GPS on a Motorcycle

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by Cranky CJ

Question; how does every run their power? the 205 comes with a cig lighter, I can rig up a cig lighter for power, but what other methods have some of you used?

Gotta be some other, better options than mounting a cig lighter on a bike.

I don't really want to add anything to my electrical system, but my GPS uses a cigarette lighter plug. I wanted to power it without using bike power:

Here's what I did. It still relies on a cigarette lighter plug, but it's self contained:

At Radio Shack, I bought an 8 AA battery holder, a 9 Volt battery connector and a cigarette lighter extension cord.

From Walmart, I picked up a neoprene sunglasses case that has a clip on the side and a zipper opening.

- I cut the plug off the extension cord, leaving just the cord and the female end of the plug.
- I then soldered that to the connectors of the 9 Volt battery plug.
- That plugs directly onto the corresponding connectors already on the AA battery holder.
-I put 8 rechargeable AAs in the holder and put the whole mess in the sunglasses holder and zip it up and put it in the saddle bag.
- The GPS connects to

The device works as a 12 volt portable power supply that will power the GPS for quite a few hours.

EDIT: Here are some pics:

[RichLockyer]

An alternative, for those that use the Battery Tender and have the pigtail permanently mounted, you can get a 2-wire "trailer connector" at an electronics store and hook that to the GPS, then find a convenient and secure way to tuck the wiring out of the way (you can get re-usable zip-ties and double-sided Velcro straps).

[Cranky CJ]

Under the seat was a live lead that I ran an extensin from under the tank out front. I ran an inline fuse on that wire. from there i plan to put a connector on it and hook it up the the cig lighter the unit comes with, clipping off the end like rich described. this way i can un-connect the wire and cap it for times when i don't use the unit. its fuse protected and i ran a 5a fuse. so far this is the cleanest way i'v seen to run it for my situation.

also today i changed out the rear pads on my 1500. getting the smaller pad to clip into position took a little time but other than that it went pretty smooth.

even before that the wifey and i got up and took a ride, went from loveland up to fort collins, took hwy 287 north to laramie, wy then got on I80 and went east to cheyenne, wy, got gas and took I25 back south to loveland, 200 mi or so. nice little morning ride. clear skys, no wind and the temps were just right. made the long work week go away.

i can't call the wifey june cleaver any more, she is breaking out of her slow plodding along pace, at times when she was in the lead, she was cranking it up to 80+. I found myself actually having to get after it to keep up!

[RichLockyer]

The underseat accessory wire is already fused at 10a, so the additional 5a fuse is optional, but not a bad idea since the wires between the cig lighter adapter and the GPS are pretty small (I think 24 or 26 gauge).

[Cranky CJ]

I cut off the end of the cig lighter and had 4 wires. red, gr, bl, wh. stripped the red and bl and held one to the power and one to ground. popped the 5a fuse under the seat.

what wires did you use? just hot with no ground or did you ground it? what about the 12v to 5v reduction? there looks like a resistor built into the cig plug but not sure. i'm not the rocket scientist i thought i was. any thoughts?

[RichLockyer]

If there's an LED, and ONLY an LED (and resistor) in the cig plug, the resistor is a current limiter for the LED.
If there is a small circuit board or anything other than an LED, resistor, and fuse, then as mentioned above, the GPS runs on 5v and not on 12v.

Open the cig plug and verify what color wires from the cable are connected to the bottom of the fuse and to the "wings". Most GPS cables are 4 wire, 2 are often used for RS232 communication and are not connected in the cig lighter.
Normally, red would be the positive. Ground may be either black or white.

[jeffs99vulcan]

Originally Posted by Cranky CJ

Is it worth it? You can get the really expensive waterproof motorcycle specific version for several hundred, or get a basic auto version for much less.

Are they worth it in general? and is the extra coin for the MC version worth it. BTW, I read a map pretty well and don't really need one, but just thinking....

Sorry I'm late to the party... but I love mine and enjoy chatting about them...

Is it worth it? YES!!!

Basic or expensive? Since a GPS doesn't necessarily sound like a passion of yours, an inexpensive, but one with the BEST mapping, is fine...

In general:

The short story is that you can CHOOSE to get hopelessly lost on never before travelled (by you) roads, enjoy the hell out of them, then flick it on to find out how to get somewhere you want to be... and that kind of stuff is irreplaceable. Sure, you can read a map, usually involves stopping, carrying a tank map holder, glancing down, updating your location...

OR, you can just ride. And ride and ride and ride. And check every now and then to see what kind of time you have left before you are where you want to be. You no longer have to pre-plan trips... we went on a trip last year, never looked at a map before we mounted up, turned on the unit and rode the 5 hours to where we had never been before, with the "avoid highways" option enabled...

And from that moment on, I never look back about whether I should have one or not!

You can get a waterproof casing for any GPS.

