SatNav Car Suction Mount?

[Frappawotsit]

Rather than splashing g a load of money on a new “bike” satnav, I figured I’d try using an old Garmin Nuvi from my car that is surplus to requirement in the car these days….
I’m looking to Mount on my 2011 BMW R1200 RT and wondered if anyone has just used the standard car suction Mount on the bike?
As the screen on the bike is electrically adjusted up and down I figure rather than on the screen, maybe Mount it on top of the dash cluster where there is a pretty smooth plastic cover….

Has anyone tried this? With what results?
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Current: BMW R1200 RT (2011) (Previous Bikes: Kawasaki GPX600 / Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat / Yamaha Fazer / Honda ST100 Pan-European / BMW R1200 GS

[ThunderGuts]

I'd foresee a few issues; the suction cup will require both a shiny and fairly rigid surface to work; likely an surfaces made of plastic on a bike will be too flexible. You may even end up with damage. A car sat-nav isn't going to be weather-proof either (unless that model is, but I don't think it is?) so while the RT will provide a lovely bubble of calm at motorway speeds, when you stop at traffic lights and it's raining it'll get wet and probably fail fairly quickly. Lastly, bike-specific sat-navs are often designed to work with gloves on, which is a godsend.

I know they're not cheap, but personally I'd go for a bike specific sat nav (I went for a TomTom Rider 550). It feels like it's not particularly cutting edge, but it does work. Alternatively, get a decent phone holder and case and use a satnav app.
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TG.

[Frappawotsit]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Tierbirdy]

buy a quadlock case and mounting kit for your bike, dont forget the vibration dampening attachment, and never look back. Absolutely the best (IMHO) phone mounting system out there. Phone Google Maps/Waze are infinitely better than actual satnav units and having your phone out in the open stops the overheating problem. Also trying to look at your screen through a floppy bit of shiny plastic that most sat nav/phone holders have is impossible on sunny days as it just reflects back at you. Any decent modern phone is waterproof enough to survive being caught out in the rain on your bike, but if its a worry then quadlock also do silicone covers for most makes of phone to make it totally waterproof and avoid screen glare problem of loose flappy crinkly plastic holders.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Tierbirdy]

Said he cant use his phone because it overheats in hot weather in an enclosed plastic case, quadlock is out in the open so your phone is air cooled Ive had issues with my phone warning me its getting a bit hot when using it as satnav in my car in the heights of summer, but no issues on bike.

[Ste]

[pepperami]

I’ve just come to this thread (bit late)
I use my sat-nav on my bike all the time.
I do suction it to the inside of the screen and not to the console.

I also have my sat-nav on a lanyard, just in case the suction fails.

Been to Scotland thee times , Wales twice, and did the four points without any issues
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Frappawotsit]

[Frappawotsit]

[Frappawotsit]

[Frappawotsit]

[pepperami]

My mighty little Hyosung GT250r
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Frappawotsit]

So I’ve gone for a waterproof case and sunshade on the car SatNav… with a suction Mount to the top of the instrument cluster sun shade…. I’ll see how it does over a few rides, if the suction Mount doesn’t hold in that position I might try it on the screen instead, but the position of it is perfect (for me) as I don’t have to divert my eyes far from the road when checking the SatNav. Once I’m happy with the suction Mount sturdiness, I’ll clip the usb power cable neatly away too.

And if it doesn’t work, I’ll go the Quadlock route next…. Thanks for all the input everybody

(Not sure how to upload pics, otherwise I would!)
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Current: BMW R1200 RT (2011) (Previous Bikes: Kawasaki GPX600 / Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat / Yamaha Fazer / Honda ST100 Pan-European / BMW R1200 GS

[Ste]

On the reply page, click the "Add an attachment" button and then choose whichever photos you want to post.

Or upload them to imgur.com and post the links here.

[Frappawotsit]

[Ste]

You've put text in the text box before trying to upload an attachment, right?

imgur.com might be the easiest solution.