Mounts for Aprilia Motorcycles

Today we are discussing mounts available for Aprilia motorcycles.  Aprilia makes a large array of bikes that range from small-capacity motorcycles and scooters to large sport bikes such as the V4 RSV4.  Their popularity has been increasing partly because of considerable success on the racing circuit.  Here in New Jersey, you don’t see many people using scooters as you will likely get blown off the highway but we do see an occasional Aprilia full-sized motorcycle.

Like many motorcycle owners, Aprilia owners like to mount things on their bikes.  The most popular items mounted are cell phones and GPS units.  I also see some that mount cameras, satellite radios and even drinks.  The most popular locations are the handlebar followed by the clutch but I have also seen some adhesive used to mount devices to the gas tank.  I receive a few questions each year regarding the potential use of a suction cup on a motorcycle which I do not recommend as the vibrations can easily compromise the effectiveness of the hold of a suction cup.

Let’s discuss some mounts that will work well for Aprilia motorcycle owners.  The majority of Aprilia owners will use their handlebar as the mounting point for their devices.  Be wary of inexpensive plastic mounts made for bicycles.  While some plastic bicycle mounts will work well, there are others that are too brittle for motorcycle vibrations.  A good rule is that if it costs $5 and ships from Asia, it’s not a good choice for your Aprilia bike.

First, let’s discuss GPS mounts.  Most GPS mounts will deploy a 17mm ball at the end that will mate with the cradle that came with the car mount that Garmin uses for the windshield mount.  Some of the better (but more expensive) mounts are made of metal and come with a custom cradle which your GPS will snap into.  We recommend tethering the GPS to your handlebar if possible for added safety.  A good entry-level mount with that 17mm ball that is marketed for motorcycle use is the Arkon Bike or Motorcycle Handlebar Mount for Garmin nuvi.

A higher priced but better made RAM Mounting Systems Handlebar Mount and can be supplemented with a custom cradle to fit your GPS.  Both of the mounts mentioned fit handlebars up to 1.25 inches in diameter.  I like the RAM entry for the metal construction of the mount plus the lifetime warranty.

A phone handlebar mount has some other requirements versus the GPS.  I always recommend using a case on your phone so purchase a mount that deploys a well made universal cradle that will grip your phone very firmly and can optionally be tethered to your handlebar.  Select a mount that can swivel into portrait or landscape.  If using your phone as a GPS, you will likely use it in landscape but if using it for other applications, there’s a good chance portrait mode will be needed.  My favorite mount for a handlebar continues to be the RAM X-Grip Handlebar Phone Mount.  We wrote a very detailed article on the X-Grip series which you can read here.  These fit a 1.25 inch handlebar and carry RAM’s lifetime warranty.

Some Aprilia motorcycles such as the more recent RSV4 models can use a fork stem option.  TechMount manufactures a Universal Motorcycle Fork Stem Mount Kit.  The universal stem mount system comes equipped with six stem shafts with varying diameters, each being a different diameter to fit virtually all-steering stem holes.  Select the right size for your stem and slide it down into the top of the fork steering stem. The stem adapter includes an O-ring, which progressively gets tighter as you slide it slides it into the stem shaft, keeping your device attached securely to your motorcycle.

The TechMount kit has a 17mm ball at the end which ironically is the same size used by a Garmin Nuvi GPS cradle.  So for many GPS units, this might be all that is required.  If you would like to add a universal phone cradle to this mount, there are many options.  The Universal Phone Cradle for Techmount Gen 4 Mounting Systems includes a safety bungee and a 17mm adapter that will fit over the ball on the stem mount.  The resulting cradle installation sits roughly an inch off the stem.

I mentioned earlier that there are a lot of riders opting to mount a camera on their motorcycle.  There are many camera mounts available for your handlebar but they aren’t all well suited for camera use.  A camera has a unique requirement to minimize vibration.  Some higher end cameras have technology embedded into the software to minimize this affect.  Most do not.  Buying a plastic mount with a tripod screw embedded is likely to yield a very shaky video so you will want to find a mount that has vibration dampening technology.  The RAM Handlebar Camera Mount has been proven over many years to be the best out there for this purpose.  These fit handlebar up to 1.25 inches and facilitates very steady videos.  There are quite a few videos on YouTube that use a RAM Mount.  Here is a random video that I found and you can see the steadiness of the video.  Using a plastic mount without dampening features will likely result in a very dizzy viewer.