Compass (not a GPS)

[kurtfriedrich]

anyone have a high quality, small, simple compass on their FJR? I have a GPS that I might drag along for a week trip, but for normal day trips, I'd like a simple compass.

thanks

NFNG Kurt

 

[Fencer]

Autozone has some nice ones by the fuzzy dice

 

[Checkswrecks]

Between knowing where the sun is and time of day, I've never missed having one.

 

[JimLor]

If I recall correctly, Aerostich folks have some in their stuff (Whitehorse press). You just have to be careful because the bike has metal and also produces electric current, both of which can throw off a compass. There are those made to compensate and you need to get one of them - of course the good ones aren't cheap! Always good to doublecheck using the sun and north star when you can. I used one of those cheap plastic compasses you stick on your watchband for years and they never failed! Won't give you accuracy to 1 mil, but give you a good idea of direction.

 

[mdisher]

If I recall correctly, Aerostich folks have some in their stuff (Whitehorse press). You just have to be careful because the bike has metal and also produces electric current, both of which can throw off a compass. There are those made to compensate and you need to get one of them - of course the good ones aren't cheap! Always good to doublecheck using the sun and north star when you can. I used one of those cheap plastic compasses you stick on your watchband for years and they never failed! Won't give you accuracy to 1 mil, but give you a good idea of direction.

Don't need no stinkin compass...

Sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, and I think moss still grows on the north side of trees

 

[kurtfriedrich]

Between knowing where the sun is and time of day, I've never missed having one.

I guess you don't ride when it get's cloudy?

Don't need no stinkin compass...Sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, and I think moss still grows on the north side of trees

TUP

 

[FJRScorpion]

Timex makes several watches that are also digital compasses. They are not too expensive, under $100, and you can hold it some distance from the metal and EMF of the bike. Be sure to choose one that will work for you though since there is a considerable difference in quality, even in the same line. I tried the electronic compass that Radio Shack was selling for about 10 bucks on sale last year and it was totally worthless near the bike or car. I have a Cobra walkie-talkie that has the compass built in too, but have not tried it near the bike. Now I have the ZUMO so I don't worry about it at all. :clapping:

 

[Knifemaker]

You can try here:

https://tinyurl.com/37q5h7

Seems the only ones marketed for motorcycles are no longer available. Perhaps you can track down the maker...

EDIT..here is on that is in stock

https://tinyurl.com/3dzoat

KM

 

[kurtfriedrich]

You can try here:https://tinyurl.com/37q5h7

Seems the only ones marketed for motorcycles are no longer available. Perhaps you can track down the maker...

EDIT..here is on that is in stock

https://tinyurl.com/3dzoat

KM

Great post, thanks for finding it, and even using tiny URLs.

I ordered it.

Kurt

 

[kurtfriedrich]

A compass has 1 big advantage over a GPS. I will stick it on the bike, and leave it there. It will always be there.

With a GPS, you have to always take it off, store it, and remember to put it back on. Then there is that one time you forget while you run into Starbucks, and when you come back - shit!

 

[FJrider1]

Best $8 I ever spent! Target....

 

[Harald]

snipand I think moss still grows on the north side of trees

Maybe in Ohio, but here in the Seattle area it rains 24/7 year 'round so we have moss on ALL sides of the trees, on our roofs, inbetween our toes, etc......

 

[mdisher]

A compass has 1 big advantage over a GPS. I will stick it on the bike, and leave it there. It will always be there.With a GPS, you have to always take it off, store it, and remember to put it back on. Then there is that one time you forget while you run into Starbucks, and when you come back - shit!

<potentially useless post>

True, it is unlikely anyone would steal your compass and you don't have to 'remove it and reinstall it'.

I still don't personally see the need on the road so much as most roads tend to run north/south east/west and are marked as such at *most* intersections. Dual sporting where you get off into the bushes is a whole other issue in my mind.

I tend to ride and either need or want directions that the GPS provides, or don't simply don't care where I go or when I get there.

Since my GPS provides more than just GPS functionality for me (Phone interface, XM, MP3), I tend to not leave w/o out it.

That being said, compasses are certainly useful when you're directionally impared. Not saying that you specifically are, but I do know folks that couldn't tell you which way is north even if they had a compass.

</potentially useless post>

 

[mdisher]

snipand I think moss still grows on the north side of trees

Maybe in Ohio, but here in the Seattle area it rains 24/7 year 'round so we have moss on ALL sides of the trees, on our roofs, inbetween our toes, etc......

lol, that post was more in jest than anything else. I'll never forget when my boy was about 7 and thought he could always tell which way was north. His method still escapes me, but it had to do with moss, shadows, which way the wind was blowing and the grass was leaning among other things.

