TOMTOM car unit for motorcycle, QUESTION

I am looking for advice and thought where better to ask. 
I am in need of a satellite navigation system for my motorcycle; it is for a planned trip into the London area. I currently have a TOMTOM unit, which I at times secure to my car windscreen in the usual fashion. I was wondering if securing the unit to the motorcycles speedo screen would be sufficient to keep it in place in the same way as a cars windscreen.
I have a tank bag from many years ago that I could use if necessary but would rather try this particular way of securing it. I have tried it out in this way and felt it was extremely secure, although it was only for quick trip around Yeovil town. I Will take something similar to a sandwich bag encase of poor weather as my unit is not rain proof but I have found that even if it steamed up, I would still be able to hear it.
This will be a one off needed application, so spending on extra items is not really wanted.
So would the TOMTOM car unit secure without to many issues to my speedo screen?

I don't see why not...
It should stick safely to the tank itself if it's clean and de-greased too.

I've used a Tom Tom One stuck to the back of the windshield once, It stayed on ok but I had a lanyard attached to the bike for if it fell off, Has your bike got a screen? If not, it could be open to a bit of wind blast that might make it come off.

I use my car tomtom when ever I need it just stick it to my tank or my rev counter i have nowhere to plug mine in so i just wait till i get near to were I'm going then turn it on bit of string as Sim said would be a good idea oops never done that with mine but will in the future lol

Yes I have stuck mine on the speedo lens before & did 180 miles with it there, some of that was above the legal speed limit. (allegedly)  
Good idea with the a lanyard or similar, just in case as Sim has suggested.  I stupidly didn't but should have.
The main issue that I would have thought wouldn't be the suction unit, it would be the unit coming out of the holder but just a couple of elastic bands could end that possibility.
For it's a good idea & will save a few unnecessary quid, if it's a done as very rare thing.  

As mentioned above but possibly a sandwich bag sealed around the cable with a lanyard or such in case it popped off would suffice & stuck to the tank or speedo face Ken?

Thats a clever idea guys, always great to have a money saving idea  

the suction thingy is part of my tomtom it's all one unit so it does make mine easy to put on a bike mine don't last very long if it's not plugged in though (long enough I suppose) where about's around London are you going Ken if you don't mind me asking

I used a non bike type once... Suction pad was fine but as others said, don't hold the charge for too long. I would worry about it pissing down too.... Allegedly the bike ones are more rugged, water resistant etc (they probably say that so they can charge way more!!!)

Have a good trip

This is how I have mine set up. The plug on the right come off the battery. The dual plugs on the left are hooked up in head light. I run my satellite radio in the right one because it get a Hummm if hooked to left I run my Garmin 50 in one of the duals. The leaves one to charge my iPhone if need be   

Everything bar the kitchen sink their Tex, a real utility vehicle.  

This is what I'm using and it works nice.. plus when I'm in town (not using the gps) I can easily remove it....  only cost me $5 USD on ebay

Ken TomTom for android is only £20 now.

Kevin thank you but I already have an excellent free satnav on my mobile phone. I am specifically looking for an easy and secure way of using my as yet practically unused cars TomTom that I have. The reason is that I would rather use that than spend more of my finances on something that will again be hardly used. I have now tried the TomTom several times and even used it in the rain on several occasions while mounted to the tank. I have found that I can actually see the screen reasonably well and more importantly, even hear the appliance when done like this.
Morgan I will be in the Penge and Herne hill area mostly but some other traveling may be needed.

I like the sound of free Ken, what fee satnav do you have on your mobile? I know you dont intend on using it on your bike but I am happy to try anything that is recommended thats free

I am looking to use my phone as satnav so what FREE software are you using please?

Kevin I use Navfree. It was also not to long ago recommended by Mr Intruder, my apologies as I am unable to find the post in which he spoke of it. It can be downloaded for free via your mobile phone from Google play. It is very easy to change the setting and incredible when consideration of the free cost it taken into account. It is usable via the live internet connection as well as the usual satellite connectivity used commonly by satellite navigation systems. It is certainly far better than the also free Google maps program that was initially on my device.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.ALL&hl=en_GB

Is it just me but I cannot get navfree to work. When I try to use a contract address It comes up no address found.

O thanks Ken but I have already got that one must say it is bloody good tho   
Kev what do you mean it wont work when you try to use a contract address, I use that one occasionally without any probs Just been looking around and I didnt realise there was so many free ones out there. Navfree and M8 seem to keep coming up as the good ones but lots of others come up as recommended as well

Saved me £20 for tomtom which is good considering I'm paying £56 for my mounting and hard wiring kit.

How so Kev, which one are you using? Glad you didnt have to buy one cause free is always better  

I've managed to get navfree working so saved £20.

That's good to read Kev, it's a nice little program. I was really impressed with it. 

The problem I had guys was downloading the maps onto the external memory card doesn't work. As soon as you load them into the phone memory it looks as good as anything I've seen.

Hi guys picking up waterproof tomtom cover for XL and mount for about £18.00 will let you know how it goes going to hard wire fuse box in and then cable for it not sure yet if I will hot wire or use relay. Relay seems pointless really as I will remove gps when not riding any thoughts
G

Use a relay that way your live feed can be used for all sorts (if you are using a cigar lighter fitment) when your not using it for the GPS.

Just take feed of a switched live then?
G

I have in the past seen a mounting ball for use with sat-nav brackets that is fitted to the steering stem nut .... but some of these are for the hollow stem steering heads of sports style bikes. Not sure if replacement stem nuts are available with an integral ball. Could be worth looking at.

Other options are handle bar brackets - mentioned above, But I have in the past seen a bracket coming off the underside of the handle bar riser pillars.

  To having any accessory plug wired into a switched live .... saves embarrassing problems of a flat battery !

TwinDad wrote:

Just take feed of a switched live then?
G

Yeah, there's a spare aux socket inside the headlight bucket that's ideal for a sat nav 

OldManYam wrote:

I have in the past seen a mounting ball for use with sat-nav brackets that is fitted to the steering stem nut .... but some of these are for the hollow stem steering heads of sports style bikes. Not sure if replacement stem nuts are available with an integral ball. Could be worth looking at.

Other options are handle bar brackets - mentioned above, But I have in the past seen a bracket coming off the underside of the handle bar riser pillars.

  To having any accessory plug wired into a switched live .... saves embarrassing problems of a flat battery !

I have mine live (use it to charge my phone when bike is parked) and so far no issues... but I also unplug my nav when the bikes off...

  I've hard wired my 12v socket into the battery now (via a fuse but not a relay). 

I could never risk parking up the bike round here and leaving the satnav in its mount anyway.

I also find it handy to have a 12v socket where you don't have to the turn on the ignition and lights, for example plugging in a tyre inflator. (Think that draws 8amps, sockets on a 10amp fuse).

Previously I had used the spare headlamp bowl connector, but I've now wired extra LEDs into that. If anyone wanted spotlights, it would make sense to leave that free for them too...

Cheers

Mal

Second what Bigmal said... I have my battery monitor hooked up the spare connector in the headlamp.

Yep Mal, I get your drift, as whilst the 12v socket may be 'live' it is not draining the battery until you plug something into it. But with motorbike batteries having lower capacities than typical car batteries I would tend to minimise such use unless the motor was running.

Clearly not an issue if all you are doing is charging a mobile phone ...... & I'm old-fashioned in that I still use a foot-pump to inflate my tyres ... I check tyre pressure & correct them prior to doing any significant run, as well as periodic checks.

I certainly would not advocate leaving a sat-nav (or any easily removable accessories on a parked bike !   

Without wandering off topic too far .... I believe a lot of i-phones have good sat-nav apps so perhaps a waterproof case for your I-phone may be a better option ....... I'm not yet so advanced (Don't have an i-phone ... but a few of my buddies do & swear by them/at them).