GPS Suggestions?

[replay13]

Hi Everyone,
I have been thinking about getting a GPS. I would like to use it in my pickup mostly but also be able to find a mount to use it on my 1700 Nomad.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for all replys,
James

[aeropilot]

Depends on your pricepoint. Do you need a motorcycle GPS? meaning it is waterproof and has larger buttons (screen touch areas) to use with gloves?

I have a Garmin Nuvi 255 and it does everything I need it to. It's not a motorcycle specific model, so it's not waterproof. Easy touch screen that works easy with my gloves.

On my 07 Nomad, I wired a 12V plug to the back of my windshield (AutoZone 9.99), powered off the fused accessory circuit found in my headlight bucket. I mount the GPS with a RAM mount ball, arm, and cradle (http://www.ram-mount.com/ramgps.htm#/)(+/- $30). Works great, and much cheaper than investing in a motorcycle specific model.

You can get covers for them too really cheap that just slip over it to add protection from weather.

If you are looking to create your own routes , waypioints, etc and load them to the GPS, you'll also be looking at higher end models.

[waterman]

James,

You can find cradle mounts for any gps unit. Run what you like. I have an older Garmin 350C that works good. Not waterproof but that really doesn't matter anymore to me.

[cactusjack]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 550, which is waterproof, but it's fairly basic - no MP3 player, no live traffic. It works great on the bike and I also have a RAM mount for it in my truck.

[highwayman2011]

Check out Cell Buckle as a gps mount on your bike. I saw it on American Chopper, it's around $20.

[fish]

I use a Garmi Nuvi 1495LMT has a 5" screen and I don't even look at the bikes speedo

[Top Cat]

I have a Garmin Zumo 550. Comes with a cradle for bike and a cradle for the truck. It is bluetooth as well. Will do anything I want it to.
Well, it won't tell me a stopsign is there but that's what I have Cindy for.:D

[trip]

I have a Garmin Zumo 550 also. Best GPS I've ever owned for a motorcycle. The last GPS I had I shook to death... wasn't made for the moto.

I have MP3's loaded and listen to them off my Garmin through my J&P piped into my helmet. It is Bluetooth capable, although I don't use it.

The Zumo will cost you a little more, but IMHO, it's worth it.

[cnc]

I have a garmin nuvi 255 that I made a waterproof cover for and while it works well, it is limited. You can't down load routes to it. It has no jack for an external ear bud or blue tooth but you can usually hear what it is saying if you are going under 40 mph or so. The screen is a little washed out in sunlight, so a hood or visor for it helps.
For those reasons and the fact that I am looking into a blue tooth intercom system, I am looking at the zumo 220, anybody have one?

[fysl33]

Few important options :

- 5 inch screen
- blue tooth
- line assistance

these options I conceder the most important in any GPS , water proof can be solved by many ways ,cases , bag .....

[ponch]

I kind of like the Garmin 660, just can't afford it right now. If I was buying, that would be it.

[coacha]

I have a Garmin Zumo 550. Comes with a cradle for bike and a cradle for the truck. It is bluetooth as well. Will do anything I want it to.
Well, it won't tell me a stopsign is there but that's what I have Cindy for.:D

I have a Quest on the bike now but a friend gave me his old Zumo 550 that will be on the bike soon enough.

[aldridgekennedy]

I went witht the NUVI 550. I got it for less than half price off amazon. It's waterproof and can be used hiking, in a car or the bike.

I've been very pleased with it. I like being able to program it for all secondary roads on a trip.

I've heard of folks having problems with some models being beaten up on a bike but after 2 years i've had no issues.

[bkmaxvrb]

I am going to echo Top Cat, Trip, Ponch, et al who have been singing the praises of the Garmin Zumo. I have the 550 and love it! It's easily moved between the bike, Jeep and the house. I don't have to change out cradles, mounts or whatever. It has two mounts. I love, love, love the built in MP3 player. To me, there's nothing better than gliding down a backroad with a great song in my ears. The whole Zumo line is well worth the price you pay for them.

[Monkeyman]

I thought stand alone GPS units were old school? I use my phone. Great navigation, real time traffic updates, ability to switch to alternate routes, music, etc. Granted, it's got a 4.3" screen (comparable to the 5" Garmins) but even something like an iPhone (with a 3.7" screen) would probably work well. Mine's not waterproof but as others have said, there are work arounds for that. (Looking for a tank chap with a pocket with a clear cover. Or I'll make my own.) Once I get a full fairing, I'll mount the phone to the dash.

