GPS on a Motorcycle

[Dudester]

Originally Posted by Cranky CJ

sounds like a pretty strong endorsement for GPS units, the wife just read the first 15 responses and she broke down and agreed it would be okay to get one. Now I need to decide which one is the best bang for the buck. Any models to stay away from?? or types that you think aren't worth it??
Later this month we will be taking a MC trip; Loveland to Durango, Durango to Grand Jct (mom's house), GCT to Steamboat Springs then Steamboat back to Loveland. We will cross Wolf Creek pass, Red Mountain pass, Rabbit Ears pass and Cameron pass. And go through South Park the San Louis Valley and North Park. This is the route I wanted to do last year but didn't have the extra day to do it.

Eventhough I know all these roads and have driven them at one time or another in my life, I wanted a GPS to show points of interest, gas stations, etc... plus the aid of navigation, way points and ETAs etc. Thank you everybody for the information.

Ok, so mine was the 16th response LOL.
IMHO, I don't see the purpose of spending a lot of money for one, according to what you just described. Anyway if you check out the specials, you can get a real decent gps starting from about $125 all the way up to a maximum number of $$$ ! Just make sure you buy a unit that does no more or less than what you really need. However, you do mention adding way points, which not all of the GPS's out there do. Most of the most recent gps's out there, will give you gas station locations, restaurants, campsites etc...
Garmin is THE big name in gps, and they have a multitude of models and prices to choose from. The same applies for Tomtom gps's, and a few other brands.
Magellan on the other hand, have been around for a long time (as long as Garmin) yet, they haven't for some reason sold the numbers or got the publicity Garmin has......in all honesty, maybe there's a reason for that, or maybe it's just a marketing slip, where they may have missed the boat so to speak. e.g. VHS vs Beta.
Which ever you choose, try not to be influenced by gadgets that you may never use....like mp3 player or bluetooth.
I'm curious as to what you'll end up buying, so I hope you'll post your findings.
Obviously, you have a very caring wife too lol.

[hbgregg]

other than myself, i don't like mounting anything on my bike and use a black jack II with Garmin Mobile XT. works just like a dedicated Garmin unit but can be kept in your pocket until you're lost. if you have a short memory you can use a bluetooth headset and hear the turn by turn instruction. plus, you're eye never leaves the road and traffic in front of you.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Cranky CJ

Any models to stay away from?? or types that you think aren't worth it??

I don't have any experience with units other than Garmin. I've had or have a GPS-V+ (now use it on the dirtbike with topographic maps loaded, it's extremely limited in memory for major metropolitan areas), a StreetPilot III (extremely limited compared to the GPS-V, but more memory and a color screen, I sold it to one of my techs), StreetPilot 2610 (buttload of memory using en expansion card, I loaded the entire US west of the Mississippi, but it has no internal battery for portable use... my wife still uses it), a Nuvi660 that I still use in the cage, and a Zumo 450 on the Vulcan.

Look up the specs on the Zumo 550 or 660... those are the units that you "want".... compare those to the specs on the Zumo 450... that is the unit that you "need"
Primary differences... text-to-speech, Bluetooth capability for interface with a cellphone and with a Scala-Rider intercom system (MP3 output is not stereo on Bluetooth). The 550 included both motorcycle and cage cradles, the 450 included only the MC cradle and RAM mount... not sure about the new 660 as I haven't seen it yet.
The Zumo screen controls and buttons on the case designed for use left-handed, and works well with a gloved hand... the automotive units are touch-screen only and don't always work well with gloves.

Supposedly, the TomTom Rider is a similar unit, and has the advantage of free online map and POI updates, but the guys on Zumoforums.com talk a lot of trash about TomTom and like to compare it to Windows with the BSOD, so it apparently has (or has had) some serious software issues.

With the new Zumo units coming out, you should be able to get a good deal on a new 450. A year or so ago, Costco was blowing them out for $400. I bought mine on eBay from this guy for around $500 or $550. He doesn't currently have any auctions up, but you can shoot him an email.

