Homemade GPS Handle Bar Mounts
For bicyclists and motorcyclists, bringing along a global positioning system (GPS) device can be a great way to get off the beaten path and explore new routes without the risk of getting lost. It can also offer an effective way to get to your destination as quickly as possible, or to find destinations along the way. While many of the commercially available GPS handlebar mounts are expensive and not always effective, a homemade handlebar mount can save money and ensure that you have a mount that fits your bike perfectly.
Choose a Mounting Location
Before constructing a mount, choose a suitable place on the handlebars for it. On a motorcycle, this may be close to the center of the handlebars to allow for easy access to an electrical outlet and to keep the GPS device out of the way of hand controls, such as the throttle. On a bicycle, the best place for a GPS mount may be more towards one side to allow the handlebars to turn freely. Selecting a position for the mount that is relatively free of wires, cables or other obstructions will make installation easier.
Disassemble the Factory Mount
Most new GPS devices some with a basic mount suitable for a car's dashboard or windshield. Examine this mount and determine where it can be disassembled. You will need to retain the cradle portion of the mount to seat the GPS device. It may be easiest to remove the cradle from the rest of the mount where there is a ball joint or above the suction-cup base. Most of these plastic mounts will simply unsnap, but exercise care so as not to crack the plastic.
Build the Handlebar Portion of the Mount
The most difficult part of the procedure is constructing the new base of the mount that will attach it to the handlebars. Since each handlebar layout is unique, choose the option that best fits your bike. The easiest solution may be to use an existing clamp-style handlebar mount that tightens around the handlebar itself, such as one for an aftermarket windscreen or gauge cluster. Another option is to screw a round bead onto existing handlebar accessory mounts, or into the handlebar metal itself, to attach the ball mount and cradle from the factory car mount.
Assemble and Install the Final Mount
Securely attach the GPS cradle to the handlebar mount. Use an electric drill and stainless steel screws for the strongest mount and be sure to attach the two pieces together in more than one location to prevent the cradle from pivoting as you ride. If there is not a suitable place to attach the two pieces with screws, use rubber tubing, such as a bicycle tire tube, to tie the GPS cradle to the handlebar mount, or directly to the handlebars themselves. This temporary mount may need to be tightened occasionally but is one of the least expensive and fastest handlebar mounts you can make.
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