It was a hoot asking him which way we were heading in the car and watching him observe all that he could trying to figure it out. Needless to say he guessed right more than 25% of the time, so maybe there was method to his madness.

 

[uctofeej]

Shit! I wasn't aware we're supposed to know where we're going. I thought the point was to just ride.

 

[kurtfriedrich]

<potentially useless post>
True, it is unlikely anyone would steal your compass and you don't have to 'remove it and reinstall it'.

I still don't personally see the need on the road so much as most roads tend to run north/south east/west and are marked as such at *most* intersections. Dual sporting where you get off into the bushes is a whole other issue in my mind.

I tend to ride and either need or want directions that the GPS provides, or don't simply don't care where I go or when I get there.

Since my GPS provides more than just GPS functionality for me (Phone interface, XM, MP3), I tend to not leave w/o out it.

That being said, compasses are certainly useful when you're directionally impared. Not saying that you specifically are, but I do know folks that couldn't tell you which way is north even if they had a compass.

</potentially useless post>

With no disrespect to the great state of Ohio (I grew up in Pgh) Here in the northwest, the roads are all (wonderfully) twisted and confused as they follow the contours of rivers, bays, sounds, and the Cascasde mountains. They also have 2 extra features ...

- roads with names often come to a dead end, and then pick up again a mile or so later, with the same name. Try driving E/W on Main street in Bellevue WA (pop 110,000). It comes to a dead end as it hits I405 and a big hill. Then on top of the Hill, it picks up again and continues going east.

- the same road, as it twists from e/w to n/s changes names at the twist, and this goes on over and over again. You can't tell someone

"take 125thstreet for 4 miles" you have to say take 125th st for .8 miles, then it changes to 80 ave for .2 miles, then it changes to 124 st for 1.2 miles, etc. Here is the street I live on. In the 2 mile stretch, the road had 5 names!

peace

Kurt

 

[jestal]

This works surprisingly well and is so cheap that there is no worry about thieves. Mine sticks to my windshield or you could make a bracket or velcro it somewhere.

https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=94618

 

[mdisher]

<potentially useless post>
True, it is unlikely anyone would steal your compass and you don't have to 'remove it and reinstall it'.

I still don't personally see the need on the road so much as most roads tend to run north/south east/west and are marked as such at *most* intersections. Dual sporting where you get off into the bushes is a whole other issue in my mind.

I tend to ride and either need or want directions that the GPS provides, or don't simply don't care where I go or when I get there.

Since my GPS provides more than just GPS functionality for me (Phone interface, XM, MP3), I tend to not leave w/o out it.

That being said, compasses are certainly useful when you're directionally impared. Not saying that you specifically are, but I do know folks that couldn't tell you which way is north even if they had a compass.

</potentially useless post>

With no disrespect to the great state of Ohio (I grew up in Pgh) Here in the northwest, the roads are all (wonderfully) twisted and confused as they follow the contours of rivers, bays, sounds, and the Cascasde mountains. They also have 2 extra features ...

- roads with names often come to a dead end, and then pick up again a mile or so later, with the same name. Try driving E/W on Main street in Bellevue WA (pop 110,000). It comes to a dead end as it hits I405 and a big hill. Then on top of the Hill, it picks up again and continues going east.

- the same road, as it twists from e/w to n/s changes names at the twist, and this goes on over and over again. You can't tell someone

"take 125thstreet for 4 miles" you have to say take 125th st for .8 miles, then it changes to 80 ave for .2 miles, then it changes to 124 st for 1.2 miles, etc. Here is the street I live on. In the 2 mile stretch, the road had 5 names!

peace

Kurt

True, side streets and their names don't count for much. Still in my experience as limited as it may be, shows that most roads above side streets, especially state and US routes tend to go north/south, east/west. When you intersect with them, you'll usually see things like US52 West go that a way, US 52 east, go that away.

Generally that's all *I* need to get my bearings if I've lost them.

I'm not sure how using a compass would help you navigate the side street(s) that you illustrated, and I'm also not sure why we seem to be measuring dicks over the use of a compass. :unknw:

 

[Checkswrecks]

I grew up in Ohio, took a 10-year vacation on the left coast, and know Seattle pretty well. I'm with Renegade on generally being able to figure out the cardinal points pretty fast. Besides, in Seattle, you either hit mountains and can look at which way the valleys go, or hit salt water, then turn one way or the other. The brighter coast is usually south.

Just giving you shit. Wide selection of styles and prices at WallyWorld, Pep Boys, Advance Auto, etc.

Bob