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Jan 10
I thought I would take a moment, for anyone who might be interested (warning this is geeky) to talk about the new installations for my Burgman.
Starcom1 system – Last time around I installed the Starcom1 Advance system. This was very good although with everything I was connecting this time I thought it would be better to get the Starcom1 Digital as the hope was that it would do a better job of dealing with all the various inputs. I was right and it does a great job of juggling the radio, music, and GPS signals. I can also speak on my phone through the gps, get GPS directions and sounds, and speak through the radio of course. All this is manages well and without conflict.
I installed the Starcome1 system under the seat as before. Indeed this is the best place as there is a spot where a little tool kit normally sits that is the perfect size for the Starcom1.
I installed a PTT button on the left handlebar – it works great and has an updated button that I like a bit better. There isn’t as much travel and so pushing it (and holding it) isn’t as difficult. I also have a volume control in the upper left storage compartment along with the music lead for the iPhone.
The CB radio controller and display is mounted in the glove compartment with the main unit in the trunk. The arial is mounted behind the passenger seat.
The GPS of course is mounted and centred on the handlebars. It is also connected via an upgraded anti-theft system that makes it very difficult to remove the mount, and also difficult to remove the GPS when connected. It requires a key to take the GPS out. This is great as when I’m on the road and want to stop for a break or for petrol I won’t need to take off the GPS. The GPS is also waterproof, very bright, and resistant to damage caused by fuel and oil spillage. It is wired directly into into a switched electrical circuit
The CB is connected to a fused and switched system that turns off power to the CB when the bike is not on. Everything is wired this way so that the battery can not be accidentally drained.
There are a couple more parts to still install but they are very small. A USB power charger will be mounted in the left – hand glove box so that the iphone can be charged while I’m under way. I have also ordered tiny led lights that will be installed in the glove box areas and in the trunk to make seeing what’s in the glove compartments easy.
It’s been such a pleasure installing these items. With my previous experience combined with careful planning I’ve been able to install everything exactly the way I want it, perfectly, the first time. In this way this Burgman is better than the last. Everything is set up perfectly. Now, if it would only stop raining today I would go out and enjoy it a bit more 
Jan 09
Saturday was the big day! Off to buy my new Burgman. I was up at 6, and out the door by 7am. It took almost an hour and half to get to the dealership. I got there just after they opened, signed paperwork, and was off only half and hour later. Of course there was a lot more to the transaction than that, but it had all been taken care of in the previous days. The guys at the dealership were great – I’ll go back there for maintenance.
It was great to feel so at home on my new Burgman. Though I have driven about 600km since I’ve been here, that driving wasn’t nearly as comfortable as riding the new Burgman. I was instantly at home. It was great.
Since getting home after picking up supplies, I’ve spent almost two complete days working on installing the communication system and GPS. I had forgotten just how much work this was initially, and this time around I had a few more challenges as I was installing things a little bit differently (a little bit better) than before. All told the installation took about 14 hours to complete the installation.
Here are a couple photos of the new Burgman, alone with one while things were being installed.
I’m so excited to have my Burgman back again. It’s been a long time for me and this new freedom is really exciting. I’ve already booked 6 long weekends for vacation in the next 3 months! Not all will be for rides, but 4 of them have been set aside for motorcycle adventures!
After finishing the final install I went for a nice ride along the coast to test things out. The communications system seems to work perfectly so far and I’m pleased to say better than it did in Vancouver! I was able to listen to music, hear the GPS through it, and even make phone calls! The new GPS is really fantastic. Along with the typical GPS mapping features, it tells me what the current speed limit is, and even alerts me to traffic and speed cameras. It’s great to know where I’m going!!
I’m totally thrilled – can’t wait to go for a long ride!!
Jan 08
Today has been really great! I confuss, however, that I am a little bit too tired to say much more than that! I will post all the details in the coming days…
But I have a new Burgman, she is great, and I’m working on adding all the great toys to her to make her even better!
More Soon!
