Ram Mount For Quest

[+Jamie Z]

If you've read my RiteBuy's post, you know that I'm in purchasing mode for the Quest 2 to use on my motorcycle. Currently, I use the Explorist, which has served me well, but I'm interested in more control over the way it routes me.

 

Right now I have a RAM ball mounted on the fairing of my motorcycle. I have a RAM arm and a RAM cradle for my Explorist. Soon, I'll need to ready the mount for a new Quest 2. I have a couple of questions.

 

Both RAM and Garmin make cradles for the Quest. I understand that RAM makes an adapter which allows use of the Garmin cradle on a RAM base. Does anyone have experience with either cradle? What do you think of it?

 

I don't plan to wire the GPS into the motorcycle electrical system. What I've done with my Explorist is charge it each night for battery use the next day during my ride. However, I understand that the Quest "speaks" when used with the cigarette adapter. I may occasionally transfer the RAM arm to the RAM ball in my car for use with the speaker, so the cradle should also have the ability to hold the power cable, even though it won't be attached usually.

 

What is important is security. Obviously, I can't have a flimsy cradle from which the GPS might fall while going over bumps or under vibration. Is either the RAM or Garmin subject to dropping the GPS?

 

Any recommendations for this application?

 

Jamie

[+embra]

I've got the RAM mount for my scooter, and I use the Garmin suction cup mount for my car windshield. The latter works pretty well so long as I drop the GPS to rest its weight on the dashboard; else the vibrations of driving tend over time to drop off the glass.

 

The RAM mount for the Quest has a little arm on the top to hold the GPS in the mount very securely. I have no apprehension about anything vibrating out of that. I can post a picture tomorrow if you would like to view it. I just run off the GPS battery and rely on the beep signal when approaching turns; it works fine IMO.

 

I wasn't aware of a RAM/Garmin adapter. The Quest clicks into the Garmin mount pretty securely, so I wouldn't worry about it coming out of the mount once it mates properly. But if you were planning on running off the battery, the RAM holder is an extra layer of grip.

 

I suppose one other way to look at it is that the Garmin is easier to make the mistake of putting the GPS into the mount thinking it is securely attached when it is not. You can put it in enough to think it's clicked in but it's not...and in that case, it could easily pop out. It's just about impossible to make that error with the RAM. However, an ounce of attention/prevention goes a long way. It's more a thing that if you were assembling things while thinking about something else, you could come to regret your carelessness.

[+Munin]

I wasn't aware of a RAM/Garmin adapter.

It's RAM part number RAM-HOL-GA11U. No experience with it yet, but I have one coming in a week or so along with various and sundry other RAM parts. (In my case it'll be going into a Jeep for use with a Garmin 76CSx and its Garmin cradle.)

[Vlad]

the garmin motorcycle adapter includes a locking mount for the gps as well as a different power cable that has bare ends - you could wire it directly to your battery or a fuse block and it also includes a female socket (ipod earphone size more or less) for audio that would allow you to hook it to speakers mounted somewhere on your bike or in your helmet.

 

be careful with the garmin 12vdc w/integrated speaker assembly - i do not believe it is designed for outdoor use.

[+embra]

Hunh...that's interesting. Only eyeballing the illustration and putting it together with the Garmin mount that I have, I would think (and this is just speculation) that it would work pretty nicely for low vibration situations (like a car), but I'd be a little leery of using it for a motorcycle. The potential problem I see is that besides the aspect of securing the Quest to the mount--as I discussed above--the Garmin mount has several adjustment joints that allow for positioning of the GPS. They are immobilized by a friction thumbscrew sort of arrangement. While allowing for nice things like the angling of the screen, they could be a weak point for maintaining position with the kind of bumps that a motorcycle handlebar is sometimes subject to.

 

Then again, it might be ok. As is usually the case, I just have more confidence in the wholly-RAM setup because of their materials and design.

[+Jamie Z]

Thanks for the comments.

