SuzukiSavage.com - Tell Me If This Is Nuts

Tanker2Biker

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Tell Me If This Is Nuts
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?

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Yonuh Adisi FSO Serious Thumper Offline Savage Jedi (Knight) Posts: 3622 Pilot Valley NV, aka Tatooine Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #1 - 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+m...
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wolfmrp Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 259 Portland Or	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #2 - 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.
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Yonuh Adisi FSO

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Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Reply #3 - 01/23/10 at 16:20:19

Yonuh Adisi FSO wrote 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+m...

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.

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Check out Flight of Destiny http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H9130XC

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #4 - 01/23/10 at 16:39:01 Be sure to rubber mount it to the bars.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #5 - 01/23/10 at 16:44:59 I just ordered one from garmin $26 with shipping.I've never dealed with e bay.
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Skid Mark Serious Thumper Offline FSO Posts: 1216 Calgary, Alberta Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #6 - 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.
Back to top	2008 S40 , Windshield, Sigma Cycle Computer, after market backrest & luggage rack, Tkat Fork Brace, saddlebags, 12v power supply, Garmin GPS '09 C50SE, '09 C90 Shoulda got into this years ago IP Logged

T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #7 - 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.
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jabman Senior Member Offline Posts: 411 England Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #8 - 01/24/10 at 07:21:14 what gps are you guys using? i carnt find one to suite a motorbike
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buttgoat1 Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1042	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #9 - 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.......
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Skid Mark

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Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Reply #10 - 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.

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2008 S40 , Windshield, Sigma Cycle Computer, after market backrest & luggage rack, Tkat Fork Brace, saddlebags, 12v power supply, Garmin GPS
'09 C50SE, '09 C90
Shoulda got into this years ago

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rigidchop Serious Thumper Offline don't feed the drama llama Posts: 1105 ravenswood wv Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #11 - 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.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28642 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #12 - 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...
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Skid Mark Serious Thumper Offline FSO Posts: 1216 Calgary, Alberta Gender:	Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts Reply #13 - 01/24/10 at 14:39:22 A lot of us have bicycle spedos on our Savages too. Smart kind of nuts
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Tanker2Biker

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Re: Tell Me If This Is Nuts
Reply #14 - 01/25/10 at 08:11:28

T Mack 1 - FSO wrote 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.

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.

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