My iPhone Motorcycle Installation

RocketJohn · Jul 21, 2008, 01:32 PM

So I needed a long distance iPhone/music solution for my motorcycle. Charging, music, weatherproof...

I bought the following things:

1) one of those cheap $4 adjustable PDA/Iphone mounts on ebay
2) DLO iPhone car charger from Best Buy - $25
3) 6' Headphone 3.5mm gold-end cable from Radio Shack - $15
4) female cigarette power receiver kit from Checkers - $9
5) 3M black electrical tape - $3
6) Scosche RF remote control kit with pass through receiver for power - $30 on ebay
7) 1/2" Flexible wire loom - 3' - for $3
8) random electrical connectors, use of my soldering gun and solder...
9) use of an unused digital camera wrist strap
10) some extra 3m Dual Lock strips I had from another project

about $90 in total...

this was about a 2 hour install... once I realized my bags would close with the flex loom wiring harness entering my left saddlebag, things went quickly...

I loomed the headphone audio cable and power to the cigarette lighter receiver from the battery area to the left bag via tie wraps and routing around other wiring harnesses... the cable in totality was not more than 4.5 feet in length... fully loomed...

in the bag I mounted the cig lighter receiver via the 3M dual lock mount... and the iPhone a few inches from that... the bag is contoured in side to adhere as closely to the frame and bag mounts of the moto, so I used an upper ridge of the bag to mount these mounts still leaving plenty of room on the outer edge of the bag for my laptop and other items...

the remote control and its mount mounted nicely on the handlebar against my clutch fluid reservoir and to prevent accidentally knocking it out at 85mph, I used an old digital camera wrist strap to tie it, via its mount to my left mirror.

works great going down the road and keeps the iPhone charged...

the ONLY thing that doesn't work as it should is that the iPhone 3g doesn't recognized the remote sensor and turns off the cell coverage, but i can control the ipod and get power... so its not a huge deal, maybe they will make a patch in the future...

pictures below:

Headphone jack that I've wrapped in electrical tape to keep the gold metal end from scratching tank:

remote control before I realized I needed to tether it to mirror, JIC...

left bag closed

looking top down on bag, you can see loom scaling the back side of bag

same vantage angle, but with bag open... you can see the wiring and mounts... very secure actually... I can't just toss tools on top but extra shirts or liners and gloves, no issue...

RocketJohn · Jul 21, 2008, 01:42 PM

the bike? 2007 Yamaha Stratoliner Midnight

mikedor · Jul 22, 2008, 06:20 PM

How did you wire the power? Did you run it through a fuse, or did you run it directly from the bike's battery?

RocketJohn · Jul 23, 2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikedor

How did you wire the power? Did you run it through a fuse, or did you run it directly from the bike's battery?

I do run this through an inline fuse, modern auto 10a.

I have it currently wired directly to battery, but I'm thinking I may change it to the switched source as I didn't realize till after the install the 12v iPhone DLO cigarette power adapter has a colored light that tells you if its charging or on standby, afraid that might drain my moto battery down...

I'll be riding a 5k mile loop in August, hope this setup will do the trick!

fastbite · Jul 23, 2008, 11:34 AM

Nice bike! But it seems like quite a lot of work. Still, looks great.

RocketJohn · Jul 23, 2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastbite

Nice bike! But it seems like quite a lot of work. Still, looks great.

spent 10 times as much tryin' to find which crummy, crappy built iPod accessory was the least crummy least crappy, most durable iPod accessory to subject to the harsh environment of living on a motorcycle...

non-moto people don't realize how easy it is to work on motos and add things like this... I spent an hour building my wiring loom and another installing it, taking my time, testing and putting my tools away...

shame the only things halfway durable in this NEW TO ME again Apple World, are the Apple made products...

but this setup works... I can cruise down the tollway in the morning at 85mph with my laptop in the same bag as my iPhone listening to podcasts, all controlled wirelessly, in a weatherproof container...

I'll get to test the hell out of it next month on a 5k mile loop to the PCH...

mikedor · Jul 24, 2008, 12:26 AM

I'd love to get a first hand look at it when you're in the neighborhood. I commute PCH every day from Long Beach to Newport on my bike, and I've got sortof a makeshift solution for my podcasts and tunes. Drop me a line when you're close, and I would gladly show you some great eating spots in exchange for your knowledge.

Michael
562.846.4488

RocketJohn · Jul 25, 2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikedor

I'd love to get a first hand look at it when you're in the neighborhood. I commute PCH every day from Long Beach to Newport on my bike, and I've got sortof a makeshift solution for my podcasts and tunes. Drop me a line when you're close, and I would gladly show you some great eating spots in exchange for your knowledge.

Michael
562.846.4488

Mike,
I won't be that far south... I live in Denver and will hit the PCH near SanFran and then up to Canada from there...

mikedor · Jul 26, 2008, 02:44 AM

Ooooh! I'm so jealous

If you're gonna go all the way to Vancouver, B.C., let me know. I lived there for two years, and can definitely give you the "you haven't experienced it, unless..." spots.

-M

P.S. I lived near Kennedy Ridge in Denver for a year, and miss the city dearly.