 

Embra, can you tell me if the RAM mount will hold the power cable? I seem to recall someone mentioned a while back (you?) that the cradle held the cable in position so it made contact just by inserting the GPS, a la Explorist and Meridian.

 

Jamie

[+embra]

Link to 10,000 word equivalent .

 

Rather than post the image here, I figured I'd link to it so you can view in detail without it blowing out the forum formatting.

 

Notes:

 

1. The opening in the lower right of the RAM mount seems to match the place where the cable mates to the Garmin mount. There is a tiny torx screw in the bottom of the Garmin mount securing the power cable; there is a corresponding screw hole in the RAM mount. I'm 99% sure that the power cable can be transferred to the RAM mount.

 

2. You can see an indentation and protruding knob on the inner side of the Garmin mount. There is one of these on either side, and they are the things that let the Quest "snap" into place. The RAM mount is smooth there; it relies entirely on the slightly flexible overarm to hold the GPS in.

 

3. The RAM adapter that Munin linked to appears to accept the Garmin mount at one of the two thumbscrews...I'm guessing the slightly smaller one closest to the suction cup. Vlad's comment seems well taken (and I had forgotten that there was a Garmin motorcycle-specific mount...I'm ignorant of details).

 

4. I went to peruse any mention of the Garmin motorcycle mount in the Yahoo Quest Users group and found a mention of a problem with it. Details are in this extensive review (it's in the longterm update, about halfway through the body of the review). There's also a good report of the Quest 2 in there at the end.

[+embra]

I also saw something relevant in the Quest2 section of that guy's review: the Garmin mount for the Quest2 is slightly different than the one for the Q1. He has a picture.

[Virgin Island]

I looked at the RAM mounts an they look pretty good. I got off of $31 for the Garmin Marine Mount and in any kind of chop the r ocellates too much to focus on the screen.

[+Jamie Z]

Link to 10,000 word equivalent .

Sweet pic. Thanks!

 

I went for the RAM mount yesterday, and the pic confirms that I should be ok.

 

The RAM cradle was ordered from GPSCity, and about an hour after I ordered the cradle, I remembered I probably ought to get an additional ball, so I called GPSCity to ask if I could make an addition to my order. The guy told me my order had already shipped!

 

Maybe the first time I had to complain because they were too quick.

 

Thanks for the help. The Quest review you linked is very useful, although he mentioned that the "Avoid Highways" feature was laughable, often sending you down totally unmarked roads. He lamented that an "Avoid Interstates" option would be more useful. I had in mind that it had that feature. I prefer to travel off the interstates, but that doesn't mean I want to go down all the gravel roads. Can the Quest do that for me, or will I be creating my own routes on the fly like I do currently with my Explorist?

 

Jamie

[+embra]

Thanks for the help. The Quest review you linked is very useful, although he mentioned that the "Avoid Highways" feature was laughable, often sending you down totally unmarked roads. He lamented that an "Avoid Interstates" option would be more useful. I had in mind that it had that feature. I prefer to travel off the interstates, but that doesn't mean I want to go down all the gravel roads. Can the Quest do that for me, or will I be creating my own routes on the fly like I do currently with my Explorist?

Having never really tried that setting out, it's a bit of news to me, too. The manual states that checking the highways avoidance box will result in the Quest avoid "routing you along interstates and major highways."

 

I tried this out locally and my quick impression was that it avoided US routes (just west of Gettysburg, my locale, it would put me on to "old route 30" paralleling the current US Rt 30) but it did not seem aversive to state highways. It would take some more extensive use to discern how the programming works on that aspect.

 

If it is *only* interstates you are wanting to avoid, then you might be best off setting up custom road avoidances for the specific interstates. You do this by designating a beginning and ending road segment. For instance for riding in the general Memphis area (did I remember right?) you'd only need knock out I-55 fro St Louis to Jackson and I-40 from Little Rock to Nashville or Knoxville to set yourself up for a good-sized area. Once a custom avoidance has been defined, it can be individually toggled active or inactive.

