Ram Mount

[Bcsmith]

Hey NC riders. Today I took a job delivering medications to seniors in my area. Although I am very familiar with the area it can be difficult getting the exact street address. With the number of deliveries I am going to be making I have decided to install a Ram Mount for my cell phone with GPS to help with my navigation. It is mounted on the metal bar of my windscreen. I have attached a photo and have been wondering if there may be a better location to mount. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am looking forward to putting my NC to work. Could not ask for a better job than riding my bike to earn some extra cash!!!

 

[670cc]

I always use the ball that mounts with one of the handlebar clamp bolts, or sometimes the ones that mount with the clutch lever clamp bolts. There are many options.

RAM-B-367U

 

[Deleted member 5383]

So I won't mention the Red Green solution. Plenty of threads here with better ones ; }

 

[melensdad]

... It is mounted on the metal bar of my windscreen. ...

I think above the dash cluster is the best spot for navigation. Depending upon the windscreen, it is possible to keep the phone/nav fully protected by the screen and still be visible while looking forward at the roadway. Not sure you can hope for anything better than seeing both the roadway and the navigation.

I've seen some mounted on the handlebars, with the phone up near either the right or left mirror. Other than being exposed, that does not seem like a bad location as it is also relatively high up and can be seen in a very quick mirror/road scan.

Anything below the dash readout requires that you look down. I particularly dislike the mounts at the handlebars, especially above the triple tree at the main mount, as that location makes you look straight down and away from the roadway. In fact I think it would be hard to find a worse location other than the top of the tank/frunk.

 

[davidc83]

I think above the dash cluster is the best spot for navigation. Depending upon the windscreen, it is possible to keep the phone/nav fully protected by the screen and still be visible while looking forward at the roadway. Not sure you can hope for anything better than seeing both the roadway and the navigation.

Anything below the dash readout requires that you look down. I particularly dislike the mounts at the handlebars, especially above the triple tree at the main mount, as that location makes you look straight down and away from the roadway. In fact I think it would be hard to find a worse location other than the top of the tank/frunk.

Yep, never understood why certain cruisers have the speedometer/odometer/gas gauge/clock on the tank (location on my c50 boulevard)....want to check your speed, you have to look down at the gas tank....back to the op...location you have installed it looks good to me...

 

[Penguinsfan82]

My VTX has the speedo on the tank....just poor design-especially when wearing a full face helmet and trying to check the speed. Great bike, but that is one thing that really bothers me about it.

 

[670cc]

Yep, never understood why certain cruisers have the speedometer/odometer/gas gauge/clock on the tank (location on my c50 boulevard)....want to check your speed, you have to look down at the gas tank....back to the op...location you have installed it looks good to me...

When it comes to cruisers, generally looks and cool factor are more important than functionality and safety.

 

[Bcsmith]

Thanks for the replies. The Ram is somewhat flexible. I could keep it clear of the cluster and fully behind the windscreen with this setup. I’m thinking this may be the better option.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

My VTX has the speedo on the tank....just poor design-especially when wearing a full face helmet and trying to check the speed. Great bike, but that is one thing that really bothers me about it.

Different VTX:

2016-08-27 15;55;58 by greenboy, on Flickr

 

[melensdad]

Thanks for the replies. The Ram is somewhat flexible. I could keep it clear of the cluster and fully behind the windscreen with this setup. I’m thinking this may be the better option. View attachment 42895View attachment 42895

2 points about the Ram mounts.

• There are different length arms that give you more flexibility in mounting.
• I personally only use the LOCKING arms on my motorcycles because someone can simply remove the standard arms, and whatever is attached to them, by turning the knob.

These are the types of arms I use: https://www.rammount.com/part/RAP-S-KNOB3U

No security is perfect, but anything that slows people down tends to eliminate thefts of opportunity.

I also use a Quad-Lock to hold my phone instead of the Ram 4 prong clamp. There are pros and cons to each system so use what works for you on the actual mount part. I think you are on the right track with your mount, and for a phone mount there is not much reason to actually use the locking Ram arms that I use since people tend to always take their phone when they park their bike. I can't find fault with your mount location.

 

[TigerDude]

Mine goes in the stem, there's a mount for it.

 

[dduelin]

I think above the dash cluster is the best spot for navigation. Depending upon the windscreen, it is possible to keep the phone/nav fully protected by the screen and still be visible while looking forward at the roadway. Not sure you can hope for anything better than seeing both the roadway and the navigation.

