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Cheap Garmin Mount and Driving Lights

jimvonbaden

Kool Aid Dispenser!
Recently I purchased a very nice 1994 R1100RS, and though I have not had an easy time of it, I have grown to really like this bike.

To make it even better, I decided to mount a GPS and Driving Lights on it. As per my nature, I didn't feel like paying the ridiculous sums demanded for anything to do with a BMW so I made them myself.

First is a Mount for my "used" Garmin StreetPilot. I made it with $6 worth of parts and a couple hours time.

Parts:

2-4" "L" Brackets

2-2" "L" Brackets

4-small bolts with nuts and washers

1-piece of plexi I had lying around.

I cut one end off the "L" bracket down to 5/8" and drilled a 25/64" hole as near as possible to the bend in the bracket. I did this to both and painted them black. Don't do what I did and NOT prep the brackets. They don't hold paint well. Then I bolted them to the 2" brackets and then to the plexi plate I cut to size.

I screwed the base mount for the GPS to the plexi through holes drilled to match the mounting plate and used longer screws.

Result, looks pretty good, and works well, though I think I will add two more 4" "L" brackets in place of the 2" brackets and just trim them down.

garmin%20mount%20front%20empty.jpg


GPS Installed.

garmin%20mount%20front.jpg


Note the 12 Volt plug in the dash and the red lighted switch for powering the Driving Lights. I added them there to keep them out of the weather, and because my bike doesn't have a RID. There is room behind the panel to move them over to the next section if you do have a RID.

GPS from the rear.

garmin%20mount%20lt.jpg


The next set of pictures is of the driving lights I installed. I got the idea from Doug (DougM) on the new R1100RS board.

I went to Pep Boys and got a set of off brand 55 watt driving lights in the right shape and size for $19.99. With a few basic hand tools, some supplies I already had and about 2 hours work I had them installed. I think they look great, and were less than $30 in parts to do.

The first picture is how I determined the placement. I taped them on with clear packing tape and just looked for aesthetics. Then marked the hole for drilling.

light%20tape.jpg


I checked for clearance inside the fairing and drilled the first two holes! Yikes that was scary! I bolted the bracket up and checked for fit. The place I installed it is very flat and makes a great mounting area.

left%20mount%20plate.jpg


I used a piece of flat place as a backing plate. I mounted it with holes drilled in two sizes. One for the bolt, and the other for a screw. This makes adjusting easier. The screw used the mounting plate to grip, while the bolt has a nut and lock washers.

Also not the edges of the plate were slightly turned up to prevent digging into the fairing.

I used white shrink wrap to cover the wires and protect them because it blended into the body. But you could use black or any other color if you wish.

left%20mount%20back%20plate.jpg


A shot of it mounted close up.

left%20mounted%20front.jpg


Three shots; one off, one with the headlight only, and last with the headlight and the driving lights.

lights%20all%20off.jpg
lights%20head%20on.jpg
lights%20all%20on.jpg


I like the way they look, and will tell you how they work after it gets dark here!

A picture of the box so you can see they really were cheap lights.

You know what they say about BMW riders... :lol:

Jim :brow
 
Very cool. I am curious if you considered mounting the lights to the fork instead?

I am thinking about it, the idea being less intrusion into the fairing and the fact that the light will point the way I am headed.
 
think 3 inch hose clamps and a dremel tool, Brad. I imagine you can mount just about any driving light that way to the forks. I was lucky enough to re use the motolights I already had. the dealer said take them off before I traded it. You an find the shrink tubing in a size that will cover the clamp, and make the install a bit neater. I like the mount Jim and the lights came out well too. Let me know how the beam ends up hitting the road.
 
BradfordBenn said:
Very cool. I am curious if you considered mounting the lights to the fork instead?

I am thinking about it, the idea being less intrusion into the fairing and the fact that the light will point the way I am headed.

The holes in the fairing were not really an issue since that whole area is open to the elements anyhow. I do admit being a bit concerned about actually making holes in a perfectly good fairing. But using the tape to hold them on convinced me it would look good. Not to mention I used the mounts that came with the lights (free!)

I thought about fork mounting, and it was my initial preference, but the mounting kits were too expensive and to coble one up would be a bit too ugly for me. I would also have had to use unidirectional round lights as well, and finding a pair cheap that were reasonably small and didn't look to bad was near impossible. I checked everywhere.

The beam throws a bit angled, but covers a lot of area. I'll have to wait until I have a chance to drive a curvy road at night to be sure how well they work, but one function works. I can now be SEEN by oncomming traffic easier!:clap

Jim:brow
 
jim - aesthetically very pleasing, it looks amazing. you do great work, and have a good eye.

dont get too confident about actually being visible to motorists though... ;)
 
username said:
jim - aesthetically very pleasing, it looks amazing. you do great work, and have a good eye.

dont get too confident about actually being visible to motorists though... ;)

Thanks for the compliment!

No worries about my being seen. If anything it just makes me more of a rolling target!:cry

Jim:brow
 
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