 

You are more likely to test out the Highway avoidances before I ever will get around to it to see if wherever it draws the line suits your purpose...I'll await your opinion with interest. I have to agree it would be desireable to separate avoiding interstates and major highways into two options (or maybe make one of them "divided highways."

Edited July 7, 2006 by embra

[+Jamie Z]

Thanks embra. I didn't realize I could do custom avoidance. That sounds like a reasonable workaround.

 

...and "Limited Access Highway" avoidance is more what I'm looking for that simply interstate avoidance. I usually travel by US and state highways, so if it routes me off US highways, it probably won't match my traveling style.

 

In any case, I'm sure I'll be happy with it, and I'll post my opinions when relevent.

 

Jamie

[+Thrak]

I wasn't aware of a RAM/Garmin adapter.

It's RAM part number RAM-HOL-GA11U. No experience with it yet, but I have one coming in a week or so along with various and sundry other RAM parts. (In my case it'll be going into a Jeep for use with a Garmin 76CSx and its Garmin cradle.)

 

I'm using one now with my 76CSx. The dang RAM cradle trashed the rubber on my 76CS. I got the adapter and am using a RAM suction mount with the Garmin cradle. Works great.

[+Jamie Z]

Got my RAM Quest cradle in the mail today and mounted it on my motorcycle. I still don't have the Quest, that's tomorrow.

 

The cradle, not surprisingly, looks like it'll work great. Well built. My only concern, and I could have seen this coming if I'd paid more attention to the pic linked by embra, is that the cradle attaches to the arm off-center. What this does, is that on my pre-existing RAM ball on my motorcycle, the RAM cradle now obscures a small part of my mirror. The vertically oriented Explorist didn't have this problem.

 

I'll wait until I mount the GPS to decide if I think it blocks the mirror too much, but right now it's just an observation. Perhaps I could get a shorter or longer arm for the mount.

 

Will I be able to charge the GPS without putting it in the cradle? That is, does the charger attach to the GPS by itself like the Explorist? I get the impression from looking at the cradles that I'll only be able to connect the cable while the GPS is in the cradle.

 

Jamie

[+embra]

That's right, the Quest requires a cradle to provide the cable connection.

 

In reading that Q/Q2 review I linked above, I noticed that he reported the Q2 does *not* come with an AC adapter. If that turns out to be a critical piece for your charging situation (it depends upon how much you would be driving around in a car with it, I think), let me know and I'll send you mine on long-term loan or something. I never seem to use mine, since I get sufficient charging from automobile time.

 

Regarding the RAM mount, I, too, found a restricted range of where the arm can be positioned (I'm presuming you have the ball that mounts on the brake fluid reservoir). Although I wasn't able to put it in what I considered the ideal position, I was able to find a place that worked ok and didn't compromise any other functions. Do you have the ball by your left hand? I have mine on the right, which takes advantage of the offset more favorably. If it remains a problem for you, you might take a look at what other connector options RAM offers.

[+Jamie Z]

That's right, the Quest requires a cradle to provide the cable connection.

 

In reading that Q/Q2 review I linked above, I noticed that he reported the Q2 does *not* come with an AC adapter.

 

(I'm presuming you have the ball that mounts on the brake fluid reservoir). Do you have the ball by your left hand? I have mine on the right, which takes advantage of the offset more favorably. If it remains a problem for you, you might take a look at what other connector options RAM offers.

Hm. Not sure how I plan to charge this thing if it has to be in the cradle. My cradle won't be wired. The power outlet on my bike is in one of the pockets... with the Explorist, I'd just put the GPS in the pocket and plug it in.

 

As for the location of the RAM ball, not it's not on my resevoir. I have it mounted in front of the handlebars on the left side of the fairing. My mirrors are also fairing mounted. The right side might be an option, but I prefer the left because the right side is my throttle hand.

 

Jamie

[+Jamie Z]

One additional note, embra. The vehicle mount which came with my Quest 2 is different from the one in your picture. Apparently they changed designs.

 

Jamie