Jan 07
Tomorrow is the big day – time to pick up my new Burgman…. Now the trick is going to be getting some sleep before picking her up. Everything is confirmed ready – the dealership even installed the Givi Windscreen. That was kind of them! I was going to bring a screw-driver and do it myself since it really is very simple, but it’s nice not to have to worry about that!
Once I pick her up I have several errands to run. A ride to the FexEx depot across town, and then back home to the post office. Then to the hardware store to pick up a few last-minute supplies for the installations! Then I’ll have to decide whether to install stuff or go for a long ride! I’m honestly not sure what I’ll do! The installations are key to the enjoyment of the riding, so I may just go the installations and make Sunday my big riding day… How exciting!
Jan 04
Today, the last day of my vacation, turned out to be a busy one.
Aside from running various errands, I spent most of the day trying going through the motions of arranging financing for my new Burgman! It’s all coming together now.
I had a great moment when I called the dealership where I am purchasing the Burgman. I called to speak with Ziggy. We’ve been emailing back and forth for more than a year now. At first, I was going to buy the Burgman as soon as I landed in Melbourne – well at least as soon as we were settled. Things didn’t work out as planned of course, but I never forgot all the great help that Siggy had given me over email.
We live in world where so many businesses don’t spent the time to invest in their customers. Customers turn into numbers, and when you become a number it’s easy to loose the importance of building a relationship with a customer. It’s that relationship that keeps people coming back. You can have the best price in the world, but if a customer doesn’t feel like they have a connection with the store, as soon as there is a cheaper price somewhere else, they go there….
Ziggy spent a long time with me. We must have exchanged 3o emails! I’m a fairly persistant person when it comes to getting questions answered. I don’t tend to settle for vague answers and I don’t tend to do something unless I understand everything there is to understand about it. So Ziggy won me over when he spent all that time answering my newbie questions while I was still in Vancouver.
Fast-forward to now… Now that I’m finally ready to buy I’ve remembered the great help that Ziggy gave me and of course I want to give my business to this dealership. They are 1.5hrs from where I live, but I’m happy to go there to repay in some small way the kindness and time that they offered me.
So I called today so that I could put a voice to the name and Ziggy tells me he has a confession… He tells me he’s been following my blog all along since we first made contact more than a year ago! I must say, it’s great fun to know that what I’m writing is interesting to more than just myself I never would have imaged that someone from the Suzuki dealership would be reading though. HI Ziggy!
Well he sounds like a great guy, and I’m pleased to say that I’ll get a chance to meet him on Saturday as financing has been arranged. Paperwork gets signed tomorrow, and as my next day off Saturday is the day I’ll go and pick up my new Burgman. I’m more than excited! It’s been a really long time coming and it’s going to be so fantastic to get out on the roads again.
Thanks to an incredible donation from Mom for helping to make this happen. Accessories galore are in transit and the new Burgman should be absolutely amazing one it’s all hooked up. I can’t wait!
The communications system should be arriving on Thursday. A secondary fuze box is due to arrive on Friday which should help the installation go very smoothly. I picked up the GPS system today, with one part in the mail that will hopefully be here by the end of the week. A number of smaller items may not arrive for another couple of weeks as they are coming from the US, but everything really important should be here by the weekend. It will be a weekend full of installations and rides. Fantastic! I can’t wait!
Jan 02
Yesterday morning I received an email from Mom asking me to give her a call about something important. I didn’t know what it was about. I was very curious. I couldn’t have been more surprised and pleased. As it turns out, Mom was reading my blog, and after some deliberation decided that she wanted to help out with the cost of accessories for the Burgman so that I could get things going more quickly! Now, helping out is really not the term to use. She has offered to cover the entire cost of additional accessories for the Burgman! Everything! I can’t believe it!
I wouldn’t have imagined it. What would have taken months and in some cases much more to save up for, is now taken care of. It’s an unbelievably wonderful and generous gift and I’m over the moon with excitement…
The rest of yesterday was spent planning and ordering supplies… Well you didn’t expect me to wait did you! Some of these things will take a little while to ship, so I wanted to get orders in soon!
