GPS Viewing

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Gees the GPS go-over.

Ironic...Had a Sanyo gps, thought it was fried because it had gotten wet on previous trip.

Picked up another gps...Garmin Nuvi -350 from a PS; darn if I was gonna drop $300-$500 on a gps for my bike. This little joker is pretty darn good. Ran with it today to the east on I-10; suctioned mounted it on the gas tank: I know( but hey I only dropped $40 on it; regularly $169.00 at wally world) It held it's on tight right there between the bar nut and gas tank, not impeding the turning radius of the bars at all.

Funny thing is that I plugged the sanyo up with the new cord from the nuvi and " It was alive" ; now I have two.

Back on topic; I found some rubberized-like foam paper at Hobby Lobby today while shopping for with kids for a school project.

I am going to cut shape and make it as a hood over the garmin nuvi' and then waterproof coat it. Gonna use good ole velcro as the fastner to the nuni housing.

Cheap way to get around a zumo; but it'll work for me.

 

[Fred W]

It doesn't need to be 5 times better. Street price on a Zumo 550 is $550-600. You aren't seriously considering any automobile GPSes that cost $100 are you?

I think the OP was considering a free GPS - one he already owned.

In which case any other GPS costs infinitely more (not just 5X).

Garmin Nuvi 350 will not allow you to upload routes.

Lack of this feature makes it useless for motorcycle touring, IMO.

 

[FJRMGM]

Garmin Nuvi 700 series will allow you to upload routes from Mapquest and has "turn right in 300 yards and stay in right lane" type directions.

I love my Nuvi 770. No, its not waterproof but three days of rain riding at SFO with only a ziploc baggie draped over it and no problems ever. And its a lot thinner and lighter than a Zumo. No problems seeing the screen in bright daylight either..

Only thing it doesn't do is Blue Tooth sync to my Scala Rider headset.

And you can find one on E-bay for a little over $200. That $300 savings over a Zumo pays for a lot of miles of riding.

 

[GreyGoose]

Garmin Nuvi 700 series will allow you to upload routes from Mapquest and has "turn right in 300 yards and stay in right lane" type directions.
I love my Nuvi 770. No, its not waterproof but three days of rain riding at SFO with only a ziploc baggie draped over it and no problems ever. And its a lot thinner and lighter than a Zumo. No problems seeing the screen in bright daylight either..

Only thing it doesn't do is Blue Tooth sync to my Scala Rider headset.

And you can find one on E-bay for a little over $200. That $300 savings over a Zumo pays for a lot of miles of riding.

Does the 770 have the ability to communicate to other types of helmet speaker systems? your statement makes it sound like it has particular problems with the scala, but may be able to communicate with other type. Just trying to get some clarification. It sounds like a good option. i'm also seeing the 760 out there for about 200. is there much difference between the two?

GreyGoose

 

[ionbeam]

...your statement makes it sound like it has particular problems with the scala...

FJRMGM has a Scala Rider headset which uses Bluetooth version 1.2, class 2; the Scala Rider Q2 uses Bluetooth version 2.0, class 1. If someone wants to send me their Nuvi 770 I will see if it couples with my Q2 headset

My Streetpilot 2730's FM transmitter does couple to the Q2's FM radio. It is problematic finding an open FM slot in New England, but outside NE it's easy to find a free slot. I couple my 2730's FM transmitter to my wife's car radio, then play MP3s stored in the GPS over the radio and get directions too.

 

[GreyGoose]

Problem Solved:

This little device:

1. puts the GPS directly in front of me. it becomes part of the view when looking ahead at the road (maximizing my time looking at the road)

2. has a waterproof cover (built into the bag) so i no longer have to go with a "waterproof" option

3. holds gps with 4.3 inch viewing screen

4. Have some additional storage (which i could always use when going on longer trips (which is the reason i was looking for a gps option in the first place)).

5. allows you to quickly take everything with you when walking away from the bike (backpack option).

This is a really well designed bag.

