NEW to me Garmin

[ekap1200]

Hi all, I have finally moved up in the world and added a GPS system. After a few weeks of mulling around on how to attach it and not drill, tape or hang it and have wires not looking like they were not part of the elec-sys. I have got it up and running. I received it without an antenna and It just came in the day after all the wiring was done. Glad it worked after all that work on the install. I would have been mad if it didn't. But I took the unit in on a barter for some labor and the guy would have made good on it. I was very surprised at how well it keeps track of location and speed. Which I now know is 2 mph off up to 50mph and up to 3 off after that. Just wish it was black to match the dash. any way here is the finished view, and one pic of the main mounting bracket that I made,
A busy man is a happy man.

[voyager55]

Wow!
Next you'll be looking at cell phones!

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

Wow!
Next you'll be looking at cell phones!

Yes as it is he just moved away from a corded phone that only gave him 25' of reach from his garage, he now has a wireless phone and has reception up to 100' from the garage.
Just image if he goes cellular!
Just kidding, when Gene decides he's going to mount a phone it will be Awesomely Amazing!

[SgtSlag]

Sharp, Gene! That mount could be used for other devices, possibly even a small 'windshield bag'. I've been contemplating getting one for sunglasses, and cell phone, possibly a bottle of water, even. Would prefer a tank bag, but with the cruise control panel on the faux tank, that is not gonna be an option. This, however, has possibilities. Thanks for the inspiration. Cheers!

[Lucasind]

...Nice install. I like the location !...Now, (in 7 months) you can test it out all the way to Colorado !

[ekap1200]

Sharp, Gene! That mount could be used for other devices, possibly even a small 'windshield bag'. I've been contemplating getting one for sunglasses, and cell phone, possibly a bottle of water, even. Would prefer a tank bag, but with the cruise control panel on the faux tank, that is not gonna be an option. This, however, has possibilities. Thanks for the inspiration. Cheers!

SgtSlag--The material of choice is 5052 alum. It is dead soft and will not crack when forming angles. Quite gummy when machining but doable with proper speeds and feeds. My favorite way is to water-jet but not everyone has that option. Send me a sketch of what you want and I can make it up for you.

Tony , I will have that route loaded soon. Cant wait for the trip, I am pumped up already. I do love travel to the western parts of the U.S. and can feel the warm wind of the road while I just think of the trip.

[Mr Jensee]

Looks neat but it also looks like there could be issues accessing the ignition and inserting and removing the key.

[ekap1200]

Looks neat but it also looks like there could be issues accessing the ignition and inserting and removing the key.

No problem with access to the key, here is a pic of the side view.

[ekap1200]

Wow!
Next you'll be looking at cell phones!

Yes as it is he just moved away from a corded phone that only gave him 25' of reach from his garage, he now has a wireless phone and has reception up to 100' from the garage.
Just image if he goes cellular!
Just kidding, when Gene decides he's going to mount a phone it will be Awesomely Amazing!

They make cords that long ...

[Lucasind]

.Tony , I will have that route loaded soon. Cant wait for the trip, I am pumped up already. I do love travel to the western parts of the U.S. and can feel the warm wind of the road while I just think of the trip.



..Hey Gene... Dave H from N.C. called me on the phone over the weekend . ,said he too can't wait to go out west to the rally. He is planning on trailering his bike out to Denver,cause he plans on staying on after the rally is over, mentioned that he was gonna go south to see N.M. in the week following the rally. I am still trying to figure the whole thing out....have to agree with Dave, seems like a awful long way to go.... to turn around and head back after a 4 day rally. What are your plans /thoughts for the 2015 rally ? if you have any ?......................tony

[ekap1200]

Tony, I will have two weeks, I may end up riding out alone, due to not getting that 3days needed to make the rally on the first day. I was planning on riding out with some chapter members. I would have to leave on Friday morning and that is not allowed by the company I work for. ( still working on that plan) . I would be up for more sightseeing after the rally either going north or south then eastward. All route's for me are still up in the air. But time off after the rally is for sure. Sure would like to head far enough south to see some cactus in the desert. Gene Kap.

[chevyman1]

Tony, I will have two weeks, I may end up riding out alone, due to not getting that 3days needed to make the rally on the first day. I was planning on riding out with some chapter members. I would have to leave on Friday morning and that is not allowed by the company I work for. ( still working on that plan) . I would be up for more sightseeing after the rally either going north or south then eastward. All route's for me are still up in the air. But time off after the rally is for sure. Sure would like to head far enough south to see some cactus in the desert. Gene Kap.

