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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Tell Me If This Is Nuts
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Message started by Tanker2Biker on 01/23/10 at 16:05:32

Title: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 01/23/10 at 16:05:32

OK, I've had my Savage since Thanksgiving. I had never ridden a Motorcycle before, but my son started riding (he's 23, I'm 57). I picked up a 97 Savage with only 1400 mi. I have started riding quite a bit and I started looking at a way to mount my GPS. I'm not equipped to do much metal work, but I can handle wood working. I am making a wood block, drilled and sawed so that it will, when bolted together, clamp around the handle bar between the bolts that hold down the handle bars. I can then mount the 12v power socket and the GPS mount to the wood. I'm working with redwood that is left from a backyard bench project, because it handles the weather well.

Is there some reason this is not a good idea?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 01/23/10 at 16:13:57

If you wanna put in the work, but you can get GPS mounts all day long off ebay for little money.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m38.l1313&_nkw=motorcycle+gps+mount&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by wolfmrp on 01/23/10 at 16:16:47

As long as you seal the wood from the elements it sounds like a great idea. I made a wooden center console for an 1984 VW Rabbit gti I had a few years back. Please post pics when its done. :)

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 01/23/10 at 16:20:19

6254554E537A5F5248523B0 wrote:

But then, it has been my experience that home made stuff usually lasts much longer than store bought stuff.

And I second the picture request.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by verslagen1 on 01/23/10 at 16:39:01

Be sure to rubber mount it to the bars.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by bill67 on 01/23/10 at 16:44:59

I just ordered one from garmin $26 with shipping.I've never dealed with e bay.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Skid Mark on 01/23/10 at 18:16:48

I have the Garmin mount and it works very well. If you can do it yourself thats great too.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by T Mack 1 - FSO on 01/23/10 at 19:32:04

Go get a used pallet. Lots of places give the old ones away. They are usually made of oak.

After you get the shape done, get your fine chisels and put in a nice pattern on it (the Suzuki "S"??). Then varnish it up real nice and you will have something that will last a long time and be way more dent resistant then redwood.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by jabman on 01/24/10 at 07:21:14

what gps are you guys using? i carnt find one to suite a motorbike

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by buttgoat1 on 01/24/10 at 08:11:37

yep, that is nuts, GPS!!!!!!!!
how many great places have we found while lost?
course, we might never find our way there again.......

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Skid Mark on 01/24/10 at 08:25:54

I use a Garmin 260. It really isn't a requied gadget, but makes for a great spedo. It also is handy for figuring milage between gas stops on long trips. With our small gas tank that is important. Certainly nothing that can't be done with a paper map, but I do like my gadgets.

The bike specific gps's are weather proof, but way too expensive. This one cost about $150. The touch controls work well with gloves and if its getting wet out, I just throw it in my pocket.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by rigidchop on 01/24/10 at 10:47:26

i have a few friends that use the handheld ones, and they say they have long battery life. i still intend on getting one, i wanna try out some geocaching. looks interesting.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Serowbot on 01/24/10 at 11:50:42

GPS on a Savage,... Yeah,.. kinda' nuts...

but we like nuts here,... much more interesting... ;)

I just put pedals on my bike... That's nuts... :-?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Skid Mark on 01/24/10 at 14:39:22

A lot of us have bicycle spedos on our Savages too. Smart kind of nuts

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 01/25/10 at 08:11:28

01781834363E64550 wrote:

OK, here's an update.. I made the basic item out of redwood, and tried to use long shank screws to hold it together, both turn out to be bad ideas. redwood is too soft(you are correct, oak will be better). I have mocked up another with pressure treated pine and holding it together with hex bolts and nuts. Still a problem getting to both ends to tighten.

Next attempt will be with either oak or mesquite (both pretty hard) and carridge bolts, so I only have to get to one end.

Also, I had started out with a 1" hole, since I have 1" bars, but I have changed to a 1 1/8" hole, and wrapping the bar with some rubber from a bicycle inner tube. Seems to get it to fit nicely. I'll keep you posted.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Phelonius on 01/25/10 at 11:46:08

Your system does not cost enough.
Buy something expensive, the dealer will love you.

Phelonius

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Reelthing on 01/26/10 at 21:23:36

where's justin this kind of rigging is what he lives for.....

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/26/10 at 22:54:30

Heck, I dont know hoot about wood. The guy asked if the idea was crazy,, heck yea, going with wood is. I'd be hunting up some aluminum sheet & cut out a hole to mount that GPS in, bang up some brackets & poke some rivets in & mount that mutha up. Im still hanging on to the handlebar clamp type mounts that held the little faring on the Guzzi, because they'd make a decent camera mount or GPS mount. They are even somewhat vibration damping.

