Couldn't find any accessory wires like in the older 250, evidently Kawi didn't include them in the redesigned bike. No matter, I was able to go straight from the battery without too much trouble. I have the GPS wire following the same path as the rest of the cables heading to the handlebars, and I have the Gerbing/Battery tender cable peeking out right next to the idle speed control knob on the left side. It is zip-tied right behind it, so it won't go anywhere. For the GPS itself I'm using this RAM mount (http://www.cycoactive.com/ram/ram60.shtml), with the u-bolt wrapped around the left handlebar just inboard of the grip.

http://www.ciurczak.com/photos/307274777_PbL2Z-L.jpg

http://www.ciurczak.com/photos/307275297_o5GNt-L.jpg

http://www.ciurczak.com/photos/307276307_shjHL-L.jpg

Full resolution pics are available at this gallery (http://www.ciurczak.com/gallery/5096078_5Dtw3#307274777_PbL2Z) as well as in this one (http://www.ciurczak.com/gallery/6944737_ZoXSH/1/444404746_pPv9R#444419124_Ncrow).

During this Coalinga run (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11277) on Tuesday morning, I enjoyed the warmth of the heated jacket liner while on the ninjette. After suiting up after lunch, I turned it back on (even though it wasn't that cold at that point), but I was surprised that as I rode along I never felt much, or any, heat. I played with the wiring a bit at stops, but nothing.

Had some time to play with it today, and confirmed that something in my jacket had broken. The same wiring from the bike heats up Annie's liner in seconds; I plug my liner in and nothing. Was happy to find out that Gerbing has a lifetime warranty for these things, so I sent it back today, you just need to pay for shipping. The bad news is it might be 3 or 4 weeks before I get it back, and I can't fit into Annie's liner. A friend said he has an extra Gerbing vest I can borrow in the meantime, so I need to find some time to get over to his place soon.

I anticipated the installation of some electrical components, so I installed a fuse box that can accomodate five circuits. One circuit is used for the Battery Tender, and the other is for the fog lights. I still have three left.

so I installed a fuse box that can accomodate five circuits

Alex - That is a great idea. Pictures and part numbers when you have time please:)

Don

Got my jacket liner back from Gerbing already, they turned it around much quicker than they promised. :thumbup: Once again it works as expected, and will be using it tomorrow morning on the chilly freeway ride up to a Sunday Morning Ride in Marin...

How big is it? Is it like the thickness of a t-shirt?How bulky is it? Is it like a sweater? I have a 2pc. Dainese Lady Yu suit in black. It fits quite snug. Will I be able to wear it under that? I have a back armor going in there as well. I know leather stretches, but I don't want to bust out of my coat because I've got too much junk under it.

The Gerbing isn't too bulky, but it is thicker than a t-shirt. The vest seems to be a little less bulky than the liner. (but the liner warms up your arms as well, so there's a tradeoff). There's not a lot of material to it, and it compresses pretty easily. It feels sort of like one of those puffy plastic life vests, the ones that you can squeeze down to nothing, but if left with no pressure they will look bulky? I've never worn it under my 1-piece leathers. It would be awful snug in there with the back protector as well, and I also don't know how I'd get the electric cord out of the zipper. I guess I'd find a way if I needed to, but I very rarely wear my 1-piece when I'm on the street; it's pretty much track-only. I use my Gerbing under a textile jacket.

www.fuzeblocks.com/ Found this fuse block while doing research for a project. Built in relay; switchable and/or direct power off the battery. Nice for GPS to be on all the time and heated gear to be switch operated with the key.

Been wearing gerbing heated gear for a couple years. They make a first rate product.

Hey, Tim. Your first post!! :thumbup: Welcome to the forum!!

Alex, thanks for the DIY. I installed my Gerbing connection just as you did. I was going to leave the battery tender SAE connector on for another use, but alas, the battery bolts weren't long enough.

Had to move the connector so that it exits on the left rear side of the driver's seat. With the dual controller attached to my jacket adjustment belt, the connection was too tight and would disconnect.

For the GPS itself I'm using this RAM mount (http://www.cycoactive.com/ram/ram60.shtml), with the u-bolt wrapped around the left handlebar just inboard of the grip.

Sorry for the really late post but was just wondering why you went with a handle bar clamp rather than pulling the rubber plug (one on each side) and screwing in the 10mm ball? That is what I use on my Ninja for the GPS on the left side and a SPOT tracker on the right side. :D

:thumbup: I had used the u-bolt around left grip on a number of prior bikes, and still had the hardware to do it that way on the Ninjette. Since then, I had seen how people used to re-tap that mirror hole to hold the RAM mount ball directly. And even later than that, RAM offers a ball that screws in directly without any tapping required (somewhere on this site, there is a link to that part #).

And even later than that, RAM offers a ball that screws in directly without any tapping required (somewhere on this site, there is a link to that part #).

Ding!

Can't remember where I found it cited, but I've been told the M10 post size with a 1.25 thread pitch is the right setup for our handlebar aux threads. The RAM-B-349 (http://www.gomobilenow.com/RAM_B_349_RAM_BASE_W_M10_X_1_25_PITCH_1_BALL_p/ram-b-349.htm) should be right on for that.

Just make sure they send you the right one; they also sell a 1.5-pitch M10 ball, that makes a mess of our threads if you try to muscle it in. Almost made that mistake, but saved the 1.25 threads.

Edit: let me double check the measurement when I get home... I'm not 100% sure I didn't switch the thread pitch

Ding!



