On the Road Again!

Undecided where to put the TomTom, I ordered this kit as it fits to one of the handlebar mounting bolts.   Whether to install on the right or to the left is yet to be decided.  It arrived whilst I was away and I have just had a look. On the FB forums there do seem to be some gripes about whether some of the mounts are genuine RAM and RAM quality.  The packaging and the enclosed leaflet look genuine and the ball does have RAM embossed into it.

Need to install the TomTom onto Vera so have ordered one of these  to replace the awful U-bolt system that comes with the TomTom when you buy it. Hopefully this will look better than the ugly U-bolt!

I decided to move the TomTom mounting from "in the wind" by the left side switchgear. As it is already removed what could be simpler? Easier said than done!!!! For some reason the spare RAM mounting kit I had in stock came with 11mm nyloc nuts. I hate nyloc nuts. Also who the **** uses 11mm! The supply spring washer too! In the end after what seemed like hours I finally managed to get it behind the screen and above the clocks. The area is so confined I could only turn the nut about a quarter each time.  It took wiggling and a jiggling to get it where I wanted it, also to be able to lock it in place with the anti-theft kit!  The key to the ram-ball mount is a little bit of a squeeze. The next job is to fit the new power cable and connect it to the battery rather than the accessory socket. Oh yeah. Baloo is back after a wash and brush up.

I have been using the TomTom on Pepé since I have had the bike. Firstly with the old style Rider and more recently with the 410 model.  This one came with the locking anti-theft kit.   I now need to refit the RAM Mount etc.  I took it off to tidy it up (rust etc)  and then I discovered that when it was last serviced the very helpful mechanics at Laguna had routed the power lead along the frame rather than where I had it dangled over the top of the air filters.  Sadly it seems to have melted somewhere there was no power.  In the end I had to cut both ends off the cable to be able to tidy it up. I ordered a new power lead from TomTom and it arrived recently. I will be a bit more thorough with this one and rather than use a Hella DIN plug into the power output by my left ankle, I will connect to the battery. I can then let the excess wire coil under the seat rather than at the handlebar end.  I never like cutting wires. Too long better than too short...

Dumbbell? , originally uploaded by InvictaMoto . Is there really a double-b as the spell checker thinks? Anyway. The solution to the hand guard to TomTom interface has finally been sorted, I hope. Not as I had thought by using the new handlebar clamp ball, but by buying the RAM Mount dumbbell and using it to connect the two RAM arms together, thus allowing the changing of the angle as well as the distance from the original mounting place. With the shorter TomTom supplied arm at the bottom and the longer one, from the old Garmin kit, at the top, I can get the TomTom above the bike's instruments and still have it behind the screen. The cable will need to be cut longer than anticipated, but that shouldn't be a problem. I didn't get a chance to test it this weekend but once I have had a ride out I can see if this works or not. If all is good, then I'll cut the wire down and re-fit the Hella plug. This setup will allow me to remove the ...