I realize that the "gold standard" would be to have a mounted waterproof GPS with bluetooth. but for the limited amount of time i need to use a gps (occasional extended trips), the additional funds for a "motorcycle version" unit, and the upgrades needed for the helmet system, this option was just too good to pass up. I've figured out a way to use microsoft street and trips to do my route planning and download routes into the gps (so i've worked around the "route planning" issue also).

thanx for everyones input. i'll probably start looking for a nuvi 770 when i get back from this trip to give me some additional options if i ever decide to go with some version of the "gold standard". Its seems to have everything you would need (other than waterproofing) for a motorcyle application and their available for 200 bucks. Ram mount also sells waterproof cases that mount right to their device for those of you who dont want to shell out the cash for a waterproof unit.

i'll give a full review of how well this bag works out in a real world application when i get back from my upcoming eastern ohio trip.

GreyGoose

 

[GreyGoose]

Problem Solved:

This little device:

1. puts the GPS directly in front of me. it becomes part of the view when looking ahead at the road (maximizing my time looking at the road)

2. has a waterproof cover (built into the bag) so i no longer have to go with a "waterproof" option

3. holds gps with 4.3 inch viewing screen

4. Have some additional storage (which i could always use when going on longer trips (which is the reason i was looking for a gps option in the first place)).

5. allows you to quickly take everything with you when walking away from the bike (backpack option).

This is a really well designed bag.

I realize that the "gold standard" would be to have a mounted waterproof GPS with bluetooth. but for the limited amount of time i need to use a gps (occasional extended trips), the additional funds for a "motorcycle version" unit, and the upgrades needed for the helmet system, this option was just too good to pass up. I've figured out a way to use microsoft street and trips to do my route planning and download routes into the gps (so i've worked around the "route planning" issue also).

thanx for everyones input. i'll probably start looking for a nuvi 770 when i get back from this trip to give me some additional options if i ever decide to go with some version of the "gold standard". Its seems to have everything you would need (other than waterproofing) for a motorcyle application and their available for 200 bucks. Ram mount also sells waterproof cases that mount right to their device for those of you who dont want to shell out the cash for a waterproof unit.

i'll give a full review of how well this bag works out in a real world application when i get back from my upcoming eastern ohio trip.

GreyGoose

I want to qualify my last response of "problem solved".

The initial thread that was posted had to do with the ability (or lack of) to see the GPS. Throughout the thread , certain GPS issues came to the surface that were somewhat related to viewing. The firstgear gps laguna bag does an excellent job of resolving most of the issues that were mentioned (waterproofing, etc), but does nothing to enhance the viewing issue. In fact, haveing an additional media covering a GPS screen may actually degrade the viewing of the unit. I'll do a write up of the bag since i just got back from putting it to the test.

Greygoose

 

[chrisflock]

- Zumo is best, but not 5 times better than a car version. Buy it if you can part with the money.

It doesn't need to be 5 times better. Street price on a Zumo 550 is $550-600. You aren't seriously considering any automobile GPSes that cost $100 are you?

If the GPS doesn't accept uploading routes (like your Nuvi 200 for example) it isn't really worth having IMO. A Motorcyclist is not going to want to settle on the GPS'es auto routing from point A to B with only fastest or shortest parameters.

- I don't use sound now, but am getting ready to wire another Nuvi (4.3" screen) into my starcom.

See my prior post. GPS sound into the helmet is a safety thing.

You do NOT want to be looking down at a GPS screen all the time.

I was thoroughly annoyed when I got my Nuvi 205 and discovered it doesn't have a headphone jack. This means that although I often take it along on motorcycle rides, I really don't use it on the bike. It is better to have it along, though, in case of an unplanned route change or the need to find 'something'.

 

[FJRMGM]

Garmin Nuvi 700 series will allow you to upload routes from Mapquest and has "turn right in 300 yards and stay in right lane" type directions.
I love my Nuvi 770. No, its not waterproof but three days of rain riding at SFO with only a ziploc baggie draped over it and no problems ever. And its a lot thinner and lighter than a Zumo. No problems seeing the screen in bright daylight either..

