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So what's the DC port all about? Planned uses.Accessibility


missourifz07

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I think I'm going to undertake this as a project soon, but I'm wondering... What not just adapt to a good old cigarette plug? There are many USB options for that, as well as other accessories.

Why can't left turners see us?

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I think I'm going to undertake this as a project soon, but I'm wondering... What not just adapt to a good old cigarette plug? There are many USB options for that, as well as other accessories.
I like the idea of using the connector under the tank panel as it is switched, eliminating the possibility of a dead battery. It would be nice to have the correct  connector in hand before taking the bike apart. 
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I think I'm going to undertake this as a project soon, but I'm wondering... What not just adapt to a good old cigarette plug? There are many USB options for that, as well as other accessories.
I like the idea of using the connector under the tank panel as it is switched, eliminating the possibility of a dead battery. It would be nice to have the correct  connector in hand before taking the bike apart.
I agree. But you have to bring that out to an accessible place on the bike with a connector.  I'm just saying, instead of using USB, use a cigarette lighter 12V connecting point.  It is more universal that USB, and you can fill it with a dual USB adapter if you so desire.  
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Why can't left turners see us?

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snowdriftless

I am looking forward to installing a USB outlet once I get a decent phone/GPS/radar protector to do so. Right now I have no need.

P1: Vice? I have no vice, I'm as pure as the driven snow!
P2: Yeah but you've been drifting
 
All the gear all the time!

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Guest Ralph

It's white and very hard to see, it's taped to the wiring loom just why it as to
be so difficult I don't know but my last Suzy was worse.

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  • 2 weeks later...

i used it to wire in my tomtom rider 400, wasnt actually that hard ( and i'm not the most technically savvy person )
you can just pull the female plug from the loom ( its not connected to anything ) pop the 2 rubber grommets out and plug in whatever you want powered on the bike.
 
the whole thing is a little easier to get to when you pull the 2 larger plugs that plug in beneath the heatsink.

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  • 1 month later...
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n2shotokai
i used it to wire in my tomtom rider 400, wasnt actually that hard ( and i'm not the most technically savvy person ) you can just pull the female plug from the loom ( its not connected to anything ) pop the 2 rubber grommets out and plug in whatever you want powered on the bike.
 
the whole thing is a little easier to get to when you pull the 2 larger plugs that plug in beneath the heatsink.
So you shoved a bare wire in the empty connector without pins? 
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n2shotokai
i used it to wire in my tomtom rider 400, wasnt actually that hard ( and i'm not the most technically savvy person ) you can just pull the female plug from the loom ( its not connected to anything ) pop the 2 rubber grommets out and plug in whatever you want powered on the bike.
 
the whole thing is a little easier to get to when you pull the 2 larger plugs that plug in beneath the heatsink.
So you shoved a bare wire in the empty connector without pins?
Why yes I did and it works great! 
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i used it to wire in my tomtom rider 400, wasnt actually that hard ( and i'm not the most technically savvy person ) you can just pull the female plug from the loom ( its not connected to anything ) pop the 2 rubber grommets out and plug in whatever you want powered on the bike.
 
the whole thing is a little easier to get to when you pull the 2 larger plugs that plug in beneath the heatsink.
So you shoved a bare wire in the empty connector without pins?
No, i took the female connector ( the one thats not hooked up to anything ) took out the rubber sealing grommets and inserted the ( already soldered ) wires about half an inch. This put them nicely underneath the wire catch in the female connector. Then i put the grommets back in and sealed the whole thing off with some electrical tape.  
been working perfectly for 6500+ miles now. 
 
sorry for the ( very ) late reply, been real busy with work lately. not much time left to ride either :( 
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  • 3 weeks later...

I know this is an old thread, and there may be other threads that covered this. I installed my USB port yesterday and thought a few photos and some text might help others who want to do the same thing.
 
First was getting to the 12V switched connector.
1) I removed the passenger seat.
2) I removed the driver's seat. There are two hex head screws, one on each side of the rear of the seat, accessed by lifting up on the corner of the seat. The seat then comes out easily by shifting it backwards.
3) I removed the black plastic strip on top of the gas tank - one hex head screw.
4) Removal of the side plastic flaring that runs along the left side of the bike from the front of the gas tank to below the rear of the seat. Remove four hex head screws, three on the top of the tank, one at the rear edge of the long plastic piece. Then look under the rear end of that plastic flaring where you'll find a black plastic push in type of connector. Use a small pointed object to depress the center of that connector and it will push in (perhaps with a faint click) loosening the connector. You can now remove that black plastic connector. The final screw has a black head on the left side. Now the hard part, just because it doesn't feel right to do it. You have to pull firmly on the long plastic flaring to pop it out the two rubber keepers. The side plastic flaring piece should come off. 
 
