Calling all cabbies!!!!
 

Hi All,
I've got a friend with a Sv650 k3 (not an S) and he's about to start doing the knowledge - i.e London cabbie training - and he wants to use his bike to pound the streets. This will probably involve hours and many miles on London's streets and he will need his maps to be displayed in front of him. I was wondering if anyone had a) done the knowledge and had constructed a map holder, or b) could suggest any way of having a solid, robust device to hold the maps fairly high up above the speedo.
I know most people use scooters, but he will be commuting from outside London so he doesn't fancy one on the motorway. Also, a tank map holder isn't really practical as you need to constantly be looking ahead to see the roads and not down to the tank. I've had an idea suggested that I get a universal screen and bend the brackets back? Any ideas what screens may be suitable for this?
Many thanks all for the helpful advice I'm sure will come.
Rhys

I've done a couple of these on naked bikes, a couple of lengths of ali strapping (4mm x 20mm x any length to fit) fitted to the edges of a sheet (about A4 size) of clear perspex, fit to the bars with a small "U" bolt, doing it up tight will bend the strap to the profile of the bars, if it still moves a bit of rubber under it normally does the trick., just use a couple of elastic bands to hold the map in place and being clear, you can move them around to still see the speedo, so don't have to make it to tall.

Cost about £10-15 or so, and easy to fit and remove.


Cheers Mark.

Does the TomTom rider display street names?

Could be useful once he's got the job too. £250 now.

most GPS do.

I've seen Pizza delivery scooters and (naked) courier bikes with big plastic boards that go above the healight, with a laminated flip page map (a bit like an AZ, but the size of a Road Atlas) on them. Last time I was in London I saw at least 2 that looked identical, so presumably you can buy them ready made from somewhere?

Yes, it does display street names. £250 is a good price for one. I got mine inc. delivery & vat (plus a conversion kit for use in the cage) for £300.

Only problem I can see for a courier is it being nicked off the bike during a drop off. If you were to take it off each time you stopped I imagine you'd wear the mounting mechanism out if you used the standard one (not too robust). If you could knock up a lockable system though (maybe 2 bars going across the top and bottom with a padlock securing them?) it'd be great.