Bike Mounting Kit

y2jk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 5

Can someone please help me through the confusing maze of bike mounting kit for the Quest? I've just bought a Q1 and want to get the bike mounting kit. There's one in Maplins for £49.99:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=-11545&criteria=GARMIN%20quest%20mount&doy=17m9
(also on e-bay and several other places) but it says you need a 3rd party mounting kit to attach to your handlebar. I've seen another post here where someone mentioned RAM mounts. Looking at the RAM web site there's dozens of Quest mounts, some with cradles, but I can't tell whether the cradles are part of the mount or just shown for illustration purposes.

What I'd like to know is:
if I buy the item above (£49.99 kit) what is the best (cheapest!) 3rd party mount I should buy as well (I have a Fazer 600 if that helps)?
are there alternative kits that provide power and attach directly to a bike?

Complete newbie so please explain in very basic English (best not to use too many big words, neither!!!)

Thanks in advance.

bumpkin · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:48 pm Post subject:

Not sure myself what Ram hardware you'll need to attach to your Fazer but basically you'll need one of these to bolt to the back of the Garmin mount, one of these or these or these (depending on the length required, you may want to clear a tank bag or something so consider that when ordering) to connect the first part above to the Ram part that you bolt to your bike. Best to speak to RAM UK on 020 8755 2881 who will advise on this. There is a pic on their site of a Fazer with a Quest, he lists the parts used although I'm not sure which model you have, I think the more recent ones have clip on style bars?

Aside from the Garmin mount Ram do actually make one as well, this is shown in the Fazer pics above. This is the basic un-powered mount though I'm pretty sure they do a power option as well although here they seem to be suggesting that you take the power lead from the car mount and use that. There have been reports here of the Garmin mounts failing. Mine is fine so far but early days. I've added a connector so it's not on the bike unless I need the Quest.
_________________
Chas
Garmin i3, Quest & StreetPilot 2720 with GTM10

bumpkin · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:53 pm Post subject:

Forgot to mention that the option of using the car power lead will leave you without audio unless you perform 'surgery', the Garmin bike mount has an audio trailing lead. As I said I'm pretty sure that Ram now do their own power lead with audio, best to ask them.

You can always run the Quest in an un powered Ram cradle as on an overnight charge it should run for a full days riding although you'll only get the back-light as you approach, and take, turns.
_________________
Chas
Garmin i3, Quest & StreetPilot 2720 with GTM10

y2jk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 5

Thanks Chas. So are you saying you have the exact mount I detailed on the Maplins site? What (bad) reports have you read about it?

Which mount(s) did you buy to attach to your bike? And what's the connector you mentioned? I assume that means you've put a link in the power lead to enable you to disonnect it, but does your cradle now just pull off its mount, or does it need to be unscrewed?

bumpkin · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:32 am Post subject:

Yes, that's the mount. I attach it to my VFR using this Ram kit. The U bolt gets thrown in the bin and the base that passes through conveniently bolts to the forward fuel tank mounting points just behind the headstock.

If your Fazer has tubular bars like the one in the pics then that's the kit you need (assuming you want the 3 inch double socket arm.

I had read that the contacts can give up the ghost and break, the only way I can see this happening is either through abuse or if the copper sprung contacts got corroded to the point they were weakened.

To remove the mount I just undo the lower part of the dbl. socket arm after pulling the connector I added to the Garmin power lead. The connector I used was one of these. This way only the lower part of the Ram mount remains which is unobtrusively tucked away between the front of the tank and headstock.
_________________
Chas
Garmin i3, Quest & StreetPilot 2720 with GTM10

locksmith · Lifetime Member Joined: Aug 16, 2005 Posts: 221

Hi this is the mount you need for a Fazer 600 http://www.ram-mount-uk.com/ram-b-149az.htm
You can use any cradle for the quest with this (so i believe).
If you use a tank bag, buy the next size up arm as well but it does slightly obscure the clocks so use the short one for normal use.
I personally use the RAM unpowered cradle as It would drive me mad listerning to that woman all day!!!

