Mount for Garmin Zumo 550 on the R1200R

[Enjoy-Rider]

Hi everyone,

Six weeks ago I got my new R1200R. It's my first motorbike, for I only got my license last december.
I'm extremely happy with my R1200R, and I realy hope the weather will soon allow me to ride more often than I can do now. For next week they promised us some snow blisters, so I'm afraid that spring still isn't on it's way and that my R will have to wait in the garage for (at least) another week .
Still I allready did 1300 kilometers (800 miles), so I'm learning to know him better and better.






Some time ago, I found this picture on a forum, it might be this forum, I'm not sure:



I want to have a Garmin Zumo 550 on my motor but the only mount they have is attached on the handle bar, and I want it right in front of me just like on the picture. My screen is (almost) the same as the one on this picture.
Do you know whether this is a do-it-yourself construction? If so, how was it made, or is it a construction one can buy in a store?

Thanks a lot in advance, and I wish you a lot of save and happy miles!

[Thinman]

Very nice looking setup you have - I like the color matched panniers and topcase. Here's a link to Don's page for the bracket in the picture. http://www.eilenberger.net/R1200R_Roads ... _Mount.htm

[deilenberger]

Indeed - you do have the same bracket as I used (the BMW "Touring Shield" bracket..) If you have someone who is handy with tools - perhaps your friendly local dealer - you might show them my web-page. It doesn't really take long to make up the cross-bar. If you really get stuck - PM me - and I'll see if I can locate the one shown in the photos (I have since made a little nicer looking one.) You'll still need a Garmin mount for your Zumo.. but I can probably give you a few of the clamps I show in my webpage, which could be easily used with the Garmin mount.

HTH..

[Enjoy-Rider]

Hi Don and Thinman,

Thank you for your help!
Don, you have a great website!!
I'm not so handy with tools myself, but I showed the instructions to my husband and he said he would be able to make it.

I don't have the Zumo yet......I'd like to wait some more months in order to feel relaxed on my motor and get more experience, before I start using the Zumo wich will distract me from the road .

Thank you Thinman for the compliment. Yes, I didn't like the panniers and topcase in black.....so I'd had them painted in the same crystal grey as my R1200R.

Wonderfull and very informative website this is!!
Unfortunatedly I don't have enough time to read everything and respond whenever I want .
In the Netherlands we also have a motor-forum, and the R1200R is one of the topics.
But it's not much......although for that reason better for my limited amount of time

Thanks again Don!!

[deilenberger]

Hi Don and Thinman,

Thank you for your help!
Don, you have a great website!!
I'm not so handy with tools myself, but I showed the instructions to my husband and he said he would be able to make it.

Thanks.. and good for you.. I'd love to see how the one your husband makes turns out.

I don't have the Zumo yet......I'd like to wait some more months in order to feel relaxed on my motor and get more experience, before I start using the Zumo wich will distract me from the road .

The distraction level is much less when the GPS is right in front of your eyes. This seems counter-intuitive, but having it really easy to see means you can quickly glance at it and absorb what you need to. I've had them off to the side and found that very distracting. You just want to avoid fixating on the GPS and not looking at the real world around you.

Thank you Thinman for the compliment. Yes, I didn't like the panniers and topcase in black.....so I'd had them painted in the same crystal grey as my R1200R.

Wonderfull and very informative website this is!!
Unfortunatedly I don't have enough time to read everything and respond whenever I want .
In the Netherlands we also have a motor-forum, and the R1200R is one of the topics.
But it's not much......although for that reason better for my limited amount of time

Thanks again Don!!

No problem. Good luck with it!

[Enjoy-Rider]

I have since made a little nicer looking one..

Don, in another topic (with the Wunderlich VarioScreen) I saw a picture in which you used the black plastic caps in stead of the screws.
Was this the update you are referring to?
Can you tell me how you did this?

Thanks a lot!!!

[deilenberger]

I have since made a little nicer looking one..

Don, in another topic (with the Wunderlich VarioScreen) I saw a picture in which you used the black plastic caps in stead of the screws.
Was this the update you are referring to?
Can you tell me how you did this?

Thanks a lot!!!

