Toughbook on a Motorcycle

Hi, I've been reading this forum for a couple days now and feel caught up enough to ask a question that I could not find by searching with the forum search and using Azrial's Google search. I was a radio repairman in the Army in Viet Nam, so I'm not shy about opening things up to fix them and then finding help on line. Sometimes things end up in a cardboard box and taken to someone who knows what they are doing. I'm retired now and traveling around the US on a Yamaha TW200 motorcycle. I keep a blog going at Trippin' with Rick Click I've been on the road since June 2010 and have been holed up for the winter at a friend's in San Clemente, CA. I'm planning on going back on the road in March and need to replace my trusty Compaq V2000. I'm thinking that a Toughbook with GPS would be ideal mounted over my gas tank. Is there a TB that would be better than others for this? I know about the Transflective touch screen for viewing in sunlight and that would be required. Any thoughts about the practicality of doing this? Thanks for sharing your collective knowledge and experience.

 

Hey, I saw your site: VERY COOL! I'm very envious of you!

I would stick to either a slate toughbook (Like a U1 or an H1) or an M34. The reason why: You don't have much room your your bike so you won't want to be lugging around a huge heavy toughbook. A CF-19 might also serve the purpose (Which I have TONS for sale ).

For SURE stick to a fully rugged so that when it rains and gets splashed it'll be okay.

 

+1 on the CF-19.

I would imagine that way when you stop for the night you can take off and still use it wherever you land. I would assume you would not want to keep it strapped in overnight when you cant watch it.

And a big +1 on being envious of what you are doing. I wish I afford to do the same thing on my old Nighthawk. Good on ya man. Ride safe.

 

Me too on the CF-18/19. Great pictures, got me itching for September when the wife and I will again head out west for our annual 3 week tour. Glad you got to see the Olympics, I've had my wife there 4 times and she has never seen the mountains. always in the clouds.
CAP

 

Outside no shade you need the 1,000 nit screen (well need may be to strong a word but here you go).
Rob has one.

 

I agree that the CF-19 would be the best for my use both on and off the bike. However, the CF-18 falls closer to my Vets Pension budget. The only way I can do this trip is by not having to pay rent someplace; dispersed camping is free in the National Forest. Besides the GPS, I need a computer for email, surfing, blogging and Photoshop. Through bad judgment I am stuck with T-mobile until June of 1012. I can get wifi in more places than I have phone reception with this carrier. grrr.. Using Skype might be more dependable. Is there a way to use T-mobile with a CF-18? I have the unlimited data plan.

 

Drop your email address to info at bluerockranchca dot com re:CF-18 since you can't PM yet.

Welcome

Jeff

 

Look on ebay for a docking station. I got a Precision Mounting Technology dock on ebay for about $50. The thing is carved from billet and looks bomb proof. I gutted the electronics and connections and just use it to hold the beast to my Jotto desk. With that stuff gone and an appropriate lubrication regimen on the locking mechanism, it would be a natural for motorcycle use. If you are serious about using the GPS, don't forget to fab or buy a screen/lid restraint suitable for panic stops, wheelies...

 

Is this what you mean? Panasonic Toughbook CF18/19 Port Replicator CF-VEB181 - eBay (item 180624678886 end time Feb-18-11 16:08:37 PST) I'll need to fab some mount onto the motorcycle. Hmmmm...

 

That's a desktop unit. Not gonna make you smile. More like this.

PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK CF-18 19 Vehicle Mount Cradle - eBay (item 110493496888 end time Mar-08-11 12:31:13 PST)

The seller, MRugged, is a known and trusted source.

 

Oh yeah, that looks like a lot less hardware and no electrical complications.

 

Here is what I recomend if you don't need the electronic hook up
PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK GAMBER-JOHNSON Vehicle CF-19 WEB184 - eBay (item 250772500953 end time Feb-19-11 05:03:24 PST)

 

If you're not in a hurry keep hitting ebay for deals on those. Often vendors will dump a load used ones from a retired cop fleet or similar. Even if you find one with all the port replication accoutrements that stuff can be stripped off to leave a burly vehicle grade mounting platform.

 

That's a nice unit, and shiny; but I bet it costs more than his Toughbook. :wink:

mnem
2 words. Duct Tape.

 

Cool site Rick! I really hope you enjoyed the northwest.

 

Rick, I commute daily on a Yamaha Spark 135cc and lesser endowed with a 3.5 liter fuel tank. Fortunately, most of my routes are short trips with gas stations not too far away but I wouldn't consider making a trip up north without an extra alum can of gas in my Givi sidebox. I can really relate to the part of the blog, where you wrote, "The adage for TW owners of never passing a chance to refuel whispering in the back of my mind."

Do update us on your final Toughbook decision. Like the guys said, I too second a CF-18/19 (depending on your budget). I lug the 29 along in my backpack but would love to, one day, be able to fix my 18 for longer trips.

Stable docking aside, do look into a Lind auto power brick (I'm searching too) that taps directly to your bike's battery (or cig lighter plug with inline fuse) to fit the 18/19. Good luck and ride safe.

Ron in SG

 

Rugged Panasonic ToughBook CF-U1 1.33GHz/1GB/16GB SSD