Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: firetruck41 on May 31, 2011, 06:07:32 PM
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will try the ram mount.
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That looks slick and thrifty. But with a Zumo you wouldn't catch me using the thrifty alternative. JMHO
Maybe that is why I still use a top of the line TomTom (from 5 years ago.)
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For what it is worth: the suction cup will fail sooner or later. Ask any octopus- they just are not open ended like a bolt- on solution. If I were using a suction cup to hold a GPS on a motorcycle, I would at least add a piece of (twine, wire, safety wire, rubber band) something to catch it when it pops off while you are riding down the road. It will probably still be destroyed by swinging and bashing against the side of the bike at 75 MPH but at least you will have the debris. Like I said, for what it is worth....
Brian
this way is easier guys. no need to buy those expensive mounts. the pad will stick on this smooth surface like anything else.
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Yup, eventually the suction will let go, and in all likelihood your automatic reaction will be to grab for it, which could have a really unhappy outcome. I've got my Zumo bolted on a Techmount (and a RAM extender to get it closer in view) and it's not going anywhere and doesn't even vibrate....much. ;D
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let me know when you see a suction detach from the pad, just let me know. in all my years of using these things I've never heard of one just releasing from the disk pad.
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I have had the suction mount release several times from my car windshield. I doubt that little pad will have more grip than glass.
OTOH, it's not my problem. Best wishes with it.
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I have had the suction mount release several times from my car windshield. I doubt that little pad will have more grip than glass.
OTOH, it's not my problem. Best wishes with it.
I've got a similar mount for my cell phone (Android, Google Maps Navigation, woot). It falls off my wife's windshield all the time, like every two or three hours. The little black stick-on pad is in my car, and it has NEVER fallen off, FWIW.
I got no horse in this race, I just use maps and the innate ability I have to not care too much if I get lost.
Also, though, I would probably use a tie-down for safety sake. Army habits die hard.
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Sooner or later I believe you will feel it bounce off your leg on its way to the road.
Gravity will prevail over suction any day.
But personally I would never mount it down that low where you have to take
your eyes so far off the road to use it.
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I personally think that this will work out fine. Just put a tether of some kind on the back of the GPS just in case, check it once in a while, and away you go. A suction cup stuck to the glass of a windshield has the sun shining on the business side of the cup most of the time, not so with the disk.
I'm doing something like this but I'm using the mounting bracket from my Motax air deflector and a piece of plexy. I've had the suction cup stuck to it for two weeks without an issue. I'll post up some pics once I get it the way I want it.
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I wouldn't trust the suction cup. Replacing the GPS is a heck of a lot more than buying a good mount.
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"I personally think that this will work out fine." said Conrad to the person about to jump out of the plane without a parachute.... And then he added that the jumper should add a tether and check it once in a while.
Now Conrad, you know that was kinda' funny, right? You rarely see a tether on the back of a GPS in something like a RAM mount, right?
;D
Brian
I personally think that this will work out fine. Just put a tether of some kind on the back of the GPS just in case, check it once in a while, and away you go. A suction cup stuck to the glass of a windshield has the sun shining on the business side of the cup most of the time, not so with the disk.
I'm doing something like this but I'm using the mounting bracket from my Motax air deflector and a piece of plexy. I've had the suction cup stuck to it for two weeks without an issue. I'll post up some pics once I get it the way I want it.
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"I personally think that this will work out fine." said Conrad to the person about to jump out of the plane without a parachute.... And then he added that the jumper should add a tether and check it once in a while.
Now Conrad, you know that was kinda' funny, right? You rarely see a tether on the back of a GPS in something like a RAM mount, right?
;D
Brian
Um, er, maybe? Ok, I won't be using a tether. I am going to be using the suction cup mount sans the suction cup though. It'll work and it'll be purdy.
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I think it looks slick... but I'll just stick with my Projekt D center mount and Touratech locking mount for the Zumo. Something to be said for a little peace of mind when I leave my GPS mounted and walk away at gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, etc.
Cheers!
Brent S.
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okay guys I will take the advice given, go a diff route.
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I dunno. I've never had luck with suction cups on car glass. But like Conrad pointed out, this just might work as there is no sun shining through the chrome disk.
I kind of like the thoughts and looks about it. It might work, but it could be an expensive test if it fails.
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Same/same suction cup was on the inside of my Wing's shield for 2 years. Fell off in the garage one day.
Bought a new one and installed it .... still on after another year.
Yes, I do have the cord closely attachd so the GPS won't drop to the tarmac. But, I know the suction cup will fail again.
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Sooner or later I believe you will feel it bounce off your leg on its way to the road.
Gravity will prevail over suction any day.
But personally I would never mount it down that low where you have to take
your eyes so far off the road to use it.
:goodpost:
I like having my gps a little higher up and in the general area as my gages...
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/IMG00191-20110407-1945.jpg)
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A local goldwing rider has his nuvi mounted using the suction cup to the windshield (or some other smooth part). So far he's been lucky, and swears by it. I think his logic is flawed, and will be rubbing it in, "I told you so", after it falls off.
I think a cheap ram mount can be had for under $40 for a control mount. I like the techmounts product myself. It's a bit pricey, but is better than that projectk product offered elsewhere - unless the latter now offers angle adjustment too. If you go with the techmount, see about getting the rectangular plate and the quick release adapter. I don't believe they offer any sort of quick release yet with their round plates. This adapter uses a spring loaded pin which engages a hole on the rectangular plate. This lets you remove the gps and cradle/adapter as an assembly instead of popping it into/out of the cradle each time.
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Popping the GPS out of the cradle is easy enough, and stealing the wiring/mount is an unlikely event. This is my set up: a techmount with RAM extended arm and an iPhone cradle above it for other uses, like texting and checking email (just kidding, although it IS handy for that while stopped). The dashboard screen is not covered as it appears in the photos.