To go through the list of items would be very long and boring for almost anyone reading this blog so I just won’t go into the little details. I found an exceptionally helpful company out of NSW that will be supplying the communications system components. He has been outstanding in offering support and advice and is willing to be flexible with the total cost due to the large order. The GPS system is coming from a local company almost walking distance away. They had not only the best selection but also the best price. They have also been great with answering questions and being immediately available by email.
There are a number of smaller items coming from a number of online retailers – all from the USA… For the most part, there is nothing that competes with the USA’s selection of use-specific parts and accessories. There is so much that is available that simply wouldn’t be viable for the average Australian (or for that matter Canadian) company to bring into the country. Having said that I’ve sourced the important parts from Australia at reasonable costs.
Now that everything is coming together it’s been a great experience setting things up for the second time. Being able to source everything at once is also a great plus. Rather than incremental additions installed with compromises, I’ve been able to plan the installation of everything in context. This will be a much different process than the previous installations. I’ll have the experience of knowing how and where to route wires, but also everything needed to do a great job. I’m very excited.
Now all that’s left is the Burgman itself! I expect to have some information on specifics on Tuesday. I could now pick up the bike at any time, so it’s a matter of setting up financing and having the time to get to the dealer while they are open and I have time off. There is a remote possibility this could happen tomorrow (January 4th) but a lot would have to come together in order for that to be possible. It’s more likely that we’ll move forward on Saturday.
It’s all very exciting!
Dec 31
I can’t tell you guys how excited I am. I’m literally loosing sleep over the whole thing I’ve been planning the additions to the Burgman. It’s a frustrating thing as each addition, in particular the windscreen, communications system, and GPS are really important to the enjoyment of the riding.
Because there isn’t any extra money to purchase the additions (as they are a little pricy) I’ll have to save up for these. It will take a little bit of time. Most frustratingly the GPS system will be the last thing I’ll be able to afford despite it being the most important. I’m hopeless when it comes to directions, and map reading while on two wheels is just not possible, so I’ll have to wait and see how quickly I can make it happen. Australian prices are really quite high in comparison to US and Canadian prices.
So I’ve decided after much deliberation that I will buy things in the following order:
- Throttle Rocker – Cheap small device to make riding long distances easier $12 – On Order!
- Givi Windscreen – that makes riding on the freeway much more comfortable. It’s so big that it blocks out almost all air turbulence. It’s fantastic. Cost is $255
- Starcom communications system (Main unit only). This will allow me to listen to music while I ride – another really important thing for me – it makes it so much more enjoyable that just listening to noise. Cost is $530 for the basic setup, plus about $40 for cables.
- iPhone Charger – This one is cheap and easy… $45
- Garmin Zumo 660 GPS – this is a big sep up from the last one I had, but it will perform a really big role in this setup. It is waterproof so that I don’t need to pull over and hide it when it rains. It’s also bright and easy to see during the day. It will also be able to give directions directly though the Starcom system, as well as play music directly from my iPhone. When needed i can also make and receive calls, all through the touch screen on the unit. It even tells you what lane to be in when on the freeway. It’s will bring everything together, but it’s also the most expensive. $880 for the main unit, plus $150 for extra cables. Another $65 for the hardware to mount it properly.
That totals up to be: $1965.00
That takes care of the things that are important. Next on the list will be some nice additions:
- A tent for camping off the motorcycle - $250
- A Radio to connect to the communications system so that Nicole and I can talk - $500
That’s another $750!
May 27
Yes! Finally… It arrived from the USA today… Nicely packaged in a huge box with lots of bubble wrap… Including a free T-shirt from HelmetHead Cycle Gear.com….
When I arrived at the post office, the very nice postal fellow we always deal with knew exactly what I was there for and got the box right away.
So, took it home, called a friend, and went right down to install. Now I’ve done this for my other bike as well, and it took a long time, and was a little frustrating. This time it was completely different. Just a few screws, and it was done… Took no time at all.