Be careful with the New York camera shops... they will offer CHEAP deals, but when you order, they'll contact you to "confirm" the order and try to upsell you memory cards and other accessories at double retail. When you refuse the add-on parts, they'll inform you that your unit is on backorder (and you'll NEVER get it). There's a list of some of the known "bad guys" and known "good guys" in the knowledge base on THE ZumoForums and there's probably info on them on Store Ratings and Reviews by Real People - Trusted Online Shopping

[Sun357]

Parents have a Sony for their car. I'd advise against that UT-87 or something. Thing is slow as molasses even with current update.

Personally i'm probably going to get a Nuvi 760. Bluetooth and multi-point routing. $200 on Amazon and I have gift certs there to help me. While a Zumo might be nice it's over double the price. I'd rather put that money towards some other gear.

~Fred

[RichLockyer]

+10,000 on Sony, Sanyo, and the other known brands that are newcomers to GPS. You want to stick with Garmin, TomTom, or even Magellan.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Dudester

or maybe it's just a marketing slip, where they may have missed the boat so to speak. e.g. VHS vs Beta.

Ya... but Sony did it right this time with BluRay...



It's easy to establish a format standard when you own the studios

[Cranky CJ]

anybody fabricated their own mounting device or just buy the ones on the net? my first thoughts were that i could fab up my own pretty easily, but there are some slick ones out there.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Cranky CJ

anybody fabricated their own mounting device or just buy the ones on the net? my first thoughts were that i could fab up my own pretty easily, but there are some slick ones out there.

Go with a RAM mount... all of the engineering has been done and they're secure.

If you get a Zumo, it's included.

[kws9999]

Originally Posted by Dudester

Ok, so mine was the 16th response LOL.
IMHO, I don't see the purpose of spending a lot of money for one, according to what you just described. Anyway if you check out the specials, you can get a real decent gps starting from about $125 all the way up to a maximum number of $$$ ! Just make sure you buy a unit that does no more or less than what you really need. However, you do mention adding way points, which not all of the GPS's out there do. Most of the most recent gps's out there, will give you gas station locations, restaurants, campsites etc...
Garmin is THE big name in gps, and they have a multitude of models and prices to choose from. The same applies for Tomtom gps's, and a few other brands.
Magellan on the other hand, have been around for a long time (as long as Garmin) yet, they haven't for some reason sold the numbers or got the publicity Garmin has......in all honesty, maybe there's a reason for that, or maybe it's just a marketing slip, where they may have missed the boat so to speak. e.g. VHS vs Beta.
Which ever you choose, try not to be influenced by gadgets that you may never use....like mp3 player or bluetooth.
I'm curious as to what you'll end up buying, so I hope you'll post your findings.
Obviously, you have a very caring wife too lol.

I haven't seen anyone else mention it but I have a tough time seeing my Garmin Nuvi 350 in direct or indirect sunlight. I'm on the lookout for something that I can use for a hood.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by kws9999

I haven't seen anyone else mention it but I have a tough time seeing my Garmin Nuvi 350 in direct or indirect sunlight. I'm on the lookout for something that I can use for a hood.

That's another issue with the automotive units... though the MC units are not immune.

What helps is if you move the mount to the clutch perch... you can get a bracket that is secured by the left mirror stem with a RAM ball on it. Moving the GPS up puts less of an angle on the screen, which reduces glare a LOT, plus it's safer to operate because your eyes naturally scan the screen when you check your left mirror.

If you miss a turn, you aren't checking your mirrors enough

[kws9999]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

That's another issue with the automotive units... though the MC units are not immune.

What helps is if you move the mount to the clutch perch... you can get a bracket that is secured by the left mirror stem with a RAM ball on it. Moving the GPS up puts less of an angle on the screen, which reduces glare a LOT, plus it's safer to operate because your eyes naturally scan the screen when you check your left mirror.