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I found this on the net for $12! It's inexpensive, solid and if fits perfectly. The only downside for some, is that it can't be adjusted. However, I don't see a need to adjust it. Tigerdirect has it for $18.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3856168&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3856168&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE)
Bracketron CMM-205-BL
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I found this on the net for $12! It's inexpensive, solid and if fits perfectly. The only downside for some, is that it can't be adjusted. However, I don't see a need to adjust it. Tigerdirect has it for $18.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3856168&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3856168&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE)
Bracketron CMM-205-BL
You have this on your C14? Where does it mount? Gotta pic?
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Popping the GPS out of the cradle is easy enough...
Indeed that is correct. The cradle does hold the gps very tightly. My concern is doing so repeatedly will weaken the it over time. It is after all just molded plastic. On a day trip, the gps goes on and comes off once - more so if I can't park the bike in sight for lunch. On over night trips, it's at least that multiplied by the # of days. Sure the cradle is cheap (about the same price as the quick release), I just find it easier to remove the whole assembly (with the garmin clip attached permanently). FWIW, I'm still using the same cradle I got in 2008. I did have to replace the quick release because the positioning tab broke (little tab at the top center of the bracket). Techmounts replaced it free of charge.
Btw, I use several layers of electrical tape at the bottom outside and top middle of the cradle to improve fit, and eliminate scratching of the gps.
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I found this on the net for $12! It's inexpensive, solid and if fits perfectly. The only downside for some, is that it can't be adjusted. However, I don't see a need to adjust it. Tigerdirect has it for $18.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3856168&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3856168&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE)
Bracketron CMM-205-BL
Is there a reason your giraffe is not moving?
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Is there a reason your giraffe is not moving?
That's what she said...
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this looks interesting:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CMM-202-CH-CYCLE-MOUNT-HONDA-YAMAHA-SUZUKI-KAWASAKI-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3ef3ef964eQQitemZ270380537422QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_5180wt_1165 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CMM-202-CH-CYCLE-MOUNT-HONDA-YAMAHA-SUZUKI-KAWASAKI-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3ef3ef964eQQitemZ270380537422QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_5180wt_1165)
If you check out his store he has the mount shown by scgoan above as well as a few others.
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When i stop and leave the bike unattended, i remove the Ram arm, cradle and the GPS as one.
then stow it in the saddlebag.
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i would heed the advice of one of the poster's and tether it. I've noticed my Garmin when stuck to the windshield of my car and park in the sun it has pop free.
I bought a extra suction mount from Radio Shack the one with the arm the you can angle. I also bought a Tech Mount (from Murphy's) and remove the round plate. I just ran a bolt the center of the Garmin mount into the Tech Mount. It ain't going anywhere. For added safety I also put a fishing line between the GPS and the provided Garmin adapter and tied that to the Tech Mount. I would post pictures, but I recently added some risers and need to get some extra long bolts for the Tech Mount.
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Here are some pictures of the Bracketron cmm-205-bl mounted on my Connie with a RAM cell phone cradle. Bracketron also makes one for the right side, cmm-204-bl. I think I'm going to purchase that mount for my gps. Last year I was able to find the Bracketron on Amazon for $11.95. At the same time, I purchased Bracketron's universal cell phone "Grip-it" cell phone mount that I hated. Last month I saw a post by someone that was using the Ram cell phone mount, it looked like something that would work, so I purchased one for $13.00. The Ram cell phone mount works really well.
Anyway here are the pictures:
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Is there a reason your giraffe is not moving?
I have no idea why it's not moving...I may need a hand. Any volunteers?
Seriously, when we moved to this site, I couldn't remember how to get it to move again. Maybe I did something wrong when I copied it over.
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I know why the squirrel isn't moving and it has nothing to do with the new site.
Kirby
I have no idea why it's not moving...I may need a hand. Any volunteers?
Seriously, when we moved to this site, I couldn't remember how to get it to move again. Maybe I did something wrong when I copied it over.
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I wouldn't trust the suction cup. Just not worth seeing it fly off driving down the freeway.
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$4 at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IUG14O (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IUG14O)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Hk53aWQpL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
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FWIW… On my C-10 I’ve used the OEM Garmin suction cup mount for my old StreetPilot c330 GPS with no issues. Had it on for 3 weeks and a 1500 + mile trip through 3 states.
I’m real careful about cleaning the windshield, wetting the black rubber disk first, and the applying pressure while moving the locking lever in place. When I mount it this way, you will only see a small dime sized section of ‘air’ in the suction cup.
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I used the stem nut from Motorcycle Larry (part number CO1400TCNUT), but I see it's not listed anymore. You can see it in the pics below. Getting the stock nut off was quite a challenge.
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That's a clean install!
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I used the stem nut from Motorcycle Larry (part number CO1400TCNUT), but I see it's not listed anymore. You can see it in the pics below. Getting the stock nut off was quite a challenge.
How did you get the stock nut off?
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That's a clean install!
Thanks; that's exactly what I was going for. If I had to do it without the replacement stem nut I'd look into a Ram ball with a long stud; I remember someone on this board mentioning that you can get access to the underside of the stock nut with a deep socket and a long extension to tighten the nut on one. Also I think the Techmount and the stock Kawasaki mount put the GPS in a similar place.
How did you get the stock nut off?
12mm hex "L" wrench long-way down, turned by a 1¼" box-end wrench buried in my chest, while pulling on the right handlebar with both hands. It let loose with a bang. I installed the replacement nut (it's actually a bolt) with blue Loctite and 80 ft-lbs torque, which is spec.