. Can't find it mate but I'm keeping my eyes open. Bike's in bits at the mo coz I removing the pillion rests. When I took the battery out I found the diagnostic plug which I'll need to (eventually) connect the GI too. Why Honda stuck it in an almost inaccessible place on the end of just 2" of wire beats me. I mean they must have known that at some point during a service a mechanic would need to access it. I'm going to extend it so that it'll be easy to get at in the tool tray. Took me a while to figure out how to actually get the dummy plug off. The little tab under the scissor blade is the one that needs lifting to get it apart. I didn't know that. I'll post a 4 pic sequence in another thread to help others with the same prob. Nick.
RE original post... Great work mate, but to my technically simple brain I'm a little confused, what will actually plug in there when the bike is on the move? Won't it get in the way?? If not when bike is in use, won't it flatten the battery?
Sat Nav, iPhone, Tablet and any other device that needs charging on a Touring Hol that's stored in a Tank Bag! Mines connected to my TomTom on every ride whether I'm using it or not. Dunno about El-Nickos tatty ebay bought USB port ( ),but my Optimate one monitors the Bikes voltage and switches off any connected load if the voltage falls to an unsafe level.
Get all that dude... But from memory doesn't the clutch lever go quite close to where that's fitted? And a 12v adaptor is quite big?? Great if it works... But the optimate version under the seat does the same thing does it not??
Mines no where near the Clutch lever! Wouldn't want a USB under the seat as that gets wetter than under the fairing and it's a pain to plug stuff in as well. My TomTom is right up front so pluging in can be done when riding if required. When Touring my iPhone and iPad are both stored in the tank Bag and so charging from a Dash mounted USB is dead easy. Why anyone would prefer it stuffed under an inaccessible seat (in comparison) is beyond me?
Because its a sports bike and not a goldwing.... Sorry, but how can it be dryer in the seat unit that I've never known to get wet to an open area by the clock? That's mad mate. Listen, each to there own, it's your bike, but heated grips, USB's Tom toms etc all on a bike that demands concentration to ride properly is just overkill and not necessary IMO. And I also tour plenty too, never needed any of it - guess I'm old Skool.
I find when it's raining that water gets thrown inside the Pillion seat area due to the fact that there is no seal around the rear light (something I intend to correct at some point) and thus I wouldn't want to be storing a Phone under there for charging purposes. On top of that there is no room for anything else that may require power like an iPad so you'd then need to run the charging lead from under the seat to wherever you're storing said device. When riding, the inner dash area stays quite dry I find in comparison to the under seat area, that's all I was saying. Each to their own, as you say!
Indeed fella. Do you take you 40" LCD with you on tour also? The USB must be handy for charging your 3d glasses!? On a serious note, pretty sure my rear unit never leaked, Dave has his phone in there all the time, and never got wet, so might want to get yours looked at.
Dunno about El-Nickos tatty ebay bought USB port ( ),but my Optimate one monitors the Bikes voltage and switches off any connected load if the voltage falls to an unsafe level.[/QUOTE] Get all of that, it's more the location I think? In terms of the optimate and the circuitry behind it, just fit a relay on an ignition feed or use some common sense and don't leave stuff on overnight/for days- would you leave a phone, iPad or whatever with your unattended bike? How much current does a USB charging device take after all and how long does something need to be on charge after the bikes parked up? If its when the bikes running and the batts going below the voltage I reckon your phone being plugged in is the last of your worries. Great device btw, but its not nuclear science and i certainly wouldn't mount it where you have. As for nicko's choice of charging device, same as yours on sat nav and using a non bike specific one, cost vs benifit. Seriously don't get all this battery monitoring stuff that's the topic of the day, bikes running and not charging right you'll know by other means, bikes off so you stand there watching some leds with the ignition on (assuming the device is on a ingnition feed so doesn't drain the batt itself) Sorry guys, sounds a bit harsh but I wanna be concentrating on where I'm going rather than leads flappig all over the gaff and little LEDs, if the batt goes flat so be it, it's a sports bike after all and surely you know when you battery's on the way out? If the charging systems fails suddenly, wtf will you do about it anyhow? Sorry if I'm clearly missing the benefits of all this. (Not the charging device itself, I have one on both bikes and wired sat nav mounts) in both bikes my charging device is under the seat no issues. You did ask mate.
The beauty of the voltage LED, not the one on the charger, is that it will show you when the system is over voltage, a classic sign of the regulator/rectifier failing, Gives you a chance to fix it before it fries your battery etc
Fair shout, but to save £60 for a battery? Imagine the first battery would fail before a regulator/rectifier? As said, each to their own but how far do you take it? Fancy mounting oil temp and pressure gauges which would probably monitor more critical elements?
Mart, that's just cracked me up... You laugh, get nicko to put his 12v fridge into his charger and see if he gets full lock lol....
Ermmm, It's quite shallow so don't get in the way and I just need a USB point to charge me fone. I've also got a cigarette plug on me Optimate so that plugs in there too as the USB is just a plug-in adapter and, when I get a GI, that'll fit on there or the other side. Nick.
Wanna be clear on my points here dudes. Get the need for charging devices, last thing you want being on tour in the middle of nowhere is a fcuked bike and no phone, don't get why you'd want cables flapping around by the bars when you can charge the deceives under the tail. Get the water some might get in the tail, solution, put the phone in a sandwich bag. 50 for £2, £1.99.99.99 in fact. If the phone is used for other stuff, nav etc, buy or rig up something that doesn't involve loose cables- sorry but having your devices in a tank bag on charge, might as well have them under the tail or even in the tail pack (iPads, laptops......) where these devices are fitted at the front of the bike involve non fixed, permanent cables to and from, not my bag. Battery status, surely there's more important things to worry about when riding a modern fireblade? This takes absolutely nothing away from the original post where Nicks engineered a solution that if I wanted a general USB charging device at the front of the bike I may follow- don't get it nick tbh, but admire the engineering that's gone into your bespoke solution, IMO better than a loose end cabled tied outlet that provides no benefit over yours but cost shite loads more.
Well,I like it anyway. While I was at it I lengthened the leads on my diagnostic plug so's I don't have to take the battery out when I come to fit a GI pro. And fitted a seat cowl. And removed the pillion f/rests. To paraphrase sinewave, You can tell I'm retired can't ya.