Just make sure they send you the right one; they also sell a 1.5-pitch M10 ball, that makes a mess of our threads if you try to muscle it in. Almost made that mistake, but saved the 1.25 threads.

Edit: let me double check the measurement when I get home... I'm not 100% sure I didn't switch the thread pitch

Good, I am glad that it happened to you as well. They sent me two balls, each in individual packages that were both mislabelled. I tried the same as you. Wouldn't work. Took one (purchased previously) off of another bike and tried it. It worked just fine. I compared threads and sure enough they were wrong. Took them to a hardware store just to verify the threading with one of their thread gauges then called GPSCity (where I purchased them). They treated me like I was a schmuck and didn't know what I was talking about but when ahead and sent another batch of two. What do you know, the new batch was correctly labelled and threaded. :D

Good, I am glad that it happened to you as well. They sent me two balls, each in individual packages that were both mislabelled. I tried the same as you. Wouldn't work. Took one (purchased previously) off of another bike and tried it. It worked just fine. I compared threads and sure enough they were wrong. Took them to a hardware store just to verify the threading with one of their thread gauges then called GPSCity (where I purchased them). They treated me like I was a schmuck and didn't know what I was talking about but when ahead and sent another batch of two. What do you know, the new batch was correctly labelled and threaded. :D

Yikes, that is exactly my story, from the same store GPSCity. They didn't say anything. I just sent their customer service a "I think we have a problem" e-mail, and about a week later, a box showed up with an identically-labeled but correctly-threaded ball. Checked the new one against my tap & die set gauge before trying ti. No request for a return, no apology, not even a reply e-mail to let me know the replacement was on the way (though I did get a tracking notice when they sent it). Still, not bad customer service, just quiet :p

Yikes, that is exactly my story, from the same store GPSCity. They didn't say anything. I just sent their customer service a "I think we have a problem" e-mail, and about a week later, a box showed up with an identically-labeled but correctly-threaded ball. Checked the new one against my tap & die set gauge before trying ti. No request for a return, no apology, not even a reply e-mail to let me know the replacement was on the way (though I did get a tracking notice when they sent it). Still, not bad customer service, just quiet :p

Interesting. I didn't mean to come off in a negative fashion about GPSCity. In the end they resolved the problem and sent a return mailer for the other two. I think GPSCity packaged them in individual packages and labelled them wrong. I say that because when they sent me the replacement balls they weren't packaged at all. It could be that the problem started with Ram Mount but given their distribution channels this problem would be more wide spread then just GPSCity. In the end though, all is good and they work great.

Just checked my order history, it was actually GPS Zone, not GPS City I worked with, so it may very well be the RAM manufacturer/distributors. Ah well, so long as problems solved :thumbup:
And 1.25 is the correct pitch, so I got it right above, RAM-b-349

I was thinking of getting these http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/powerlet-rapidfire-heated-glove-liner-kit
From the pictures it looks like I don't need to buy anything else to get it working but I wanted to hear it from a fellow 250 rider. Would I need to buy any accessories to get this working with my bike?

I was thinking of getting these http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/powerlet-rapidfire-heated-glove-liner-kit
From the pictures it looks like I don't need to buy anything else to get it working but I wanted to hear it from a fellow 250 rider. Would I need to buy any accessories to get this working with my bike?

I would say no. It looks like you just need to pull your seat, attach the looped connectors to your battery posts, threat the connector between your seat and tank (that would be my preference) and plug in. You should be good to go.

This is my first post other than a welcome message, sorry to bump an old thread aswell, but Will wiring a gps/ auxillary port into my battery run my battery down when the bike is off?

Will wiring a gps/ auxillary port into my battery run my battery down when the bike is off?

If you wire directly into the battery and forget to turn off your GPS and leave it on the bike then yes.

Many people who fit heated grips choose to find a wire that goes to +12V only when the ignition is on and when the engine is running, and use this wire as an input to switch on a relay which actually routes power straight from the battery to the accessory.

You could do exactly the same for any other accessory, and for electrical safety you probably should - you would also put a fuse in the circuit to protect drawing too much current from the battery in the event of an accidental short circuit (e.g. if a wire chafed and touched something it shouldn't).

That way, when you turn off the key the relay switches off, disconnecting (electrically) the battery from the accessory so it can't drain in your absence.

HTH, Pete

So if I wired it into my headlight lamp I should be fine then? is that doable? Sorry Im much better with mechanics than electrics

Yes in theory I *think* that would work - there are possibly better wires to pick. Searching for accessory and relay on here for instance might turn up a thread with more useful suggestions for a "signal" wire to use to switch on the relay.

HTH, Pete

Yes - if you leave the GPS on it will drain. But the GPS typically runs on AA batteries, and would likely take weeks to drain the motorcycle battery even if it were left on. If you're running high-drain devices like heated grips, a relay is needed so the power can come straight from the battery, while the trigger wire can connect to the headlight wire or other switched power. If it's just the GPS, you wouldn't even really need a relay and could wire it directly to that switched power with no issues.

So if I wired it into my headlight lamp I should be fine then? is that doable? Sorry Im much better with mechanics than electrics

I actually used the tail light wire when powering my stuff. Figuring if i goofed and my toys blew the fuse, i'd lose the tail light vs losing the headlights. You may also be able to find the wire that powers the license plate light to use since that's not really a light needed for safety.

Adding a relay is simple and there are pictures on the packaging or the relay itself that tell you which wire to plug in where if you decide to go that route.