Has anyone considered something like this:

http://www.hlaimages2.com/prod_images/500/70448.jpg

http://www.peakantifreeze.com/peak_backup_camera.html

Hadn't considered it for the bike, but may consider it for the car while towing. Our CX-9 has a backup camera in the dash, but it only comes on when the car is in reverse. What I really want is a view of the motorcycle on the trailer behind me while driving on the highway, as I have had a strap loosen up from time to time and the bike starts moving more than it should. Now we stop every hour or so just to check, but that does no good if it loosened at 30 minutes, and is a waste of time if it never loosens.

A standalone rear-view cam like this might be worthwhile, considering how inexpensive it is. ($99 - $129 depending on 2.4" or 3.5" display).

Link at JC Whitney (http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101&Pr=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2020689&productId=2020689&catalogId=10101)

Not sure if you guys can view these, but they are some great rear view set-ups.


http://www.600rr.net/vb/showthread.php?t=24032&highlight=rrx2c

http://www.600rr.net/vb/showthread.php?t=101124&highlight=rear+video

Cling: links worked.
nice setups!

Cling, Thank you for your input. I am considering that solution--especially for riding on the NYS Thruway. The cagers are nuts on that road. We have a guy who rides an electric assist recumbent bicycle (Fully faired--looks like a bullet) He has one of those cameras as his only rear view device. Mirrors are not required by law on bicycles. My opinion is that some sort of rear view device should be on every bike. I have a 30SP Racer, and have mirrors in my bar-ends. Saved my butt many times.

I tried a Griffin "Windows Seat" mount for my iPhone and found that it will not stick to the stock windscreen (too curved). I always take a tankbag with me so it's useless on the tank too. It'll stick right on the speedometer though! :D You'd have to rig up something different for mounting the LCD.

That is a great isea and relatively inexpensive.

Hadn't considered it for the bike, but may consider it for the car while towing. Our CX-9 has a backup camera in the dash, but it only comes on when the car is in reverse.

Have you considered a remote switch wired in parallel to the backup light switch? It would allow you to use the built-in camera! :D Since it would turn on the backup light, that would help the night view as well. I can't imagine that the manufacturer doesn't use the backup switch to activate the camera.

I'd thought about where to figure out how the nav system realizes the transmission is in reverse so it shows the camera, and nobody on the CX-9 forums had much useful info. It may be driven off the backup lights, or the same sensor that causes the backup lights to come on may also be sending a separate signal to the nav system. This is one of those CANBUS cars like most modern machines, which means it's not as easy as just finding the main wiring harness and looking for the right wire. Everything is connected to a network of sorts, making little mods like this a much more complicated proposition.

I've actually been looking at doing something like this; just down the road after a few other mods. But as a system is basically already put together, I was thinking I was going to have to piece it together, I might do it sooner.

Thanks for posting the info.:thumbup:

Jon

I'd thought about where to figure out how the nav system realizes the transmission is in reverse so it shows the camera, and nobody on the CX-9 forums had much useful info. It may be driven off the backup lights, or the same sensor that causes the backup lights to come on may also be sending a separate signal to the nav system. This is one of those CANBUS cars like most modern machines, which means it's not as easy as just finding the main wiring harness and looking for the right wire. Everything is connected to a network of sorts, making little mods like this a much more complicated proposition.

You might consider a membership with Alldata for one year. It used to be around $19-20 for a year for one vehicle. You could then check out the wiring diagrams. I would bet it's driven off the backup switch, since that would be the simplest solution.

I believe I recently saw a back-up camera mounted on a bike that used a tiny view screen mounted inside the visor that didn't even require taking your eyes off the road to see. The problem with a handlebar-mounted screen is they are usually too small and affected by the bike's vibration so much that they are really hard to see at speed.