Nelson Rigg Pro Magnetic Expandable Tank Bag, part #CMB300, is in their "fiber tech" line. Tank protector is Aegis Aluminum Weave by Motrax in the UK.

These power connectors are 5 mm outer and 2.5 mm inner, from Radio Snack. They are a suitable size for low-power devices such as GPS receivers and RADAR detectors. They slip in from the front and the nut attaches from the back, leaving a clean look on the front side.

They are not weather proof, but will probably be adequately well protected in this location. Whereas getting a device such as a RADAR locator wet is a big no-no, if a short should develop at one of these, all that will happen is that the 1 AMP fast-blow fuse will have to be replaced. Whenever mounting something like this in a body panel it is important to remember to use a connector to allow simple removal of the panel. the splice was needed here not merely for wiring the two sockets in parallel, but is necessary because the sockets insert from the front.

Left side expansion pocket used to hold remote power supply and cigarette lighter version of DC/DC converter. A plastic plate is cut to size just big enough to fit in the pocket snugly against the inner wall, and then attached to the wall in four corners using smallest size nylon cable ties. Remote volume control is velcro'd and held firmly using three small cable ties joined end-to-end. Both the 12V wire and the 4-wire telephone line to the main unit are run through hole in plastic part and inner wall into inner compartment.

Left-side expansion pocket in normal position. This configuration is optimized for convenience during typical (dry) riding. When it rains, the nice heavy plastic elasticized rain cover that came with the bag, and that is stashed in the right-side expansion pocket, will slip over the whole bag.

Holes are cut in the lower forward corner of the bag that exit the outside underneath the bag and above the flaps that have the magnets. The 12V line exits the main compartment through the same hole as the cable, on the side that you can't see here. The 4-wire line exits the main compartment and into the main compartment's expansion area, which is the flabby-looking part that you see here.

The main compartment expansion zipper is about 1/3 unzipped here and you can see where the 4-wire line terminates on a connector. This allows the clear plastic pouch on top to be unsnapped and taken with the detector and a length of 4-wire line left in the pouch. When it is removed, both the left-side expansion zipper and the main compartment expansion zipper can be fully closed, leaving no visible evidence other than the 12V wire running into the bag.

Right side of the bag as it appears when riding.

It takes lots of practice with little connectors and a soldering iron to be able to make these things so that they'll work reliably. I spent well over an hour just putting the 3.5mm headphone plug on the end of the coiled extension wire. (The headphones that I have installed in my helmet were purchased from Rider Wearhouse.) I got the gold-plated plug mostly because it has screw connectors.

The three wires were cut to precise (unequal) lengths, stripped carefully, the ends rolled, then precisely curved and tinned with solder. After screwing them to the connector, small bits of heat shrink were carefully position to prevent the three prongs from contacting one another, and then the clear plastic sleeve was slipped over the back, covering all three prongs so that they don't make contact with the screw-on case (although the longest of the three prongs is electrically connected to the "sleeve", which is connected to the case).

The case, spring, and two pieces of heat shrink were slipped onto the wire before the leads were cut to length. The smaller diameter heat shrink barely fits through the spring. The larger diameter piece is only about 1 mm long, but is there so that if the wire is pulled instead of the plug, it catches on the spring and then pulls on the case rather than pull the wires loose from the screw connectors.

The next time that I remove the inner panels, I will install socket for heated clothing, heat regulator, heated grips with regulator, DigiTool gear indicator, and also a certain change to the headlight wiring. [click for 1024x768 pixel, 197kb version]