GPS Recommendations

[KeithC]

I'm considering getting a GPS for my RR. (I'd also like to use it in the car.)

Walmart and Cabelas have a pretty good sale on the Garmin Street Pilot, 330 and 530, respectively. However, the Garmin website does not list these models as one of their motorcycle models. Do any of you use either of these models on your bike and, if so, how do you mount it?

Garmin's models that they recommend for motorcycles come with a mount, and do have some motorcycle-friendly features. But they're quite a bit more expensive than the above Street Pilot models.

Any comments/input, based on your experience, would be appreciated.

Keith

[Biff's R]

Quite a few folks have the 276c, and other marine versions. you need something that is going to be able to withstand water.

[ScooterCop]

I can whole-heartedly recommed the StreetPilot 2820. I have this hooked up to the GXM-30 XM radio receiver, put through the helmet via an Autocom, with Etymotic earplug headphones. I used a Techmounts mount to hook it up to the handlebars.

[rarider]

Hello KeithC

I received a Zumo from my wife for fathers day last year. Works great in the car and on the "R" as well. The 550 comes with a car kit. It's a little pricey, but in my opinion well worth it. Too many features to list here. Last year Amazon had the best price of the well known reputable companies.

I suggest you check out the link below to learn what others have to say about the Garmin Zumo 550.

http://www.zumoforums.com/

[R4R&R]

Quite a few folks have the 276c, and other marine versions.

Great model, but pricey.

I can whole-heartedly recommed the StreetPilot 2820.

Same here - great unit, but not the latest offerings. Just make sure it's waterproof.

[mcooperstein]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have a few GPS questions....

I recently bought a TomTom One 3rd edition. I paid $140.00 US for it. Now, it has the same map as the more expensive units, it has 1Gig internal memory, it's updateable by connecting it via USB to a PC and connecting to TomTom website, I can even get different voices on it, including John Cleese! It runs NavTeq software. It *doesnt* do BlueTooth, it *doesnt* play MP3's. Neither of these features do I care about, as my cell phone does BlueTooth, and my iPod does MP3's. So, what exactly am I giving up by buying a cheap GPS vs. something like a Zumo 550 for hundreds more? The screen is big enough, the response time to track a sattellite is fast enough, so what then? The only feature I remember from my old Garmin 176 that was kind of nice was the ability to 'record' my route as I went. I could then copy it to my PC overlaid on a map, and voila, there was my trip! Other then that, I'm trying to figure out the justification for the expensive GPS units. What do they do that mine cant do (other then what was previously mentioned) ??

Thanks,
Mark

[big papa]

I'm in the market too. I have been reading on the LT site about many guys using "non-motorcycle" units, mostly since they are cheaper. The Zumos are water proof, the non Zumos users say they just cover up, or remove their non MC units if it rains. I just wonder if the Zumo is ruggedized some other way, maybe internally to make it better of MC use. Also, I belive the Zumo has larger touch screen buttons to ease in use w/ gloves on. I bought my parents a NUVI 650 from Costco. I am gonna see if it feasable to use on my bike, after i give it to them...

[R4R&R]

Mark, I agree with you on the features but it's ultimately up to the potential purchaser to define their requirements. I could care less about bluetooth, MP3, and voice navigation while on the bike so none of those features mattered. A list of good qualities for me are: decent map display size, map update speed, ease of administering the unit, ability to update the system with new roads/stores, ability to see the map in direct sunlight, and water resistance (I don't want to take it off in the rain).

Yes, some of the new top end models come with ridiculous features (and pricetags to match) like live traffic updates (my Garmin 2720 has that option but I need to hookup an FM antenna and subscribe to a service - no thanks), live doppler radar, and satellite radio.

[Sunbeemer]

I bought a Navigon 5100 for $150 at Radio Shack (on Black Friday) that seems to do pretty much everything I need, but is not waterproof. Lots of info on a small screen, and the "Reality view" is a neat trick that should direct you to the correct lane early enough to avoid wild and dangerous lane changes at junctions.

It comes with free (lifetime) FM traffic info that will reroute you around bottlenecks and jams (but I haven't tried it yet). I don't think the routing program is as good as the Tom Tom on my Palm, but that may be because I don't know how to optimize it yet.

It's a very nicely made unit that runs a WinCE OS, and I'm going to see if I can use it on the boat with charts, too.

[Sunbeemer]

I just learned the Navigon 5100 includes BMW Motorcycle shops in their Points-of-Interest lists! Cool!!
Maybe that's because it's made in Germany by a subsidiary of Siemans Group, who also make fine marine nav gear.

And while perusing their website I found a $50 rebate form that Radio Shack never told me about. Free money!!!

It gets better, the Traffic Information radio works well here in Tampa/St. Pete area, so I won't be cooking my oil sitting in traffic next summer! I did that too much last summer

[scottybooj]

The Zumo is all solid-state in it's electronics. I don't believe that the others are all solid-state. This makes the Zumo more suited for vibrations.

Plus, it's water'proof'(more like watertight) and has buttons designed to let gloved fingers use them. The overall ease of use is what you are paying for.