[nascar2]

I have this gps http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-nuvi-550-automoto-kit.html from this company, it is a motorcycle specific, comes with both the ram mounts for both the bike and car/truck. Then I have this http://www.gpscity.ca/gilsson-bare-wire-power-cable.html to power it. One of the best things about the gps is that you can upload your own route.

[Loafer]

My son Todd got a GPS several years ago. We decided to eat at a Mc D's. So he entered the info and off we went, we are on I-87 in Lake George headed south. We've been to this Mc D's before. He is in front, once in a while he looks down to see the directions. There is a large sign next to the road that list the restaurants at the next exit, Mc D's is listed so I know we are here and I'm getting prepared to take the exit. Evidently he was looking down so much he didn't see the restaurant sign and he didn't see the GOLDEN ARCHES just off the exit ramp. So we continued past the exit, and then I see him throw up an arm, like damn I missed it. We take the next exit and he says he was so busy looking at the GPS he missed the exit. Thats when I told him about the sign and the golden arches. he was totally embarassed. There was a Dunkin Donuts at that exit so we got a bite to eat there.
Sometimes we need to get back to basics, pull over stretch a leg and pull out the paper map. Enjoy life. After all we almost lost TC while he was looking a his GPS. JMO

[fudd]

We have an older TomTom that we update every year or so. Use the suction cup mount and stick it on the lower part of windshield - putting it near my field of view. Handy to remove when you want also. Last time we used it was about 1500 miles over a long weekend and the mount never came loose once. Tried same method on buddies Streetglide a couple of summers ago and it would frequently throw it back at me?

[cnc]

We have an older TomTom that we update every year or so. Use the suction cup mount and stick it on the lower part of windshield - putting it near my field of view. Handy to remove when you want also. Last time we used it was about 1500 miles over a long weekend and the mount never came loose once. Tried same method on buddies Streetglide a couple of summers ago and it would frequently throw it back at me?

Fudd I use the suction mount as well on the lower part of the windshield, holds pretty good most times.
I have found that wetting the cup a bit first makes it stick better and in fact if you look at it from the outside of the windshield you can see how well it is stuck by the size and darker color of the ring.
Having said that I have a safety tether on it.

[waterman]

Sometimes we need to get back to basics, pull over stretch a leg and pull out the paper map. Enjoy life. After all we almost lost TC while he was looking a his GPS. JMO

That's why you route the gps thru the speakers. No looking just listen and do what it says. Just like when the wife is on the back.:wtf:

[replay13]

Thanks Everyone for all the ideas. I have a Tomtom VIA 1535 on the way, $147.99 from Amazon. It was $50 more at Walmart and Best Buy.

After buying the GPS I started looking at motorcycle mounts and relized the disadvantage of buying the newer VIA model, nothing in the way of cradle from Ram and most others yet. But I did find a handlebar mount from mountguys.com that has a ball that is made to fit my gps socket. I could always use the suction cup mount on the windshield like others suggested here also.

I haven't looked into a power hookup for the motorcycle yet but I'm sure I can at least find a power socket to wire up to a hot lead or the battery or maybe even the battery tender plug... seems like I seen a unused lead somewhere, maybe it was under the seat. Guess I'll have to get off my b*tt and look! lol.

Thanks again,
James

[siriusjoe]

I have a garmin nuvi 255 that I made a waterproof cover for and while it works well, it is limited. You can't down load routes to it. It has no jack for an external ear bud or blue tooth but you can usually hear what it is saying if you are going under 40 mph or so. The screen is a little washed out in sunlight, so a hood or visor for it helps.
For those reasons and the fact that I am looking into a blue tooth intercom system, I am looking at the zumo 220, anybody have one?

I've been running a Zumo 220 for the last year. It's 100% waterproof, no problems operating with gloves on, and the screen is very bright. You can download routes to it, which is the main reason I chose it. It's a bit expensive, but it comes with a real nice RAM mount, a motorcycle power adapter, and a kit for using it in your car also. I don't use any kind of bluetooth or cell phone or MP3 while riding, so I can't tell you anything about that stuff. But as far as the GPS goes, it works great and I haven't had any problems with it.

Joe

[cnc]

Thanks for your input Joe.

[Bull Durham]

I've been looking up the Garmin zumo 550 on different sites. Reading the techs on it, some sites say it has bluetooth, other sites says it doesn't have bluetooth.

Are there different versions of the Zumo 550? People on this site who have the Garmin zumo 550, do you all have the bluetooth with it?

[Top Cat]

Yes I have bluetooth with the ZUMO 550.
They make a NUVI 550 you may be confusing the two.