Looking to get a new GPS, what do you own?

[garyahouse]

I'm not trying to steal a thread but I'm in the same boat, that I'm looking for a GPS too. I want bluetooth,waterproof, to be able to load maps from street and trip software, and to be able to listen to music on a SD card. Is there anyway to do this for under 700.00?

Check www.mishacycles.com for best pricing on the Sena and great service from a fellow FJR rider. Mention this forum for additional savings.

Quick note on Mishacycles: off the chart customer service.

A definite +1 from this customer.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[odot]

Oh, my god..........make it stop.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Oh, my god..........make it stop.

Edit: redacted!

Due to my better judgement.

 

[Toter]

My wife as the Zumo660, as it was part f her car in disguise, CanAm spyder. I'm using a Nuevi 1490 LMT and work for e like a charme, I got it at Fry's as a factory refurb for $100, instead of a Zumo costing $600. V RPK

Hey RPK, Santa is bringing me a 1490 LMT and wants to know how you feed power to yours on the bike. The supplied plug in adaptor is huge and the cord is chunky, so the cubby lid can't be closed when connected, right?

Thanks in advance and a Merry Xmas to you.

short

I can close the lid on the Nuvi 1490LMT cable, but it really pinches it and I would not want to go a long distance with it that way for fear that the cable could be eventually harmed from the bumps and such. Where I ride I typically don't need traffic info. anyway so I use a short dual USB insert and a regular USB cable. Initially when plugged in it will go into Download/Computer Communication mode, but it figures out it's not connected to a PC in about 30 seconds and starts up in normal mode and works fine. The USB cable is much thinner and does not get pinched so bad by the lid. It is also pretty cheap to replace if needed. It also provides a second slot to charge my phone while in the glovebox.

My $.02,

Ed

 

[Speedygg]

I can close the lid on the Nuvi 1490LMT cable, but it really pinches it and I would not want to go a long distance with it that way for fear that the cable could be eventually harmed from the bumps and such. Where I ride I typically don't need traffic info. anyway so I use a short dual USB insert and a regular USB cable. Initially when plugged in it will go into Download/Computer Communication mode, but it figures out it's not connected to a PC in about 30 seconds and starts up in normal mode and works fine. The USB cable is much thinner and does not get pinched so bad by the lid. It is also pretty cheap to replace if needed. It also provides a second slot to charge my phone while in the glovebox.

My $.02,

Ed

Now I think I understand what you mean by pinching...sounds like you are routing your cable through the top and have the lid pinch the cable. I route mine thru the bottom of the cubby and zip tie it up the steering column to the gps. No pinching and cable is practically hidden.

 

[rbentnail]

www.phatperformanceparts.com is currently advertising new Garmins, dunno if it's a good unit/price. WTH, try a search there for 'garmin' and 'zumo'.

 

[leedavis]

For anyone thinking about adapting a new Garmin from the Nuvi line for bike use you should know that as of 2012 Garmin changed the routing algorithm from what we've always known as "routes" to what Garmin now calls "trips". In the case of multi-waypoint routes the entire route is no longer displayed - instead a route is only calculated and displayed to the next waypoint as you pass the current waypoint. Each waypoint segment is a "trip". This is a major problem if you are trying to pick up a route beyond the 1st waypoint or if you bypass the current waypoint and are not sure where the next waypoint is located.

 

[art miller]

I don't need XM, just a GPS, waterproof.I own a Garmin Nuvi 550, but would like to get something new. My maps are from 2010, I know I can pay $60.00 for LifeTime Maps.

I see Garmin made a 350 model, but for $699.00, I think that's little high for me. Again, I just want a map part of GPS, don't use/need weather, XM, MP3, etc.

Thanks Everyone.

Ohh, I think Garmin is crazy for charging so much for motorcycle GPS units. Costco has great GPS for $199.00, I just wish it was waterproof.

I use the nuvi 1490LTM and have no issues. I do not intentionally ride in the rain. In the event I get caught in a local rain I carry a zip lock bag that I slip over the unit. You can get this unit on ebay or amazon.com for less than $150. There are various mount hardware available as well.

 

[art miller]

I have run my 660 for 6 years in all kinds of weather. It survived my LT being totaled, and was the only thing I could take off the bike of value. I have dropped it many times and it still does it's thing well. I know they cost a lot of money but now six years old and still going so 100.00 a year so far on the cost to own. I know others run non motorcycle GPS and it is fine. My Karma is not that good so I spent the money. It and Lifetime Maps have worked very well for me but YMMV.

Spending all that money on a GPS and being from Harrisburg, no wonder the city is bankrupt!!!

 

[Tango Sierra]

I have run my 660 for 6 years in all kinds of weather. It survived my LT being totaled, and was the only thing I could take off the bike of value. I have dropped it many times and it still does it's thing well. I know they cost a lot of money but now six years old and still going so 100.00 a year so far on the cost to own. I know others run non motorcycle GPS and it is fine. My Karma is not that good so I spent the money. It and Lifetime Maps have worked very well for me but YMMV.

