[mikester2008]

Thoughts? Know any good tank bags?

 

[coldnight]

Thoughts? Know any good tank bags?

Hi Mikester - I bought a triumph tank bag for my Bonnie to stash my GPS in... however, the whole of the mounting system for the bag covers the tank. I didn't think the magnetic bags would work as I have the rubber tank protectors on the sides. Instead, I bought a ram mount for my Quest2 gps to mount on the handlebar. I got it from an ebay seller called MisterMount. His list of mounts is here:

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/mister_mount_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

I hope this helps!

P.S. My quest2 is, in theory, waterproof. Check your gps before you find out the hard way!

 

[markbvt]

I don't recommend putting your GPS in the tank bag. I tried that and found that I had to turn my head so far down that I lost all sight of the road, and then had to orient myself to the GPS's location in the tank bag pocket and refocus my vision to read it -- basically, this eliminated any possibility of quickly glancing at the GPS and discerning any useful information. I'd have to take my eyes completely off the road for a second or more any time I wanted to look at the GPS.

It works much better just to put a RAM handlebar mount on the bike. With the GPS mounted on that, all I have to do is glance down slightly right next to my speedometer.

--mark

 

[hobbes80]

+1 on the Ram-Mount. Makes a huge difference in visibility and ease of use.

Here is the "handlebar" mount without the GPS on it:

Here it is with my Zumo mounted (picture makes the zumo look much bigger than it is):

 

[Baltobonneville]

My retro GPS is on the left:

 

[grailer]

Mikester, are you using the stock mirrors or bar-ends?

If the latter, check out Techmount's GPS mounts that screw right in to the mirror base hole.

 

[mikester2008]

Thanks everyone great suggestions. The problem with the RAM mount is that friggin ball thing that stays behind when you're not using the gps. I wish it was easier to take it off, as in whole thing get removed when not using. Plus doesn't the ram mount stick up pretty high? D9 brackets has a really good solution that works with RAM mounts for where the ball goes and where the unit sit once mounted but they want big bucks for that product. I hear ya on the tank bag and taking your eyes off the road but since the mounts are looking kinda ugly and since i only need the GPS as a safety net i still think a small tank bag and or just a small magnetic case would be ideal.

I could be way off on the RAM mounts being ugly, I have never seen one on a bonnie... anyone with pics of the whole thing attached? BTW I'm probably going to go with the RAM mount.

 

[hobbes80]

This work for you?

Most people don't even SEE the ball on my bike... Since you have a bonnie with a bar, you have more options as to which ball mount to get to keep it as concealed as possible. Honestly, it is a lot less obvious than it seems, and you can mount things to it OTHER than your GPS if you want to. For example, I bought a mount that attaches to my camera that i can mount to that same point, or a radio, or an iPod.....

 

[mikester2008]

I think i'll order mine today. Thanks.

 

[Bonney Sailor]

ugly but works

Thoughts? Know any good tank bags?

I put my garmin Nuvi 205 on the speedo glass with the suction cup.
Tested to 70mph, easy to read and I can even hear the voice a low speeds. It shows the speed so I'm not losing anything by not being ablt to see the speedo. I do tether it just in case.

 

[mikester2008]

I put my garmin Nuvi 205 on the speedo glass with the suction cup.
Tested to 70mph, easy to read and I can even hear the voice a low speeds. It shows the speed so I'm not losing anything by not being ablt to see the speedo. I do tether it just in case.

That's a really smart idea...bravo.

 

[SixtySpeedTwin]

GPS bage

I pop my PDA into a really small tank bag & use the ear phones, though fixing it to inside of the screen would be handy.

Clive

 

[mikester2008]

Holy crap

Holy crap guys! I just found The Best mount by RAM.

http://www.ram-mount.com/tomtom/ramb176TO4_mounts.htm

That's it, we're done, the perfect RAM mount for the Bonnie. End of story.

 

[bsherman]

Bonnie!! Glad to hear that someone has tried this. I have looked at all kinds of gadgets, etc, I have Nuvi as well and on my next ride, Im just going to try the suction cup. I have a small fly screen so it will help knock down any wind. Ill let you know how my try goes. Ill put on a back up tie down set up as well, just in case the suction cup gives up the grip!....

 

[Forchetto]

Can't go wrong with this one. Whole world coverage and no need to mess about charging batteries:

 

[bsherman]

Test ride - success

This morning I took my Bonnie out for a stroll. I attached the GPS (Garmin Nuvi) using the auto attachment suction cup right to the gauge face. I have a Dart Fly screen and this seemed to really help knock down any wind on the GPS unit. I would guess that without the Flyscreen, the unit would take a pretty good pounding from the wind.
In any event, after 80 miles of rail road crossings, small town stop and goes, and cranking her over the legal speed limit once or twice, I can say that it worked fantastic.
i did tie it off using a piece of line that I had, just to make sure that if the suction cup failed, that it wouldnt fall of the bike.

 

[Carbonbased]

Can't go wrong with this one. Whole world coverage and no need to mess about charging batteries:

Exceedingly quick re-routing, too!

And I love the look. Now that's what I call RETRO

 

[hlmiskelly]

I've replaced the stock mirrors on my Bonneville with Napoleon bar ends. This left the treaded holes in the stock mirror mounts. The right hole is plugged with a machine bolt that holds the front brake reservoir but the left hole is open. I was thinking this would be a good clean location to mount a GPS. Not ideal as it is not directly in front of me, but not that far off to the side or down that it distracts from watching the road.

Now off to a local machine shop to have an adapter made.

 

[Carbonbased]

the left hole is open.
Now off to a local machine shop to have an adapter made.

I'm planning to use the left-over left hole meself after I get Napoleons on (tomorrow).

But why not save yourself some time (maybe not money) and get one of the Techmount mirror mounts mentioned earlier in the thread?

Also, is there something unusual about the Triumph mirror screws and bolt holes? I notice NB sells two different bolt sizes to fit either the mirror holes left by the 01-08 models/09 T100 versus the Thrux/Scram/09 base Bonnie and SE models.

Which type hole - or both - would work with the Techmount?
Anyone know?