Now that you have access to the left side of the bike under the gas tank the next trick is to locate the white 12V connector. In the photo below notice the white connector with black wrapped wires laying loose against the blue frame member. That is the connector you are looking for. That connector is to the rear of the large cooling fin fixture. The connector is snapped into it's mating half which is behind that cooling fixture. The mating half is sort of stuck/taped to prevent it from flopping around. If you're sure you have properly identified that connector you can grab it with a pair of needle-nose pliers and detach it. Both halves of the connector will come out.
 
20150801_111047-M.jpg20150801_111055-L.jpg
 
This photo shows me holding the mating half of the 12V connector. There are no pins or wires, just the plastic half. You've likely read that you can buy the mating pins from Cycle Terminal which is what I did. Some people don't bother with the pins and just stick the wires directly into the 12V connector. I cut the wires coming from the USB connector to the appropriate length, solder prepped the wires, then cramped them onto the pins. I then inserted the pins into the empty mating 1/2 of the connector; red to red and black to black. Done with that part.
20150801_111105-L.jpg
 
Next I needed a place to mount the USB connector. At his point I'm not ready to drill holes so I found a handy spot to place the USB connector, and attached it using 3M Scotch heavy duty fasteners. The 3M product is like Velcro but a stronger design than hook and loop.  Not only does the 3M product hold together better than Velcro, but the sticky back is much better too. Time will tell if this 3M product is going to hold. If it doesn't hold no big deal, the connector will just not be attached but won't fall off the bike. If it doesn't hold I may have to resort to drilling holes and using hardware to attach the connector.
 
I selected this spot, above the headlight and behind the after market (GiVi) windscreen. That was a large, nearly flat spot where the sticky back would have the best chance of holding. I cleaned the area with Isopropyl Alcohol to prep it for the sticky back tape.
 
20150801_112544-L.jpg
 
Connector installed
20150801_115343-L.jpg
 
Driver's view with the windshield back in place.
20150801_132535-L.jpg
 
Here it is in use. I'll dress up the USB cable, or buy a short one. In my case this will be used for a Garmin GPS, my Nokia Lumia 635 Windows phone running the excellent Nokia Here turn-by-turn GPS offline maps, or my Samsung Galaxy S3.
20150801_124607-L.jpg
 
Here it is with the rubber cap installed.
20150801_132548-L.jpg
 
 
 
 

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Nice, thanks for sharing. USB ports are always handy. There is a 'How to' where I explain how to tap into the Aux port. but is was somewhat buried.

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Nice, thanks for sharing. USB ports are always handy. There is a 'How to' where I explain how to tap into the Aux port. but is was somewhat buried.
Guru your how to looks better than what I posted. Nice job.
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I added a 12V/5V combo adapter to my bike.  The connector was kind of a pain to get to, even with the plastic off, but it worked.
[attachment id=789" thumbnail="1]
 

Why can't left turners see us?

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  • 5 months later...
  • 2 months later...
Time will tell if this 3M product is going to hold. If it doesn't hold no big deal, the connector will just not be attached but won't fall off the bike. If it doesn't hold I may have to resort to drilling holes and using hardware to attach the connector.
Hi ! Very nice tutorial, I'll probably follow it in the next weeks because I'm going from Montreal to California and a USB plug would definitely be awesome for this trip ! 
I was wondering if you were still happy with your solution.
 
I don't have a soldering unit, do I really need one ? Or do I just need to buy the Cycle Terminal connector and get on with it ?
 
Also, just to confirm, you did buy the Burns Moto USB to Bare Wire, right ?
 
Thanks !
 
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  • 3 weeks later...
croustibat

I finally did it today, it works like a charm ! But I think I ordered the wrong mating connector from Cycle Terminal, so I just removed the rubber terminals from the original one to be able to mount everything.

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  • 5 years later...

I can’t find that damn thing. I’ve looked at vids, an diagrams, nothing! I considered taking off the tank to get a better look but I didn’t. I’ve got a buddy putting some accent lights on her so I’ll let him do it at that time. 

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It may be covered with electrical tape.. and is very well hidden. :) It should be there, as shown in the pictures 'above', and you can find the matching connector on line if you want to build your own harness, rather than buying a ready made .  It takes a bit of time, patience and maybe a sore finger or two to extract and use.  Good luck!

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