Another spin on Zumo mounting "security"

As has been hashed out ad-infinitum, both here and at ZumoForum.com, there are some security shortcomings in almost all mounting systems for the Zumo motorcycle GPS mount. Here's my take on the situation, and a solution that I came up with.

The Zumo MC mount has an ingenious quick disconnect system that allows you to (relatively) quickly remove the GPS and carry it in your pocket, or lock in a saddle bag for safe keeping. After shelling out ~600 bucks or more for a trinket like the Zumo, it leaves one with an uneasy feeling that when your back is turned, the bad guys are gonna grab it and run. Unfortunately, the same quick disconnect makes it easy for the bad guys to pop your GPS off. Additionally, the "over-center" lever affair that engages the quick disconnect at the top of the mount is subject to popping open on it's own if you travel over rough enough roadways.

Garmin's answer to that is what is known as the "security screw". It is a tiny little screw that will hold the lever from flipping open on it's own. It is also a non-standard screw, in that it requires a special little proprietary 2-pin, fork shaped screw driver to remove the screw. The obvious problems with the security screw are that any miscreant can get ahold of one of these screw drivers and go on a Zumo theft rampage, and having to fiddle with this tiny PITA screw negates the quick part of "quick release", especially for anyone the least bit myopic due to advancing age, perhaps? And what about trying to do this at night?

Garmin also supplies some ram ball mounting pieces and an articulating arm with the Zumos to give you a head start on mounting the MC cradle on the bike. I like the RAM stuff (for several reasons) and have decided to forgo my Tourtech Stem Stand from my previous GPS in favor of the RAM system mounted to a ball screwed into the headset nut. One thing I like about the RAM ball system is that you can remove the entire mount including the ZUMO MC cradle in seconds. This is handy for overnights when on the road, the mount cradle doesn't have to be left out in the weather. Of course this also provides another means for the bad guys to steal your Zumo, or even just the cradle, just by unscrewing the RAM arm's wingnut and take the whole thing.

Ram's answer to that is an (optional) locking knob as a replacement for the wingnut. It allows you to tighten up the RAM arm, then by turning the key lock the knob will freewheel and can't be loosened. The problem with that solution is that, while it may slow the bad guys down a little, all they need to do is unfasten the base ball either unscrew the stem nut ball or handle bar clamps (tools required) and can take the whole kit and kaboodle.

So, the objectives of my Zumo mount security solution was to replace the "security screw" while riding with something easier to operate, to keep the mount securely latched. I wanted to retain the ease of unlatching the mount's quick release so I can pocket the Zumo for quick stops, leaving the MC cradle behind in a secure state. And I wanted to be able to easily unscrew the RAM arm so I can remove the whole cradle and mount at night.

Here's what I came up with: I took a piece of steel bar that I had laying around and bent the end of it over to the same angle as the latch of the MC mount's quick release. I then selected some small shims (washers) to put between the MC mount and the provided Ram Ball plate. The steel bar now slips between the mount body and the ball plate and slides up and down with a bit of friction. In the first picture (below) you can see how the "security slide bar" fits and will allow the flip lever to operate when the bar is only partially inserted.





After installing the Zumo into the cradle, I just slide the security bar further down to physically restrain the latch from opening. The friction is enough to keep the bar from rattling around while riding and should actually also keep the bar from sliding up on its own.




Top view




Rear view




When in use, I will be inserting a small padlock through the bottom hole of the steel bar preventing the bar from being pushed up to release the cradle latch. I will also be looping a short length of vinyl coated steel wire cable around a fixed point on the headset to the padlock as a tether, to prevent someone from just loosening the Ram arm and swiping it all.



When the Zumo is in the mount the screw heads that fasten the ball plate to the cradle are covered, so the self locking nuts can't easily be removed from the mount. Since the whole thing is tethered it doesn't matter if they loosen the Ram arm or unscrew the lower mounting ball from the headset nut. They will have to cut the cable to get it, or otherwise somehow destroy the mount to release the GPS.

But I have no intention of leaving the Zumo in the mount unattended for any great length of time. That's the beauty of the locking slide bar over the "security screw". The GPS can be removed from the mount quickly (with out any fiddly tools). When the Zumo has been removed, I can still lock the cable to the empty mount, but in that state it would be possible to remove it with tools. Still, it will take a while to do that and they'll only be getting the $50 cradle.

