StromTrooper banner

looking for a Sat Nav device

4K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  Tweed-Strom 
#1 ·
Hi Guys
Am wondering if anyone has any advice on the following subject .I am looking at purchasing a navigation device of some sorts for myself .Have been looking at the tomtom or garmin for bikes but a add for a megellan gps unit caught my attention .Done some internet searching and thought the explorer 610 sounded good.Being that it could be outfitted with dirt maps and had built in recording and could be downloaded to computer of roads travelled.So am in two minds the price difference is about $100 plus mounting options.My partner brought me a peaklife navigator last year and is still in the box had no Australian maps when did load maps apparently has no drivers for the TMC which collects all the data to tell it were it is so do not want one of those again.So some advice would be appreciated.
Many thanks
 
#2 ·
What is your price range?

If you want to spend $100-200 only you aren't going to get anything from a name brand that is motorcycle specific (i.e. Remotely waterproof and glove friendly).

If you want a motorcycle specific GPS for street and designated road use then unless you chance ebay again you are up for around $350+ for a Garmin or TomTom unit depending on what features you want.

If you want a GPS that does the lot (road/off road/handheld) look at the Garmin Montana 650T but you are up to around $700 there.

If you have a Android or Apple phone then you could always download something like Mapfree and just buy an appropriate bracket, weatherproof box and charger and mount the phone on your bike for probably less than $150.

The last option is to do what I and millions of motorcyclists have been doing for the last 100 years. Ride the bike, have fun, don't use a GPS.
 
#10 ·
The last option is to do what I and millions of motorcyclists have been doing for the last 100 years. Ride the bike, have fun, don't use a GPS.
I can do it that way, but if I set the GPS to shorter distance as opposed to shorter time, it usually dumps me on alternative roads I don't know about. For me, that's a big deal after 35 years of driving/riding 50k miles a year in New England. I repair church organs, so am on the road all the time.

I already know all the primary and secondary roads, but discovering the tertiary roads is often a real treat. You can also do it with maps, and I do, but the GPS is much easier.
 
#3 ·
I use a Garmin Zumo 550.A excellent bit of gear that can do all sorts of wonderful things( that I dont need or use:mrgreen:)I do have it fitted with three 4x4 roads and tracks maps that have been very handy when exploring the outback where fuel supplies are limited.
No doubt Mr.Google can give you all the good info on its abilities & features
The Zumo was expensive but has proved to be almost indestructible,was the last man standing,forward of the fuel tank and above the front wheel,when the KLR did a nose dive from a great height on the Plenty Hwy, plus its been water & vibration proof for 4 years.
I can give Zumo the :thumbup:
Cheers, Macca
 
#4 ·
A few months back I started using the GPS Drive app by MotionX for the iPhone 4S. It is very good with useful features.. It communicates to my helmet bluetooth. And it costs around $10/year. I would never deal with an extra device for GPS. Previously I was using the Mapquest4Mobile free app, and that was what it was worth, it sucked.
 
#5 ·
Another satisfied Zumo 550 owner. I leave mine out in the rain overnight at hotels. Ride with it in the rain if necessary. Never a hiccup.

I do wish it had the posted speed limits indicated and my speed turned red when I was over the limit like my cheaper car Garmin.

But, I might just get paranoid with my speed always glowing red.
 
#7 ·
I have the Garmin 62st and I love it. Waterproof and easy to use on the bike. It is pricey though. I prefer this over the Montana as I don't think I would like touch screen w/ gloves on. Especially depending on how small they make the buttons. I have not used a Montana though, so I can't say for sure.
 
#12 ·
I'm in the USA ( in car with family ) for a while and the GPS I had last year wanted to play up so I bought another one .It too has played up !!!! talkes to you then sometimes dose not or dose the best impersonation of my wife giving direction !! turn left in 1/8 of a mile as you drive past the turn !! At least it was only $99 for a 5 inch screen Magellan . My Iphone 5 worked in San Fran and my sons Iphone 4S did not ,well it was about 4 blocks behind!!

I have 4 GPS all have stuffed up played up impersonated my blonde wife etc.

Mate Loves his Zummo but he has sent it back about 3 times and it stoped working in the USA .

The conculsion is get a cheap one and keep a second one or phone handy ,and of course a map . I have found that on the bike a ziplock bag and a rubber band help keep a GPS dry ,you should also consider making a sun shade as they are hard to read .
 
#15 ·
I have a Strike unit. They are supposedly Australian designed.

I'm very happy with it, they are robust as I can attest as mine has been treated horribly.
Maps and navigation options are also quite good.

I leave the mounting nub on the bar so I can remove or ad as convenient. The lead has a weather proof cap so it doesn't cause any issues leaving it dangling.

The screen is a tad small but not difficult to read. Works fine with gloves on or off.

They are expensive but I have no regrets.
 
#21 ·
Download maps for peaklife

scource some maps & put them in the peaklife your girlfriend got you, or check out brash imports melb navngo gps, same unit, best value m/bike gps i could find, so far cant fault it. youve got nothing to lose, youve already got it.





