Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: lolife on December 06, 2011, 04:40:47 AM

Title: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: lolife on December 06, 2011, 04:40:47 AM
I've recently purchased a GPS & am trying to find a different way to mount the unit.  Looking around on RAM's site I found these.

http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051054055/Default.aspx (http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051054055/Default.aspx)

It comes with an 8mm bolt & the bolts holding handle bars on are 8mm bolts.  The only issue I see is I don't know if the ball will clear the handlebar?  The bolts that hold our handle bars down are really close to where the bars come upward & I'm afraid that the ball with hit the handle bar itself.

Thank you in advance
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: gPink on December 06, 2011, 04:50:40 AM
I used the clutch reservoir mount.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: Caffeinated on December 06, 2011, 06:30:48 AM
That's what I got also, but they will not work in the handle bar bolts.  I took one of the bolts and ran it through the steering stem hole.  Got a couple of washers (metal and rubber) at Lowes and a nut, ran a long socket up from the bottom, and now have a nice RAM mount right in the center.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: Tremainiac on December 06, 2011, 08:30:46 AM
I've got one of these mounted on each side.
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051048057045055085/Default.aspx (http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051048057045055085/Default.aspx)
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: lolife on December 06, 2011, 10:14:22 AM
That's what I got also, but they will not work in the handle bar bolts.  I took one of the bolts and ran it through the steering stem hole.  Got a couple of washers (metal and rubber) at Lowes and a nut, ran a long socket up from the bottom, and now have a nice RAM mount right in the center.

Another member, bruceg, mounted his the same way as yours & that's why I was on RAM site looking for a bolt & found those. I think the ball would hit the handlebar so I'm going to do it the way y'all have.

Thank you for the replies.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: gnuse on December 06, 2011, 10:46:21 AM
I've recently purchased a GPS & am trying to find a different way to mount the unit.  Looking around on RAM's site I found these.

http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051054055/Default.aspx (http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051054055/Default.aspx)

It comes with an 8mm bolt & the bolts holding handle bars on are 8mm bolts.  The only issue I see is I don't know if the ball will clear the handlebar?  The bolts that hold our handle bars down are really close to where the bars come upward & I'm afraid that the ball with hit the handle bar itself.

Thank you in advance
I liked this solution better than the clutch/brake mount, but of course that is a personal preference. The part you show works perfectly on my '11 model. In fact I am thinking about using one of those on each side for GPS and phone. I do wish the spacer on the bottom of the ball had been steel however.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: dras on December 06, 2011, 11:00:28 AM
I've recently purchased a GPS & am trying to find a different way to mount the unit.  Looking around on RAM's site I found these.

http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051054055/Default.aspx (http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045051054055/Default.aspx)

It comes with an 8mm bolt & the bolts holding handle bars on are 8mm bolts.  The only issue I see is I don't know if the ball will clear the handlebar?  The bolts that hold our handle bars down are really close to where the bars come upward & I'm afraid that the ball with hit the handle bar itself.

Thank you in advance

I have one of these mounts and it worked fine on my '08. I can't remember for sure but I think I had to source a longer bolt than the ones included. I have since added a set of handlebar risers so I would have needed an even longer bolt. Instead, I drilled and tapped an 8mm hole in the side of one of the risers and mounted it there. Works like a champ.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: lolife on December 06, 2011, 11:08:49 AM
I liked this solution better than the clutch/brake mount, but of course that is a personal preference. The part you show works perfectly on my '11 model. In fact I am thinking about using one of those on each side for GPS and phone. I do wish the spacer on the bottom of the ball had been steel however.

How close is the ball to your handlebars? I don't want to mount mine to the clutch or brake reservoir b/c I want it mounted between my bars.

I like the part I posted the link to better but was afraid the ball would hit the handlebar.

Do you have a picture of yours?