Spending all that money on a GPS and being from Harrisburg, no wonder the city is bankrupt!!!

What kind of cheap shot is that? What does one have to do with the other? Should you be insulted because you live in a state that has the highest number of bankrupt municipalities in the country and the most in danger of bankruptcy?

 

[littlefish]

For now, I'm using my Samsung Galaxy S3 and a Seidio OBEX ( https://www.seidio.com/obex/ ) waterproof case. I picked up a battery connected, all-weather USB outlet from Burnsmoto and I can run the OBEX cased S3 on bike battery power when it's not raining. As soon as it gets a tad wet, I can stow the cable, batten down the hatches on the OBEX case and I'm 100% waterproof.

I can use Google Maps Navigation ( https://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/ ) or CoPilot or DualSportMaps as my software. None of these are as FAMILIAR as my Garmin software, but I think I'll learn them as I use them and it won't be too bad. With this configuration, I have a email, web, camera, music, weather, phone, traffic AND if Google decides to turn me in for overly exuberant velocities, I have Big Brother with me too!

I modified the belt mount holster by removing the belt clip and adding a 1" RAM ball. Like this:

In order to run powered, you have to have the OBEX case's USB door open. This means you have the phone with the bottom towards the locking clip AND you have to remove a small portion of the clip to allow the USB cable to be connected to the phone:

 

[Rider_FJR]

I like the option of using a SmartPhone GPS, but not all area's of the US and Canada has cell towers.

 

[littlefish]

I like the option of using a SmartPhone GPS, but not all area's of the US and Canada has cell towers.

You don't need a cell signal for cartography used by CoPilot or DualSportMaps. I think you can download Google maps and use them offline. Haven't tried to do so yet because Google is my last choice for watching where I'm going. Way too big-brother-ish for me...

 

[Fred W]

I've tried the cheapskate automotive GPS in a baggie approach. I even still have a Garmin nuvi 765T, which is the automotive version of a zumo 660, the best features of what Garmin offers (though now obsolete). It has most of the same or similar features as the zumo, but isn't waterproof and the screen is much less viewable in direct sunlight. Those two things alone make spending the money for a zumo worthwhile to me.

While I do not usually go out for joy rides in the rain (I have actually done this before) invariably on any multiple day touring trip there will be rain for at least one day, and usually it's not just a sprinkle.

It's a value choice, whether you are willing to put down the cash for a better GPS or not. Neither choice is right for every rider.

 

[user 31223]

I bought this for my Garmin 1490 LMT - completely protects it from the rain, i did also but an angled usb cable so that it routed better out the back of the GPS

RAM Mounting Systems RAM-HOL-AQ6U Medium-Wide Aqua Box

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RTOSRY/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_SC_dp_1

 

[rbentnail]

I have an Aqua Box too. It's sitting way back in the corner of the desk, been there for at least a yr. Never been on the bike. Maybe I should sell it.....

 

[TomInPA]

Same here. Aqua-box is in the bottom of the Motorcycle stuff chest.

Once you add the cover of the Aqua Box to the poor daylight visibility of a Nuvi, you have found the definition of useless.

 

[Kevin_Ireland]

I used a TomTom One for years. I kept telling myself I would replace it when it died. Well it no longer worked if it wasn't plugged in and I even left it in place when it was pouring rain even though it isn't waterproof but it kept on working so finally I bought a Garmin 660 to replace it. I opted for it over the 665 because I didn't want to have to pay for the Xm radio when I knew I would only be home for 53 day between coming home from Iraq and leaving for Afghanistan and there was no sense in paying more for the 665 if I wasn't going to use those functions.

I mounted it and used it on a 7 day trip that the wife and I took. I liked that I could plan the trip on the computer then up load it to the GPS. Over all I like it but it doesn't work well when you sync your phone (or at least my phone) and a Chatterbox (which I'm going to get rid of this year).

 

[Hudson]

Will the 350 LM zumo work with the street & trip software and let you listen to music?

I don't think there is any Garmin unit that will allow you to create a map/route in Streets and Trips and import to GPS.

Actually, any Garmin that can accept routes can do this. First, export the streets and trips route and save as a .gpx file. Import the route into Basecamp, click on it and "recalculate it" to be sure the route correctly follows the Garmin maps. If it does, save as a .gdb file and send it to the Garmin. If you find errors, either fix them in Basecamp or go back to S&T and add more waypoints, then repeat the process above. Takes all of a few min to send from S&T to Basecamp then to Garmin.

 

[leedavis]

Same here. Aqua-box is in the bottom of the Motorcycle stuff chest.
Once you add the cover of the Aqua Box to the poor daylight visibility of a Nuvi, you have found the definition of useless.

Thanks for the info. I've considered an aqua box but wondered what it would do the visibility of the screen.