My partner brought me a peaklife navigator last year and is still in the box had no Australian maps when did load maps apparently has no drivers for the TMC which collects all the data to tell it were it is so do not want one of those again
 
#22 ·
I have had the zumo 660 for just over 2 yrs now and it's great.
Blue tooth to my G4 and phone. I can listen to music on micro SD card and it came with lifetime map updates as well.
It is 100% waterproof it is also shock proof as i dropped mine once accidently on the bitumen still working no prblems it also comes with car and bike mounts.
Has custom routes, tracks and a fuel gauge for the bike and much more.
Johny Appleseed has them currently for around $550 as Vman got one the other day.
He also found out that the new 660 doesn't have all the Bluetooth capabilities that the old 660 does and it's more expensive go figure!!!
Vman is very happy with his so far .
 
#24 ·
The only area, and this is just conjecture on my part, is that I think the 550 would fare better if you dropped it than the 660 does. I know from experience that if you drop the 660 the wrong way the screen can crack. I suspect the same is true of the 550 but I bet you have to try a bit harder. Of course, if you aren't a total clutz like me then this shouldn't be an issue.

..Tom
 
#25 ·
Many thanks for the advice

Thanks everyone for the advice it is easy to get confused when looking at these devices on the market so we have decided on the .Magellan 610 Explorer

Core Outdoor Navigation
Rugged and waterproof, the eXplorist combines high sensitivity GPS reception with aesthetic mapping and accurate navigation. Find your way using more than 30 navigational data fields. Create waypoints, record tracks, and route from point to point.
Experience Recording
Integrated 3.2 mega-pixel camera, microphone, and speaker enables outdoor enthusiasts to record geo-referenced images and voice notes. Relive your outdoor adventures on the device, on your computer, or share with others on various online communities.
Superior Maps with 3D Perspective View
The eXplorist series packs some of the most accurate maps into the palm of your hand. The World Edition map allows for 2D or 3D viewing angles and covers the globe with details roads and land use areas. Summit Series is a new breed of topographic outdoor maps covering various regions with high level of detail. City Series will add turn-by-turn routing to your handheld GPS receiver.
3.0" Touch Screen and Button Controls
The best of both worlds, the eXplorist combines the user friendliness of a touch screen with the reliability of two customizable hard buttons. Program the hard buttons to your two favorite or most used functions and ensure quick reaction while wearing gloves or in just in a rush.
Paperless Geocaching
Download and view more than 20 unique characteristics of each cache and view, search, filter on the device. Details include name, location, description, hider, size, difficulty, terrain, hint, and recent logs created by other geocachers.
16 Hours of Battery Life
Powered by two AA batteries, the eXplorist will last up to 16 hours under normal conditions. To help conserve power, use the suspend mode to turn off the device but maintain GPS tracking. You can also adjust power management settings to your preference.
OneTouch™ Menu
Magellan’s award winning OneTouch™ favorites menu is now on our handheld devices. It provides instant access to bookmarks of your favorite places. Set your home, camp, and car. Easily re-assign a new location for each new adventure. 12 customizable icons to create personalized searches, save unique locations, or assign quick access to your favorite screens
3-axis Electronic Compass & Barometric Altimeter
Always know exactly where you are going, which direction is north, and your accurate altitude about sea level with built-in sensors. Know the direction to the geocache while standing still. Measure barometric pressure over time to track changing weather conditions. Use a number of different digital compasses to always understand your cardinal directions.
World Edition Pre-loaded Map
The World Edition includes a complete road network in United States, Canada, Western Europe, and Australia and major roads throughout the rest of the world that provides cartographic orientation in almost any location. This unique preloaded map also includes water features, urban and rural land use, and a realistic shaded relief background.

Dimensions (Metric)65.3mm x 128mm x 36.8mm
Weight (Metric)195g
Battery Type - 2xAA
Battery Life 16 Hours
Camera - Yes
Microphone - Yes
Waterproof - IPX-7
Speaker - Yes
Available User Storage500 MB
CPU - 400MHz
Expandable Memory - microSD
Temperature Range (C)-10C to 60C
Suspend Mode - YesI
nternal Memory - 4 GB
SCREEN

Display Resolution, WxHWQVGA, 240 x 400
Screen Size - 3.0"
Display Type - Color, Transflective
Touch Screen - Yes
GPS & SENSORS

GPS Accuracy - Up to 3-5 meters
High-Sensitivity GPS - SiRFstarIII™
Antenna Type - Multidirectional Patch
3-Axis Electronic Compass - Yes
Barometric Altimeter - Yes
WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS - Yes
MAPPING & NAVIGATION

Preloaded Maps - World Edition + Summit Series CA
Uploadable Maps - Yes
Points of Interest - T
Turn-by-Turn Routing - Yes
Vertical Profile - Yes
Area Calculation - Yes
Hunt & Fish Calendar - Yes
Sun & Moon Information - Yes
Coordinates Systems & Datums - Yes
User Grid - Yes
OneTouch Favorites Menu - Yes
Audible Proximity Alarms - Yes
Silent Proximity Alarms - Yes
Navionics® Map Compatible - Yes
USER GENERATED CONTENT

Accepts GPX Files - Yes
Waypoints - 2000
Routes - 200
Geocaches - 10000
Legs Per Route - 500
Paperless Geocaching - Yes
Picture Viewer - Yes
Tracks - 200
Points Per Track - 10000
User Data Online Sharing - Yes
INTERFACE & COMMUNICATIONS

Communication Protocol - USB Mass Storage
USB Port - Yes
NMEA Output - Yes
PC Compatible - Yes

*Vi
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top