Thanks again
Title: Telferizer
Post by: capt chaos on December 06, 2011, 11:28:50 AM
I've got one of these  :) http://www.telferizer.com/products/ (http://www.telferizer.com/products/)

(http://www.telferizer.com/images/rammount.jpg)
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: Pokey on December 06, 2011, 12:46:52 PM
Techmount is most excellent choice as well.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: wpbweb on December 07, 2011, 02:20:43 PM
I used this on my 2011 C14...took 10 minutes to install.



http://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-motorcycle-fork-stem-base-with-1-inch-ball.html (http://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-motorcycle-fork-stem-base-with-1-inch-ball.html)

RAM Mount Motorcycle Fork Stem Base with 1 inch Ball Description
The new Fork Stem Mount offered by RAM is one of the cleanest ways to mount small electronics on your motorcycle. Simply slide the assembly into the hole of the stem and tighten the machine screw with a wrench. Designed to fit fork stems from 1/2'' to 1 1/4'' ID or 13mm to 32mm ID, this new product will fit a wide range of makes and models.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: dras on December 07, 2011, 03:00:22 PM
I used this on my 2011 C14...took 10 minutes to install.



http://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-motorcycle-fork-stem-base-with-1-inch-ball.html (http://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-motorcycle-fork-stem-base-with-1-inch-ball.html)

RAM Mount Motorcycle Fork Stem Base with 1 inch Ball Description
The new Fork Stem Mount offered by RAM is one of the cleanest ways to mount small electronics on your motorcycle. Simply slide the assembly into the hole of the stem and tighten the machine screw with a wrench. Designed to fit fork stems from 1/2'' to 1 1/4'' ID or 13mm to 32mm ID, this new product will fit a wide range of makes and models.

That's interesting. I had (have) one of these too that I used on my 2006 ZZR600. Kept it when I sold the bike and tried to use it on my '08 Concours, but I could never get it to stay tight. Kept working loose and I didn't really want my GPS unit flying off onto the highway one day.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: gnuse on December 07, 2011, 05:58:25 PM
I took some photos of my mounts. Hope this helps. I liked the Telferizer shown above, but by time it got to me from England it was over $50. Larry didn't have the stem ball until after the first of the year. The iPhone doesn't cover up the instrument panel and there is room for it to have a power plug without being interfered with by the GPS.

(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s47/gnuse/photo4.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s47/gnuse/photo2-2.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s47/gnuse/photo1-2.jpg)
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: lolife on December 07, 2011, 06:13:48 PM
I took some photos of my mounts. Hope this helps. I liked the Telferizer shown above, but by time it got to me from England it was over $50. Larry didn't have the stem ball until after the first of the year. The iPhone doesn't cover up the instrument panel and there is room for it to have a power plug without being interfered with by the GPS.

Thank you very much for the pictures.  However, where did you find the off set Ram mount?  The link I posted was to a 1" ball with an 8mm bolt through the center.  I didn't see the offset like that.

I'll go search their site & see if I can find it.

Thanks again for your time
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: gnuse on December 07, 2011, 08:33:05 PM
I bought a steel 5/16" x .75" spacer and a couple of ss washers at my local Ace Hdwre to make the plate stand proud of the handlebar. The visibility from the seat is good and there is quite a bit of flexibility in locating the phone and GPS.

   
RAM 2.25" x 0.87" Motorcycle Base with 11mm Hole and 1" Ball
Product Number: RAM-B-252U

I think that knowing what I know now, that I would have skipped the Techmount and used two of these bases. One on each side.

Part ID: RAM-B-367U
RAM Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base with M8 Screw

I used this with a 1/4x20 allen bolt to fasten to the center of the Techmount which already has this thread.

RAM VARIABLE SWIVEL ARM
Product Number: RAP-B-200-12U

I wish I had known about this arm before I started becoming a RAM junkie. It allows a LOT of flexibility once you see how this all works.
Title: Re: Has anyone used a Ram Ball mounted in the handle bar bolts?
Post by: lolife on December 08, 2011, 04:37:13 AM
Thank you again gnuse for all the information.     :D