2011 RAM Offset Mount for Brake Reservoir Install

Ming said:

Hello, After reading some of the posts I'm a little wary of installing RAM offset reservoir mount.

I'm planning to use the mount in conjunction with RAM Quick-Grip XL Phone Holder.

Any words of advice or best practices on mounting? Do you use the spacers? I know Loctite is recommended...

Thanks in advance!

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Am I correct, in that you're talking about this RAM product, the 346U:


If so, I have these words of advice, based on my reading but no personal experience (because when I had my two 650 Burgers, I was fortunate to have ordered the now-defunct MCL replacement reservoir covers):

1) Don't use the spacers that come with it.

I learned this only a few years ago: those spacers are only for some (BMW?) models that have recessed screw holes. By not using the spacers -- i.e., by placing that RAM cover directly on top of the stock cover -- you don't put the kind of sideways stress on the cover screws, the stress that would be present if the spacers were used.

You might want to read through this thread (which jumps from 2009 to 2021) for some background:


2) Keep it light, in terms of whatever you mount.

This point is just a corollary of the first point.

3) I don't know about the Loctite.

As I say, I've never used this particular RAM mount, and didn't use any threadlocker on my MCL screws. If you do, keep it to medium grade, at most, because taking the cover(s) off of brake reservoirs is an item of routine maintenance, i.e., periodic brake-flushing.

4) Regarding mounting phones (which is what I assume you'll be doing with the XL Phone Holder), you may not want to risk mounting a late-model iPhone (or perhaps some Android phones) without using a special purpose vibration-dampening mount.

I have a post from 2021 that discusses this a bit, with links to a warning from Apple and a brief discussion in RideApart:


If this applies to you, the companies that I'm aware of that have motorcycle-oriented anti-vibration mounts are:

• Hondo Garage: hondogarage.com/collections/phone-mounting-systems-motorcycle
• Quad Lock: www.quadlockcase.com/collections/shop-motorcycle
• Peak Design: www.peakdesign.com/collections/mobile#addon-sub
• SP Connect: sp-connect.com/collections/mounts

Good luck with your project.

Ming said:

Wspollack, Thanks for ALL the info I really appreciate it, it helped a great deal!! Now I just have to figure the best way to route power.

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Well, here's a possibility for you, but I'm not sure whether you'll be comfortable doing this mod: wiring and drilling.

On both my Execs -- an '07, owned from '07 - '12, and an '08, owned from '16 - '22 -- I drilled through the bottom of the dash, to add some goodies. Here's a pic of that area on the more recently modded '08:



Left to right: a garage door opener button; a USB port; a 12V cigarette-style outlet; and a multi-colored voltmeter LED. You can find the product links in the caption of that pic in my (no longer updated) Burgman gallery, here:


Now, for just adding that external USB outlet -- if this piques your interest -- you'll need an outlet and a power supply for it.

For the outlet, I recommend products from 3BR Powersports, as I've used their goodies on three bikes now:


The particular outlet I used here has been superseded by newer stuff there. I like that they supply a corresponding wrap-around rainproof cover for a cord; that is, a number of companies make external USB ports similar to that, but not the whole package.

For a power supply, without going into the work of adding a fuse block for other goodies (and if you're curious about that, see the recent thread The usual question, but for the 2022 model: where do I... ), for just this one addition I'd tap into the wires for the stock cig-lighter-style outlet.

That outlet can easily handle an amp or two going to a USB outlet. Also, it's nice that the cig power is switched with the ignition, because you don't want a USB outlet powered when the bike's off -- even if nothing's plugged into a USB port, there's parasitic draw in them (to power an internal transformer), which could run down your battery when the bike's parked for some time.

For tapping the two cig wires behind the dash, I recommend Wago clamps. See this post from earlier today, where I discuss them (with a product link): Installing a Back Off Module

Last, for the plastic drilling, I recommend a stepped bit -- but make sure you don't push too hard when using one of those, or you'll make a too-big hole. I have a pic of what I'm talking about here, regarding such a bit, in my Beemer gallery, at this particular pic and caption:


That is, after I got my new scoot last summer, one of the first things I did was add a 3BR external USB port (which I mostly use to power a GoPro). If you look at a couple of pics in that gallery around that one I just cited, you'll get the idea.

Last, you can just drape a phone-powering cord from the USB port up to your phone. There should be enough slack that it won't interfere with steering.

An alternative, if you want to get fancy, would be to more or less permanently mount the cord underneath the handlebar covers, with zip ties to the handlebars, and have enough of it come up near whatever phone mount you wind up with.

Just some random thoughts for your consideration.

Edit Addition:

Oh, I forgot to mention: on the Gen I 650s, taking out the dash, to see what's behind it, do some drilling, some tapping, etc., is a pretty simple affair: eight screws, and some guide edge areas. And you'll probably first want to remove the handlebar covers, which, I think, is four push-pin rivet things.