So I've decided to upgrade the bike for long hauls by adding a GPS mount and power outlet to my 2009 ABS.
I didn't have any room to mount the power outlet on the inner fairing plastics because the ABS module takes up so much room.
I'm working on creating a new mounting bracket to hold either a power outlet or USB, or combination of the two.
I'll hopefully be working on the prototype this weekend depending on the weather and other commitments, but here is the solution I have come up with so far.
As I progress I'll update you all with pics of the completed project
Well I managed to find a few hours, got the aluminum piece machined up and installed.
To me this is the perfect solution for mounting a power socket and USB. Only downside is that it raises the bezel around the key hole and now I cannot use the steering lock.
Though not a major issue right now for me. In the future I'll probably eliminate the bezel or modify it to allow the key to push down enough to engage the steering lock
Neat installation. Bitch about the steering lock. I would cry if my bike got nicked because the bars wouldn't lock...
Surely you can shave the back of the plastic collar or the sides of the key to make it work?
Does your usb socket have a volt meter too?
On recommendation from another VFRD member, I wired my auxillary circuit via a relay operated by the tail light circuit. It switches a dedicated, fused output wired from the battery and puts bugger all extra load on the fragile factory wiring.
That was my thoughts exactly with the bezel. However, it has these brass inserts that are barely 3/16" deep untill they bottom out. If I grind them down, I'll be left with no threads. My second thought was to see if I can push the brass inserts deeper into the bezel then grind the bezel. But, I worry I'll crack the plastic. Guess I'll just have to experiment and see.
Wiring is the fun part for me. I'm slightly OCD when it comes to making wiring look factory installed. I have created a dedicated 15A fused circuit which is controlled by a relay that I have tucked in beside the battery. As for the relay trigger, I am using a circuit coming off of the ignition switch under the right side cowl that controls the light circuit. As you mentioned the relay magnet uses bugger all in current so I figured this would be the best place to tap into.
My USB doesn't have a volt meter unfortunately, I got these as a gift from my dad who ended up trading in his bike for one with a power outlet installed. So I got his surplus parts. Not complaining one bit about free.
I have run out of daylight so I'll have to get back at this tomorrow sadly.
The wiring installation looks and sounds like its all propper. Watch for chafe on the insulation.
Honda saw you coming with those brass inserts... Can you attack the shoulders of the key or get one cut that's got a better shaped handle? Consider getting a bezel from a wreck before risking the original...? Or make an aluminium bezel as a replacement?
Absolutely, zip ties, wire-loom and heat shrink are my best friends when it comes to wiring. Last thing I want is an electrical fire on a long trip. Already seen that once on a friends 2002 VFR. Had to leave the bike at a dealers down in the Mid part of the USA while he hitch a ride back to Canada on the back of another bike. Ended up needing a whole new harness.
I do like the sounds of making an aluminum bezel, that would look pretty wicked I would think. Certainly put my basic lathe skills to the test haha.
Ok, so.... I did some experimenting on the plastic bezel... I gently heated a screw inserted into the brass and it was just enough that I could push the insert deeper into the bezel!
Hey, that looks great. If you are going to get this made on a CNC machine how much would it be to make a few and sell them on here? I would buy one with the bezel in black.
Hey, that looks great. If you are going to get this made on a CNC machine how much would it be to make a few and sell them on here? I would buy one with the bezel in black.
Thanks, Maroon Cobra.I appreciate the positive feedback! Let me send out a few emails and make a few phone calls this week and see what a small batch would cost to have made.
One thing I know for sure, is if there is enough interest, and I can get the volumes up would help bring the per piece cost down.
I have tweaked the design slightly since I posted the above renderings, here is what it looks like now. I refined a few dimensions.
Fingers crossed you get some responses to purchase a bunch of these. It’s such a smooth fit.
I'm hoping I can tap into some old manufacturing contacts that I used to frequently get prototypes made from a previous job I had, so fingers crossed indeed!
38 minutes ago, Grum
Great job TriumphTraitor. Guess this might only be suitable to NON HISS Ignition Switch Assemblies?
