Hard wireing Garmin 2730 ?

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I'm thinking, from your posts, that you don't really see what the audio cable part of that kit is. I believe you think it's a huge giant separate part of the kit because you're trying to figure out what to do with this ginormous piece that you don't need, and it's not like that at all. It's just a little pigtail a few inches long that makes a 'Y' off the cable just a little ways down from the back of the GPS. Here's a pic of it laid out, much easier to see than that picture you posted in #1.

motorcycle%20adapter%20for%20Garmin.jpg


The rest of the cable is just the power lead, two wires (red for 12v, black for ground) that's long enough to reach just about anywhere you need to go on the bike.

In the page you linked, the first item under "Related products" on the right is the same cable, but with a BMW power connector built on, for which they've added 50 bucks to the price. Hell, I'll do that for ya fer just 35 bucks!!! :D And I'll even cut off the audio pigtail if you want for only 10 bucks more!!!! :p

 
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An item of possible interest for those not wanting to be wired directly to the bike.The 2730 manual states it has FM transmission capability. Matching the 2730 FM freq. out to a pocket carried fm receiver tuned to an unused channel should free you up from the bike tether.
I know that ionbeam has used that feature of his street pilot along with his Bluetooth helmet headsets in the past, but (hoping he sees this and pipes up) I think he has had some difficulties. I don't remember exactly what they were. Something to do with the FM link and noise, I think.

Well here`s one with just the power plug (no audio lead) https://www.touratech...-2720-2730-2820 might go this way & run seperate line for sound (so power wire will go to the FZ1 Fuzeblock & audio wire will go to Starcom1)
That power cord seems like what you want, plus they give you a nice waterproof fuse holder, which you can either use for this install, or if you decide to power the GPS from a fuzeblock (like previously mentioned) you can use it for some other application,.

 
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...I know that ionbeam has used that feature of his street pilot along with his Bluetooth helmet headsets in the past...Something to do with the FM link and noise...
First came my Scala Q2s then I purchased a 2730. It quickly became clear how much turn-by-turn (TBT) voice instructions helped. I set my 2730 (hereafter GPS) on my computer desk and set it up to transmit FM instead of voice via speaker. Setting at my desk I put my helmet on and let the FM receiver in the Q2 find a FM frequency that was unused. I set the GPS to transmit at that same frequency. I told my GPS to simulate a ride and was thrilled to get the TBT instructions through my Q2. Next I loaded ~1,000 MP3s into the GPS and streamed music to my Q2. While the audio wasn't world class it was acceptable. I went on a walk-about in the house, GPS on my desk streaming away, helmet on and Q2 singing away. I had zero problems while walking around the main floor. Off to the second floor, where once again there were zero reception problems even though I was nearly 50 feet away. Cool beans!

The next day I headed out to Long Island. I had TBT out of my driveway and all the way until I hooked up with Fred W, then as we hit the road my TBT instructions went away. I couldn't get MP3s either. I fiddled with the phucker all the way to Sag Harbor with no luck. That night I redid the radio station selections with the Q2 and GPS. I ran around my room with my helmet on streaming all the way. The next morning when we left, almost immediately reception went away again. WTF?

I found several problems. The first and biggest problem is that here in the greater Boston/NYC area almost every radio frequency slot is used. If there is a free slot at my house, 20 miles away a radio station would be using that slot so the Q2 quit receiving. The Q2 must mount to the left side of the helmet and when I had the GPS mounted on the left handlebar reception was adequate until we got to an area where the formerly free frequency was now being used. At that point I had to find another free frequency and then later that frequency was used. I didn't play that game long. Then I moved my GPS to the right handlebar and discovered that the GPS transmitted directionally, and it was not directional from the right side bar to my left side Q2. The setup works very good inside because my aluminum sided house worked as a radio frequency shield, once outside without the shielding it didn't work so well. This past spring when at Mt. Tremblant Village, well away from any big city, the GPS and Q2 played nice again.

If a user lives away from congested radio traffic and mounts a 2730 on the left side handlebar or on the steering nut, the GPS/Q2 combo works. All other situations fail. I have given up on using the FM here in New England and use the 2730's speaker output to the headset in my helmet. I have the cradle for my GPS wired using the harness that wfooshee shows in his post. I used an extension cable to bring the audio out at the front of my seat where I plug in my helmet headset. I don't prefer this setup but it works quite well. Unfortunately, what doesn't work so well is when my wife is talking through the Q2's and Garmina is giving my TBT instructions at the same time :wacko:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showuser=6354

 
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