Remember, each heading is a link to the rating page that contains more information
My original office with Street Pilot 3 and XM Roady.
You can also see the difficulty of looking through
the dark Windbender.
I put GPS on my first GL1800 and loved being able to route a trip on the computer at home, upload it to the GPS and let Shirley (surely she knows where she’s going) talk me though the route turn-by-turn. No more fiddling with maps or trying to interpret written instructions while riding. After a few years of having to empty the trunk to change CDs, I upgraded to a Roady satellite radio on the handle bars. When it came time to upgrade my GPS (a sale price I couldn’t resist) I got a Garmin 2730with integrated XM. The radio and GPS are waterproof, so I don't have to dig out my Saran Quick Covers when it rains. My Garmin Street Pilot III was a good unit, but very slow compared to the latest processors. Now the GPS can get me un-lost before I can. I did have to add an additional switch in order to hear the GPS prompts while listening to the CD player and installation is relatively complicated, including making a mounting bracket for the XM radio/antenna, but voice prompting GPS on a bike is the best thing since sliced bread! My next GPS upgrade will include satellite weather data for making route change decisions while on the road.
Of all the accessories I've installed on the bike, My Passport 8500 radar/laser detector is the only one I can say for sure has saved me money. Of all the options available in this category, the 8500 seemed to have the best balance of price, features and quality. There are upgraded versions with more features now, and the V1, with radar source location might be fun to have one day but, this one works!
I received a 12 volt heated coffee cup for Christmas one year and I almost didn't add a circuit for it on the bike, but I had one fuse slot left over after drawing up a schematic and decided to use it for the cup. I'm glad I did; nothing but heated clothing beats hot coffee on a long cold ride!
Map Light, Passport, Coffee Cup in this view. Read on for more.
The 2730 with XM radio/antenna on a homemade bracket.
Clothing outlet, lighter and switches for Mic and GPS voice.
But, stuff won't fit here unless the vent tubes are removed.
RAM Mounts are very versatile.
I looked a various dash and handlebar mounting systems. The versatility and being able relocate, adjust and put farkles closer to my hands and face than a dash mounting system made RAM mounts the best choice for me. I also wanted to use a BarPack map holding pouch which eliminated a "between the bar" system. The Gadget Mount from Cycle Gadgets mounts to the stock lever clamps with new bolts and allows the use of up to four RAM mounting balls. RAM balls can also be screwed into a drilled and tapped clutch or brake reservoir cap quite easily if more balls are needed. I looked at a couple cup holders and the RAM holder was the best option for use with the RAM mounting system and doesn't require a special cup.
To keep the farkles on the bike while I'm away, I installed computer security eyes on each farkle and wrap the corresponding locking cable around a handlebar.
Gadget Mounts are behind brackets for my map shelf,
which is under construction in this photo.
Map shelf also made a nice place to mount my map light.
Computer cable lock system keeps farkles
on the bike while I'm away from it.
Cable has barrel lock and is secured around a handlebar.
Kennedy Sets and Mic Mutes have to tuck in under the top shelter..
Of course, and especially with the use of earbuds, one has to plumb all the voices from the farkles into the bike’s intercom to hear them. Without replacing the entire intercom system, Kennedy Technologies offers the most elegant method for piping GPS, radar, and phone voices into your intercom system that I have been able to locate. The 2730 requires an additional switch if you want GPS voice prompts while listening to the CD player, but that is a fairly easy addition. Tidy installation of the Kennedy gear requires fairly extensive disassembly of the bike, but the stuff works well and tidy, long-lasting installations are worth the trouble.
Wind noise from helmet mounted microphones can be obnoxious and Morph Solutions Mic-Mutes let the microphones be turned off with the touch of the CB PTT button which is a very convenient way to stop excess wind noise.
Both my original Kennedy and Morph gear suffered moisture related corrosion failures. The Kennedy Sets had to be replaced with a welcomed, solid state upgrade and the Mic-Mutes have been replaced with simple switches front and rear. While not as convenient, the switches are virtually fool proof until I can repair the 'mutes and reinstall them. Jon from J&A Accessories can hook you up with everything you need and provides installation services, as do I if Jon is busy.
These coils in the original Kennedy Sets suffered water damage.
This Mic Mute (wrapped in foil to block AC noise)
also suffered water damage, but is repairable.
Honda Rheostat allows unlimited adjustment and looks right.
A guy has got to stay warm and keep the cell phone charged, right? The Honda heated grips kit is overpriced and some funky looking spacers have to be used at each grip end to fill the space left by the "too short" grips, but I really wanted the rheostat that came with the kit. One of my grips eventually failed and repair was impossible, so I bought a Hot Grips kit and wired their grips to the Honda rheostat. I also switched the wiring from series to parallel which was time consuming but will make any future troubleshooting easier. And the big bonus: the silly spacers are gone. Hot Grips provides grips of the correct length.
I have Gerbings heated clothing and used the old style SAE two prong connectors for years, and left one available for a passenger or Battery Tender, but they always had to hang out someplace, like from under the seat, and required two hands to connect or disconnect. Same goes for the temperature controller in a pocket. I found a nice place to permanently mount the temperature controller; under the left switchgear, where it looks almost stock and is much more convenient to use. Trimming off one drain boss from the switch housing and some good mounting tape are all that is required, in addition to some extra wire and tedious routing, to put it there. The small coax connectors seemed too fiddley small to use with winter gloves so I installed the flush mount BMW style outlet and it is a charm to use, just make sure you plug-in or unplug before or after the bike is turned on. Temperature controllers (solid state thermostats) available on the market work very well, but are not to be shorted-out in any way. The battery side circuit is protected by a fuse, but if the clothing side is shorted out (say by touching two contacts from a volt meter or twisting a plug in its socket) the thyristor inside will instantly fry and the unit will be useless, so be careful!
I decided the trunk was the best place to mount a 12 volt outlet for charging my phone. One can also be mounted in the left fairing pocket but my fairing pockets are full of small things I need to get to often and my phone is not one of them!!! I did install a couple cigarette lighters for auxiliary 12 volt gadgets like air pumps and to light up a smoke while on the road. I quit drinking twenty years ago, but still can't quit smoking!!!
Hot Grips get plenty hot and are a better fit than the Honda units.
RAM mounts, Heat Controller, PIAA and Windbender switches
and garage door opener can also be seen here
Another view of the Heat Controller and Windbender switch.
Clothing and 12 Volt outlets,
GPS and Mic switches in front of left knee.
Rear clothing outlet doubles as Battery Tender plug.
12 volt outlet mounts in the inner trunk lid along with
a trunk light, spoiler flasher and stock remote-lock receiver.
The side you don't normally see is shown here.
Photography and website byDAYLE DESIGNScopyright 2009