Only thing it doesn't do is Blue Tooth sync to my Scala Rider headset.

And you can find one on E-bay for a little over $200. That $300 savings over a Zumo pays for a lot of miles of riding.

Does the 770 have the ability to communicate to other types of helmet speaker systems? your statement makes it sound like it has particular problems with the scala, but may be able to communicate with other type. Just trying to get some clarification. It sounds like a good option. i'm also seeing the 760 out there for about 200. is there much difference between the two?

GreyGoose

Not sure if the 770 will pair with any other helmet speaker systems.

I thought it would be a problem for me when I first found out the 770 wouldn't pair with the Scala Rider headset but because the GPS displays "turn right in 2.5 miles" I am always alerted to an upcoming turn anyway.

I don't need "Bitchin' Betty" squawking at me to turn all the time anyway.

The difference between the 760 and 770 is the 770 has European maps included.

 

[Fred W]

I thought it would be a problem for me when I first found out the 770 wouldn't pair with the Scala Rider headset but because the GPS displays "turn right in 2.5 miles" I am always alerted to an upcoming turn anyway.
I don't need "Bitchin' Betty" squawking at me to turn all the time anyway.

Umm, yes, you absolutely do want Bitchin' Betty squawking at you.

That way you don't have to take your eyes off the road ahead. In that split second a deer or an elk or a car can jump out in front of you and then it won't matter how much cheaper that GPS was, now will it?

 

[GreyGoose]

Garmin Nuvi 700 series will allow you to upload routes from Mapquest and has "turn right in 300 yards and stay in right lane" type directions.
I love my Nuvi 770. No, its not waterproof but three days of rain riding at SFO with only a ziploc baggie draped over it and no problems ever. And its a lot thinner and lighter than a Zumo. No problems seeing the screen in bright daylight either..

Only thing it doesn't do is Blue Tooth sync to my Scala Rider headset.

And you can find one on E-bay for a little over $200. That $300 savings over a Zumo pays for a lot of miles of riding.

Does the 770 have the ability to communicate to other types of helmet speaker systems? your statement makes it sound like it has particular problems with the scala, but may be able to communicate with other type. Just trying to get some clarification. It sounds like a good option. i'm also seeing the 760 out there for about 200. is there much difference between the two?

GreyGoose

Not sure if the 770 will pair with any other helmet speaker systems.

I thought it would be a problem for me when I first found out the 770 wouldn't pair with the Scala Rider headset but because the GPS displays "turn right in 2.5 miles" I am always alerted to an upcoming turn anyway.

I don't need "Bitchin' Betty" squawking at me to turn all the time anyway.

The difference between the 760 and 770 is the 770 has European maps included.

that "GPS displays "turn right in 2.5 miles"" function was what i found to be the most worthwhile for the GPS. Even though i couldnt always see the little green arrow and the turn, I could always see the directions for what was up and coming. I still plan on looking for a nice option for getting sound into the helmet (even if its not bluetooth), but this worked out well.

GreyGoose

 

[madmike2]

I thought it would be a problem for me when I first found out the 770 wouldn't pair with the Scala Rider headset but because the GPS displays "turn right in 2.5 miles" I am always alerted to an upcoming turn anyway.
I don't need "Bitchin' Betty" squawking at me to turn all the time anyway.

Umm, yes, you absolutely do want Bitchin' Betty squawking at you.

That way you don't have to take your eyes off the road ahead. In that split second a deer or an elk or a car can jump out in front of you and then it won't matter how much cheaper that GPS was, now will it?

[SIZE=18pt]+1! Gunny! You betcha! Abso-freakin'-lutely![/SIZE]

While you're busy watching the video screen and your front wheel slips on some oil-water-paint stripe-whatever, you'll experience "first hand" that this isn't a video game and the pain and damages are real.

And, for the record, she isn't "Bitching Betty" in my ear....it's "Grumpy Greta" or "Dumb Dorie"!

"Re-calculating!"