There's not much sense in talking about GPSs until you have yours purchased and mounted on your bike, so this short article is just an introduction to some types of mounting methods are presently available on the market for motorcycles, and a short description of them.

There are a number of ways you can mount a GPS on your bike, depending on the model bike you have. Shelf mounts are essentially made for touring bikes and consist of a shelf that is bolted onto or above the bike's dash. You then mount the GPS via its holder to the shelf using screws. These shelves also are handy for mounting a host of other things on them as well: cell phones, county-mountie etc. radar detectors, MP3 players, Satellite Radios, ...you name it.

The maufacturers of these shelves usually figure you'll use the cradle that came with your GPS to attach the GPS to the shelf--they normally don't make the cradles themselves since the shelves are rather like auto dashboards for which GPS units usually come already equipped with cradles. RAM mounts are universal mounts and have many variations to enable the RAM mount to be fitted to the type of bike and handlebars you have. They essentially consist of tough rubber balls with a steel core and durable heavy thumbscrew connectors between the ball mount on the GPS holder, and a base ball mount on a handlebar or triple clamp. This setup enables you to position your GPS just about anywhere you want to put it around the handlebars or triple clamps. The handlebar balls come in a variety of types, from those that mount on tubular handlebars like those on GSs, or in the mirror holes on Beemer handgrips, to ones that use one of the mounting screws on an R1100 or 1150RT's handlebars to hold a bracket with the base ball. RAM supplies tough mounting cradles for quite a variety of GPSs, among other things, including a pop-can drink holder, would you believe?

Here are a number of URLs where you can see pictures of the various mounting methods for your bike, as well as places where you can purchase a desired mount, or the parts needed to make it up (usually with RAM mounts you purchase a base ball, the GPS cradle, a cradle ball, and a connector, and maybe a bolt or screw or two... all of which are usually sold separately so you can engineer exactly the set up you desire):

Shelf Mounts: for K1200LTs and R1150/R1200RTs: http://www.bmrproducts.com/categories.php,

for K100/1100RS: http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=KRSSHELF

RAM Mounting Systems: Here is a neat Wizard where you punch in your GPS Manufacturer, GPS Model, Bike Mfgr & Model, and it will tell you the RAM parts you need to mount your GPS:

http://65.102.174.119/rammount/motorcycle.aspx

This is the RAM mount home base: http://www.ram-mount.com/products/motorcycles.htm But here is where you can purchase them:

http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/RAM/?Item=RAM

Various Mounts at: http://www.gpscity.com/gps-mount.htm You can choose your GPS and the web site will show you the mount for it... generally a RAM mount, though GPScity sells mounts by other manufacturers as well. Machined mounts for tubular handlebars and for various BMW bikes--LTs, RTs, GSs, RSs (This isn't the easiest site to navigate. You have to surf around a bit to locate what you might want, but the products look well made and machined):

http://www.gadgetguy.net/Catalog/Page01/Page1.html http://www.gadgetguy.net/PhotoGallery/PhotoGallery.html

Somewhat more expensive, but excellent machined mounts for various Beemers: http://www.saeng.com/cockpit.htm

Of course, the final approach, if you are handy with tools, and have some aluminum, steel, nuts, bolts, and maybe a hand or machine tool hanging around the garage is to manufacture something yourself. The holders that come with GPSs are often amenable to home-grown mounts that may serve better than something you can purchase.

Ralph