RocketJohn · Jul 30, 2008, 11:59 AM

Update...

I was wrong above in my assertion that cellular activity would not work with the Scosche RF remote, it works fine... I got a call rollin' down the road yesterday, but I didn't have my Apple headphones with a mic in to answer it... not that i would take a call on my bike...

it just gives the notice that its not an approved accessory and that it might cause interference would I like to put it in airplane mode... I chose no and got an SMS and a phone call... and then i could here that someone left a message...

Just wanted to update that all works as planned...

jfunkekupper · 12:55 AM

Thanks for the great post on your installation. I decided to do one as well. So if anyone wants to see another example of a simple but great working installation please go to:
http://joostfunkekupper.net/

Enjoy

Jul 21, 2008, 01:32 PM	#1
RocketJohn macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Denver, CO	My iPhone Motorcycle Installation So I needed a long distance iPhone/music solution for my motorcycle. Charging, music, weatherproof... I bought the following things: 1) one of those cheap $4 adjustable PDA/Iphone mounts on ebay 2) DLO iPhone car charger from Best Buy - $25 3) 6' Headphone 3.5mm gold-end cable from Radio Shack - $15 4) female cigarette power receiver kit from Checkers - $9 5) 3M black electrical tape - $3 6) Scosche RF remote control kit with pass through receiver for power - $30 on ebay 7) 1/2" Flexible wire loom - 3' - for $3 8) random electrical connectors, use of my soldering gun and solder... 9) use of an unused digital camera wrist strap 10) some extra 3m Dual Lock strips I had from another project about $90 in total... this was about a 2 hour install... once I realized my bags would close with the flex loom wiring harness entering my left saddlebag, things went quickly... I loomed the headphone audio cable and power to the cigarette lighter receiver from the battery area to the left bag via tie wraps and routing around other wiring harnesses... the cable in totality was not more than 4.5 feet in length... fully loomed... in the bag I mounted the cig lighter receiver via the 3M dual lock mount... and the iPhone a few inches from that... the bag is contoured in side to adhere as closely to the frame and bag mounts of the moto, so I used an upper ridge of the bag to mount these mounts still leaving plenty of room on the outer edge of the bag for my laptop and other items... the remote control and its mount mounted nicely on the handlebar against my clutch fluid reservoir and to prevent accidentally knocking it out at 85mph, I used an old digital camera wrist strap to tie it, via its mount to my left mirror. works great going down the road and keeps the iPhone charged... the ONLY thing that doesn't work as it should is that the iPhone 3g doesn't recognized the remote sensor and turns off the cell coverage, but i can control the ipod and get power... so its not a huge deal, maybe they will make a patch in the future... pictures below: Headphone jack that I've wrapped in electrical tape to keep the gold metal end from scratching tank: remote control before I realized I needed to tether it to mirror, JIC... left bag closed looking top down on bag, you can see loom scaling the back side of bag same vantage angle, but with bag open... you can see the wiring and mounts... very secure actually... I can't just toss tools on top but extra shirts or liners and gloves, no issue...

Jul 22, 2008, 06:20 PM	#3
mikedor macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008	Nice!!! How did you wire the power? Did you run it through a fuse, or did you run it directly from the bike's battery?

Jul 23, 2008, 11:34 AM	#5
fastbite macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London	Nice bike! But it seems like quite a lot of work. Still, looks great. __________________ If the movie is a turkey, stuff it! http://www.turkeyornot.com/

Jul 24, 2008, 12:26 AM	#7
mikedor macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008	I'm thinking of a similar setup... I'd love to get a first hand look at it when you're in the neighborhood. I commute PCH every day from Long Beach to Newport on my bike, and I've got sortof a makeshift solution for my podcasts and tunes. Drop me a line when you're close, and I would gladly show you some great eating spots in exchange for your knowledge. Michael 562.846.4488

Mar 29, 2009, 06:04 AM	#11
jfunkekupper macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2009	Another installation example Thanks for the great post on your installation. I decided to do one as well. So if anyone wants to see another example of a simple but great working installation please go to: http://joostfunkekupper.net/ Enjoy Last edited by jfunkekupper : Jun 1, 2009 at 12:55 AM.

Jul 21, 2008, 01:42 PM	#2
RocketJohn Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Denver, CO	the bike? 2007 Yamaha Stratoliner Midnight

Jul 26, 2008, 02:44 AM	#9
mikedor macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008	Ooooh! I'm so jealous If you're gonna go all the way to Vancouver, B.C., let me know. I lived there for two years, and can definitely give you the "you haven't experienced it, unless..." spots. -M P.S. I lived near Kennedy Ridge in Denver for a year, and miss the city dearly.

Jul 30, 2008, 11:59 AM	#10
RocketJohn Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Denver, CO	Update... I was wrong above in my assertion that cellular activity would not work with the Scosche RF remote, it works fine... I got a call rollin' down the road yesterday, but I didn't have my Apple headphones with a mic in to answer it... not that i would take a call on my bike... it just gives the notice that its not an approved accessory and that it might cause interference would I like to put it in airplane mode... I chose no and got an SMS and a phone call... and then i could here that someone left a message... Just wanted to update that all works as planned...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode