Home Brew Camera Mount - Rear Cowl

So, I decided to experiment with a fixed camera mount solution for my Drift Ghost-S so that I could have it bolted down but raised up off the deck and with a fairly minimalist impact, especially when removed.

Ingredients;
Chinese Knock Off Rear Cowl
Nootle Camera mount with ball head.
3/8's Hot Shoe Mount (threaded screw with camera hot shoe base and two circular nuts).
Big Rubber Washer
Cable Tie

Drilled a 9mm hole through the cover.
Stuck the rubber washer onto the hotshoe and the pushed the lot up through the hole to leave the thread standing proud.
1 Metal Nut locked the thread/hot shoe to the cowl the other then went on top to lock the ball head mount in place on the top.
Drilled 2x 5mm holes for the zip tie to go through the retainer D-ring on this model of ball mount.
Threaded zip tie and snipped it off.
Mounted camera...
Job jobbed.

What do you think - it's an experiment - think the track marshals will give me any trouble for it? Drift don't make an off the shelf solution so I decided to get crafty.

alex said:

So, I decided to experiment with a fixed camera mount solution for my Drift Ghost-S so that I could have it bolted down but raised up off the deck and with a fairly minimalist impact, especially when removed.

Ingredients;
Chinese Knock Off Rear Cowl
Nootle Camera mount with ball head.
3/8's Hot Shoe Mount (threaded screw with camera hot shoe base and two circular nuts).
Big Rubber Washer
Cable Tie

Drilled a 9mm hole through the cover.
Stuck the rubber washer onto the hotshoe and the pushed the lot up through the hole to leave the thread standing proud.
1 Metal Nut locked the thread/hot shoe to the cowl the other then went on top to lock the ball head mount in place on the top.
Drilled 2x 5mm holes for the zip tie to go through the retainer D-ring on this model of ball mount.
Threaded zip tie and snipped it off.
Mounted camera...
Job jobbed.

What do you think - it's an experiment - think the track marshals will give me any trouble for it? Drift don't make an off the shelf solution so I decided to get crafty.

Click to expand...

Some man so you are... thats my rear camera mount sorted when my cowel arrives from china...order placed...

Thanks Alex....



Sent from Stus phone

I havent looked... is the lock easily removed from my existing cowel.. ? If its a hassle ill hunt about for a s/h one...would be good just to unlock and switch over.

Sent from Stus phone

Nice job Alex, very neat.
Stu, the lock is really easy to remove. A couple of screws to take plate of and expose spring loaded tab, push tab in with small flat screwdriver and lock barrel slides out, as long as you leave key in lock. Then the reverse to fit. Takes all of two minutes all tolled.

Do you never sleep?

JimmyMac

My concern would be the movement of the ill fitting cowl. Mine moves around like a mop bucket.

Cheers fellas

Marzy said:

My concern would be the movement of the ill fitting cowl. Mine moves around like a mop bucket.

Click to expand...

Yeah this one needs fettling, lock screw holes are too big, not enough bite. Missing rubber stops too. When the bike is back in the week I'll start addressing it.

- Sent from Mobile Device

Great idea Alex, a few small mods to make it more secure then you're away.

JimmyMac said:

Nice job Alex, very neat.
Stu, the lock is really easy to remove. A couple of screws to take plate of and expose spring loaded tab, push tab in with small flat screwdriver and lock barrel slides out, as long as you leave key in lock. Then the reverse to fit. Takes all of two minutes all tolled.

Do you never sleep?

JimmyMac

Click to expand...

Haha.. Jimmy.. you can tell you were a polis in a previous life pure observant n that lol.. Alex's idea is superb.. needed a purchase to get me over and thought that's ideal.. zzzzzz... just woke up there.... nice n sunny.... vroom vroom... so the locks a skoosh to change thats good news... think ill skip bootcamp and get washing the beast and knock in some miles.....

Oi...get your own damn thread!!

Back on topic, I went to see the beast in the garage today. 90% complete. So I should have it Friday
I took the rear cowl for a test fit and it's pretty snug, too snug, going to see if I can adjust that, but it seemed very secure.

alex said:

Oi...get your own damn thread!!

Back on topic, I went to see the beast in the garage today. 90% complete. So I should have it Friday
I took the rear cowl for a test fit and it's pretty snug, too snug, going to see if I can adjust that, but it seemed very secure.

Click to expand...

Was it tight at the front or back Alex (no mention of fish suppers) lol

JimmyMac

Tightness all around

I'll be putting a rubber spacer in

alex said:

Tightness all around

I'll be putting a rubber spacer in

Click to expand...

My OEM cowl was not the best fit at the front, (same as everyone else's, as I found) so I took the washers out the front bracket making it tighter however after a few months I noticed that the paint was getting rubbed off by the cowls front two corners. It was before I painted the whole bike so I sorted it but just be careful you don't damage the original paint near the seat by making it too snug.

JimmyMac

That's exactly what will happen at the moment Jimmy. Going to put a rubber spacer between the metal hinge and the lid for a start, then work on the rest.
For the camera, I am thinking also about velcro to keep it all pointing in the right direction with all the vibrations etc. Maybe replace the lower metal nut with it.

I think the gap is deliberate in order to remove heat build up in the tail section.

Guys on the rear seat/cowel swap over thing...I bought S/H pillion from eb ..mint nick.. just dug it out there..its got a lock on it that my ignition key doesnt fit...can the lock be modified to accept my key.

stu's phone

stuartb said:

Guys on the rear seat/cowel swap over thing...I bought S/H pillion from eb ..mint nick.. just dug it out there..its got a lock on it that my ignition key doesnt fit...can the lock be modified to accept my key.

stu's phone

Click to expand...

It can, do you have the key for the seat?

Stephen said:

It can, do you have the key for the seat?

Click to expand...

No Stephen.. just my own keys.. my key slips into the lock fine, but wont turn..as expected. Bought it a few months ago and stuck it in garage...

stu's phone

stuartb said:

No Stephen.. just my own keys.. my key slips into the lock fine, but wont turn..as expected. Bought it a few months ago and stuck it in garage...

stu's phone

Click to expand...

It is still doable but its much harder if you don't have the key, ill look at my seat tomorrow and let you know how hard it'll be

Stephen said:

It is still doable but its much harder if you don't have the key, ill look at my seat tomorrow and let you know how hard it'll be

Click to expand...

Good man ... not sure how else I could have done it tho... as in theres no way the guy would have given me the key for his bike.. along with the seat..

stu's phone

Stuart, it is quite simple to re code a barrel, they take different leaves inside that are all numbered, the more leaves the more combinations, the less the fewer combinations you can actually remove all but one an it will turn with any BMW key. As the barrel is actually in the cowl at the moment you have to insert a thin piece of metal like a narrow feeler gauge up thside of the leaves which pushes them in, thorn you can remove it by pushing in the securing tab at the end of the barrel. Once out put your key in it and see what leaves are flush and what ones need removed. Hard to explain on a thread but easy enough to carry out.

JimmyMac