I've seen some mounted on the handlebars, with the phone up near either the right or left mirror. Other than being exposed, that does not seem like a bad location as it is also relatively high up and can be seen in a very quick mirror/road scan.

Anything below the dash readout requires that you look down. I particularly dislike the mounts at the handlebars, especially above the triple tree at the main mount, as that location makes you look straight down and away from the roadway. In fact I think it would be hard to find a worse location other than the top of the tank/frunk.

It should be understood that one cannot simultaneously look at a nav screen and the road and focus on either one. Looking at one diverts visual attention from the other but I kind of get the idea you espouse. It's less distance thus faster to shift one's glance the shorter distance from the road to a nav screen mounted above the instrument pod but a sight line to a focal point even to or below the instruments is not a distance that removes the roadway from our peripheral vision which in humans is about 100 degrees. More than 100 degrees one would have to look more or less straight down at the top center of the frunk lid, much further below the sight line to the instruments.

If you do believe it's not patently unsafe to look when necessary at the OEM instruments then let me take that one step further. The direct sight line from the eyes to the focal point describes a straight line. A nav device mounted on an arm then mounted on a ram ball on the handlebar clamp places the focal point of the nav just about at the same angle of the instruments from the eye. It's all in the sight line from the eyes to the point of focus.

To illustrate I attached a few photos. I didn't really have a good NC700X pic of the GPS on the bars looking down from the side so the first one is of my Tiger 800. Imagine where the rider's eyes would be and the sight line to the instrument pod, then pic 2 is my NC700X showing the GPS is mounted a bit higher than the instruments are relative to my riding position, and a third pic with the approximate sight line from the eyes passing through the instruments. The GPS is pretty much viewed from the riding position at sitting at the same angle as the instruments, which we agree is not located at a patently unsafe location. It works good for me and this is my preferred nav location for me.

I've just not had a good strong location on my bikes to mount a ram ball above the instruments. Windshield mounts aren't built to support the moment arm of a GPS for tens of thousands of miles I tend to accumulate and tend to vibrate over bumpy or jarring terrain. A ram ball that replaces a handlebar clamp bolt or one that that threads into a riser or bar clap is as sturdy as you are going to get and least affected by vibration and stress fatigue. Up on an arm it's still easy to see at a glance.

 

[melensdad]

The longer your eye is off the road the more dangerous it is.

When you have to move your entire head to see an instrument it is more dangerous than to simply scan with your eyes.

Choose where you want to place your nav. Some choices are simply not as safe as others.

 

[dduelin]

So you are saying it's dangerous to look at anything other than the road ahead? I'd agree with that but once in a while an instrument scan is necessary. By necessity and convention we do it without thinking about it while operating vehicles.

But it's not necessary to move your head to glance down and do the instrument scan.

Try it.

Look straight ahead as if riding or driving. Eyes on the horizon, or focused on the wall ahead. Now glance down at the space bar or bottom edge on your keyboard. Maybe read V B N off the bottom line of the keyboard.

That's what we do when we scan the instruments or nav screen. If you have to move your head to do that something is wrong with your vision or it takes much of your cognitive ability to read V B N.

 

[670cc]

On the NC-X, I avoided mounting a GPS to the windshield supports. In my opinion that mount, originally meant for a dinner plate sized windscreen, is already overtaxed with a large aftermaket windshield. As dduelin suggested, mounting a GPS to an arm attached to the windshield hardware tends to invite vibration and stress on said mounting. The windshield already shakes enough on rough roads without at GPS hanging on it.

On my 250 Rally dual sport, the GPS is mounted above the instrument panel. That bike, unlike the NC, has a more robust frame for windscreen mounting.

 

[melensdad]

Having the nav screen within your field of view does not mean you don't have to focus on it, it means it is within your field of view so you can see if there is a screen change (which is typical when approaching a turn as most Nav programs/systems will do some sort of ZOOM or other visual alert that may catch your eye). It means you can focus on it momentarily when appropriate without also losing the roadway from your field of view. That means that if you are focused on the screen, the road remains in your field of view and a change to that will alert you in the same way. I also advocate for a bluetooth connection to the navigation for voice prompts so less time is spent looking at a screen.