If you miss a turn, you aren't checking your mirrors enough

Interesting idea. I currently have it on the center of the bars via ram mount. I'll hold it in the position you mentioned by hand and if it's better then I'll invest in the mirror mount.

[Dudester]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

That's another issue with the automotive units... though the MC units are not immune.

What helps is if you move the mount to the clutch perch... you can get a bracket that is secured by the left mirror stem with a RAM ball on it. Moving the GPS up puts less of an angle on the screen, which reduces glare a LOT, plus it's safer to operate because your eyes naturally scan the screen when you check your left mirror.

If you miss a turn, you aren't checking your mirrors enough

My Magellan is on a Ram mount, placed on the left side of the handlebars. With the Ram pointed up and back towards the windshield, and the gps angled slightly forward, up high, almost to the top of my windshield, I find the screen very easy and clear to read at high noon, with little to no glare. Placing the gps like that, allows me to take quick glances at the gps screen, without taking my eyes off of the road too much. I can actually hear the voice commands if it's not too windy of a day. (no ear plug capabilities on my model) I'm going for a good ride tomorrow, so hopefully, I'll be able to test the new gps a bit more.

[deer rancher]

I've had 4 Garmin units. A Garmin GPS III worked okay for us but the black and white was harder to read while riding. It was waterproof and had an internal battery but it didn't hold up too well when we hit a truck that turned in front of us. We were doing about 65. Haven't riden since. Had logged about 100,000 miles, over 9,000 on that one trip. Brain hemorrhaging, broken bones, constant headaches for 8 years. Gave up riding after 30 years. The wife and I sure miss it. Good luck with the GPS. I've bought mine at Best Buy with the extended warranty. I've ALWAYS used the warranty before it ran out. Don't know if I'm especially hard on them or just because I use them a lot. It's been worth it to go back and get a brand new one though.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

That's another issue with the automotive units... though the MC units are not immune.

That's why it's really important to get a unit that allows adjustment of the screen levels - then go out and tweak the settings to get them so they work for you.

I think a lot of people who have trouble with these units are those who fail to take the time to set them up properly.

What helps is if you move the mount to the clutch perch... you can get a bracket that is secured by the left mirror stem with a RAM ball on it. Moving the GPS up puts less of an angle on the screen, which reduces glare a LOT, plus it's safer to operate because your eyes naturally scan the screen when you check your left mirror.

If you miss a turn, you aren't checking your mirrors enough

That's essentially where I put mine - it's very easy to read there, yet it's still near the gauges, as well.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

The Zumo screen controls and buttons on the case designed for use left-handed, and works well with a gloved hand... the automotive units are touch-screen only and don't always work well with gloves.

That's where people need to try out the unit in the store. In my case, the touch screen buttons are pretty large and work well with gloves. I do hear some units aren't as good that way.

Now, I will say, unless you really want something dirt cheap, I wouldn't recommend the unit I have. I'd pay an extra $75-$100 and get one that reads street names and offers bluetooth connectivity. I'm fine without those things, but would never buy another unit without them.

Bottom line: start with a unit that has what features you need, then let your wallet decide what additional features you want. If you have the budget for a Zumo series, they really are nice. However, if not - or you're cheap, like me - many basic car models will work fine.

[aaronrkelly]

Originally Posted by Cranky CJ

Eventhough I know all these roads and have driven them at one time or another in my life, I wanted a GPS to show points of interest, gas stations, etc... plus the aid of navigation, way points and ETAs etc. Thank you everybody for the information.

Well I have Garmins and TomToms......the TomToms have more real time inforrmation available across the screen.....but the way the calculate time to arrival is WAY off. Mine is always about double what you can really do it in. My Garmin is always spot on.

The Garmin also has 5 million points of interest.....everything is in there. The TomTom has very few....something like 750K.

I bought the TomTom cause it had a bigger screen....which I wanted for the cage.....and I bought the Garmin cause it was very small....which I wanted for the bike.