[Dudester]

Jeff~ I'm still waiting for the cigarette lighter option(s) you mentioned you'd get back to me on. I know your trip to Kansas is coming up in August, so is there anyway we can get together so that I can hand you that cruise control lol.
I know you're a busy guy, but I'm retired, so any time during the week works for me. What would you suggest I purchase for a cigarette lighter input, and where.
Sorry for being a pain, but I would like to get my gps hooked up to something, as opposed to using the internal battery, which only lasts around 3 hours or less.

Getting back to the thread, I have to agree with Jeff that a GPS is worth it on a bike. However, mine isn't a MC specific GPS, yet it works great as long as it's mounted with a reliable handlebar mount.....like the RAM mount.
So far I've hit a few rough roads, and some rain, and my Magellan Road Mate 1412 is still running great. I can hear the GPS voice just find when I'm slowing down to an intersection, plus the 4.3" color screen is easy to view, and is continuously showing me the street I'm on, and what the next turn will be and how far I am from that turn off.
It's fun to just take off to unknown territory, getting totally lost, then turn on your GPS, and allow it to guide you either home, or to where ever you'd like to go next, including Points Of Interests, like gas stations, restaurants, parks, camp sites etc etc etc. In my case, my Magellan offers me 6 million POI's, which is one of the features I love about today's GPS's.
Would I spend the extra coin to purchase a MC specific GPS ??? Not me, because it's not a tool I use every day, but it is handy to have it, should I need it, which the 1412 does beautifully. The only thing I don't like about the 1412, is that it doesn't tell me if an upcoming road is black top or gravel when I'm riding out in foreign farm land areas. However, it compensates that glitch, by automatically re-routing me, should I choose to NOT take a road I don't like the look of, which means I don't have to stop and manually re-route the unit. I've done it on purpose to NOT take a direction it wanted me to take, and after about 3 seconds, it automatically guided me through an alternate route. In other words, this thing has a mind of it's own, and is determined to get you home or destination one way or another, no matter how electronically challenged you may be with these things (like me lol)

You can spend $$$hundreds of dollars on a GPS, and if you can afford it, and really feel you need the top of the line, with bluetooth, mp3 accessories, and more, then by all means do it. But if you're just looking for something that will get you to whatever destination with waypoints along the way, the cheaper units (under $200, if you watch for specials) will do the job just fine.

[jeffs99vulcan]

Originally Posted by Dudester

Jeff~ I'm still waiting for the cigarette lighter option(s) you mentioned you'd get back to me on. I know your trip to Kansas is coming up in August, so is there anyway we can get together so that I can hand you that cruise control lol.

LOL! I Know, I'm awful! I'll send you an email shortly, LOTS to tell!

I plan on getting out your way soon, I'll give you a heads up!

[SAR Tracker]

Recently got the Garmin Nuvi 855 for the cagers, and thought... WHY NOT? Got the RAM mount for the handlebars and it works GREAT! Will soon wire up a cig socket near the front of the tank. My Vulcan 900 service manual shows an accessory connection in the front of the wiring harness (probably involves removing the tank, but oh, well...). So I plan to wire the cig socket into that, with an adapter from cig plug to mini-USB and all "should" be good to go....

[Dudester]

Originally Posted by SAR Tracker

Recently got the Garmin Nuvi 855 for the cagers, and thought... WHY NOT? Got the RAM mount for the handlebars and it works GREAT! Will soon wire up a cig socket near the front of the tank. My Vulcan 900 service manual shows an accessory connection in the front of the wiring harness (probably involves removing the tank, but oh, well...). So I plan to wire the cig socket into that, with an adapter from cig plug to mini-USB and all "should" be good to go....

I just wish I was handy with electrical stuff, but I just am not. Give me a stick of wood any day LOL.
I read on the net, that the Nuvi GPS series work great. They pretty well all do the same the same thing now, especially those in the same price range. Question is I guess, is longevity. Time will tell I guess. I personally would have went for a Garmin product, but at the sale price the Megellan Road Mate was on, my wife couldn't resist getting it for me for Fodder's Day. So far, I'm very impressed and happy with it.

Jeff~ No problems Sir, whenever and where ever you want, just let me know ahead of time.
Thanks.

[northernman]

I have a customer that uses a battery pack to power his no matter where he is....its actually from a cordless drill the battery, and then he just recharges it as required.

Yes, its a little bulky, but it makes him happy, and is another option after all.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by northernman

I ahve a customer that uses a battery pack to power his no matter where he is....its actually from a cordless drill the battery, and then he just recharges it as required.

Yes, its a little bulky, but it makes him happy, and is another option after all.

That's why I like my portable pack setup I posted above. If I don't mind being a little geeky, the pack will clip right onto my belt and is very light.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by CTRider

That's why I like my portable pack setup I posted above. If I don't mind being a little geeky, the pack will clip right onto my belt and is very light.

I am going to make one of those... but not for the GPS...

I'll connect it to a cig lighter plug, and plug it into the fairing before I remove it for maintenance on the front end.
I hate reprogramming the stereo, and can't find my manual... every time I kill power to the fairing I have to hit the Pioneer site to download the manual.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

I am going to make one of those... but not for the GPS...

