GPS on a Motorcycle

[grmf]

Originally Posted by aaronrkelly

You can score a refurb TomTomOne 130 from Newegg for $49 after a $20 rebate.

What mount do you use to attach your GPS to the bike?

[aaronrkelly]

Originally Posted by grmf

What mount do you use to attach your GPS to the bike?

I bought that GPS for my Goldwing....so I just used the hard plastic disc that comes with it and stuck it on the fairing.....then suction cupped the GPS to the disc. Never had a problem with it popping off.

....the GPS worked great but I replaced it with an refurb Garmin. The Garmin added bluetooth, FM modulator and MP3 player. I put an 8gb SD card full of mp3s in it. Music plays over my radio till the directions.....fades out....gives directions....fades back in. I can also make and receive phone calls thru the GPS and radio....evens works at speeds up to 45mph. Great stuff....love it.

[cjp91068]

I just picked up a TomTom Rider 2 recently.
It works pretty good except today when trying to get somewhere on the other side of Boston, it was off by about 100 ft for a couple of streets, but worked out very well I thought. I just wish it spoke street names instead of distances to next street, etc.

[cinnamon]

how do you hook the car versions up to a bike?

[grmf]

I'm looking at RAM Mounts. They have a wizard that you can pick your GPS and Bike and it gives you the right mount. The one for me is $28

RAM Motorcycle Mounts

[Bob Myers1]

The weather proof method I use for mt Nuvi350 is a simple sandwich bag. I use mine more for a speedo and trip meter than anything else. It does come in mighty handy when the hunger pains get unbearable too. It has saved us once so far for close fuel, and got me totally lost on a road I had been on before. Wife thinks its funny when I do what I want and the "voice" actually changes the tone of speech when I willfully refuse to turn where she wants me too. "Recalculating" has a definate sharp tone to it, different than regular directions.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by Bob Myers1

The weather proof method I use for mt Nuvi350 is a simple sandwich bag. I use mine more for a speedo and trip meter than anything else. It does come in mighty handy when the hunger pains get unbearable too. It has saved us once so far for close fuel, and got me totally lost on a road I had been on before. Wife thinks its funny when I do what I want and the "voice" actually changes the tone of speech when I willfully refuse to turn where she wants me too. "Recalculating" has a definate sharp tone to it, different than regular directions.

Oh, yeah.

Maybe it's my imagination, but the Garmin Gal definitely seems a little snarkey when she says "recalculating"...

[WPADude]

This is what I use, a Garmin 60csx with a mapping program loaded. And I am using Ram mounts. I get a solid 12hrs on 2AA's, and I can take it off and into a pocket in seconds. I have put out hints for a Zumo, mostly for the larger display.

[darryldale]

I definitely think it's worth it.

I use a Garmin C550 (refurbished) unit that I picked up dirt cheap. I bought a nice ram mount for it and an extra power supply off of ebay. I cut the end off the power adapter and wired up an inline fuse and tapped into my headlight power. Works great.

As far as buying the high end waterproof one. Don't bother. For the amount I ride in the rain I just keep a ziplock sandwich bag in my saddlebags. If it starts to rain I just slip it over top of the gps. Can still use the touchscreen and see it fine.

Darryl

[Hightower]

Hmmm ... Not a fan of GPS on a bike!!

One glance away from the road is one too many ... Then slammmmm!!

[northernman]

I glance at my gauges all the time anyways like water temp, oil pressure, oil temp, speedo, etc.

So far never crashed due to looking at the dash.

[aKorn]

I used my Zumo 450 on recent trip to red lodge and it was my best piece of gear. Not only does it show my route but it let's me find gas, food, lodging ect...

As for looking away fro the road, the only other alternative is to have your map / directions in a tank bag and try to steal glances as you are rolling. (or stopping and pulling off the highway every time you want to chech your location)

Go for the 450 or 550. They are a bit pricey but you get an excellent product, left hand controls and a touch-screen that works well w/ gloves.

K

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Hmmm ... Not a fan of GPS on a bike!!

One glance away from the road is one too many ... Then slammmmm!!

Actually, I think a GPS is safer than glancing at your speedometer, gauges or even your mirrors. It's certainly safer than switching the petcock on a bike from "on" to "reserve" while going down the road at 60MPH.

Why?

You really only need to glance at it when your out on the open road. In town and in traffic, you can hear even the ones that only have a built in speaker talk to you and tell you when your turn is coming up. Plus, it tells you how many miles to the next direction change, so you know if, say, the next one is in 25 miles, you have a while before you need to bother glancing at it. Heck, with that distance you can turn the thing off for the next 20 miles or so. If my speedometer talked to me, I wouldn't need to look at it.