Thank you! For now, unfortunately this would be a NON HISS only application. The HISS module is part of the black bezel that surrounds the key hole. The only way around this would most likely be similar to how I pushed in the brass inserts deeper into my bezel and sanded the plastic down by 1/8".
One solution that I can think of is perhaps if I get one prototype made out of a thinner material, such as 18ga Stainless steel. I just worry that at this thickness the rigidity wouldn't be there. But, with 18ga only being approximately 0.05" thick, in theory, the key should still work with the stock bezel.
Do you know if there is any size difference between a Non HISS key and HISS key?
Are you able to take a few measurements of your key similar to what I have in this pic?
Sorry again TriumphTraitor. I currently owned an 8gen which has a wave key, not the same as the 6gen. From memory I do recall the head of the key of my 6gen was a bit bigger than the 8gen.
If its just the width of the key head that required the shaving of the bezel, wouldn't it be easier/cheaper to just shave the keys instead?
Ciao,
JZH
It would be for sure, but I want this to be a clean install requiring no modifications. Plus I'd be concerned with taking too much material off of the rubber coating on the key and having it fall off
Do you want me to take some video inserting the key, turning on and the employing the steering lock?
Thanks, Marooncobra. But I don't think that'll be necessary. I just spent the last 5 hours making another prototype. A rough one, stainless steel is hard for me to work with. I used 1.4mm thick material this time and found that at least with my key it works and allows the lock to actuate properly. So I think the thinner material is going to be a solid solution to make this a simple bolt on application.
You can see in the photo I have the original aluminum part installed along with the stainless steel part. This is to compensate for the material I sanded off of the bottom of the bezel.
I am going to draw the keys in Solidworks and make sure this will work with the HISS key dimensions too. Not sure I'll be able to get to do that this evening, but I'll try.
Alright, I had some time to get the Keys overlaid in Solidworks. The Blue Key is the HISS Key and the Red key is Non HISS - you can see a considerable size difference. I have also put in the black bezel in relation to the measurements I have taken to my key.
You can see there is some interference with the bezel and the HISS key (highlighted in yellow in the pic). I am not sure this is enough interference to prevent the lock from being able to actuate properly.
I am also assuming the HISS bezel has a similar center profile as the Non HISS bezel.
I did some checking on my HISS ring /key clearance and the key does not touch the ring currently even when locking the steering lock.. Even if you raised the HISS ring by 2mm I still don’t think there would be any interference with the key body.
I did some checking on my HISS ring /key clearance and the key does not touch the ring currently even when locking the steering lock.. Even if you raised the HISS ring by 2mm I still don’t think there would be any interference with the key body.
That's really good news Marooncobra! Thank you for investigating that on your end.
I got a quote from a local supplier to have these manufactured - It's the same cost for them to produce 1 bracket, as it is to make 10 (which includes a fairly hefty set up cost). To avoid the setup charge I would need to order about 550 brackets, which might be a pipe dream.
If I can get 10 people interested in buying one I will certainly go ahead and invest in the manufacturing.
To recoup the manufacturing costs I would have to sell the brackets at $19.50 CAD each plus shipping.
So I've decided to upgrade the bike for long hauls by adding a GPS mount and power outlet to my 2009 ABS.
I didn't have any room to mount the power outlet on the inner fairing plastics because the ABS module takes up so much room.
I'm working on creating a new mounting bracket to hold either a power outlet or USB, or combination of the two.
I'll hopefully be working on the prototype this weekend depending on the weather and other commitments, but here is the solution I have come up with so far.
As I progress I'll update you all with pics of the completed project
Thanks for sharing your install Duccmann. This mounting method did cross my mind, but I had concerns about the rigidity of the bracket and the singular fastening point.
Have you found that you have much flex when you go to plug in your accessory?
TriumphTraitor Thanks for sharing your install Duccmann. This mounting method did cross my mind, but I had concerns about the rigidity of the bracket and the singular fastening point. Have you found that you have much flex when you go to plug in your accessory?
