[wump]

What navigation solution are you using on long distance rides? Phone mount? GPS unit? Which models?

There must be GPS threads in existence already, but this website's search tool won't accept the three character string "gps" as a valid input. Links/references appreciated.

 

[Macdoc]

Try iphone as a search or navigation or Garmin etc

iPhone for me for a few years now.

TomTom and a couple of other GPS apps.

Xmounted.

This might be the Burgman - I switch the mountes between bikes



this is the Wee

 

[basshead]

one of the lastest thread on GPS

http://www.stromtrooper.com/techy-world-gps-electronics-etc/280154-recent-model-gps-recommendations.html

you can also use google to search on here with this in the search box gps site:hzzp://www.stromtrooper.com/ (replace the zz by tt)

 

[jrnyer]

I use a Garmin 660 GPS mounted on a Ravetech above the dash mount. I use the GPS with a 6GB flash card with downloaded music. I also have a X grip mount for my cell phone. These are blue toothed to a Sena SH10 headset on my helment.

 

[Stalky Tracker]

I had a Garmin StreetPilot 2730 mounted to a Garmin security bracket, and mounted to a SW Motech over the dash mount. It finally became too cumbersome to update the maps on it so I replaced it this spring.

I now have a Garmin Zumo 590 mounted to a Touratech locking mount, and that mounted to the SW Motech over the dash mount.

 

[p38arover]

There must be GPS threads in existence already, .

Maybe have a look at the forum subsection titles?

Perhaps in the GPS area of the forum (to where I have moved this thread)

but this website's search tool won't accept the three character string "gps" as a valid input.

Try using the Google custom search box at the top of every forum page.

 

[Dave.A]

I use a Garmin 660 GPS mounted on a Ravetech above the dash mount. I use the GPS with a 6GB flash card with downloaded music. I also have a X grip mount for my cell phone. These are blue toothed to a Sena SH10 headset on my helment.

Sounds like a nice setup!:smile2:

I use a Garmin GPSMap 62S in a RAM cradle attached to my Ravetech over-the-dash mount. I can also mount this cradle on my Richland Rick "mirror extender with farkle mount" on the left mirror, but I like it on the Ravetech mount as it is just below eye-line.

The cradle is getting on a bit, so I need to do something to stop the GPS rattling around in it, but the Ravetech mount seems very solid.

Where I live, there's not a lot of requirement for the mapping function, so I use it more as a trip computer with speed, max speed and trip distance on the display.

For music, I have an iPod Shuffle with in-ear plugs. Good sound and muffles the wind noise nicely, whilst still allowing you to hear what you need to.

 

[JoeCoastie]

I'm currently using an old Garmin from my pre smart phone days. I plan on using my phone soon. I need to switch providers, my current provider's data coverage is garbage outside of the city where I need NAV the most. In the meantime, the G ball takes up very little room on my handlebars.

 

[Stump from Las Vegas]

Here's what I use..

 

[bsevans5]

Tried using my phone when I rode down to Vegas from St. George, UT. Phone lost the signal on the freeway in Las Vegas and never picked it up again. I had to sit on the side of the freeway and manually work several times to get it to connect again. I've read some posts where people say it shouldn't lose the signal if its not using an app as GPS is a signal that can be found most places. I've tried it way from big cities (as some suggested that was the problem) as well and still lost the signal at times. I thought a phone would be best as it connect with my sena and I can listen to music too. Didn't work for me. An article I read when researching it also made a point that if your phone is mounted as gps and you get in an accident, there is a good chance your phone will be damaged and you will not have a way to call for help at that point.

I decided to use a regular car gps as I've had better consistency with signal. Was looking for a garmin 765t on ebay before a trip because they will actually connect to a Bluetooth com device. Maps can be updated. Didn't find one in my price range before the trip I had planned in June, but if I plan another trip...I'll start looking again.

 

[Nelsonmd]

I use my phone for everything now so that I can have voice control of my navigation, my music, and phone/texting all at the same time without having to mess with the phone, just tap the BT button on my helmet.

I use an independent bluetooth GPS transceiver instead of the internal GPS on the phone because the internal GPS puts out tremendous heat and drains the battery, and has a crappy signal. The built-in antennae is just not sufficient because it has to fit inside the phone. The external unit works great, much better than the internal GPS, it has it's own battery that lasts way longer, doesn't heat up, and is much faster/more accurate.

