Highway Toll Transponder Location

[nhchris]

Hey folks,
 
Do any of you use an EZ Pass highway toll transponder to automatically pay tolls on the interstates?
 
Just curious if you mount it permanently on the FJ.  (I don't think these devices are waterproof.)
 
I've been carrying mine in a tank bag but other stuff in the bag seems to occasionally block it from working.
 
I'd really like to mount it on the bike. Any suggestions?
 
NHCB

[DavidS]

Here in Seattle, it is a clear sticker that must be attached to your headlight

[fddriver2]

Here in Florida I have a SunPass. If a vehicle's license plate is registered to a SunPass you don't have to have the Sunpass on the vehicle. I never carry it on the bike and I've never had a problem.
 
Something to consider.

[wrench]

Inside of windshield near the top. The EZ pass transponder says not to mount it near metal. These things are somewhat direction sensitive - they are meant to be mounted so you can see the EZ-P lettering and logo on your auto windshield (w/ you in the drivers seat). That might explain why it worked sometimes when in my wrist or breast pocket (never checked the orientation when putting it in the pocket). After a bit of a hassle with several missed toll booths, I gave up and mounted in on the windshield. No problems since then.
 
 
I take it off when parking the bike along with my gps and phone. 
 
 

[Tusk]

I have two of these: http://motorcycle-gadgets.com/viewitem.php?productid=274 But my EZPass is the older larger version. They have since made them smaller.
 
Mounts are available for the windscreen, mirror stalk, fork leg and even a strap on your arm.
 
 

 
 
 

 

[texscottyd]

@nhchris - The instructions with mine for the Texas EZ Tag system said to mount it on the inside of the top of the windscreen.  It took me about 3 nanoseconds to decide that wasn't going to work for me, due to both visuals and the likelihood of someone walking off with it when parked.  
 
So, my answer was to throw it in a box in my garage and never think about it again.  Obviously, this strategy may or may not work for you, depending on your toll system's billing and enforcement policies.   But in Texas (and apparently Florida per @fddriver2 ) as long as the vehicle has a valid toll tag assigned to the registered license plate, it automatically bills to my account whether the tag is mounted on the vehicle or not.  I've done this for three plus years with zero issues...  no penalties or surcharges have ever been applied.  This certainly is NOT legal advice, and I suspect many states aren't so nice about it, but here in my area it seems to be standard practice for most of my friends that ride. 
 
About once a year I'll get a friendly note from the toll road authority asking me to check the mounting of my tag... "Yep, it's still in the box.  Thanks for asking!"
 

[fddriver2]

First gear has a Jacket with a transponder pocket on each forearm. Only $400US to carry a $5 transponder.
 
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/firstgear-kilimanjaro-jacket
 
 

 

[Cruizin]

First gear has a Jacket with a transponder pocket on each forearm. Only $400US to carry a $5 transponder.  
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/firstgear-kilimanjaro-jacket
 
 

 
That is one hell of a jacket for the money, BTW. $400 might seem like a lot of money, but it compares to my $700 Klim jacket. When you are flying thru the air about to crash, you want to be wearing the most protection that you can reasonably afford.

[jo1000]

Cycle gear sells these mounts for GPS- phone that attachs to the handle bar , works great for me

[Panther6834]

 
 

@nhchris - The instructions with mine for the Texas EZ Tag system said to mount it on the inside of the top of the windscreen.  It took me about 3 nanoseconds to decide that wasn't going to work for me, due to both visuals and the likelihood of someone walking off with it when parked.

 
Those instructions are for cars. Here, in the San Francisco Bay Area (California), we have FasTrak, and the same install instructions.   One nice difference is that there are two versions (so far...maybe they'll repeat a motorcycle-specific unit in the near future). The "standard" version looks the same as those in the photos...but they also have a "commuter" version, called "FasTrak Flex", which has a 3-position switch: 1 = 1 person in vehicle, 2 = 2 people in vehicle, & 3 = 3 people in vehicle or motorcycle. This is because some commuter & toll lanes are for "2 or more", and others are for "3 or more".  Currently, my wife & I have one "standard" (in her car), and one "commuter" (in my car, which we use more often).  Until recently, I would swap the Flex unit between my car & the motorcycle.  Now that I've mounted the Flex unit in my car, I'll need a third unit (another "FasTrak Flex") specifically for the motorcycle. On the plus side, if we log into our account, and register additional vehicles (registration includes license plate, make, model AND year), then a unit, technically, isn't necessary...unfortunately, FasTrak is known to have problems, so I don't trust the "registration" l way of doing it, thus I prefer to have a physical unit specifically for the bike.
 
 

[wrench]

First gear has a Jacket with a transponder pocket on each forearm. Only $400US to carry a $5 transponder.  
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/firstgear-kilimanjaro-jacket
 
 

Perhaps you can find another reason to buy this jacket....  Though I'm sure the king, when wearing his new clothes, manages to find a place to carry his transponder.