Sharp eyed farklers may notice that my "Zumo security slide bar" has a strong resemblance to some of the steel mounting parts provided in the Audiovox CCS100 cruise control that we do not use when mount the CC on an FJR.

Very cute - but I have;

1. Zero deductible replacement cost insurance for my accessories

2. Loctite on all mounting screws including the stem-stand ball threads

3. RAM's (it isn't Garmin's sloution) locking knob

4. The security screw tightened up (it isn't proprietary, just rare, by the way).

5. Don't leave it on the bike if I'm out of range and it is accessible

6. Garmin lock enabled and a sticker, in both official languages saying that it is keyed to the bike.

7. A Zumo 660 on order.

I use a "thumb screw" in place of the factory screw. Loosen, pop up the lever and stick the Zumo in my jacket pocket.

I never leave the 500 on the bike (except in the garage).

Call it So. Fla. mentality. h34r:

bramfrank said:

Very cute - but I have;

2. Loctite on all mounting screws including the stem-stand ball threads

Click to expand...

I thought about permanently fixing the stem stand ball's threads with red loctite (used blue on mine instead). But I need to remove the ball to get the socket on the nut. Either that or find a deep enough socket of that big size...

Capt. Bob said:

I use a "thumb screw" in place of the factory screw. Loosen, pop up the lever and stick the Zumo in my jacket pocket.I never leave the 500 on the bike (except in the garage).

Call it So. Fla. mentality. h34r:

Click to expand...

At least with the thumb screw replacement it is easy to get the GPS released and into your pocket. But it is awful easy for someone else to do the same thing when your back is turned, say paying for gas or something. I actually have the option of running that mode as well by just not using the padlock...

It's a great idea Fred.

I would need to redo my mount (home made) to install the bar.

Gives me something to ponder.

Thanks.

I use the replacement thumb-screw to hold down the locking plate. Whenever I leave the bike, I just pop off the Zumo and stick in the breast pocket on the inside of my riding jacket.

I think the RAM locking knob is huge and unsightly. Instead, I replaced the bolt in the RAM arm with a bolt from McMaster-Carr. McMaster-Carr sells bolts with special security heads on them, along with the driver bit needed to tighten or loosen them. (Go to the McMaster-Carr site, and enter '3067' in the search box to load page 3067; the special security bolts are at the bottom of this page, along with the drivers. These are far more secure than the semi-standard "security" torx screws.) I keep the bit under the seat, along with a thumb-driver from Sears. This protects the Zumo mount from most random tampering. (I use a second bolt with the same driver bit to mount my V-1.)

It's still relative easy for a determined thief to cut the RAM ball stem itself using a hacksaw or a bolt cutter, but if someone wants a Zumo mount that much, so be it.

I've never used the security screw. Have people had issues of it falling off? Always pocket it, or stick it in locking case when leaving bike.

TCMike said:

I've never used the security screw. Have people had issues of it falling off? Always pocket it, or stick it in locking case when leaving bike.

Click to expand...

Yes, according to reports on ZumoForum.com, but maybe those are adventure touring guys?.

If it ever did pop open it would be a bummer as the unit would have nothing to hold it from hitting the road.

When you unscrew the Ram mount and take the whole shebang with you, where do you disconnect the wires? Do you unscrew them from the mount, or do you have some sort of quick-release plug-and-jack setup?

I just take a old innertube and cut a 1/2 inch wide section out of it( a wide ,thick rubberband) and wrap it all the way around the mount and across the top of the little latch so it won't pop up ,and when I leave the bike ,I can just move the rubber strap off of the top latch and take the zumo off. And I always carry a few extra bands with me on my bike. I also wrap one around my radar detector when it is sitting on the magnetic Ram base. Old inner tubes are cheap!

Very slick, Fred. Simple, effective, cheap. Well done.

Paul Peloquin

Zumo with thumb screw

Monmouth OR

Hey Guyz -

...for those who don't think it's needed for what ever reason... well, then :****:

(don't get mad, I'm just joking, 'k?)

I :clapping: a guy who comes up with a cheap, elegant solution to keep his property in his ownership. For alot of us, who travel Lone Wolf, we don't have the luxury of another bud to keep eyes on things during the MickeyD potty break.

