Kenwood in BMW topbox

[ratboy]

Hi

Finding a place to mount a Kenwood radio on a GS has defeated me. After several efforts I now carry mine in the tankbag but don't feel this is ideal as it's another plug to undo and plug in again at every stop including petrol as obviously the tankbag has to swing up to get at the filler. The only place I can think of is the topbox but would the radio work in it as the plastic has a metal skin on top?

Has anyone tried?

Thanks

 

[andyclift]

It should work in the top box OK but you will of course need to cut holes for the cable(s) or jam them under the lid. Here is my solution. I can't post pictures so a link to my site page. Note though that range tends to be better if both radios are in the same orientation, e.g. aerial vertical.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clift/comms.html

There is a picture showing my Alan radio mounted by the instruments. It's a DIY bracket which I made by cutting a lump of wood to the same size as the radio and bending a piece of scrap aluminium around it. The resulting aluminium bracket was then trimmed, sprayed to match the bike and lined with some spare velcro (furry side) to protect the radio from scratches. The bracket is bolted to a RAM mount which goes on the screen frame. This set up means the cable can be neatly and permanently fixed in place and I can adjust the volume and see the display to confirm I am transmitting and not just talking to myself.

Incidentally. I have been pleased with the Alan radios, good range, very clear and half the price of decent Motorolas and Kenwoods

 

[Marjorie Proops]

IIRC Fanum put his radio in the topbox a couple of years ago with the aerial sticking out - he'll probably be along later.

 

[SilverFish]

Thats how I want to do it Andy - nice and simple but effective!.

I havent the first idea of where to get sheet aluminium from, or how to bend it properly. I know you can get large sheet metal bending machines.

Can you give me a couple of suggestions to make it a good, clean job?

Cheers,

Mike

 

[andyclift]

I havent the first idea of where to get sheet aluminium from, or how to bend it properly. I know you can get large sheet metal bending machines.

I hope this all makes sense and you don't need any tools other than a hacksaw, hammer, drill, G or F clamp and some scrap wood.

The aluminium I used was the side of an old saucepan. I cut out a lump that was big enough with a hacksaw, bent it roughly flat and then drew the shape I needed for the bracket on it from a cardboard template wrapped around the radio, cut it to shape and smoothed the edges. The surface of the aluminium was given a rough sanding but as it was being painted it did not have to be that good.

Cut or plane a piece of wood the size of the radio. Lay the aluminium on the "back". Lay some scrap wood on top and clamp the sandwich together with G or F clamp.

Now you can bend the sides in without bowing the back. Most of the bend can be done by hand but to get nice sharp corners finish of with a hammer - not diectly on the aluminium as you will mark it. Use some scrap wood laid on the aluminium and hammer that.

Once you have the sides to shape take the clamp off, place a piece of wood against each side and clamp them on, holding the sides in place. Now you can bend the front edges in. As they are quite short its probably hard to do by hand so, again use a hammer against a piece of wood.

This has probably taken as long to write as it did to do.!!

Finally, buy a RAM mount with a flange top ball (about £15.00) and use the flange as a template to drill a couple of countersunk holes in the bracket. Fit the RAM flange, cover the inside with something to stop scratches (I used some spare wide velcro) and fit to bike.

One tip. Make sure the shape you cut has an opening where the transmit button is located. I forgot and found that when I fitted the radio it pushed the transmit button so had to grind a bit out after bending (hence the slightly wavey left side shown in my photograph.

The Alan radios have a small block sticking out the back where the belt clip fits so when they go in the bracket the block stops them slipping right through. If the radios have a smooth back you will need to bend a lip of aluminium at the base of the bracket to act as a stop.

 

[FidoNick]

I've got an autocom connected to a kenwood (ish) PMR which sits in a Givi top box. Camel_Landy has a similar radio, but his lives in a jacket pocket. Advantage of it being in the top box is I have a battery eliminator (just remember to turn radio off if not using bike for a week... ) and I don't need to unplug each time to get off the bike. A bit of velcro keept the ariel vertical and we can get the best part of a mile between us. Oh - I did say kenwood-ish.... Disadvantage of it being in the top box it you can't re-tune etc, but I'm sure you're aware of that. Of course if you have a suitable radio with a removeable antenna, you could stick the radio in the box or under the seat and mount the antenna on the box lid, the beak or wherever else it'll fit....

 

[andyclift]

Re making bracket, see sketch at

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clift/bracket.html

 

[SilverFish]

Re making bracket, see sketch at

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clift/bracket.html

Thanks for the info Andy - very clear.

I wonder which of my girlfriends aluminium pots she will not mind me cutting up...

Mike

 

[ratboy]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure my DIY is up to the great looking home made bracket (wife might miss one of her pans as well)

FidoNick is your Givi topbox just plastic as my reservation was about the metal skin on a BMW one. Also did you use an external aerial or just the one attached to the radio inside the topbox?

 

[FidoNick]

Just a plastic one. I used the ariel attached to the radio - if you can get one that's external, you may be succesful in either connecting via a 'gutter mount' of if it's got a magnetic base, by having al lump of steel under the lid to 'magnetikaly' stick through to. Not tried this and you've then got the problem with it being nicked....

 

[kayandtee]

I took the roll kit from under the seat and put the Kenwood there....somethings going in the top box, might as well be the tools me and a buddy made 2.5 miles apart like that

 

[ratboy]

I took the roll kit from under the seat and put the Kenwood there....somethings going in the top box, might as well be the tools me and a buddy made 2.5 miles apart like that

Did you have to do any cutting of the tool tray to fit the Kenwood in?