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

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.

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)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
Cheers, Macca

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.

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07 DL1000, all farkled up

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.

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2007 Blue SuperVee 1000
2002 White HD Road King Police
2000 Red Honda XR 400r
2003 Green Honda Rincon 650 ATV

If it is not broken, it can still be fixed

Before you guys get too carried away raving about the Zumo 550 it is no longer available. The OP wants to buy today not 3 years ago.

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.

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"The first five days after the weekend are always the hardest."

-- My wife

Thanks KIWI.
Just another reminder that time's passing and I'm getting older.

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Don.

It's my Stroms 6th birthday in January I really should do something about enrolling it in school.

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.

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

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