Hard-wired transponders

[Doxgon22]

Has anybody else gotten one of these and looked closely at the instructions?      Don't install it vertically like the battery powered ones.  Don't install it over any metal or carbon fiber.  And don't forget, install it label and light side down, so that you can't see what your transponder number is, or see that the lights are blinking to see that it is operating properly.  After looking at the unit and my motorcycle, I've decided that the only workable place to install it is in my belly pan, with a piece of tin foil near it to reflect the light upward (so I can see it somehow?)  Does anyone have any ideas before I call Eric or Kevin in a week and a half to see what they think.  Yeah, the unit showed up today, and they are out of the office until the first of the year.

                                                                                                OK, rant over.  Sorry.

                                                                                                                Doc Stein

[Zaph]

Are those really the requirements for the hard wired version?  Sheesh I think I'll be sticking with the battery model.

[Eric Kelcher]

The hard wired units have an incredibly strong signal so metal/carbon is less of an issue.

You do not want to mount it on forks tho to avoid wires being pinched during turns.
Best location is generally on the bottom of instrument cluster/fairing stay.

[Doxgon22]

So how are we supposed to see the lights to determine that the unit is operating correctly if the label side, the one with the lights, is facing down?  Poor design, if you ask me.  They should have put the transmittter antenna on the other side and said label side up, so that you could see the lights.  I'm sorry for the complaining, but for the money we're paying, it should be better constructed, such that it could be easily mounted.  Was this unit never intended to be on a motorcycle, but rather on a car or cart or something?

[dpelt73]

my friend made a safety wire harness and suspended it underneath his instrument cluster in his front fairing. He had no issues at Daytona. lights are down. I guess you could glue a cheap mirror to the fairing underneath. 

My wife got me the hardwired for Christmas. I'm surprised at how much bigger it is than the battey one.  I'm still thinking about putting it on the fork and run the wire with the brake line the same way an abs sensor wire would be routed.

[Doxgon22]

Check the instructions.  They say not to mount it vertically like the battery powered one, but rather to mount it label side down.

                                                     Doc

[dpelt73]

Check the instructions.  They say not to mount it vertically like the battery powered one, but rather to mount it label side down.

                                                     Doc

I know that but i'm wondering with the supposedly stronger signal if it will still be able to register and make it easier on mounting it.  I'm pretty sure it was designed for a car. but like I said, my buddy put it underneath his instrument cluster in his fairing and had no problems at daytona, reading through his front wheel and everything.

[Doxgon22]

     The instructions say that vertically mounting the unit like the battery powered one will result in inconsistent hits.  My frustration is that for the cost of this unit, it should have been possible during manufacture to install the guts in the container in such fashion to have the antenna aimed down while the lights were oriented for the rider to see them and the label showing the transponder number while the unit was oriented for optimum function.

[dpelt73]

i completely agree. i just opened up mine and if you can get someone to solder two led's to the back of the circuit board (the solder points are already on the backside of the board) you can easily flip the whole board, have the antenna face down, and have the LED's facing up. 

[Doxgon22]

Thanks!  That is exactly what I was hoping to learn.  Now to track down my friend, the electronics geek to help me......

                                               Doc

[backMARKr]

Thanks!  That is exactly what I was hoping to learn.  Now to track down my friend, the electronics geek to help me......

                                               Doc

LET MITCH DOOOO EEEET!   








(Hi Doc, Happy Holidays!    )

[Doxgon22]

Seriously, Mitch and electronics?  I think I'd rather crawl naked through broken glass.  There are things my brother is expert at, and electronics ain't it...

       Happy New Year, Mark!