Smart Phone Bike

http://torque-bhp.com/

 

I've done this.

Well, I haven't made a mount, but I wired in a 12v power source.

What I did, was having an extra bank on my new fuse box after wiring in my new horns, I ran a jumper from a wire that I found to be constantly on/hot as long as the key is in the on position.

Then, I wired in a 12v cigarette style plug on a 10amp fuse iirc. Might be a 15, can't remember off the top of my head. Anyway, It's 6" long or so and I leave it tucked under the seat. In the event of a road trip that I want to charge my phone, I just plug in my USB connector/charger into the 12v plug beneath the seat and then just snake my USB cable/phone cord up and into a pocket in my backpack that's strapped to the bike, or I'm sure you could snake it underneath the tank and up to a handlebar mount. I just left mine under the seat as I only use it for long trips that I'm camping overnight at, otherwise I just charge it at night and don't worry about it. I don't use te GPS part though, I'm sure I would make a mount if I did want to use it though.

Setup has been used/tested with my iPhone 4S

 

I have a similar setup on my VFR. Mine is a Powerlet socket installed into the steering stem, because convenient and stylish! But for the XJ, I agree on the cigarette plug adapter. You can hook it straight up to the battery if you like (can't imagine you'll leave your phone plugged into your bike all night), or you can use a relay. The license plate light is a good choice: already under the seat, always on with key turn.

Another thought on functionality: rear view camera? Haven't looked at peripheral cameras for phones (that already have internal cameras), but this would be at the more useful end of the helpful spectrum.

 

It's an interesting thought both in practicality and philosophically. Personally I'd only do this for a show bike, never a daily rider. The whole advantage of these XJs is their autonomy and simplicity; the idea of trying to make them more complex is an anathema to me.

It seems more appropriate for a modern street bike or Spyder (which is technically a street bike too). For a standard like this it would just feel wrong.

 

Very good point and one I made in another post, it's bad practice to "jumper" across from the pre-fusebox supply for one circuit to add an extra fuse, since technically someone could fit a high draw item to the lighter socket & overload the original circuit from the fusebox back.

Unlikely to happen I know & the way mtnbike has his wired is unlikely to cause problems if the socket is only used for a phone charger, but worth considering all the same.

 

Agreed. A secondary fuse box is a wise idea for additional peripherals.

Kilted: All comes down to the owner's prerogative. Newer sport bikes certainly lend themselves to tech infusion, considering the existing tech and modern styling. Older and standard/cruiser bikes usually have more relaxed styling and less apparent tech on display. Putting new tech on an old bike can certainly cause that out-of-place appearance. But it can be plenty functional. Where that line is drawn will be different in every rider's sandbox.

 

So I'm kinda bringin back a dead thread here. But something just happened here in Syracuse that made me think of this post.

Going back to the OP's initial idea. I agree this is a neat theory, and at the rate that we are going as a species I can only imagine that in the not so distant future what you are proposing will in fact be the norm. Personally I cannot stand that cars these days are starting to compete over who has the biggest touch screen interface and that people can now update social media from the car. All it is is another way to distract from the one and only thing that you should be doing behind the wheel which is operating the vehicle. Anyway Rant over.

Back to the original point. Here in Syracuse we just lost a motorcyclist while he was texting and going down the highway. Yes, riding and texting. I have seen a few people talking on the phone (holding it to their head) but this was the first I had heard of someone texting. Just tells me that phones have no place on a bike but in a zippered pocket.

That is my .02 on the idea.

 

I voted yes.

My speedo cable snapped s few months ago and I have been using my iPhone for my speedo since.

It is not very accurate and there is latency, about 5mph off, but it should not be hard to get an iPhone to interpret a signal from a flywheel trigger type mechanism. Programming it in x code and to play with the accelerometer data would be fun.

 

Keep it analogue! I got rid of my smart phone! HTC.

Felt like the phone was smarter than me.