Handle bars affected by GPS and radios

Wouldn't it generally be a better idea to mount this to the front end area around the instrument cluster? I would think this would better dampen the impact a heavy off-road trip would have on the equipment and limit the chances that it could be damaged (or damage you) in a fall?

BMW have a {very expensive} mounting that fit on the handlebar mounting nuts in the centre, there must be method behind that. I would like to think that they have done their testing before pushing something into the market I guess that in the middle is where it should go then.

Check out bikegear.co.za, they have a few different mounts which bolt either to the four bolts on the bar clamps or onto the handle bar centre or the handlebar brace. Checkout: http://www.bikegear.co.za/9b52189c-7517-4c14-9fb0-fcb97ad3accd-9.html Its All In The Mind

Great ideas, I'll fabricate the necessary brackets and root them to my steering head post. Andyman Yup that's me. Standing up in the traffic on the 1150GSA.

given all the above, I've RTFM'd and there is no caution from BMW to the operator to NOT mount accessories to vthe handlebars as they could unsettle a very fine and very important balance. Every off-road and most road tourers do evolve towards GPS navcom music units eventually and some go 2-way radio routes. so a caution is a good idea. Note in the manual, BMW only mounts GPS off the steering head. Never off the bars. Nou weet ek ook van bloedneus kry. Andyman Yup that's me. Standing up in the traffic on the 1150GSA.

Andy, Chris v d Weshuizen manafactured a central mount bracket (S/S) and modified the Ram mount to fit. Could be genuine BMW part, very neat. Ignore opinions, heed facts. Feet on the pegs, always.

a few days later - and more experimenting and talking to BMW I need to qualify my post on handle bar balance. There is no doubt that adding anything to the handlebars will upset the balance to a degree. The heavier the item, the more you will unbalance the handle bar. A GPS only will not effect the handling to any noticeble degree. But my adding on a 350gm 2-way radio as well is what upset the balance to a noticeble degree. A Nuvi will hardly be noticed. If you are really senistive you will notice a Zumo which is heavier. And somehwere in the manual you are warned of this. BMW mounts all Nav tools on the steering head only. Andyman Yup that's me. Standing up in the traffic on the 1150GSA.

I have had my garmin 276 (bigger and heavier than the 500) and the Zumo 500 on my bars on the LHS and noticed no problems at all.

Me-thinks the balancing of the steering arm and handle bars may be less affected on the new and improved gadget mobile 1200s than the old rustic 1150s... :P:P:P

Yup, Andy get a new 1200 and you can mount a vuvuzella and a flag as well.:-)

hehe :-)

I have read your thread and this weekend I tried to notice the difference when my GPS is mounted and when it's off. Granted, I might be ham fisted so it could be that I won't notice the difference even if an elephant was mounted on my handlebar but I could not tell the difference. I have a Nuvi 500 mounted on the left side. The only problem I have noticed is the wife can now clearly see the speed as indicated on the GPS. Short jabs to the ribs usually follow.

Maritz - switch the km/h to miles per hour .... :)

Ha ha, good idea!

What happens when you're doing 100Mph and she then asks you to go faster?

Andy do you have both items mounted on the same side of the bar? maybe one one each side would balance out? Can't say I have noticed instability on the 1200. the 500 is mounted on the left side of the bar. Ignore opinions, heed facts. Feet on the pegs, always.

Simple - You go Faster Love to Ride

Does where you put the clamp for the GPS / radio potentially influence the impact or otherwise on the handlebars?

Refer to my (crude) drawing – A GPs in the same position could be mounted with the clamp in either position A nearer the bar ends or position b nearer the headset.

Which would be better as regards where the weight / mass of the GPS/clamp combination is or is there in fact no difference?

Rocket scientists / other scientists & people who have experienced this in real life are welcome to contribute ;-) This isn’t the same as standing lowering the CoG is it?

Rgds

 

Gavin

 

GPS mount

In (B) more of the unit's mass is closer to the headset (yes, its CoG), and so the (B) option is more symmetric.

Personally, I am moving away from the 'close to your left hand' philosophy, and closer to the 'Centered' option.  When you fall (and you will), it is more likely you will damage equipment on the edges your handlebar than those in the middle.  Also, by changing the mass around the edge of the handlebar you change its resonant (tank-slapping) frequency - maybe for the worse...

Another reason for moving away from the 'Close to the left hand' position, is this:  wtf are you doing messing with your GPS while riding?  Rather stop and smell the dassies while poking at the device...

Interesting topic again Gavin,

But as fast you read the response, forget them as they are of negelgible value to the final outcome.

The safest option remains not having your left hand have to travel too far off it's perch to adjust the GPS.

 

Well simple physics make it obvious that unless you add relative similar mass to each side of the steering head you upset the balance.

I note all mounts supplied by BMW are dead centre of the stearing head.

But Gav,

I removed all peripheries except the GPS (still right close to LHS hand-grip.)

And I'm now so accustomed to the slight imbalance that my body long ago automatically compensated and countered any imbalance. to the point that I'd never notice it unless I took if all off.

But in a tank slapper situatIon IT WILL PROBABLYHAVE AN EFFECT. But lets not go there.

 

Fiddle with the GPS while on the move.

Why not. When I'm sans pillion.

I have enough estrogen to allow me multi task that much at least.

I'm always selecting music, making phone calls, zooming in or out or scrolling to see the next  sector of my route or paging to see my trip detail predictions on screen II and screen III.

I'm working my GPS quite a lot, especially to page IV (last page)- the phone page, checking signal strength, or finding a number or checking voice mail.

So the closer my GPS is to my Left hand on the grip the safer it is.

On my RT, the GPS is mounted dead center over the steering head, and work the GPS functions as much, if not more, while commuting on tar and to move my hand so far from the LH grip is dangeroos X 1000.

In dense traffic this is positively suicidal. I'd prefer it nearer the hang grip myself.

 

Ah, this is where your logic fails you Andy ;) :

1. The left hand does not do much safety-wise.  You don't need it for steering or braking or throttle-control.  During training on the track, one of the exercises involves doing faster and faster laps with the left hand above your head.
2. When conditions are safe enough many riders put their left hand on their hip (or in their pocket if it is cold) or squeeze their pillion in encouragement.  Under such conditions, working the GPS with the left hand would not be any more dangerous if the device is mounted on the steering head. 
3. The real danger is not so much where your left hand is, it is where your eyes and attention are.  Proof of this is the danger that drivers present when talking on the phone, even with a handfree kit - the hands are on the wheel but the mind is elsewhere...