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spacetiger
11-04-2013, 08:48 PM
I am finding everything seems to cost $$$ to $,$$$ to add a farkle to our bike. Sometimes being able to do something useful for $ is really hard - but not impossible. Here is my $8 [temp] Ram ball mount.

I bought a 2 1/2" exhaust clamp ($3.49) and a pair of coupling nuts ($0.80). I already had the ram ball mounts and foam strip. See pic 1 for the parts layout.

The parts go on the handlebars. First the foam strip goes around the handlebars, then the exhaust clamp. In place of the nuts, you use the coupling nuts to tighten down the clamp. The ram ball mounts screw into the other end of the coupling nuts. That's it, see pic 2 and 3.

You can use whatever ram ball mount accessory you like. I have several that I use on my other bikes so it's easy to reuse what I have, I just needed a cost effective way to get ram ball mounts on the bike. I have had as many as 6 items up on a bike when I am on a long ride (looks busy, but all are handy):
1. video recorder (left side handlebar)
2. drink holder (left side handlebar)
3. ipod player (right side handlebar)
4. ez pass holder (right side handlebar)
5. GPS (center handlebar)
6. iphone (center handlebar)

I plan on sanding and painting both mounts (1 for each side) and keeping them handy for the trips as they are easy enough to pop on. If you have to ability to drill and tap coupling nuts, you can get SS exhaust clamps and polish them to look nice and shinny. These clamps are twice as expensive as the steel ones (~$7 each) and you will have to do a little more work since the U bolt diameter are thinner than the ram ball, so you'd have to get a coupling nut that fits the U bolt and drill and tap the other end to match the ram balls. The steel exhaust clamp U bolts are the same diameter and thread pitch as the ram ball mounts, so they just screw together.

Hope this helps someone else looking for a cost affordable ram ball mount.

Jerry

bmwlarry
11-06-2013, 11:27 AM
great idea! I will have to give it a try!

Chupaca
11-06-2013, 12:00 PM
it's like a multiplug. Great idea and simply done. Those pipe clamp regular rust pretty easy did you find them in some other material or coat it..?? Awesome...:2thumbs:

spacetiger
11-06-2013, 06:07 PM
Chupaca,

I plan to sand and paint the clamp. Its not a permanent mod so it will not stay on all the time and be exposed to the elements. I will have to see you it holds up. Otherwise, I will go with the stainless steel clamp and polish it. They cost about $7 a clamp, so it would still be a cheap mod.

Jerry