I added 3 power plugs, 2 in the frunk and one on the side. Needed a radar det. so used a Rom X-grip and another one for the GPS or phone. I wired them hot with a switch on the dash
The blue screwdriver on the handlebar is my answer to get the cluster out without removing the windshield.
Added speakers to my helmet that connect to my bluetooth on the phone or the GPS.
Waiting for an actuator to electrify the frunk. And waiting for the LEDs to be seen easier. Ordered the HDPE stuff to make a bump plate, will post pixs if that works out.
Last edited by pitzerwm; 12-20-2014 at 10:31 PM.
Reason: add video link
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Build a garage for it as no room in the regular garage. Due to limited space, just enough to park it in, will work on it in the other garage. Installed the opener behind the cluster and a push button switch on the dash.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Build a garage for it as no room in the regular garage. Due to limited space, just enough to park it in, will work on it in the other garage. Installed the opener behind the cluster and a push button switch on the dash.
You have been very busy adding some nice accessories. Cool siding on your new garage.
You have been very busy adding some nice accessories. Cool siding on your new garage.
Thanks, I saw something like it and I tried it out in my living room. There was no way that I would try that small pieces on the garage, or maybe ever again. It's like putting a puzzle together without the picture. The middle "art work" is a screen that splits in half to expose the TV.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
The weather finally got above freezing and I got my supplies. Being frugal/cheap/whatever, I was sold by other's post about the value of the BumpSkid. Not wanting to spend $200, I tracked down the HDPE needed, figuring "how hard could it be". Well, I'm glad that I only needed one. You can see the pixs below of the process. Not having any CNC unit, just normal tools, it didn't come out a slick as Spyderpops'.
I didn't have an easy way to make the forward brackets so I decided to epoxy a piece of wood in the front and then just screw the front down to the wood. I just finished it and don't plan on running into anything to test that the epoxy will hold the wood in place.
I read in another post that the back of the bumpskid didn't lay up to the bottom of the tupperware. On a 2011 RSS the bracket that holds the original plate is to "tall" for it to eliminate the gap. If you removed the old bracket, and screwed it into bottom of the frunk, you would need to have it stop in front of the anti-sway bar. I also decided not to have the back of the bumpskid to flare out. I did use a round over router bit on the perimeter.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
I think that any door lock actuator would work, although JIm used a Spal actuator and it might be better. The frunk locking mech. is elevated and do you need to elevate your actuator. Somehow during this process the key no longer unlocks it. I also added a wire from the mech. routed to the "check oil" panel, just in case the actuator quits working.
Electrically I wired it thru the left turn signal power before the push button gets it's power.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Reading where others had done this, I decided that was a good idea. Being an old fart, I really can't turn around and look behind me that well.
I picked up a Pyle PLCM7200 at Walmart and I see them on Amazon even cheaper. Having the bigger is better mentality, I got the one (monitor) that you clip on your rear view mirror in the car. As you can see by the pix it is too big for the bike. It is designed to mount the camera on one's licence plate mount. Looking this over, there were issues, one, it covered the year/month stickers and there is the licence plate light that misses with the picture. So I placed it under the seat. I did find that the open lens on the bottom of the brake lights also messed with the picture at night. So you can see that I painted the bottom of the lens. The quality at night was good, and you can see by the pix that daytime quality is great. For some reason you don't need to hookup the "backup light" (green wire). That puts a 12V+ on it. I ran it thru a off/on switch, so I can run it all of the time if I want. I'm thinking that with it on, you can see the traffic behind you. You can also plug in a DVD if you wanted to.
The monitor has "clips on the back, the bottom ones spring loaded. I made a "mount" from wood and used small L brackets and mounted that on the plastic piece above the safety plague. The wiring was nothing, just zip tie it so it stays put. I ran the cable that goes to monitor into the Frunk. This way I can "unclip" it from the mount and put in the frunk, when parked in public.
I just did this so haven't any real testing, it still too damn cold to ride, for me anyway.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
The rest I had laying around. The square tube was thin wall, but probably would be better with thicker wall. I used self treading sheet metal screws to attach to center frame. Drilled holes in outer part so I could screw the max into the frame. (3/8" head) I had to pre-drill the holes in the frame to get them started. I put a piece of oak lumber into the ends about 6" in, just to support the uprights.
