We have been working with RAM motorcycle and bicycle mounts for many years. They make great mounts which carry a manufacturer lifetime warranty. They make a lot of mounts. We mean a LOT of mounts. Sometimes the selection can be daunting and we thought a blog posting on the various handlebar models would help to highlight the different types and purposes. Their products range from simply handlebar mounts for bicycles to metal mounts for motorcycles and ATVs.
First up are the mounts most suitable for bicycles. The RAP-274U is a simple plastic mount that fits bars up to an inch. It will fit RAM’s cradles that use the two hole diamond adapter on the back. To attach to your handlebar, simply remove the screw and nut on the bottom, slip over your handlebar and reattach the screw and nut. The RAP-274U is an excellent choice for your bicycle. However for your motorcycle, we would suggest a different mount as this one is not rugged enough for the vibrations of your motorcycle. The RAP-274-1U also fits the holders with diamond adapter. These use included 7″ long cable ties to attach to your handlebar. The cable ties are industry standard and you can easily replace them with the same ones that you can buy in any hardware store.
There are many RAM motorcycle mounting options for handlebars. We find most motorcycle handlebars fall into the 1-1.25″ diameter range and the mounts that we will discuss all fit this range of diameters. The most popular motorcycle handlebar mount is the RAM metal u-bolt mount, part RAM-B-149ZU and is available in 1.75, 3 and 6 inch arm lengths. A variation to the RAM-B-149ZU is the RAM-B-149Z-2U which adds a metal strap option for handlebar diameters up to 3.15″. A major heavy duty mounting base called the RAM-B-235U uses a double u-bolt which I always thought was overkill except for super heavy devices. Lastly, RAM makes a handy economical model called the RAP-SB-187U. This one is constructed of plastic and will use a strap to attach to your handlebar. It fits handlebars to 2.58 inches. All of these motorcycle mounts have a diamond adapter to fit RAM cradles. Some can also be fitted with square or round adapters for other cradles or special situations.
Don’t have a handlebar? No problem. There are plenty of other RAM motorcycle mounts. They make an excellent mount known as the RAM-B-174U which uses the RAM-B-309-1U motorcycle clutch fitting. A photo of this mount accompanies this article. These are most popular for use on a Honda Goldwing where there aren’t traditional handlebars present. Also check out the popular RAM-B-176U option which uses the RAM-B-342U for stem base.
Want a RAM motorcycle mount on your clutch reservoir cover? RAM supports a few different manufacturers with their mounts. These adapters will screw onto the cover (they do not replace the cover). RAM even supplies screws to attach to the cover. The parts needed are RAM-B-345U (centered ball) or RAM-B-346U (offset ball). These come bundles with arms and adapters using part numbers RAM-B-182U and RAM-B-183U. All parts are metal.
Always remember, these are base mounts. All accommodate RAM custom cradles which you will need to add to complete your setup. You can write us if you need help selecting a cradle.