So, the verdict? It’s great. It’s MUCH wider, and MUCH taller than the old one. It works perfectly on the mechanism that moves the whole thing higher or lower, and I can see right through it. Testing it on the Highway, I had a wonderful quiet ride. There is a change in the air movement that is apparent… At high speeds I can feel air hitting me on my back, rather than from my front, which is interesting, and also expected from the research that I did. A small price to pay for such a peaceful ride though…
Here are some photos of the Old and the new…. The photos although help to compare the two screens, really don’t do the high difference any justice. The new one doesn’t look nearly as tall as it is… It’s quite a difference.
May 26
Today a couple packages arrived in the mail… The last little bits and pieces for our bikes are coming in.. I’m very excited to finally reinstall the RAM system back onto my bike. Read the rest of this entry »
May 21
So there are a few items still in the mail that I’m anxiously awaiting.
- RAM ball mount for the GPS – Then I can install this on the handlebars, and finally use my GP -Arrived May 26
- Powerlett Plug GPS Power Adapter – Arrived May 26
- Tire Pressure Gauge – this is a neat one that will let you see the pressure, and fill/bleed at the same time so you can get the pressure just right – Arrived May 26
- Cargo Net – for nicole, to help hold small items on her bike
- Bungee Hooks – These will be installed on my first service – they are really cheap and Suzuki has already ordered them for me for when I go on Friday.
- Kickstand Pucks - These will make sure we don’t sink into the pavement – although I haven’t seen this be an issue around here, I’m more concerned about the gravel that we might be on when we go camping, so I’ve ordered one for each of us. They are cute – shaped like a little foot
- Noise Filter - for Nicole’s StartCom1 System. This will clean up any remaining noise for Nicole. – Arrived May 26
- New Givi Windscreen – This is the really exciting piece… When I installed my last windscreen from Givi onto the 400, the difference was incredible… So I can’t wait to put this on. It will mean that I can ride so much more quietly and comfortably. It will be wonderful for our long trip. – Arrived May 27
May 19
I love to tinker… and when I get a chance to tinker in the way I get to tinker with out bikes, it’s the best. Not only do I get to buy new toys, but I get to install them, and make our riding experience better… What’s better than that! Read the rest of this entry »
Mar 29
It was a few weeks ago when I had been looking on the new for things I could add to my bike, when I came accross the some posts where people referred to a local company called Talon for alarms. (talonalarms.com)
I emailed them with a few questions, and got a reply back the next day, from a guy named Brent, asking me to call him the next day.
I sent back a rather stiff reply asking him why he couldn’t just answer my question. Why did I have to call him! I was quite annoyed as I thought this was some marketing tactic, and I was so sick of being pushed around by sales people.
The response came within a couple of hours, and mentioned that he was looking to do an installation of my type of bike, and that he may be willing to do a free install, in exchange for being able to do the installation and take photographs.
I felt a little bad about having given him a bad time – but I couldn’t have known! We arranged to meet and install the alarm… He was a super-friendly guy, and clearly very knowledgeable. As it turns out, he owns the company, and is also the sole employee. He’s designed this system from the ground up, and had it manufactured to his specifications, and I must say, it’s the nicest alarm system I’ve ever seen.
We spent a couple of hours installing it on my bike. It works great! It has a tilt sensor, an immobilizer, vibration sensor, and a perimeter sensor that can tell if you are hanging around the bike (even without touching it) for too long. It has the most wonderful and cute little remote, with blue back lighting. It’s very configurable with many settings and options for it’s operation and for the sensitivity of the various sensors. It will even let you arm only certain sensors for when you are in areas where they might more easily give false alarms.
 
Feb 12
Oh, I’m pleased today… The Givi Windscreen I ordered has finally arrived… I installed it today. It was straight forward, but took some time to get the old one off without doing any damage to it, and put the new one on. It’s quite a significant difference between the old and the new…
The new screen is several inches taller, and significantly wider. The hand/arm protection is fantastic, and the wind noise from behind the screen has gone from noisy, to really quite… What a wonderful difference. Worth every penny.
  
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