I wanted a bar-style GPS mount for my 2012. Not many options to choose from; the only one I saw was upwards of $60 from the 'bay. As I like to tinker, I thought I'd try a different way. A quick measurement showed the distance between the windscreen mounting faces to be roughly 222mm. Checking the specs from a few other GPS bars online, I found the bar for a CB500X was 223mm. Close enough. $20 and a few days later it arrived.
Turns out it is a great fit. I mounted the brackets between the windscreen and the fairing using the existing hardware. It doesn't look 100% OEM but it's pretty close. As an added bonus, the bar hardware uses the same hex size as the fairing hardware... nice.
The most difficult part... those !@#$% well-nuts. I finally figured out the best way to remove them was to push them through and let them fall to the ground, which they did... except for one which managed to lodge itself in the depths of the instrument panel mounting, and one which I still can't find. SO... I had to remove the headlight fairing, which of course is predicated by removal of the plastics. I went ahead and added extra well nuts in the event of future windscreen adjustments/changes.
I made two extra brackets that will go from the upper windscreen attachment point to the bar, giving a solid triangular connection, but the existing screws were not quite long enough due to the added clearance and the non-OEM well nuts I used. I have some black 20mm bolts on the way to replace all 4 existing bolts. As it sits now, the bar is rock-solid without the extra brackets. The brackets will work with either windscreen mounting location.
All said, a great result!
The CB500X GPS bar and brackets. Keys for scale.
Bracket attachment.
Bracket portion visible underneath the windscreen.
Brackets before bar installation.
Final result. The extra brackets I made will attach between the windscreen upper mounting point and the bar, creating even more strength/stability. Probably not needed.
Tools for the job. I love the MotionPro T-handle; it lives with a 10mm socket attached and at the ready. It and the 1/4 driver stay under the seat. Also pictured: the hard-to-find Well Nut Insertion Tool.
Turns out it is a great fit. I mounted the brackets between the windscreen and the fairing using the existing hardware. It doesn't look 100% OEM but it's pretty close. As an added bonus, the bar hardware uses the same hex size as the fairing hardware... nice.
The most difficult part... those !@#$% well-nuts. I finally figured out the best way to remove them was to push them through and let them fall to the ground, which they did... except for one which managed to lodge itself in the depths of the instrument panel mounting, and one which I still can't find. SO... I had to remove the headlight fairing, which of course is predicated by removal of the plastics. I went ahead and added extra well nuts in the event of future windscreen adjustments/changes.
I made two extra brackets that will go from the upper windscreen attachment point to the bar, giving a solid triangular connection, but the existing screws were not quite long enough due to the added clearance and the non-OEM well nuts I used. I have some black 20mm bolts on the way to replace all 4 existing bolts. As it sits now, the bar is rock-solid without the extra brackets. The brackets will work with either windscreen mounting location.
All said, a great result!
The CB500X GPS bar and brackets. Keys for scale.
Bracket attachment.
Bracket portion visible underneath the windscreen.
Brackets before bar installation.
Final result. The extra brackets I made will attach between the windscreen upper mounting point and the bar, creating even more strength/stability. Probably not needed.
Tools for the job. I love the MotionPro T-handle; it lives with a 10mm socket attached and at the ready. It and the 1/4 driver stay under the seat. Also pictured: the hard-to-find Well Nut Insertion Tool.