The uprights are 3/4" PVC irrigation pipe(thick stuff). Inside is a brass tube and 1/2" copper water tubing, this to add strength. Ran a 3/8" treads all through the uprights and secured with nuts and washers.
Since I had no idea what I was doing, I might need to move them forward a little. Because of the thin wall square tubing, there is a little flex at the ends. You really don't have any weight on it, so I'm not expecting a problem. Worse case, I'll switch it out for a thicker wall or might just weld an angle iron to the center frame and to the thin wall. If I went with thick wall tubing, I'd probably use a 3/4" black pipe and weld it to the ends.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Well I came up with a different approach to the floorboards. As you read above I made my own BumpSkid with 3/8" HDPE (which is like Teflon) and I had a piece left over. I was working with a couple of the guys here, 3willie, coz and ahh-cool, thinking metal and fabing them like they did. Then it struck me that the HDPE is probably bullet proof and would be easier than metal. The end result was to drop the rear with a 2"x1" oak block and 2 bolts into the foot peg. I drilled new holes. I then put the rubber top of the pegs, by trimming the back of it to accommodate the nuts and just using sheetrock screws thru the old screw holes into the oak block. The front is attached to the metal frame under the radiator on the right and whatever is on the left, with self taping screws. I reinforced the outside edge with a piece of 1/2" angle iron, which is more to keep my foot from slipping off. The HDPE is really slippery.
I haven't test drove it as its 2AM, but sitting on it feels really comfortable and solid. I might not even need the highway pegs as my feet reach
into that "cove" under/behind the radiator.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Test drove my new floorboards today and they worked great. Plenty strong enough to stand on them, although thankfully I only weight 185. The HDPE is slick but I don't find that as an issue, the angle iron on the edge, holds my foot in place fine. It did take me a few stops to figure out where the brake petal was. IMO if you want floorboards, this is the way to go. If you have a plastics shop around you they have scraps really cheap.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Thanks to Blueknight911, I found the LEDs that work on the mud flaps and the rear fender for more visibility from the back. Also an LED strip for turn signals on the fenders.
The RED LEDs on the mud flaps work as running lights and turn signals. The RED LEDs on the rear fender are running and brakes.
The yellow strip LEDs lay in the groove on the fender and are wired into the turn signals. They didn't come with adhesive on the back so I used epoxy. I hope they outlast me.
I also got some 5W LEDs and replace the tip lights, I'm not sure that they are brighter, but I now have plenty of light in the front.
I decided to stay out of the bike's fuse block and installed my own. I ran a #8 from the battery and then branched out to power the individual fuses. I'm not sure this is the best way to do it, but it works for me. I used zip ties to secure it to the frame. I cleaned up the rat's nest after the pixs.
In the pictures the flash made the saddlebag reflectors look like LEDs they are not.
Another little issue that I think I have solved foot heat
After putting in the floor boards there was heat on my right foot. I found a gap between the scoop and the floorboard. I just used a couple of vinyl scraps and spray adhesive. Seems to look ok and works.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
I got a 2014 RTS and the previous owner was taller than I and added a Ultimate seat, which I think puts me back 2" or up. Anyway, not wanting to tear into the seat, I decided to raise the floor boards. I used 3/4" plywood and after getting it all together, I realized that it would be easy to add highway pegs, which I already had. The upright is made up of a 3/4" PVC pipe, with a piece of brass pipe and a piece of 1/2" copper pipe for stability and a 3/8" threads all, with nuts and washers.
I'm not going to stand on them, so I didn't need them any stronger. I'll be testing the new height and the pegs in a few.
NOTE: I also added a 1 1/2" spacer on the brake petal.
Last edited by pitzerwm; 06-13-2015 at 12:02 PM.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Thanks to Doc Riverside's great instructions, (see another post at RT Shop Talk) I got from the dealer the kit, it list for $67 but dealer wanted a lot more, but refused to pay more than the BRP price. It does come with 2 metal braces that I don't think you need to add. And 2 insulation pieces that I didn't bother with either.
One person had an issue with BRP air wings, but while a bit limited in adjustment, still install/work ok.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.
Did a few more farkles. SM10 dongle, thanks to Doc Riverside and James Thorn. Spy 5000M alarm thanks to Bob Finless. New rear tire thanks to Deanna77 and Bob finless.
One of the hardest decisions you'll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.