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Message started by islandwahine on 10/05/07 at 15:16:23

Title: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/05/07 at 15:16:23

Trying to get something to drink while being on the road was a bit of a hassle.
I'd seen a few versions of bottle holders, but they weren't totally what I was looking for.
So I happened to be in the hardware store yesterday (my favorite place) when I walked by some PVC tubing (some really fat black PVC tubing). A little light went off in my head and I thought why not use something like that to put a bottle in? Maybe cover it with some leather, and use a pipe clamp to hold it on the handlebar?
So I got some and got to work.
this is the result!
http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2007%5C10%5C05%5Cbikepics-1046685-full.jpg

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by FreeSpirit on 10/05/07 at 17:25:14

I kept looking at the PVC tubing today in the Hdwe store also,and kept thinking it looked strong and maybe something could be made from it!

Good idea. Is the pipe clamp strong enough to hold it there? Sorry dont know much about pipe clamps.

Is there a bottom to it? Maybe a end cap??

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/05/07 at 17:49:46

I was thinking of an end cap at first, but decided against it cause it's so bulky. So I ended up sewing a leather end on both the inside and outside of the cup holder. It has a double bottom in other words.

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by ThumpinSquid on 10/05/07 at 18:35:18

That's sharp! I was gonna say something about putting a beer in it just to get all the helmet loving grannies all up in a tizzy, but then decided to be honest. I've never wanted a beer when I'm out riding, but many times I've wished I could get a sip of water without stopping!

Good job!

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by Aviler on 10/05/07 at 18:47:00

You have quite the knack for some pretty slick looking personalizations. Nice work!

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by FreeSpirit on 10/05/07 at 19:08:38

You missed this question:

" Is the pipe clamp strong enough to hold it there? Sorry dont know much about pipe clamps"

:)

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/05/07 at 21:15:37

FreeSpirit wrote:

You missed this question:

" Is the pipe clamp strong enough to hold it there? Sorry dont know much about pipe clamps"

:)

Sorry, forgot to answer that.
The clamp looks like the Greek Omega symbol, with a hole in each of the feet. Basically what I did was wrap the clamp in leather as well, and screwed the clamp on the cup holder while holding it in place n the handlebar. The sticky leather works like a nonslip surface, and the clamp is gripping the handlebar real tight!
Anyway, it's not like I'm ever going to hang on it, it just needs to hold a bottle of water or a Starbuck's Frappuccino! ;D

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by FreeSpirit on 10/05/07 at 23:40:35

islandwahine wrote:

I'll look at one in the next day or two ....I was just thinking a bottle of water can be pretty heavy hanging off a handlebar.Have no idea how strong those clamps are.

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by Savage = HD eater on 10/06/07 at 00:22:27

island - you are the woman!!!

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/06/07 at 01:36:53

FreeSpirit wrote:

I was just thinking a bottle of water can be pretty heavy hanging off a handlebar.Have no idea how strong those clamps are.

It's just a small bottle 16 oz I think. I don't like the idea of anything heavy hanging on my handlebars. I rode with it today and I couldn't even tell it was there.

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by klx650sm2002 on 10/06/07 at 04:22:04

Nice one islandwahine, does it work as a cooler too ?
Clive W :D

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by drharveys on 10/06/07 at 04:57:56

Hydration, style and it makes you happy -- sounds like a keeper!

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by SpeedyG on 10/06/07 at 09:02:06

Looks great! Now-what is that little bag-looking thing with the studs on the middle of the lower part of your handlebar?

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by Starlifter on 10/06/07 at 09:07:00

In a bycycle shop you can buy those plastic coated metal water bottle racks that fasten to a bycycle frame.
I wonder how one of those would work if you could figure out where to place it?

