Bullet Camera Mounts/Locations? Ideas Anyone?

[newbluest]

Anyone have recommended locations and mount devices for bullet cameras? I'm putting two on my bike this week in advance of the Honda Hoot and am open to all ideas.....want to get it right the first time.

[newbluest]

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[dteel]

I'm sorry I can't advise you. I've never mounted a camera on my bike.

I guess everyone is out riding. I'm sure once the weekend is over you'll get some advice..... you know when everyone retruns to work and has time to surf this site agian.....hehe

[gazoo]

Put it on your helmet. There's some cool velcro-like stuff (plastic both sides) that grips plenty strong enough. Once it's there get someone to help you and put one of those little paper re-enforcement rings on your visor so that when your looking through the ring, that's where your camera is pointed.
Try to get the camera aimed so that a natural riding position puts the ring sight on target.

[Killtimer]

I've seen footage from one mounted on the left tip over wing. Quite dramatic. Myself, I'd probably try it under the headlamps.

[Finewest]

You need to seek out the expert on the forum for this info. And that is a guy named Jdog. You'll find his handle under the Video sub-forum. He rides a FJR, but has a fantastic bullet cam setup on his bike.

[tricky_micky]

I used a helmet mounted bullet camera but I prefer this position which is just under the mirror pod.

17775

Works a treat.

[Stevepre]

You need to seek out the expert on the forum for this info. And that is a guy named Jdog. You'll find his handle under the Video sub-forum. He rides a FJR, but has a fantastic bullet cam setup on his bike.

Jdog:bow1: :bow1: :bow1:

[voyager]

Check out ANT racing and the 35 bundle have two mount on different bikes.
Voyager

[LeeWonnacott]

RAM has several options to help you out - http://www.ram-mount.com/products/motorcycles.htm

In the last 18 months they have come out with a mount that has a magnetic base that is strong as all get out. Put a piece of clear shipping tape on your tank and just shoot through the windscreen - just make sure you allow adequate clearance for the handlebars. This thing is strong enough that you can mount a mini-DV without using the bullet lens if you want. OR ...Heli has a cover with the hole for the RAM mount already there ...

I mounted my bullet at several locations on my old SilverWing ... a few cool shots from low angle are possible with nearly every bike, but they get boring after 45 seconds unless you are trying to learn how to make an 80 mph turn from a 45 mph corner! And if you are ... don't expect the lens to be there after you are done.

Mounting on the helmet is probably the worst way to go. Sure, you get the ability to 'point and shoot', but you will be disappointed with the fact that you never get much perspective as you work a turn or big sweeper... BUT, you WILL certainly see how much you really do move your head while riding. Expect to do a lot of editing to throw out the stupid crap when you mount to the helmet.

Long story short - RAM accessories are relatively cheap... you can purchase short AND long standards and various types of tubular mounts. Consider taking the Tupperware off a spot or two to locate tubes... Ingmar Bergman is dead now... so is there hope that one of us can be recognized as the greatest movie director alive?

Good luck ... oh .. beware of how you route your wires to the bullet. Some units are very odd in how they handle RF interference and if you get too close to electrical outputs you could cause a problem for the video unit. As long as you are about 12 inches away from anything that has strong field output you are okay.

Regards,

Lee Wonnacott

[bob_mcn]

see youtube link, bullet mounted under right mirror pod
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBtOr0A36gU

[jfheilman]

What camera are you using?

Jim

[bob_mcn]

Jim, the bulletcam 480 is from http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/index.html
and the mount, which clamps on the mirror pod edgeing is home made, specifically to mount there, the camera i use is a Digilife, with facility to install an external camera that plugs in, overriding the built in lens.it was bought off E-Bay over a year ago, and its not had an easy life.It uses 1GB SD memory cards, that give about 35/40 mins of recording time per card, but the battery lasts about the same. I have now powered the bulletcam with a 9volt regulated power supply off the bike, and i'm trying to find a way to power the camera itself, one option i'm looking at is to use a car 12vplug to USB adapter, but i've broke the first one in one use! And suffer horrendous interference through the supply, may need to sort out a filter circuit.

[jfheilman]

Thanks. I know you might have been over this before but I am considering adding a camera to the bike. I looked at the Dogcam website, the 480 is not listed but there is a 520. I have seen a couple of other styles/configurations. I wanted to keep it simple, record on SD card, simple wiring to camera. I found a couple but none that really fit that description. One has the on/off start/stop on the camera. Not good if you are going to mount it out of hand range.

