Best Motorcycle mount for the Garmin 276/376/378/478 ?

I am looking to get a better or best type set up that is your favorite that you could share for motorcycle mount. I have a BMW 2007 Xmoto and I will be hard wiring it to the bike, but in a way to still be able to remove it.

Will be used in my boat and the wife's Suv from time to time. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Steve

I have the 276c it is the same physically I really like the TT mvg mount.

http://www.touratech-usa.com/shop/show.lasso?SKU=065-0088&-session=touratech:60FAE2B507d092CC24SxQ22D49F7

I tried (and still have 2) locking Touratech mounts, but greatly prefer the RAM mount. I am going to splice in a multiple wire disconnect to remove/ move the unit from the bike to the car, to another bike while leaving the crappy plug in the back of the unit. I am on my 3rd factory plug.

Wattner, that is on the 478, that you get the crappy plug ?

The plugs on the X76/X78 units seem to be prone to breaking as they actually fit in there pretty snug. I've read plenty about it, but have yet to break one myself. My plugs actually don't seem to be that snug, so maybe thats why I haven't broke one yet. I've had my 376C for over a year and just got my 478, but never had an issue yet.

BTW, as for mounts, I think the standard marine mount that comes with it is lacking. I've had mine try to jump out of it a few times when the lock mechanism loosens up. I really want to get the RAM mount myself.

I've got a Ram mounted Garmin 276C hooked up through a Garmin Motorcycle Cable Part #: 010-10587-00. This cable has an audio plug on it and I terminated the power wires in a BMW power plug. I installed a power socket in the BMW K100 instrument cluster specifically to power the GPS. This set up keeps me from fiddling with the difficult Garmin waterproof plug on the 276C.

To remove the 276C, just snap out of the ram mount and unplug the power and audio--I do it each time I walk away from the bike. The GPS and Valentine-1 go into the top box inside my helmet at each stop. It takes no more than a minute on or off after a little practice--which also shows how easy it would be to steal it too! The Touratech mount can be had with a key lock, which would slow a thief a little more.

Here's how it looks mounted up. The audio cable doesn't go into the power plug, it curls under the power connector and then goes between the two halves of the instrument "panel."

If you're going off road I would NOT use the Ram mount. It does nothing to absorb the shock from the bumps. Ram mounts are ok for the street, not for the dirt. I killed a Garmin V in a ram mount. Luckly it was fixed under warrantee.

The Touratech mounts are hard to beat. I have the locking MV for my 276C and never give it a second thought. It's been on the GS, a 950 KTM, a 640 KTM and the Harley.

Gerg

I like that set up V8Dave, any chance of a tutorial for a first time gps install ?
That is more then likely the way I am going to get mine wired in. I have the BMW plug and play socket on the side of the bike, but will need to get the male end for it yet.

I am thinking the Ram mount for me, funds are short for the TT mount, unless I can get it preety cheap and my bike in question will be more for on road then off, but I am hoping for some fire trail roads and dirt road excursions of the like sooner then later.

My 478 internal battery came off the circuit board and now the lighting is failing. after less 2000 miles on a dirt bike. The high speed vibrations is what killed it. The 60cs is holding up fine after years of use in a ram mount.

I'd advise against using a ram mount with the 478. The money I'd need to spend fixing the 478 would cover the cost of a better isolated mount.

I bought a 5year extended warranty with the 478 for $69.00 with a zero deductable, so between that and the off roading that I probably wont be doing, I am hopeful that I should be good with the cheaper Ram mount for the short term.

I never gave much thought to how expensive it was going to be to get fully equipped to ride the street again, Bike, Riding gear, GPS, Mods for bike, sometime soon a Autocom set up. Makes for one bitchy wife if I am not careful.

I've got the TT locking mount for my 376. Yeah, it's not an overnight solution to theft, but it is a pretty good deterrent while in the gas station.

They fixed the plug issue a little over a year ago.

Here is the ADVrider post where I describe the installation.

You ought to give Gerg's advice some thought.

It's not just "off road" its' really off pavement. Dirt roads will beat a GPS pretty badly too. Even with a warranty you'll still be without the GPS while it's being fixed. Not to mention the fact that the GPS will conk out when you really need the GPS to find your way out of the deepest, darkest forest, an hour before sunset, on the ugliest road you've ever seen. :eek1

How did they fix it?

I have one on my XR650R that is all 99% dirt and it gets punished. Zero problems. It is also a small mount so it keeps the GPS in tight and out of harms way when I have a sudden yard sale while on super cruise. They make a nice slide on piece so I can take the GPS off when I want to remove the GPS easily without removing the mount. I also use one for my Toutatech small roadbook holder. They make a double plate so you can mount two devices on one mount if you need/want.
I found it on some FZ1R type bikes those canyon carver guys use.
It's very clean looking, made from billet I think, and with all stainless fasteners. I was leaning toward that huge Touratech mount but I spoke with some other GPS retailers and map suppliers and they said that TT mount has broken some GPS units.
It should be noted that a lot of the hardcore desert guys just use the cheap plastic garmin bicycle mount with some rubber bands and hey, it's cheap and it works for their punishing stuff!
Good luck!

I would not use a RAM mount without a lanyard on your GPS, I lost mine in the woods when one of the mounting balls broke for apparently no reason.
Luckily one of the guys following stopped and picked it up and return it to me.
Now I use the RAM cradle, and drilled out the busted ball mount and ground it to a flat used an old bark buster mount and screwed the cradle to it, so now its not going to get lost again.

Now the GPS sets lower and is a better stable platform for pushing buttons etc.

Just watch the ram mounts.

I'm assuming they are using a better bonding system on the plug. My replacement looked different when I recieved it almost a year ago. It's worked great ever since and I unplug mine alot to move from vehicle to vehicle.

Any pics you can post?

I ride off road mostly with my street legal 03wr250/290f and I need armor around my gps.
originally I had the 2610 inside this otter box
but when the 2610 acquired the "flicker of death" I got the 478.
the 478 fits even better in this otter box than the 2610 did.

I had to do a bit more trimming to the box for the 478 around the button area.
I cut a square hole for the antenna in the front,
and a round hole out the bottom for the power plug.


I went to walmart and got this asap!


so I can run with headphones I used this as an extension cord.
I cut off the cheap earbuds and soldered in a jack.


90 degree bend is what I was looking for ....



this is what the 2610 looked like mounted,
the 478 is almost exactly the same except
that now with the cover's latches and hinge broken from a mx track crash
I have the cover duct taped on, it works for now,
until I go and get another new (black) box.
this is also lockable with a chain that goes from the front of the mounting plate,
over the box to the back of the mounting plate.



Yeah, I know, it's not pretty, but its tough!.
you street guys won't like this a bit, not pretty enough .....
but you off road guys should consider something like this.
I did recently tear off the cover while at the mx track on a "get off"
so I need to get a new box and hopefully I can get it in black this time.
If I can, I want to reposition my headlite forward
and tuck this box behind the headlite number plate .....
and getting the box off the handlebars.
something dakar-ish, but this is a future project ......

otterbox: http://www.otterbox.com/waterproof-cases/otterbox-2500/
a black box with a clear cover would be nice ........ i got a call into them ...
they used used to do the clear cover with colored boxed but no more so
I ordered a black box and a clear box and will swap out covers.

sorry for the pics not showing, my server went down, dang it!

I'm confused. Looked at Techmount's website, and it looks like a mount arm and plate, but you still have to use the 478 mount that comes with the unit.