I am planning to ride with some chapter members.
If the wife rides with I will probably have to do it in 4 days,I she fly's out three days will work.

[cushman eagle]

I agree chevyman for a 4 day ride,my wife is still complaining about our 500 mile day home from Asheville. I don't know yet how that will work with my job.

[cushman eagle]

I've checked the route to Estes Park again, and using route 80, it would be 1400 miles from my place giving 466 miles per day.If we would spread that out over 13 hours instead of 10 my wife could probably handle that.We could get a couple sleeping bags or air mattresses and provide a stopover for those from Pennsylvania.I also found out we are about 373 miles from Myerstown Pennsylvania,if that might help,Kevin,Scott etc.

[Lucasind]

.....WE (so far) are thinking to make our first day, Toledo... to Des Moine...565 miles...... my wife is
NOT thrilled about that first day push very much either....... but ....all I can say to counter that is...
good thing we are still mid 50's instead of mid 60's ....I keep telling her "this is nothing"
compared to distances others ride !! (don't do much for the cause)

I'm thinking I will need some words of advise from others, for the way back, since the vacation is behind us......and there is nothing to look forward to ,accept, sleeping in your own bed !
(as soon as I get you there) .....So far our plans are for 2003 voyager XII, 2008 F/I 1400 connie,
and (god willing) the 1985 F/I 1300. Don't get me wrong... I'm not KNOCKING the 1300 voyager,
but ...this will be our ONLY vacation of the year... and any time you take a 30 year old bike across the country...having owned it for less than a year... you MAY be opening yourself up to potential DISASTER !! NO parts to be had.... NO support vehicle following..... BUT... as I always say ,when we do things like this.... "are you ready to go out on another adventure ? "...and after nearly 41 years..riding together.. I guess (and hoping) the answer will be " YES " from my wife
...............................................tony

[Lucasind]

Gene and I got to talking about this GPS bracket at the 2015 Estes Park rally, He said he did not spend much time on making it, and said it needed a "little help". The brightness of the sun affected the viewing screen... and some sort of shield or visor was needed. I got one from him, and it has been sitting on the shelf out in the shop since last summer, waiting to be used. I got the "ball rolling" on it last Friday evening ,by just painting it black ,and hanging it up over the wood stove to dry in the heat.At first I was thinking I would bend up some sheet metal but decided against it. The next day I thought I would look thru my cabinets of motorcycle stuff for something suitable to sorta enclose the gps unit,shielding it from the sun, remembering Gene's thoughts from last summer. I had quite a few old battery buckets,that looked like good prospects to start this fab. One in particular, from a LTD 550
(I think), looked like it would be a close match to the size of my GPS unit. So.... I started making some measurements, and made some initial lines with a straight edge, when I thought it looked like it might work.....I went to the table saw, and using the "rip fence" to ensure perfect straight cuts.... this is what I came up with :



Applied Gene' bracket to my piece, to transfer the hole locations,then started looking for some fasteners..... didn't like screws ,as they stood up too tall against the back side of the gps, so I went with pop rivets. After that ...a few coats of paint was applied to brighten up the appearance of the 35 year old battery box :





Had some 3/8ths thick black weather stripping hanging around ,looking for a job ,so I rested the gps on that,and put a couple of strips of velcro on the back side of the gps ,to hold it in place. The original screws ,holding the ignition cover in place were replaced with longer ones,and let's throw it on the bike for a look :



Turned out pretty darn good ! and at 70 miles an hour ,in a driving rainstorm..... it looks like it came this way from the factory ! ...............................Tony

[trikebldr]

Tony, you are just so neat and tidy the way you lay everything out so neatly on your shop rag!

Yes, that does look like it is factory!

Gene, I'm a bit late to this thread, but if you still have that same GPS, can't you split the cases apart, remove all the innards and paint the shells black?

OK, now who's gonna debut some kind of heads-up GPS viewer to be projected onto the backsides of their shades or face-shield? On our FPV drones we use a 3D gimballed camera that gives us a real view, follows our head movements and the screen displays all sorts of info, including a GPS view of where we are.

[Mr Jensee]

Just a question guys. I mounted mine (A Garmin for a car) to the handlebars using Ram mounts. It works well for me. Just wondering since you went for the mounting on the center of the bike. Did nobody consider mounting the bracket on the top of the cruise control unit? Before I got the Ram mounts that was my choice to keep from obstructing anything on the dash.

[Chris near Kansas City]

I use one of these: http://www.glarestomper.com/#axzz41u03aPpM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rick had one and decided I needed one too.

[voyager55]

I run my gps thru the stereo so it doesn't matter where it is.