GPS-RAM or Touratech?

Hi all.

I had a Streetpilot (monochromatic) RAM mounted on my r1100r for about 5 years before getting a r12gs last year (amazing bike). My Streetpilot died this year and rather than getting it repaired, I'm going to upgrade to a 2720. My question is whether that Touratech MvG mount ($) is worth the money to dampen the vibrations or are this newer GPS units are more vibration resistent? I still plan to use the RAM balls to attach the TT mount to the handlebars (current position) or above the speedo (potential site).

Getting a Nor'easter tonight....riding season will arrive.....I hope...

The MVG mount is intended for application on large displacement single cylinder bikes. I haven't lost a GPS yet on any oilhead with standard mounts. My current combination is a Ram mount with a GPSMap276 with Touratech mount on top of the RAM mount. Initially I used the standard mount that shipped with the GPS on the ram mount but the lock mechanism got worn out and wouldn't lock anymore.

The vibration on the R12 is not sufficient to justify the MVG mount.

I have an R12GS and I use a touratech lockable GPS bracket, with the R1200GS GPS mount handlebar adapter bracket (the thingy that sits over the instruments). I am really happy with it. It vibrates a tiny little bit on idle, but as soon as you move all vibration dissapears. I will email you a photo.

Leon

I think the ttech GPS mount stuff is beautifully made but a complete waste of money on dual sport bikes, on my 1150gsadv Ive got one of MiGSels mounts (Superbly made):



I know he makes 1200 stuff as well:

http://www.migsel.com/store/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=4&PHPSESSID=5d094415426cb880931a152094b7308c

I use RAM balls/arm with the original Garmin craddle. Supposedely crap but has never let me down, not even off road, not even in Morroco. Whe I went to Morroco I lasshed the GPS unit to the craddle with cable ties, but I think it was a waste of time. I use the same set up in my Land rover, and Ive done some very rough stuff and its perfect and like MiGSel´s solutions its more or less in line with where you are looking and you make NO holes.



Mine is a 2610, a bit lighter than the SPIII and not a problem.

Regarding lockability - if you use a RAM ball set up (to me its the one that makes sense) then there is no point in it being locable, or have I missed something.

Regarding location. on my GS I had two mounting points:

- handlebar with long arm for off road
- cockpit mounted with short arm for on road

I did this because the SPIII was very heavy and it started to make the whole cockpit bounce off road. WIth the arival of the 2610 this no longer happened so the handlebar kit ended up in my landrover (no it doesn´t have handlebars) and I kept the cockpit mounting point.


I can assure you if you compare the two set ups you would never choose the bar mounted one. Its an ergonomic no brainer. The GPS up front and up top is more or less in line with your eyesight. If you have it bar mounted youve got to look down. Ever looked down to scrutinise the route, then looked up to find out that that truck that was way off is about 10 yards in front of you? In my opinion its not safe. So my advice would be dont do it.

Ive got one of MiGSels mounts (Superbly made):

Spanish Bob,
How thick,thin is the lip that goes behind the speedo?:huh
Gary

It is!

On his site there is a foto of the mount with nothing attached. Its actually animated and if you wait, images of different set ups will/should appear.

Meanwhile here are a couple of my (not too good) fotos. Michel is an advrider, so look him up here and drop him a PM, he will have lots of fotos. I´d go out and take some fotos right now, but the bike is in the shop having some crash damage taken care of.

One from the top of Mont Ventoux (you will also see that I am NOT anti touratech! ):



Off roading near Barcelona (Odena) - note MiGSel light bar:



On the way to the Elefantentreffen last year:



Sorry the fotos are very detailed. The only thing I can say is that the part is very well made and it just slips behind the speedo mount, takes 15 mins to fit. NO HOLES. You could even route the cables through the cockpit (which is what MikeO did), now I only have one attachment point I´ll be doing the same.

cheers

bob

Gary,

couldn´t tell you exactly as the bike is in the shop, but I would say something like 1-1.5mm.

Bob

The issue for me isn't vibration , but security. How will you feel about having the bike out of your sight with a $800.00 GPS that will pop right off? Consider the off road photo above with rubber bands added. Touratech unit adds security and piece of mind.

Bemitten,

they are cable ties actually. But they are NOT there to stop theft, that would be a pretty silly. I put them on for vibration, although they were NOT needed. On a set up with the RAM ball-mount thing all that you would be doing is locking the support to the GPS unit. You just need to undo the wing nut on the RAM arm and the whole thing comes off, so as a security measure it would be a little pointless. Now if they could get over that I would buy one.

The thing that holds the support onto the bike mounted ball joint is this:



and the final set up looks like this:



The unit support has ram attached to it which connect to the top end of the arm. So again, whilst I dont deny that the ttech part is very well made, its a waste of time for vibrations as (unless you are a dakar rider maybe) the standard product does the job and is useless against theft with this kind of set up. Of course if you have it mounted directly to the handlebar (with no RAM parts) then you are 100% right, its has built in anti-vibe thingies and can be locked.

bob

I love TT stuff and think almost everything they make is top notch except their GPS mounts. I have a 60cs that I use on my 250x and I bought the TT locking mount. I kept having trouble with the unit shutting off. Garmin said the problem was vibration. I bought a ram mount to see if it was any better and it fixed the problem completely. The RAM mount does a better job of dampening vibration and cost a 1/4 as much.

Two options for security.

1. Remove the wing nut and replace with a socket head . Although still "easy" in a sense, a perp needs socket head wrenches on him. Would stop most folks,

2. A light weight cable with loops on each end, maybe 10" long, with a small padlock, would also help a great deal (I use a longer such cable for my helmet).

If someone really wants it they will get it, but that sorta applies to just about anything.

btw, I use a ram mount with the garmin plastic base for my Quest2. One of the reasons I got the Q2 was the ability to easily put in my pocket when off the bike.

greg

In my opinion the TT is WAY over-engineered. I've used the RAM mount with my emap, Vista, and now a 2610 and never had any issues. The emap and Vista were on Dirt bikes and the 2610 on the GS 1200.

Greg,

Hadn´t thought of those options. I suppose Ive just got used to taking it off and carrying it of putting in in the cases.

bob

2610 with a locking Motorcycle mount. Like the TT, it isn't 100% secure, but will deter the casual thief. The mount locks the power cable to the GPS so unscrewing the wing nut on the RAM Mount wont easily allow removal.

I like it because it is simple, stable, close to me, easily accessed touch screen and buttons on the fly, and cheap.

Jim

cant do that Id have to buy another cradle for my Land Rover, and you know Id probaly just use it as an excuse to go and buy some more ttech so...I cant do that.

Jim like the sun shade, it´d be great for Spain. You make it yourself or is it bought? looks bought, but you never know with the talent on this site.

bob

TT is way overkill IMO. RAM RAWKS.