Having thousands of miles with the Ram arm mounted to a Madstad frame does not have excessive vibration so that I cannot easily read the screen. Are there other options for mounting above the dash, of course, I only advocate for mounting within the field of view, how someone does it is up to them. I have suggested other points, but I do show my mount because it is more than satisfactory.

There are insurance and traffic studies regarding distracted drivers, fewer for moto use. But using driver studies, anything that requires you to remove the road from your field of view while focusing attention on a device leads to reduced reaction time, traffic accidents, unintentional lane changes, etc. Literally too much evidence to cite all those points.

I'm not going to argue. Do what you wish.

 

[LeeInMpls]

I always use the ball that mounts with one of the handlebar clamp bolts, or sometimes the ones that mount with the clutch lever clamp bolts. There are many options.

RAM-B-367UView attachment 42893

I use this mounting system with my Garmin.
I also use Bluetooth and sound. My Garmin will answer my phone. If I need more than a glance, I pull over to read the screen.

 

[dduelin]

Having the nav screen within your field of view does not mean you don't have to focus on it, it means it is within your field of view so you can see if there is a screen change (which is typical when approaching a turn as most Nav programs/systems will do some sort of ZOOM or other visual alert that may catch your eye). It means you can focus on it momentarily when appropriate without also losing the roadway from your field of view. That means that if you are focused on the screen, the road remains in your field of view and a change to that will alert you in the same way. I also advocate for a bluetooth connection to the navigation for voice prompts so less time is spent looking at a screen.

Having thousands of miles with the Ram arm mounted to a Madstad frame does not have excessive vibration so that I cannot easily read the screen. Are there other options for mounting above the dash, of course, I only advocate for mounting within the field of view, how someone does it is up to them. I have suggested other points, but I do show my mount because it is more than satisfactory.

There are insurance and traffic studies regarding distracted drivers, fewer for moto use. But using driver studies, anything that requires you to remove the road from your field of view while focusing attention on a device leads to reduced reaction time, traffic accidents, unintentional lane changes, etc. Literally too much evidence to cite all those points.

I'm not going to argue. Do what you wish.

The field of view for the average human is 100 degrees. If the two things you are switching back and forth to look at are within 100 degrees then you will see a quick movement of the other in your field of view and switch focus. Enough said about that.

Look, at least twice in this thread and in other similar threads you state that one has to move their head to look down and see a device [mounted in a position that is below the instruments]. That is simply not a true statement. Enough said about that.

 

[Penguinsfan82]

So you are saying it's dangerous to look at anything other than the road ahead? I'd agree with that but once in a while an instrument scan is necessary. By necessity and convention we do it without thinking about it while operating vehicles.

But it's not necessary to move your head to glance down and do the instrument scan.

Try it.

Look straight ahead as if riding or driving. Eyes on the horizon, or focused on the wall ahead. Now glance down at the space bar or bottom edge on your keyboard. Maybe read V B N off the bottom line of the keyboard.

That's what we do when we scan the instruments or nav screen. If you have to move your head to do that something is wrong with your vision or it takes much of your cognitive ability to read V B N.

Your vision test works well when NOT wearing a full face helmet. I know, full face is a choice, but it's one a lot of riders make and it does impact downward visibility.

 

[TacomaJD]

Your vision test works well when NOT wearing a full face helmet. I know, full face is a choice, but it's one a lot of riders make and it does impact downward visibility.

Depends on what you are riding and what type of full face you are wearing. If you are wearing a sport type helmet, the field of view is higher up because sportbikes usually have the rider leaned more forward. Touring full face helmets have a more neutral field of view and when riding a bike like the NC with a neutral riding position, there is more than enough field of view to look down and see most anything that could be mounted in and around the handlebar area without actually moving your head, I do it all the time.

I have a Shoei GT Air helmet (touring) and when using GPS on my phone, my phone is mounted on the handlebars just to the left of the clamps. I can look straight ahead and just glance down to check GPS.

Either way, there's no right or wrong answer here. If you can't look down at something safely while riding, don't use a device while riding! If you feel you can, then do so! We often get caught up in thinking what is right and wrong, when in reality there is no one answer that works for everyone. I'm sure most of you turn your heads and look at plenty things while driving your cars/trucks and wouldn't think a bit about arguing for or against doing so, but for some reason we find ourselves in a heated debate about doing it on a motorcycle. Who cares? LOL. Do what you are comfortable with and don't worry about what anyone else says.