What recorder to you use?

[bob_mcn]

The Digicam is the recorder, when the external camera is connected it becomes a remote recorder, with the screen as the monitor. and yes the downside is that the on/off is on the camera, but depending on how much you want to spend, and risk in the case of a bike drop, then the sky can be your limit... the 480 is old now, the 520 or even 580 are becoming the norm. i use velcro to fasten the camera/recorder unit to my inner fairing, on the right hand pocket, this means i cannot operate it while under power as i have to letgo of the throttle to switch it on or off, and all the spare cable etc goes in a nylon bag in the pocket, out of the way.

[jfheath]

Im still installing one - but ideas that have worked so far.
1) Closed cell foam block. V cut in top, angled at bottom to make a horizontal camera mount when taped to the angled surface immediately behind the screen. Temporary, but get you out playing with it within half an hour. Cables taped around the fairing and mirror housing to end up in the tank bag, where the recorder was housed.

Currently finishing off a permanent mount inside the right mirror housing. Piece of steel tube (Wardrobe rail !) slightly over size, camera wrapped with tape makes a snug fit. Hosuing epoxied into the mirror housing and end of tube shaped to contours of mirror pod. Camera can be removed easily. It leaves a dirty great hole, but that is easily taped over when not in use.

Decided to bite the bullet (no pun intended) and try this out. If I made a mess, a new mirror pod isn't too expensive ! But it seems to work and the results are great.

[jdog109socal]

I guess i should read more post... Sorry for late reply

Any spot on your is good as long as you have a tight secure camera...

I have been playing around latley with some new spots but werent working out so well do to vibrations....Im looking into a new mout on a long arm to mount a camera on that i can move around...

this video is a little out dated but you can get a idea.. I currently run 6 bullet cams off my bike. Covers forward under nose. one down to left side off Slider, another facing to the rear oner left and right off back and one off my helmet... http://youtube.com/watch?v=aey4KySdOz4

Jdog

[jdog109socal]

see youtube link, bullet mounted under right mirror pod
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBtOr0A36gU

My only complaint is you ruined the great awsome song with that noisy wind and engine noise :(:(:(


Jdog

[jfheath]

Embarrassed to post this really - it ended up being a much less neat job than the picture I had in my head. But it works well, and the 'botch' ended up quite neat really.

Ive attached 4 files. Picture 033 shows the bullet camera in place, mounted in the right hand mirror, close to the join (we drive on the left, so this mount gives a good view of the road from near the centre).

The other two pictures show how I did it. A metal tube - cut from the sort of tube you get in DIY stores for clothes rails in wardrobes. Plastic would have been better, but this was in the garage, and was exactly the right diameter.

The surface was well roughened, and the inside of the mirror housing was severely scratched to provide purchase. A lot of fitting, plasticine and tape was used to test the position before holding everything in place with some epoxy based hand moulding paste which is designed for use with metals and plastic. DSC1509 shows this in place, and the gaping hole at the front which got larger as I tried to get the angle right. The moulding epoxy helped to get the tube seated properly, gave me a little time to move things into their final place, before setting. Epoxy filling compound would encase the entire tube as described below.

I finished off and filled all around the metal tube with epoxy based filling compound, with some fibreglass matt and strands to help bind it together. I dont have a photo of this, but the tube is no longer visible, encased in plastic resin. The camera rear end protrudes throught the end of the metal tube and rests against the bottom of the mirror housing. The intention was to use a grub screw or something similar to grip the camera, but it doesn't need anything. The camera fits snugly and doesn't move.

This is now shaped on the outside of the mirror housing and will be painted when I get the right colour - in the meantime it is masked with coloured wax provided with turtle wax polishing product for hiding scratches. It doesn't do this particularly well, but its hardly noticeable, and will look infinitely better with a proper application of the right paint.

The tube is lightly oiled inside, and the camera has a single wrapping of ductape around it. It pushes into place - wires first and stays put. It never budges. Connections are made inside the mirror housing, and cables are routed to the left, lockable fairing pocket which houses the DV500 digital recorder. It actually gets a bit hot in there for it, although it has never failed to work properly.

In this position, there is a very slight shadow in the extreme bottom left corner of the image where the camera picks up the headlight housing. But you dont notice it unless its pointed out to you - you might just make it out in the 'From Camera' image - The bike shadow shows the position of the bike on the road.