Not at all Been there now 8 years. It’s a waterproof marine plug with the thick rubber cover
My Chinese GPS mount finally made it in thr mail. I've got it all installed and ready to rock [image: IMG_20190530_154500840.jpg][image: IMG_20190530_154507299.jpg][image: IMG_20190530_154533470.jpg][image: IMG_20190530_154755299.jpg][image: IMG_20190530_154801893.jpg][image: IMG_20190530_154811793.jpg][image: IMG_20190530_154824027_HDR.jpg]
Thanks, Maroon Cobra.I appreciate the positive feedback! Let me send out a few emails and make a few phone calls this week and see what a small batch would cost to have made.
One thing I know for sure, is if there is enough interest, and I can get the volumes up would help bring the per piece cost down.
I have tweaked the design slightly since I posted the above renderings, here is what it looks like now. I refined a few dimensions.
Suggestion: could you merge these into 1 piece with the ON/OFF/LOCK, bolt holes and the side holes for mounting the devices, all on one flat part?
That would get ride of the unfortunate half-overlap in the through-holes for the text.
Ignoramist Suggestion: could you merge these into 1 piece with the ON/OFF/LOCK, bolt holes and the side holes for mounting the devices, all on one flat part? That would get ride of the unfortunate half-overlap in the through-holes for the text.
Hey Ignoramist, thank you for the suggestion, I do like the sounds of that and I will certainly look into perusing that depending on how the prototype testing pans out.
Now, keep in mind that The ignition cylinder sits about 9mm higher than the triple clamp. Which would raise the whole bracket up significantly.
When I got the quote for fabricating the pieces with the marking cut into it, I was given a disclaimer that they may not be legible due to their small size, which would make me weary about making these(unless I can see if they would laser etch, but I'm sure that would drive the price through the roof). So I just had the manufacturer requote with just the bracket itself.
I'm hoping that my meet up with VFRpwr this weekend will prove to me 100% that the bracket will properly fit under the stock bezel without modifications especially for HISS. this will eliminate any need for a secondary piece to cover the ignition cylinder.
I really want this bracket to look as stock as possible.
Just want to give you a quick update on where I am at with this. I met up with VFRpwr this weekend (Big thanks for taking the time to test fit the prototype) and we hashed out a few more details.
VFRpwr gave me a great suggestion on trying to get the VFR logo etched onto the surface.
I have just resubmitted the bracket for quoting to the manufacturer, but here is what the end product should look like. I tried to maximize on the minimal real-estate I had.
Fingers crossed that the etching wont add a significant cost to the overall part. I think it certainly helps with the aesthetics. Once I get the quote back I will have the manufacturer make one prototype before the batch run. As soon as I have it in my hands I will upload a photo of the piece.
Got the first prototype lasered today. Going to do one last test fit on my bike and then I'll get the rest of the order completed! [image: IMG_20190606_160527112.jpg]
Managed to get the laser cut piece mounted and I am very pleased with the fitment, the VFR logo makes it stand out very well (thank you VFRpwr for that suggestion)
I'm going to give the manufacture the go-ahead and get the remaining parts made!
If there is anyone else that is interested in these let me know! - $19.50 CAD + Shipping
Hey ponchoh, unfortunately it won't fit the 8th gen. However, I'm willing to develop something similar for the 8th gen if there is someone local in my area with one that can let me take some measurements
Hey CaptChaos, Sounds good. I take it you have a VFR1200? Ill see if there is anyone close to me as well with a 1200 that can help with measurements. Just on quick glance i think the upper clamp on the VFR800 and VFR1200 have a similar shape.
If this will fit a 5th Gen you can count me in for one. (I skimmed the thread but didn't see it mentioned)
Hey adkfinn, hotshoerob test fitted a cardboard cutout for me and this is roughly how it looks. There is a bit of a gap due to the slightly different shape of the triple clamp, but it does fit
If you're interested send DM me your mailing address and I can get a quote on shipping!
Hey adkfinn, hotshoerob test fitted a cardboard cutout for me and this is roughly how it looks. There is a bit of a gap due to the slightly different shape of the triple clamp, but it does fit
If you're interested send DM me your mailing address and I can get a quote on shipping!