I advise Garmin over TomTom. My Garmin is like 2 year old....my TomTom about 6 months....given the choise I will take my Garmin over the TomTom.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by CTRider

That's where people need to try out the unit in the store. In my case, the touch screen buttons are pretty large and work well with gloves. I do hear some units aren't as good that way.

The Zumo self-senses whether it's in the MC mount or not.
If not, it uses the same interface for spelling names as the Nuvi.

If it's in the mount, it will switch modes:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
..............F....G....H....I....J

Tap the alphabet at a different location and it'll bring up a different group of 5 (or 6) letter buttons. Definitely not something you'd want to program in motion, but when stopped, especially typing left-handed, it's a lot easier than the standard interface with 26 letter buttons that are half the size.

Also, while the trip odometer and other functions operate 24-7, the fuel odometer functions only operate in the MC mount. This is kinda nice because using the unit in your cage won't throw off the fuel odometer reading on the bike... but of course, it's effectiveness is dependent on the unit ALWAYS being hooked up when you're riding. I only use the unit on road trips, group rides, or if I'll need to find an address... but I generally have a full tank when leaving for most of those types of rides (other than looking for an address). The fuel odometer can be reset at any time, so you don't have to wait for it to hit the limit... just reset it when you gas up.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by mkelley

Oops, can't let that one get by without comment.

Not in the software development business, are you? Mass market software has so many units to amoratize the cost over that you don't really notice it on a single unit basis. Simple software also doesn't have the same development/support costs as complicated software. Ever notice just how many different GPS units a company like Garmin has. Each with its own codeline and support issues. All GPS units also have their own software licensing costs for internal functions (maps, mpeg decoders, other possible recurring patent and licensing fees). The hardware bill of materials is not the sole factor determining the price. These days, hardware's cheap, software's not.

See, that's what I don't understand. Why have all those versions? It seems like they set themselves up for a hassle on their own.

I could understand one version for the bare bones models and one for the higher end ones, but it's silly to have so many versions. It's not like all these models couldn't support the same software. They just artificially limit the functions to get more money out of you - and create headaches for themselves.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

The Zumo self-senses whether it's in the MC mount or not.
If not, it uses the same interface for spelling names as the Nuvi.

If it's in the mount, it will switch modes:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
..............F....G....H....I....J

Tap the alphabet at a different location and it'll bring up a different group of 5 (or 6) letter buttons. Definitely not something you'd want to program in motion, but when stopped, especially typing left-handed, it's a lot easier than the standard interface with 26 letter buttons that are half the size.

Also, while the trip odometer and other functions operate 24-7, the fuel odometer functions only operate in the MC mount. This is kinda nice because using the unit in your cage won't throw off the fuel odometer reading on the bike... but of course, it's effectiveness is dependent on the unit ALWAYS being hooked up when you're riding. I only use the unit on road trips, group rides, or if I'll need to find an address... but I generally have a full tank when leaving for most of those types of rides (other than looking for an address). The fuel odometer can be reset at any time, so you don't have to wait for it to hit the limit... just reset it when you gas up.

I was under the impression we were talking functions you use while riding. There's no way I would type anything while in motion and when I'm not, my gloves come off pretty quick.

As far as anything else (recalling a new POI, finding gas, etc.), those buttons are plenty big on the screen to hit with gloves on.

BTW: I just realized I posted my info backward above. I keep mine on the brake side, not the clutch side. The reason being is when I'm stopped, I'm holding the clutch and need to be able to use my right hand. However, when in motion, it's not a huge deal to reach across and tap the screen once or twice. I almost never touch it while in motion, so it's more likely I'll be stopped when I do.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by CTRider

I was under the impression we were talking functions you use while riding. There's no way I would type anything while in motion and when I'm not, my gloves come off pretty quick.

But it's nice not to have to. You can pull off into a parking lot or the side of the road, kick it into neutral, and go to town while sitting at an idle without removing any gear....

Or maybe you're in the middle of a heavy rain, or it's 25 degrees... Lot's of situations where removing your glove would be one of the last things you'd want to do.