Would this be a good place to put a strap on the tank & use that to set up a GPS on? Then you could incorporate a cover pretty easy, wooden ya think?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 01/28/10 at 17:30:07

Well, this project is gonna have to wait for a while. I found the piece of oak I want to use, but it is too big to mess with (I just had hernia surgery) and I'm having carpal Tunnel surgery next week (It's hell getting close to your "Sell BY:" date) I'll update when I can use my hand again.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Rocco on 01/29/10 at 19:11:00

serowbot has bike peddles, some have bicycle speedos, i don't have paint on my tank.....we all need either a little help, or more ridin ;)

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/29/10 at 20:23:29

6D505C5C503F0 wrote:

serowbot has bike peddles, some have bicycle speedos, i don't have paint on my tank.....we all need either a little help, or more ridin ;)

we all need either a little help, or more ridin ;)[/quote]

Ill settle for a little less help & a bit more ridin'.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 02/01/10 at 17:24:44

OK, I'm trying to get some of this done before I go in for the Hand surgery. I'm working on the electronic part. I bought the 12v socket, and the unit has two wires coming out the back, one white & one gray. I was hoping for Red and Black, but no such luck. Any ideas on which I should connect to the POS side of the battery and which to the NEG?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/02/10 at 02:40:51

Look at the polarity requirements of what you will be powering & connect accordingly?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 02/02/10 at 06:43:32

OK, found this on line:

For the 12-volt systems, the "contact point," which is the center part of the plug when viewed end-on, carries the positive voltage, whereas the "can" part, which is the outer part of the connector, carries the negative voltage (which is the "ground" connection for most automobiles, which have a negative ground electrical system).

So, I'll check the back of the socket and see which one is coming from the center, and connect to Positive.

Which connection would be appropriate for the negative end: Connected to the negative side of the battery; or connected to a grounding point on the frame?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/02/10 at 06:57:53

Frame oughta be okay for that. Not such high current as to need to go straight to the battery. That would make installation cleaner & easier. Again, M/Cs run in the weather & vibrate, so, soldered connections are better than crimped. Liquid electrical tape doesnt come unwrapped or, even heat shrink tubing would do the job well. A really anal type might slip the heat shrink down, away from the connection,solder it up, put a thin dose of liquid tape on, let that cure, slide the heat shrink into position & hit it with a lighter or soldering iron. Soldering is easy, clean the wires, dont twist the ends together like on a twist tie on a loaf of bread, aim one wire at the other, end on, cross the bare ends about midway & twist them around each other, so its like grabbing someones wrist while they grab yours. Then the wires look nice & will accept heat shrink. Dont forget to get flux, a paste flux, no acid core solder for electrical work. Get a 60/40 solder, flux core & youll still need a flux to add to the wires, just a tiny dab. let the solder flow into the wire. You should be able to see the individual strands of the wires, just silver from the solder on them. Not a glob.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 02/02/10 at 18:07:02

I broke down and dug out the multimeter and checked to see which wire connected to the center pole. I soldered the connections and covered them with two layers of heat shrink. Then I have some fireproof conduit to run the wires through. I plan to run it from the handle bars, back along the frame under the tank to the battery

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 02/04/10 at 16:42:09

OK, I got it done. I took it for a couple block test and it does work, and I can see it pretty clearly.

Here is what I started with:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn128/M60_Tanker06/SANY0001-1.jpg

Here's the block before I finished it. I took T Mack's suggestion and carved a Suzuki S into the front, then filled it in with red epoxy. The base is slid off to the side to show how they fit
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn128/M60_Tanker06/SANY0022.jpg

Here is how it looks on the bike. And there is still more room on the block for stuff, like maybe my iPod. Wood is Texas Mesquite. Finish is a oak penetrating stain, covered with a spray clear enamal.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn128/M60_Tanker06/SANY0027.jpg

and here's how the Power socket is mounted
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn128/M60_Tanker06/SANY0033.jpg

Finished mounting and hooked it up last night, then checked today, and the battery was not drained, so I guess it's not drawing any power when nothing is plugged in.

Now that this is done, I ordered a forward controls kit form Ed L. It got here yesterday, and I have been looking at some wider seats ( a little more support and comfort for my ample A55. This stuff could get expensive!!

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by bill67 on 02/04/10 at 17:30:15

No comment

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by wolfmrp on 02/04/10 at 17:53:44

You may want to look into the Diamond Jim seat mod. It is cheap and easy. I redid my seat with his spray foam method and then covered it with some nice closed cell foam. My butt is very happy with the results. The whole thing is about $20 and an evening of work.

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 02/04/10 at 18:48:50

777C79792322150 wrote:

No comment

Ditto

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/06/10 at 04:45:27

IDK what kind of wood working tools you have on hand, but some router work might be nice & considering all the effort to make the mount be wood for the eye to see, Im kinda surprised you didnt set the ends of the bolts deep enough to run plugs into those holes & cover the bolts up. To my eye, the mount is just too bulky ( dare I say "blocky"?) on such a small built bike & a smaller mount, generally, would have been more eye appealing, BUT, all that said, that is some solid work & the thing is, how YOU feel when you look at it & you know you solved your problems in a way that makes you happy. I would have leaned toward some skeletonized aluminum bracket, trying to make it the smallest part I could build that would have held the GPS &, I guess, thats a 12 volt plug?

Title: Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Post by Tanker2Biker on 02/07/10 at 05:36:35

Yeah, the size of the 12v socket helped dictate the size. I wanted the socket up top rather than down on the frame somewhere, so I needed some size to be high and long enough to support the socket and whatever plug is in it. Plus, once I decided to put the S on the front, it needed to be big enough to see. I also convinced myself that the mass of he wood might dampen the vibration.

I agree with you on the bolt/nuts. I may go back and change that.