Thanks TT! I found the thread in the 5th Gen forum. I have a '98, so it sounds like I might be out of luck since the mounting tabs aren't there? I'll have to take a look at the bike when I get home.
Just installed the bracket on my 2002 HISS model and it fits perfectly. I have relocated my volt meter and installed a double USB 2.4 amp outlet. Looks fantastic. Great work
I am curious to know how visible the voltmeter is in the sunlight.
I have a meter that looks similar to the one Marooncobra has and it was hard to read in the sun.
the numbers are ok to see. maybe its where i have it mounted. but the surrounding lights are a better indicator. all red on left and all green on right with no yellow and you know you are good to go. no lights equal bad day lol
Installed mine yesterday as my voltmeter & USB arrived via slow China post... great part made by TT. Install of everything was super easy, spent more time on the wire routing than anything else. (I have since cleaned up the jumble of red/blue on the lower left)
Installed mine yesterday as my voltmeter & USB arrived via slow China post... great part made by TT. Install of everything was super easy, spent more time on the wire routing than anything else. (I have since cleaned up the jumble of red/blue on the lower left)
That's a great looking job rhoderage, very neat. Now you can look into that starting issue you have!
Installed mine yesterday as my voltmeter & USB arrived via slow China post... great part made by TT. Install of everything was super easy, spent more time on the wire routing than anything else. (I have since cleaned up the jumble of red/blue on the lower left)
Glad to hear all of the install went well and that you are happy with the part. Bike looks really good!
Sorry for any late responses I have been out of the country with no access to internet. I have opened up an eBay listing for this bracket to help me keep track of all of the orders!
Sold the last one the other day. I really underestimated the demand for these.
I will be having some more made, but I'm going to be away from home on business for the next week and a half so I won't be able to post them back up until I'm back.
I have also been experimenting with some paint and I'll be posting a couple in matte black as well when I'm back.
Unfortunately I haven't got any of the single sided ones made, no one seemed interested so I didn't invest in getting the CNC programming done from my manufacturer.
The mod looks perfect. Looks like a factory install. Love it.
I have a 2010 VFR 800 6th Gen. Do you have any brackets available ?
The listing to eBay is not valid anymore.
Always looking for great mods like these.
I am in Cape Town South Africa.
Have you got any more of these? Looking to be shipped within ontario. Fitment on a 5th Gen is good?
I don't have any more at the moment. My manufacturer was deemed non-essential by the Ontario gov't and is currently closed. Since I'm seeing some more demand for these as soon as they open I'll have another batch made and put up on eBay.
Will you be making additional brackets for 6th Gen?
I'm starting to get some more interest in these again, so I certainly will get a few more made. Only part holding me back now is my area is currently under strict lockdown until beginning of February. Once our gov't allows us a bit more freedom I'll have more made
Hi, I was unaware of your bracket when I started making them some time ago, long before seeing this thread. As you can see from my post that I came across the thread 2 months ago which is when I put this post and never copied your bracket. I am sure that you must be aware that there are others selling items basically of the same design.
I'm starting to get some more interest in these again, so I certainly will get a few more made. Only part holding me back now is my area is currently under strict lockdown until beginning of February. Once our gov't allows us a bit more freedom I'll have more made
I'm interested as well once you get going again....
That was my order that went in yesterday. Can't wait to receive it. Thanks for doing this!
S.
Awesome! I just sent it out last night for you.
I saw that you were in Ontario and thought I could do a ride-by drop off to save you on shipping, but realized it'd be a 7 hour round trip with nowhere to have a washroom break (thanks provincial lock down).
Hope if comes in fast for you! If you have any questions about installation, let me know as I have a short PDF with basic instructions.
I saw that you were in Ontario and thought I could do a ride-by drop off to save you on shipping, but realized it'd be a 7 hour round trip with nowhere to have a washroom break (thanks provincial lock down).
Haha that would have been cool, but unfortunately Ontario is big place. Maybe we'll meet up on a ride someday!
I'm sold out of both the black versions and the versions with the VFR logo on them. But yes, that is my listing! I'm in Newmarket. Bout an hr and a half ish away from Waterloo. If you are interested and wanna pick it up, PM me. We can circumvent eBay
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