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by Jack_650 on 10/06/07 at 10:19:38

We here on the mainland have come up with uses for PVC pipe and all it's permutations on our bikes as well. I took the largest sized PVC pipe connector I found and used it to move my speedometer up onto the handle bars. A couple layers of duct tape around the speedo housing and it's a perfect fit. Looks good up there too. Just like all those Hawg boys bikes. Of course, if I wanted to keep the stock speedo after I put the Harley tank on, I had to come up with something. A trip down the aisle of the local chain mega-hardware store took me to the PVC section and the rest is history. Wished I had thought of the bottle holder too. I did two long trips down south this summer. With the 100+ degree days I rode in, a non-stop drink once in a while would have been nice.

If like me you're not too handy with a sewing machine or needle (yet) you might try what I did to make things look better with the PVC. There's quite a line of texured and non-textured paints for plastics that give you lots of mix and match options for fitting your parts into the color scheme of things. Just rough the PVC up a little with some medium to fine grit sanding and shake-rattle-and spray. Old rockers never die, they just bend bad puns past the breaking point.

Jack

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by verslagen1 on 10/06/07 at 11:36:19

Starlifter wrote:

In a bycycle shop you can buy those plastic coated metal water bottle racks that fasten to a bycycle frame.
I wonder how one of those would work if you could figure out where to place it?

I've been looking at those too. And I found a sight that sells them with a mount adapted to the handlebars. But $30 You can get the bottle holder for $10 so why should the mount cost $20 I gotta take a lesson from IW and go improvise something. ;D

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/06/07 at 15:02:08

SpeedyG wrote:

Looks great! Now-what is that little bag-looking thing with the studs on the middle of the lower part of your handlebar?

That is my little self-made motorcycle dashboard! LOL.
It has my clock mounted on it and the cellphone charger plug.
I'm famous for forgetting to charge that thing!

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/06/07 at 15:03:16

klx650sm2002 wrote:

Nice one islandwahine, does it work as a cooler too ?
Clive W :D

It might keep it cool for a little while, but with the sun beaming on it I don't know for how long. I'll find out next time I go for a long ride.

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by toddlamp8 on 10/06/07 at 16:48:23

islandwahine wrote:

That is my little self-made motorcycle dashboard! LOL.
It has my clock mounted on it and the cellphone charger plug.
I'm famous for forgetting to charge that thing!

May I ask how the charger is wired?

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/06/07 at 18:39:37

toddlamp8 wrote:

May I ask how the charger is wired?

It's wired straight to the battery. both negative and positive posts. I clamped those little horseshoe ends on the wires, loosened up the the terminal bolts just a tad, (Actually had to take the negative all the way, didn't want to get zapped in the positive side), and slide the little horseshoe things right under. I did put a little fuse box on the negative wire. The guys (Thumperclone, T-mack and Strafford_Guy) suggested I put the fuse in there.

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by Savage_Greg on 10/07/07 at 08:29:51

islandwahine wrote:

I know it's a little late, but the fuse should be on the positive. Always. That way if you have a short all the power is cut by the fuse. On the negative/ground side will still leave the charger hot.

Hint: Think of it like a garden hose. If you spring a leak, where do you cut off the water?

Check the stock fuses on the bike and you'll see they are on the positive side, too.

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by WD on 10/07/07 at 09:57:29

Nice job IW! So much more satisfying to perform your own customizing, isn't it?

Want one of those super fancy roll bags? 12 inch PVC pipe, though pricey, is your friend... Handsaw, piano hinge, a bit of epoxy and some small screws, a heat source to flatten the bottom side, cover material of your choice...

I really like how your bike is turning out.
-WD

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/07/07 at 19:27:52

Savage_Greg wrote:

Darn!!!
I wanted to save time and not have to disconnect the negative wire first before putting the fuse on the positive.
That poor hose that I need to disconnect every time I try to get to the negative battery screw is getting all worn out!

Title: Re: Little itty bitty personalized modificaton
Post by islandwahine on 10/07/07 at 19:28:29

WD wrote:

Yep it is!
Thanks everyone for the ice comments!