I'll connect it to a cig lighter plug, and plug it into the fairing before I remove it for maintenance on the front end.
I hate reprogramming the stereo, and can't find my manual... every time I kill power to the fairing I have to hit the Pioneer site to download the manual.

Yeah, I hate that, too. I have a custom stereo in my truck and I always forget how to re-program it. I replaced the battery last winter and was cursing myself for having to do it.

It really doesn't help when one button does like 5 things.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by CTRider

Yeah, I hate that, too. I have a custom stereo in my truck and I always forget how to re-program it. I replaced the battery last winter and was cursing myself for having to do it.

It really doesn't help when one button does like 5 things.

I've actually seen an adapter for sale at Radio Shack that's a cig lighter connector with a 9v battery clip, but I'd be worried about plugging the 9v battery into the 12v circuit... I'd rather have a 12v battery pack.

The device is sold as a car stereo/computer memory protector and it's marketed to be plugged into the in-dash lighter while the vehicle's battery is being changed... just gotta remember not to touch the hot lead to ground while the battery is out, don't try to start it, and I'd pull the fuse for the dome light.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

I've actually seen an adapter for sale at Radio Shack that's a cig lighter connector with a 9v battery clip, but I'd be worried about plugging the 9v battery into the 12v circuit... I'd rather have a 12v battery pack.

Just keep in mind you'll only get a real 12V with alkalines. The Lithium Ion rechargebles are on 1.25-1.3 volts each, so you really only end up with around 11volts. However, most 12V devices will have no issues with that range.

Technically, 9V would probably be fine for a memory retaining power source since the "off" mode draws less current. Plus, if they couldn't take something as low as 9V, you'd risk losing your presets when you start your car in the winter with an older battery.

The device is sold as a car stereo/computer memory protector and it's marketed to be plugged into the in-dash lighter while the vehicle's battery is being changed... just gotta remember not to touch the hot lead to ground while the battery is out, don't try to start it, and I'd pull the fuse for the dome light.

As well as the fuse for the hood light, if you have one.

[RichLockyer]

My concern was with the 9v being "charged" by the 12v circuit while both batteries are connected.
A 12v alkaline pack would be okay since it's pretty close to the voltage of a fully charged Pb battery... but ya, a rechargeable pack would be ideal.

A friend of mine uses rechargeables for EVERYTHING (and he's always complaining about short life... duhh... when you're starting out low things don't run long), so he's always cycling batteries through the charger and always has a dozen or more ready to go.

OTOH, I can't even use a cordless drill because my use of such devices is so rare that they're never charged when I need them, and they've sat in the back of the hot truck in a discharged state for so long that a 24 hour charge might get me one or two holes.


When I assembled the fairing, I considered adding a small Panasonic 12v Pb 2ah pack, but once I got the stereo's noise suppressor in, there wasn't room for it, and I would have had to diode-isolate it to keep it from attempting to assist starting the bike, and I was concerned that the voltage drop through the diode would cause problems with the bike keeping the cell charged.

[Cranky CJ]

I thought I would tie this one off with the completion of the project. I would like to thank everybody for their input and advice in helping me decide and do this. Not a big project but one that did require a little thought.

I ended up mounting a power outlet on the windshield frame. the first GPS had to go back to the retailer since it, for some reason, would not turn back on after I attempted to direct wire it. I did not want to chance another mysteriously not turning back on so I went with the power outlet mounted to the windshield frame.

I ran a wire from a hot lead under the seat up underneath the tank and out the front. I used di-electric grease and heat shrink connectors to try and seal out the moisture. Then wrapped them in the plastic wire covers to give it a cleaner look.

I went with an in-expensive gps unit, garmin nuvi 205, since I really wouldn't use all the features of a higher end one. I purchased a RAM mount off their website. Very slick units. Really the most expensive part was the shipping since I bought the mount and cradle in two separate orders. I wish I had purchased them both at once to save on shipping.

the following pics are what it looks like on the bike.

[Chad_Clearwater]

Originally Posted by mkelley

Oops, can't let that one get by without comment.

Not in the software development business, are you? Mass market software has so many units to amoratize the cost over that you don't really notice it on a single unit basis. Simple software also doesn't have the same development/support costs as complicated software. Ever notice just how many different GPS units a company like Garmin has. Each with its own codeline and support issues. All GPS units also have their own software licensing costs for internal functions (maps, mpeg decoders, other possible recurring patent and licensing fees). The hardware bill of materials is not the sole factor determining the price. These days, hardware's cheap, software's not.

+1

I work for a medical software company, small by most standards, but like most products the software is not static...ever. We are constantly changing the current version to comply with ever changing standards and seem to roll full version upgrades about every 2 years...mapping software is really no different...somebody has to keep the maps, directions, signage, restaurants, motels, etc. updated - and that means additional cost above development costs.

Off the soapbox, but I think that, often, the difference between the cheaper and higher costs electronics is marketing and panache.