I'm not sure what you mean.. the crossbar is held in by allen-screws threaded into the remains of the plastic caps (the stub/root that was left when I tried twisting them off..)

If you can refer me to the photo..

[Enjoy-Rider]

Hi Don,,
This is the picture I meant:


You see? It's got the black plastic caps in stead of the screws.

It comes from your VarioScreen-topic.
But maybe it's not your motor?

Thanks a lot!

[deilenberger]

Hi Don,,
This is the picture I meant:


You see? It's got the black plastic caps in stead of the screws.

It comes from your VarioScreen-topic.
But maybe it's not your motor?

Thanks a lot!

I'm still not clear on where you're referring to.. mebbe if you could highlight or circle the area?

[Enjoy-Rider]

Hi Don, sorry, I removed the picture

Here the picture with circles around the black plastic caps I meant:

[deilenberger]

Hi Don, sorry, I removed the picture

Here the picture with circles around the black plastic caps I meant:

OK.

The factory has the bullet shaped plastic caps in the ends of the tubing. These are somehow molded into the tubing.. wiggling, twisting them only succeded in breaking the bullet part off - leaving the root/stub of them inside the plastic. Turns out that worked fine.. I drilled and tapped them for M10 cap-head allen bolts.. which is what you see now. The allen bolts go through holes in the ends of my home-made cross piece and screw into the plastic holding my cross-bar on.

There is no black plastic cap on mine at the current time... although if I found some nice ones that went over the top of the allen bolts I might put them on just to finish it off a bit. Have to look in my box of plastic stuff in the garage..

[Enjoy-Rider]

Don, at last, having a closer look at the picture, I see that the black plastic caps about which I thougt where still there aren't there at all.
I think it's just a shadow.
Sorry for all this hassle

[deilenberger]

Don, at last, having a closer look at the picture, I see that the black plastic caps about which I thougt where still there aren't there at all.
I think it's just a shadow.
Sorry for all this hassle

I see what fooled you.. you're right - it does look like the caps are back above the bolts. That would be cool, but it isn't how it is right now.

[famousperson]

Dan,

How did you wire in your Zuma? Did you write it up in a different thread you could point me to? The choices seem to be wire it into the alleged factory outlet in the front of the bike (which I hsve never seen with my own eyes, only know of by reputation), or wiring it directly (with fuse on +) to the battery. Either way I assume I have to take the tank off. Is this assumption correct?

Peter

[deilenberger]

Dan,

How did you wire in your Zuma? Did you write it up in a different thread you could point me to? The choices seem to be wire it into the alleged factory outlet in the front of the bike (which I hsve never seen with my own eyes, only know of by reputation), or wiring it directly (with fuse on +) to the battery. Either way I assume I have to take the tank off. Is this assumption correct?

Peter

Dunno who Dan is - I'm Don, and I don't have a Zumo, I have a 2720 Street Pilot (back to Garmin for defogging at the moment) and a Quest.. but the wiring answer is likely to be similar..

IF I had a Zumo - which has a built in battery - I'd wire it to the factory outlet (nothing alleged about it.. BMW sells a very nice horribly expensive wire to hook up to it that plugs right into your 2700 series StreetPilot.. but I digress..) Since I don't have a Zumo, and the 2720 doesn't have an internal battery, I wired mine up to the bike battery (actually now to a Centech fuse block powered off the battery.) because I want to be able to run the GPS without the bike being on. With one that has the internal battery - this isn't necessary and I can't see any reason not to use the factory power takeoff.

Anyone want to give me a Zumo, I'll design a mount for it and document it..

[famousperson]

Sorry, Don-who-is-not-Dan. I didn't even get the name of my own GPS right! Shows what happens when I try to function before my 2nd cup of coffee in the morning. Anyway, thanks for the information. It looks like it's time to take the tank off and have a look.

Peter

[NeilS]

You don't need to take the tank off to reach that connector. It's attached with a tie-wrap to the rear of the right-hand frame tube that runs from the top of the steering head to the top of the engine. Locate and cut the tie-wrap, then just reach back with a finger and coax the wire around the tube. Once you're sure you have the right wire, you can grab it with long-nose pliers and pull it out.