Skippy · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:27 am Post subject:

I use a Ram u-bolt mount and the unpowered cradle. It would be nice to have sound and power but I do without them. RAM mounts are about £25
_________________
Gone fishing!

y2jk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 5

Thanks for the advice everybody, and links to relevant products. I would prefer a powered cradle because I intend to travel abroad in the future (I'd really like to try some Alpine passes, not sure if I'm brave enough for that yet though!), and don't really want to have to pack a charger. I guess I could always unplug the audio lead if that voice starts to grate!!

There's still one unanswered query which prompted me to start this post in the first place. Locksmith - in the link you included, the item description contains this text:

bumpkin · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:55 pm Post subject:

The round base does offer four holes that the four screw holes in the Garmin powered cradle (these holes are spaced to some industry standard apparently), the diamond base can be used across 2 diagonal holes and is perfectly sufficient for the job, plus it's marginally lighter and cheaper.

You will need:

1/ A Garmin powered cradle, this comes with all wiring, fuse and fuse holder and screws with lock nuts to attach to the Ram base.

2/ One of the Ram kits (like the one you posted the link to above) comprising one of the base components above, one double socket arm (the middle bit) and one U bolt base to mount to the tubular bars on your Fazer. As mentioned by others, choose a double socket arm whose length suits your set-up.

Best to have some cable ties and a soldering iron to make a neat job. At a pinch you could clamp the bare wires onto the battery terminals but that would be a bodge. Best to wire it into a switched positive feed such a brake light circuit before the switch (check out your bikes wiring diagram). With a switched feed as soon as you turn off the ignition the Quest will warn that it will turn off in 30 seconds if you don't press a button.

Then, if you're a little bit sad like myself, get Ximage and make yourself a splash screen to match your bike. Rolling Eyes

_________________
Chas
Garmin i3, Quest & StreetPilot 2720 with GTM10

y2jk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 5

That's been really helpful, thanks very much indeed everyone. I think that I'm fairly sure now that if I buy one of these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=-11545&criteria=GARMIN%20quest%20mount&doy=17m9
and one of these:
http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod2685.html (or the other one Locksmith recommended)
one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tamiya-style-battery-connectors-Male-and-Female_W0QQitemZ320027925783QQihZ011QQcategoryZ2565QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260029442372&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

...for around £100 I should have everything I need to hook up the Quest on my bike (and I forgot to mention earlier, my handlebars are exactly the same as those on the pics).

As for the suggestion of a soldering iron and checking the bike's wiring diagram, I think not!! Wink

Clicking the Quest into it's cradle to get power is about as technical as I get when it comes to electrics. But we have qualified electricians at my work, I'll ask one of them to wire it up for me.

And that splash screen isn't sad, I think it looks quite neat actually. But as I haven't even worked out how to use the map software yet (very lazy when it comes to reading manuals) I think downloading 3rd party software onto the Quest is a little way off for me yet.

Don't be surprised if you see new posts from me asking how to use the pc software!!!! Laughing

bumpkin · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:03 pm Post subject:

You've got everything, sorry forgot about the connector that I mentioned previously. N.B. when you, or your sparks, cuts the Garmin lead (obviously do this 'south' of the audio splitter) there will be four (or five, can't remember exactly) inner wires. This got me really sweating... however, all but the two power wires don't appear to be used, I just cut them back and ignored them. Audio still works fine.

As to the ear piece I got some Creative Labs EP 630 earphones from the guy at the top of this page. Have yet to use them in anger though but they seem pretty close to wearing ear plugs in terms of noise suppression. Only a ride on the bike will tell though. Audio is handy but not really essential.
_________________
Chas
Garmin i3, Quest & StreetPilot 2720 with GTM10

y2jk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 5

Those earpices look good, but personally I don't really like sticking things in my ear. I tried earplugs once but didn't get on with them. Plus, they made no sound difference either, my Shark RSF2 is a very well padded and quiet helmet.

I looked at all sorts of audio, even thought of getting a full blown intercom system, or other devices to connect to my phone as well. But in the end I thought no, a simple earpiece connected to the quest's cradle will do. I like the idea of keeping my other ear free to listen to traffic / road noise.

When I get rigged up I'll try to post a pic or 2.

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