Up to this point, I've always removed the 550 but it's yet ANOTHER thing to do in the process of taking a freaking leak.. and sometimes you want to make time, every moment counts.

Other times it's just a PITA to remove the stinking high dollar highly valued to theives gadget just to go into the store/eatery/whatever.

OK, ya'll know where I'm coming from.. I think this idea is cheap, elegant, and effective.

FredW, get a patent ASAP, find a machinist who can produce for reasonable cost, then market and sell baby..

flying junior said:

When you unscrew the Ram mount and take the whole shebang with you, where do you disconnect the wires? Do you unscrew them from the mount, or do you have some sort of quick-release plug-and-jack setup?

Click to expand...

I have electrified my Bagster tank bag with a 3-port (cigarette lighter socket) power adapter inside the bag for charging of cell phones, iPods, and the like while under way. I put a powerlet connector on the bag's main power cord and plug that into a socket installed in the "D" panel. My starcom is also mounted inside the bag and taps into the 3-way power . I will put a cigarette lighter plug on the end of the Zumo MC mount power lead, same way I had my 2820.

Here's an old picture of my powered tank bag setup, from before Starcom. The Starcom1 now resides in the lid where the Motocomm (black) box is.



So when stopping for the night, I'll just remove the whole RAM mount and Zumo from the stem ball up and toss it inside the tank bag, leaving the wiring connected. Carry away the tank bag and I have my GPS and Starcom inside for safe keeping. Other folks have just added some type of 2-pole weatherproof electrical connector inline. I would go that route if I ever ditch the idea of the electrific tank bag and hide the Starcom under the seat like most everyone else.

Fred,

Very nice, very easy, very functional, very inexpensive.

I say very good idea. :clapping:

Thanks for sharing.

I like this idea over the thumb screw because even if you don't lock it and just use it to hold down the release latch it will be way easer to push it up and then unlatch the Zumo, which could easily be done with gloves on to. Try that with the security screw or even the thumb screw.

Thanks again

Art

Nice piece of ingenuity there Fred!

My philosophy is make it easy for myself. When traveling, I usually leave my electronics on the bike except for at night. I feel the likelihood of a 'crime of opportunity' theft is quite low and that life is too short to stress about it. I find that my stuff is at more of a risk in my garage where people see it on a regular basis.

... but then again, I'm in Canada where I feel safer on the road and homeowners don't have guns to protect their gear in the garage!

I agree with FJRGuy, but how about putting a sticker on top of GPS " This GPS has a tracking chip installed, if stolen you wil be tracked and shot"

ahchiu said:

I agree with FJRGuy, but how about putting a sticker on top of GPS " This GPS has a tracking chip installed, if stolen you wil be tracked and shot"

Click to expand...

Yes!! I like it. :yahoo:

Most miscreants aren't smart enough to know that you are BS'ing them.

If someone were to have a bunch of these stickers made up, I guaran-damn-tee that you could sell them all quite easily...

Fred,

I like it!! GOOD JOB!!

My GPS is on a N-line shelf, so now I just have to figure out a way to be able to lock that bar so the padlock doesn't hang down in front of the gauges.

And now... Here's one for the Zumo 66X crowd:

Just a small piece of aluminum plate with a few holes drilled in it, sandwiched between the mount and the Ram ball plate



Add a small padlock through a hole to prevent the latch from being pushed in.



Should prevent the Zumo from being yoinked when you go in to pay for gas.



Edit -

Since it was pointed out to me that the upper catch on the Garmin mount is just spring loaded, I've subsequently added another piece of metal to keep the mount from inadvertently popping open. Pictures:

New "slider bar"



Reassembled the cradle mount with some strategically placed washers to provide the slot for the slider bar to slide up and down in.





Now when the little padlock is looped through the lock holes it still prevents the release button from being pressed in, and the slider bar prevents the spring loaded release mechanism from popping up under any circumstances.



And, if you were to run a small steel wire cable from something solid on the bike up to the padlock they won't be able to make off with your your whole mount either.

Disclaimer:

I know that an industrious thief could probably pry up the aluminum plate and then somehow yank the GPS off its mount.

I know that it is safer to stick the GPS in your pocket when it will be out of your sight for more than a few moments.