried unsucessfully to mount my GPS up on the dash like that. After a trip to Alaska, and using bailing wire, duct tape and a small boy to stop it from vibrating.............I gave up (and destroyed a Garmin 2730 GPS)

From now on I only mount sensitive electronic devices on the handlebars. the bars have the least vibration on any given motorcycle.

On my V strom, I simply bent a piece of 3/16 thick steel plate and drilled a hole right through the handlebars and mounted it with a 1/4-20 nut and bolt. Simple and perfectly ridged.

http://images46.fotki.com/v1395/photos/3/36012/4899531/P1010448-vi.jpg

http://images43.fotki.com/v1369/photos/3/36012/4899531/P1010451-vi.jpg

This was the first version before I added a Scotts Steering Damper...

http://images112.fotki.com/v587/photos/3/36012/4899531/vstrom07023-vi.jpg

And I was so freaked out about vibration that I bought a Touratech off road mount.........It proved unnecessary.

Here is how I'm mounting the GPS to my new BMW X Challenge. A simple piece of plate steel..........

http://images47.fotki.com/v1499/photos/2/36012/7522363/P1020088-vi.jpg

A couple of longer handlebar bolts would be needed...and two bushings

http://images47.fotki.com/v1479/photos/2/36012/7522363/P1020086-vi.jpg

http://images47.fotki.com/v1478/photos/2/36012/7522363/P1020089-vi.jpg

I now use the inexpensive Garmin motorcycle mounts on all the bikes. Haven't failed me yet!

Here's more ideas for GPS mounting..........

http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/motorcycle/motorcycle-projects/various-motocycle-g/

[bomber]

sometimes ya just gotta spin up the mill and make a mess . . . .

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb245/bomber60015/gps%20mount/IMG_2998.jpg