The key is, don't stare at the darned thing. Like any device, you have to use it responsibly.

Used correctly, it can make you a safer rider because you always know where you are and where you need to go next. This allows you to place yourself in the correct lanes and be ready for turns before you need to make them. This prevents the need for last second erratic movements that can get you rear ended or put you into the side of someone.

The same goes for listening to music while riding. Keep the volume low and use headphones that still allow you to hear outside sounds.

On my most recent trip, I listened to my Ipod using open-ear headphones at a reasonable volume level that still allowed me to hear an ambulance siren well before I even saw it. I was already prepared to make whatever move was necessary when it came around a curve up ahead in the opposite direction and everyone else was jamming on their brakes. In fact, some cager nearly pulled out in front of it from a side road when when he seemed to think everyone else was stopping to let him in.

I frequently check stuff to be sure everything, including any luggage, is secure and within spec. The GPS is just one of those things I check. However, I do all those things one at a time to limit the time my eyes are off the road as much as possible - and only when I have plenty of distance between me and the car ahead - and there's little danger of someone pulling out into my lane.

The thing is, you can't let checking stuff take the place of paying attention to the road and traffic. Even avoiding road hazards can cause you to not see a car pulling out from a side street. Sure, you avoided the crater in the pavement, but you t-boned a car pulling out of Walmart in the process.

In the end, it's up to the individual rider to not distract themselves. If you don't feel safe using a GPS, then don't use one.

[Hightower]

If theres anything worse I hate is ... ppl listening to music while on a bike!!

Bloody hell, get a cage if you want to listening to music ... Nothing more satisfying that on a bike listening to the burble of your exhaust at different speeds.

I'm old school 'map man' so I'll not get a gps for a bike!!

Sounds like ppl in ere need a BMW 1200 GS ... And go off riding with Ewan & Charlie ...

[aaronrkelly]

Originally Posted by Hightower

If theres anything worse I hate is ... ppl listening to music while on a bike!!

Bloody hell, get a cage if you want to listening to music ... Nothing more satisfying that on a bike listening to the burble of your exhaust at different speeds.

I'm old school 'map man' so I'll not get a gps for a bike!!

Sounds like ppl in ere need a BMW 1200 GS ... And go off riding with Ewan & Charlie ...

Nothing I hate worse then some tool telling me how to enjoy my bike.

I like listening to exhaust sometime....but after 12+ hours of riding down a freeway.....it gets old. Some of my bikes you cant even hear run anyways.

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by CTRider

Oh, yeah.

Maybe it's my imagination, but the Garmin Gal definitely seems a little snarkey when she says "recalculating"...

She's not being snarky...she's just being the Top. Know your place and everything will be fine, step out of line and she will whip you like the worthless insignificant Bottom you are.

[S.D.Willie]

Originally Posted by aaronrkelly

Nothing I hate worse then some tool telling me how to enjoy my bike.

I like listening to exhaust sometime....but after 12+ hours of riding down a freeway.....it gets old. Some of my bikes you cant even hear run anyways.

+1

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by aaronrkelly

Nothing I hate worse then some tool telling me how to enjoy my bike.

I like listening to exhaust sometime....but after 12+ hours of riding down a freeway.....it gets old. Some of my bikes you cant even hear run anyways.

+10,000

In the twisties, along the coast, or in the mountains, the tunes are off.
Crossing the desert where it's like the background in a Hanna-Barbera cartoon over and over, it gets to be a drone.

[Cranky CJ]

I have thought about trying out my kids ipod with ear buds, but am wondering how loud you have to have it turned up to hear the music over the exhaust and wind noise. I wear a half helmet and usually wear ear plugs. So with ear buds and half helmet how loud do you have to have it cranked up?

[northernman]

Originally Posted by aaronrkelly

Nothing I hate worse then some tool telling me how to enjoy my bike.

I like listening to exhaust sometime....but after 12+ hours of riding down a freeway.....it gets old. Some of my bikes you cant even hear run anyways.

Really ???

Wow I am stunned to read this.

I thought you would like me telling you how to live your life.

You know what you can, or cannot wear, what bike to ride, what tires you must use, what you can eat, drink, whom to marry, what job you must do, what TV or radio you can watch and listen to.

Okay seriously, why do people think its okay to tell others what "They may or may not do" ?

Those that hate GPS, don't buy one.

Those like me that love them, should be allowed to use one and not be grumbled at for it.

Maybe I think your bike sucks..........but that is my opinion......and you know what they say about opinions.