GPS Mount on non-GPS enabled bike

Pacific

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How are people mounting sat navs on bikes that don't have the OEM nav bar?

I have a 2017 1200GS Rallye (not GPS prepared) and want to mount a Garmin Montana.

Any advice gladly received. :thumb2

Mark
 
Thanks for the input.

I should have explained that I want the nav mounted above the clocks as it’s easier to see without looking down.

There doesn’t appear to be anything to mount to up there and no 3rd party mounting options that seem to be available.

Perhaps I just have to splash out on the BMW nav bar??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I didn’t really want mine in view as I use the copilot app to just send turns via Bluetooth to my headset ( when I want it) which it does. I feel that watching screens etc are too distracting it’s bad enough trying to have eyes everywhere on the road.
 
Thanks for the input.

I should have explained that I want the nav mounted above the clocks as it’s easier to see without looking down.

There doesn’t appear to be anything to mount to up there and no 3rd party mounting options that seem to be available.

Perhaps I just have to splash out on the BMW nav bar??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Think you answered your own question, buy the bar :)
 
Yep just buy the BMW bar only,it's not that expensive and you know it fits properly and doesn't look a codge up.
I think I,paid under 50 quid.
 
I could only find the bar sold together with the base for the bmw Nav online for about £200. I will call tomorrow and ask about the bar only.

Thanks

Mark


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the input.

I should have explained that I want the nav mounted above the clocks as it’s easier to see without looking down.

There doesn’t appear to be anything to mount to up there and no 3rd party mounting options that seem to be available.

Perhaps I just have to splash out on the BMW nav bar??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree, and although I have the bar and GPS prep stuff, I fitted an extension which clamps on the bar to mount the Nav V even higher. It means you can see it more easily and mount it more vertically which together with a Wunderlich sunshade helps with avoiding sun glare on the screen. I don't think glancing at the satnav is too much of a distraction, especially in mountainous twisties, where it can be very helpful in giving you a good advance idea of the severity of a set of bends and whether there are any concealed hairpins or those nasty ones with a reducing radius half way round. In town and heavy traffic it is more difficult to keep an eye on the screen and in those situations I tend to rely more on the spoken instructions.



Fred
 
I agree, and although I have the bar and GPS prep stuff, I fitted an extension which clamps on the bar to mount the Nav V even higher. It means you can see it more easily and mount it more vertically which together with a Wunderlich sunshade helps with avoiding sun glare on the screen. I don't think glancing at the satnav is too much of a distraction, especially in mountainous twisties, where it can be very helpful in giving you a good advance idea of the severity of a set of bends and whether there are any concealed hairpins or those nasty ones with a reducing radius half way round. In town and heavy traffic it is more difficult to keep an eye on the screen and in those situations I tend to rely more on the spoken instructions.



Fred

Could you share a picture of how you mounted it?
 
Could you share a picture of how you mounted it?

No problem - here you go:

A6K-3047129-5579-X2.jpg


A6K-3047129-5574-X2.jpg


Incidentally, following my policy of continual improvement :D I've now removed the green digit GPS speedo display to the right of the satnav. I'm replacing it with a much more compact unit driven off the OBD port, and will probably mount that on the screen above the satnav.

PS: There is plenty of spare cable on the satnav mount, but it is folded up and tie-wrapped so you have to free it to get some slack to raise the mount.
 
No problem - here you go:

A6K-3047129-5579-X2.jpg


A6K-3047129-5574-X2.jpg


Incidentally, following my policy of continual improvement :D I've now removed the green digit GPS speedo display to the right of the satnav. I'm replacing it with a much more compact unit driven off the OBD port, and will probably mount that on the screen above the satnav.

Thanks!

Now care you share the details of the new speedo? :)
 
Thanks for the input chaps.

I've ordered the mount below from SM-Motech to try.
It seems to fit the bill and you can also add RAM mount balls to the sides of the bracket to provide additional mounts.
I will post some pictures once I've fitted it.

