Custom GPS Mounting Solution for GL1800
10-Jun-2018
Recently I have learned how to use (and for the most part have been very pleased with) the Google Navigation
software in my smart phone for navigating. There are a number of ways to start it and use it, and for the most part
it is very adept and versatile at navigating across town or across country. However, it has one very, very important
drawback: the map database is stored on a remote server, and to do (literally) anything with this application, you
HAVE TO HAVE Internet connectivity, and that means you HAVE TO HAVE a decent cell phone signal.
(Sadly, voice recognition also doesn't work when there is no cell phone signal for the
same reason: the voice recognition logic is stored on a remote server.)
So what happens when you get into the "boonies" (like Sand Gap, Arkansas) where there is no cell phone signal? In layman's
terms: you're out of luck! After having experienced this (complete and utter navigation software failure) more than once
in different parts of the country where I like to travel, I decided I needed a REAL GPS solution—a solution in which all the
maps I would need reside on the device itself, and are not dependant on a signal that might not be there when I need it.
After a great deal of study, I selected Garmin zūmo® 595LM as my GPS of choice.
Thankfully, the zūmo® 595LM comes with an interesting set of mounting solution hardware already in the
box: enough hardware to provide separate permanent mounting solutions for both a car and a motorcycle.
This hardware works beautifully—as long as you don't mind the GPS being mounted on one of the handlebars....
But what if you're a guy like me? I'm picky about my GL1800. Everything has to be perfect. For safety reasons, I do not like to move my eyes all the way to my left or right handlebar to see the GPS. I'd much rather be able to see the GPS from my peripheral vision. And I would much rather be able to see the road with my peripheral vision while looking at the GPS. While I've seen suction-mount solutions that attach to the inside of the windshield (which are great for the peripheral vision objective), I do not like those solutions because they obstruct the view through the windshield, and heaven forbid that I block the view right in front of the front tire. I live in Colorado, and I need to be able to see sand and gravel on mountain roads, and precisely navigate through the clear paths. This requires a clear view in front of the front tire!
Design Requirements:
Altogether, the following is a list of my design criteria for a GPS-mounting solution that I will be happy with:
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Windshield view is not obstructed. No part of the windshield view can be obstructed. This is important because sometimes sand or small objects on the road aren't visible until they are very close.
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No part of the dashboard view is obstructed.
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I can view the GPS with peripheral vision while having my eyes on the road, and vice versa.
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It has to be nice and stable, like when it is mounted to the dashboard of my car. (This eliminates a handlebar mount because everything mounted to the handle bar shakes and makes it that much harder to view, much less operate.)
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It has to be within easy reach of either hand, depending on which one is free.
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Because it is RAM-Mount based, it has to have all 3 parts (ball / arm / ball) interchangeable to a larger ball or arm size to accommodate different devices as well as different height / stability / arm-length needs.
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No damage to motorcycle. When I sell the motorcycle later, I want to be able to leave the motorcycle in its stock condition.
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Transferable to next motorcycle.
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Removable -- it needs to be able to be removed from the motorcycle when not needed.
I searched high and low for a mounting solution that would enable me to mount it near the center of the motorcycle while meeting the above criteria. Alas, I found nothing that addressed this combination of needs.
So I invented my own solution, and these pages document how I made it.