 

[Panther6834]

Have I got an update for anyone still having a problem with figuring out how to mount a highway transponder. This morning, while prepping to install some new equipment, the toll transponder popped into my head...partly because I still hadn't figured out a way to mount it to the new bike, partly because I remembered that I still hadn't updated the bike info (deleting the old bike, and adding the new bike), but, more importantly, because I remembered that I still hadn't requested a second FasTrak Flex unit (which I requested today).
 
Initially, I was using a Mob Armor phone holder, to hold my Galaxy Note 8 to my bars, as I was using the phone for GPS (Waze). Among the new equipment I'll be adding is a Garmin Zumo, taking over the navigation duties. I still want the phone mounted to the bike, but decided to switch the holder to a GIVI unit (S920L SmartClip, for those who might be interested, which is mounted to a GIVI S900A SmartBar, for which the Garmin will also be mounted to...and, eventually, the 3-way switches for the auxiliary & fog lights). Because of these changes, I still had the Mob Armor phone holder just laying on my computer desk, taking up valuable space (when you're also a gamer...even a 50-year old gamer...every square inch of desk-space is "valuable").
 
For those familiar with Mob Armor phone holders, you'll already have an idea of what I'm about to explain/suggest. For those not familiar with Mob Armor, these are EXTREMELY good phone holders, and can be used on almost anything with a handlebar (if you get the bar mount version), or anything magnetic (if you get the magnetic mount version). What I'm about to describe requires the bar mount version (as seen in photo #1):
 
 

 
Additionally, you'll need a small foam rubber block. Anyone who has ordered Li-Iron, or similar smaller/lighter replacement batteries for their bikes willl probably already have some left over, as they give you far more than you need. They typically include blocks of several sizes, but, for this purpose, you'd be using the largest ones, which are approximately 0.75" x 1.375" x 2". As you can see from the "before" & "after" blocks (photo #2), I shaved the long end, to match the angle of the Mob Armor's top bracket:
 
 

 
Once the block has been cut-down to match the angle of the phone holder's top bracket, glue the block to the end of your highway transponder (photo #3):
 

NOTE: I recommend using a SERIOUSLY-stong glue, capable of adhering to plastic AND rubber, such as Gorilla Glue. Alternately...and the route I'll probably be taking (once the new transponder arrives), if you're not 100% certain of the strength of your glue, you can always use packing tape to attach the foam rubber block to your transponder. Even better, use automotive-grade tape, such as 3M Automotive Heavy-Duty All-Weather Duct Tape.
 
While I haven't actually attached the Mob Armor holder back onto the bike (want to install the Garmin, as well as a dual-USB plug (into the right-side 12V adapter location, which is currently unused), when you do go to install it, just install it backwards, facing forward, and in a slightly "up" angle. This way, the "readers" won't have any problem reading the transponder. As for how the transponder, with angle-cut foam block, would look, photos 4 & 5 (below) should give a pretty good indication:
 


 
While I currently have the holder in the upright position, it's not all that difficult to change the position 90 degrees to the left/right. You simply remove the two screws holding the main plate to the clamp bracket, loosen the single bolt holding the clamp bracket to the clamp mechanism, rotate the bracket, tighten the bolt, and then reattach the holder plate to the bracket. The holder will hold whatever is in it no matter what angle its at...even upside-down (NOT that I'm recommending you mount it upside-down).
 
I won't give you a "money back guarantee" (after all, the Mob Armor holders cost $60), but I can guarantee that the Mob Armor holders are INCREDIBLY strong when it comes to holding things in them. When I bought mine, I questioned how well it would hold...so, the parts department manager put his phone in, handed me the holder, and told me, "Hold the bar mount and, and do your best to get the phone to come out."...and, trust me, do-my-best, I did. I tried everything possible (short of throwing the holder), and the phone remained in the holder as if it had been glued in place. Of course, how well the holder holds whatever is placed in it will depend on how well/hard you tighten the top bracket into place. If it can easily hold a "heavy" cell phone, then it will have NO problem holding a lightweight highway transponder. Yes, the $60 price will be considered "too much" by some, but it could be your best option...heck, it might be your only option.
 
 
UPDATE:[span]  Noticing the roughness of the angled cut, I have since sanded the top to smooth it out.  This, I hope, will prevent the piece from "falling apart".  Once I've received the new transponder, installed the Mob Armor phone holder on the GIVI SmartBar, and have put in a decent number of miles with the transponder in place (and crossed a few bridges and/or traveled some toll roads, I will return to inform how it's working.[/span]
 
 

[fddriver2]

Perhaps you can find another reason to buy this jacket....  Though I'm sure the king, when wearing his new clothes, manages to find a place to carry his transponder.

Already have it. Cruzin is right. It's worth every dollar. It runs big though. I originally got a xl tall. I have worn xl tall in First Gear products for years. This is way long in the arms. So regular xl was perfect. YMMV

[Panther6834]

Well, I put my "transponder holder" to the test today (not that it actually got used...this was just to make certain it held in place). As you can see by the photos, it's between my GPS & GIVI SmartClip (the new phone holder), but facing forward, as opposed to backward.
 


 
It held the transponder in place, without ever loosening.