<a href="http://s860.photobucket.com/user/pacific1968/media/s-l1600.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab167/pacific1968/s-l1600.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo s-l1600.jpg"/></a>

The same item bundled with the RAM mounts is sold by twistedthrottle.com in the US (below)
<a href="http://s860.photobucket.com/user/pacific1968/media/tt.gps.07.r12gs13_001sm.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab167/pacific1968/tt.gps.07.r12gs13_001sm.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tt.gps.07.r12gs13_001sm.jpg"/></a>

Link here: http://www.twistedthrottle.com/multiple-device-gps-mount-for-bmw-r1200gs-lc-13#

Cheers

Mark
 
Thanks!

Now care you share the details of the new speedo? :)

Well not fitted yet, but this is it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071KC1NN1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I originally bought it for the car but liked so much I stole it for the bike. I'm thinking I will make a bracket to fix it to the screen just above the satnav. I don't suppose it is designed for outdoor use, but has a curved top on it which looks like it will shed any rain, and I may drill a couple of drain holes in the bottom just in case any water gets in. It connects to bike OK and shows engine temp, battery voltage, revs and speed, though is configurable to show other parameters. Unfortunately the rev counter only reads up to 6000, I guess because it is designed for cars.

I haven't been able to check that the speed does actually work as I have the bike in bits at the moment to fit an alarm and a HexEzcan, though it reads 0 when stationary so looks like it should work. In the car it appears to give a very accurate readout, without the exaggerated reading which the speedo uses to ensure it can't under-read, so it always reads a bit lower than the speedo, and agrees exactly with those radar signs which tell you how fast you are going. It is slightly laggy with the reading as speed changes, but I think a bit quicker to update than the GPS type.

The lead plugs straight in to the latest industry standard ODB port down by the battery - you would need an adapter for the round ports on older bikes, and I guess it may also not be so compatible with the data output on older bikes.

Fred

610emPhFJ9L._SL1200_.jpg
 
Well not fitted yet, but this is it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071KC1NN1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I originally bought it for the car but liked so much I stole it for the bike. I'm thinking I will make a bracket to fix it to the screen just above the satnav. I don't suppose it is designed for outdoor use, but has a curved top on it which looks like it will shed any rain, and I may drill a couple of drain holes in the bottom just in case any water gets in. It connects to bike OK and shows engine temp, battery voltage, revs and speed, though is configurable to show other parameters. Unfortunately the rev counter only reads up to 6000, I guess because it is designed for cars.

I haven't been able to check that the speed does actually work as I have the bike in bits at the moment to fit an alarm and a HexEzcan, though it reads 0 when stationary so looks like it should work. In the car it appears to give a very accurate readout, without the exaggerated reading which the speedo uses to ensure it can't under-read, so it always reads a bit lower than the speedo, and agrees exactly with those radar signs which tell you how fast you are going. It is slightly laggy with the reading as speed changes, but I think a bit quicker to update than the GPS type.

The lead plugs straight in to the latest industry standard ODB port down by the battery - you would need an adapter for the round ports on older bikes, and I guess it may also not be so compatible with the data output on older bikes.

Fred

Thanks mate. Will be interested to see if it works via the port as my Garmin Virb XE will not pick up any data from the round plug bikes but does on the newer ones. I have a feeling this will not work but hopefully I'm wrong!
 
Cheers Fred looks hand for the wifes car, but I did pickup on one thing about BATTERY DRAIN.


Yes - good point, but looks like so far as cars go it is only an issue for Mercedes Benz models. On my car and I think on the bike, but will check it again, the screen blanks and it goes into standby mode when the ignition is off, which is only 15 mA, so should be OK.

Will have another check tomorrow and let you know for sure. I certainly don't want to be unplugging it every time I park the bike!
 
Cheers Fred looks hand for the wifes car, but I did pickup on one thing about BATTERY DRAIN.

Checked this today and it goes into standby a short time after the ignition is turned off, in fact even with the ignition on it goes into standby after a while if the engine is not running. If I remember correctly the standby time is configurable and I had it set to 30s when it was in the car.

Here is a pic, together with my phone based satnav - speedo gadget not in its final position as I am intending to put it on a RAM mount alongside the phone.

Fred

IMG_20180321_163031684-X3.jpg
 


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