Right now I have the phone in a cheap clear case, but it isn't as waterproof as it claims to be, so I may be upgrading to something like a ram aquabox that might actually work as described.

 

[Spec]

I use my phone for everything now so that I can have voice control of my navigation, my music, and phone/texting all at the same time without having to mess with the phone, just tap the BT button on my helmet.

I use an independent bluetooth GPS transceiver instead of the internal GPS on the phone because the internal GPS puts out tremendous heat and drains the battery, and has a crappy signal. The built-in antennae is just not sufficient because it has to fit inside the phone. The external unit works great, much better than the internal GPS, it has it's own battery that lasts way longer, doesn't heat up, and is much faster/more accurate.

Right now I have the phone in a cheap clear case, but it isn't as waterproof as it claims to be, so I may be upgrading to something like a ram aquabox that might actually work as described.

Specifics on your setup?

 

[Nelsonmd]

Well, here is my setup at the moment. I have a homemade GPS mount with an articulated RAM arm that mounts to the gauge bracket. This brings the gps right out in front to the perfect position.

I am trying to dial in the GPS and get it to work to the point that I could use it on a long trip, but the GPS is currently experiencing some charging issues and I need to do a little soldering inside of it. It's a cheapo chinese waterproof GPS that the PO included in the sale of the bike. It actually works pretty well when it's working, but I don't think it is charging when sitting in the cradle right now, I think because of a crappy solder joint that I need to fix.

Right now I have my phone in the cheapo amazon "waterproof" pouch on the handlebars, which works ok. I don't like looking that far down from the road, and the touch screen enabled plastic cover doesn't work very well, plus it's not waterproof.

I just bought this ram mount for my phone though and it will likely replace the GPS for commuting as my phone gets live traffic. When it rains I'll either put a bag over the phone in the new ram mount, or I'll just switch out for the GPS.

Then for using GPS with my phone, I don't like that the internal GPS is slow, not very accurate, kills the battery, loses signal, and heats up the phone enough to cook an egg on it, so I got an external bluetooth GPS receiver. I bought this one:

GT-750FL

another listing...

But there are a bunch of models out there that I'm sure are just as good.

The bluetooth GPS works great and it just sits in my pocket. The battery lasts about 24 hrs and it doesn't kill my phone battery. It is way faster and more accurate than my phone too.

So that's my current setup. Phone when it's dry, GPS when it rains (assuming I can fix it...).

For charging, I installed a Blue Sea dual USB slot on the left side of the plastic apron, right next to the 12V cigarette port the PO installed (you can see it in the second pic). I can easily put a charging cable in there, route it though the brake line hooks, and up to the phone with no problems.

It all works well so far.

 

[trapperdog]

Good info on phone GPS How to use the iPhone 4 as a GPS mapping device for backpacking
I Bluetooth my phone to my GPS and the GPS to my headset. My GPS has all my music on a card. This link only allows phone calls and no other phone functions. If need be, I can dump the GPS to phone link while on the move, voice command my headset to connect to the phone and use other phone functions via voice commands to the phone.

 

[Dave.A]

That is an awesome article!

Hmmmm..... might be time to retire the Garmin..... :grin2:

 

[Nelsonmd]

That is a pretty good article; pretty typical stuff, but a good overall summary if you haven't explored the options much for extending battery life. All of that info could be used in conjunction with an external GPS device like the one I got, especially if you wanted to really track your trip and not just take very periodic readings. I have found that bluetooth really doesn't drain much from the battery, so in airplane mode, with bluetooth on, I can go a few days on a charge.

Quick update, I got the new RAM mount, and I freaking love this thing... It's a little tough to see in this pic, but I realized that I couldn't take a photo with my phone if the phone is mounted... I also grabbed a screenshot from my helmet cam so you can see it with the phone mounted and plugged into my Blue Sea USB port. I was easily able to pull my phone off the mount and put it in my pocket when it started to rain, though it is pretty well shielded by the wind rushing over the windscreen in the slight rain we got.

Here's a link to my Amazon review on if, I put more pictures up there.