Taking video on the bikes

[Sidecar Bob]

Last winter I bought a Go-Pro knock off to see if I could take better video on the bikes. I initially mounted it on Eccles' fairing and had poor results because the fairing bounces too much so I ordered a "shock absorber" sold for use on bicycle handlebars to use with it.

5 months went by with the camera accessories on a work table next to where I park waiting for me to do something about mounting it; Eccles went to the shed to hibernate until fall and Mr.H took its place in the garage while I was busy with other projects. I really wanted to take some videos on Mr.H before the weather turns so I figured I had better get at it.

I spent a lot of time in the garage this week looking at the bike and contemplating where the camera should go. I wanted it somewhere I can reach easily when on the bike but also where it would be least accessible to passers by (that rules out the left handlebar). I also didn't want the camera to look through the windshield (or to have to look at it through the windshield). I ruled out mounting it in or on the sidecar for similar reasons (+ the body is rubber mounted so it bounces a bit).
After looking at frame and fork mounts (too low to see from the seat) I came to the conclusion that my best option is probably attaching it to the right handlebar so that it is between the mirror' stalk and the sidecar's top (above & ahead of my hand).
I figured some of the 1/2" aluminum bar I've used for many other projects was the best material to use if I could find a way to clamp it to the handlebar and I had a 21mm aluminum clamp (I can't remember what it came with) that had just about the right distance between the ends. Except that it was a single piece and I didn't want to remove everything from the handlebar to slide it on.
So I sawed it into 2 pieces and thinned down the ends so that it would grip the handlebar better, then experimented with pieces of the 1/2" bar to figure out how long the pieces needed to be, where holes were needed and which holes needed to be tapped (just one). One piece even needed a notch to clear one of the clamps for the wind deflector.
And then my buffing addiction kicked in and I spent a day sanding off the anodization and making the pieces shiny. And the fasteners.

1 - Mr.H mount parts.jpg

had it ready to install on Thursday so when I went for the mail Friday I did some tests. Then I decided I didn't like the video editing software I used before because it had so many features I had to learn how to use it again every time. This one was edited with OpenShot. Once I figured out that I need to close all other apps while I worked on it and remembered to save my work frequently it was easy to learn and use. I think I need a faster computer for stuff like that (it took an hour to export an 11 minute video but that's 1920x1080 resolution and high quality).
www.openshot.org

The end result:



I think that was good enough after I removed the "shock absorber" that I can take a video the next time I go anywhere outside of our village.

A better look at the mount

4 - Mr.H mount .jpg

You can hardly tell it's there

5 - You can hardly tell it's there.jpg

[pidjones]

Mechanical noise is not bothersome, and the wind noises is surprisingly absent! Wish mine were so. All that mine (SJCAM mounted on side of my helmet) picks up is wind noise. I've purchased a wind sock that covers all but the lens and will try that next. I tried using the "waterproof" box first, and it fogged up when I stopped to chat with a friend, plus didn't knock down wind noise - just cut all sound down.

[Gowing]

Excellent clear recording. And w shock off. Works great. Nothing like the sound of a goldwing, is there?