Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Motorcycle GPS

Part gripe, part observation. I've seen car GPS units with most of the stuff I want as low as $100. The motorcycle units, on the other hand, have stayed at or near $500. Being a cheapskate I always wait for the price to go down on tech items but what's up with this?

water resistance is pricey

For occasional use, a car unit seems to work just fine. I keep zip lock bag ready for rain, when I still need the unit. If that happens, I'll put it in the bag, run earphones out, run off the battery and keep it dry. So far, that has't came up (where I need it and it's raining).

My zumo was crazy expensive but it came with all the stuff needed for the car as well and it's brilliant on the bike.

I do think a car unit would serve and I've seen mounts and boxes to protect them on the bike.

I have a Nolan N-Com helmet. I just use my Android phone resting in my pocket and it whispers directions into my ear.

I have a garmin car gps that mounts directly into a ram mount and they also supply a waterproof model that mounts directly onto the handlebar mount. Have used mine for a year or so with no problems. Rigged up a 12v supply to plug into and you are good to go. Like you I looked at the expensive motorcyle units and this was a far cheaper way to go. Easy to remove when not being used as well.

I run a Garmin 1490T on a Ram Mount and Powerlet handlebar outlet. Works great, big screen easy to see at a glance. The cats meow.

My Garmin set up

This is an interesting thread for me. I'm about to buy an enduro so I can get up into the bush around here. Having said that, it would be easy to get lost or miss connecting trails leading one on. We have Forestry access roads, skid trails and logging roads, old railroad beds (rails and ties removed), mining trails, back trails, abandoned highways and byways traversing the wilderness all around me and I want to gain access to that part of my immediate world. A GPS would help guide me through all this mountain terrain I should think (although I know very little about the technology), would it not?

Hmmm. Be vewy vewy careful about the maps any particuwar GPS is using. Many map suppliers are dodgy when it comes to rural back roads. Forestry tracks are probably not mapped at all! And we don't want to lose you - never to be seen again - our website veiwer/download stats would drop by half.

Larry,
My workmate from Indy uses a Tom Tom One on his Ultra Glide and seems very happy with it. I have one and it's small enough to pocket if it starts raining. They're pretty affordable, not too many bells and whistles and they work very well.

Keith,
You're probably looking at a very different beast if you want to run thru the woods, probably have to load specific maps into a hiking unit designed for the beaten path use.

(sorry for the OT Larry) Keith, I have no expertise in the type of GPS and maps you would be needing for treking off-road. Others may know more than me - nearly everyone does.

Thanks Ed... but rather than lead Larry's thread down the garden path I thought I'd start another one more related to my inquiry. Back to you, Larry!!

I've used a Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx for the last couple of years. It's waterproof, easy to use, and you can find them new on eBay for under $250.

Mine is mounted using the plastic Garmin Rail Bracket, reinforced with a couple of very large o-rings (to eliminate vibration).



I have since moved the GPS to the left side of my handlebars.



It has been mounted like this for nearly every one of the 20,000 miles that I've racked up.

Larry,

the choice of a gps is predicated on the intended use. Any gps can get you somewhere. few allow you to import a detailed route. Last Sept the routes I had laid out demanded full time gps use. No painted lines, no road signs no gas stations signs... Riding in the rain, the snow etc. Had I a gps unit that was not totally waterproof well then I would have had to waylay till the weather cleared.

Rolling on slabs and semi rural roads really and truly can be done by the lipstick shorthand on the mirror(s) method.

I guess what I am getting at is the freestyle method if using a gps. That is you have a destination in mind (or not) but at least a direction. Now the gps is powered up and you are rolling. The gps affords a sort of xray vision. allowing you to 'see' the land around your direction of travel. So you are rolling. You look at the gps map and see a side road that meanders in the approximate direction you are heading. Well? On the betterer gps models, having already set a destination, one can drop a point along that road and set as a way-point. Or not having set a destination you can touch the screen and select as a destination.

It is amazing the stuff you'll see rolling freestyle. Most times I have routes ready for import (gpx format). The lasts GA Rally I had routes to import up to Silver Spring MD. the return trip to Florida from Maryland I had made no such gpx files. Freestyle. 850 miles of point and go. Simple nirvana. No slabs. No highways. Rural road riding. Road on the West side of I-81 for a while too.

The farkles on high end gps models are route management. The detour button, navigation parameters, voice navigation cues, red light camera and speed camera warnings, and the big one a mp3 player. a large data base of points of interest. Say gas stations? Out West that alone was invaluable.

Boiling this down, if all you want a gps unit for is to get from point a to point b, any will work. If you want to take control of the route management, entertainment (music), custom way-point and be able to roll in driving rain then the choices of gps units narrows.

An example of route management vis-a-vis gpx file creation then subsequent import.

Mansfield Pa to New Haven Connecticut: No interstate or even major roads. Entered NJ then exited NJ without paying a toll.

The inexpensive gps unit will do what the base line function is: get you home. Nothing like rolling blind then after figuring out that you want to get heck out of dodge and back home all you have to do is power up the unit then press the 'home' button.

Inexpensive vs outlandish?

It's your frolic in the country. Wanna see it or just roll past it?

I use a Garmin Nuvi attached by a 'Ram' mount to a custom-made bracket fixed to the riser cap.
Power is from a hard-wired lead through the ignition.
when it rains, like others do, I put a clear plastic bag over it secured with a couple of elastic bands.






Gary.

I don't need one for local navigation so much as for an accurate speedometer. On the trip back from California last fall it started reading much faster than actual speed. The odometer has remained spot on.

For out of the area trips it could be useful when I'm going places I haven't been before. Good advice guys, thanks.

I have a garmin nuvi that I bought a universal handlebar mount with a waterproof case on amazon for about $25.00. I haven't got caught in the rain with it yet but it looks like it would do the job.

Moe,
Although I only have a cheapo gps for the car and have been thinking about getting one for the bike, and reading what you wrote, what gps do you use?

Look into a DeLorme Earthmate. Satellite images can be uploaded from your computer along with topographical maps. It is abosolutely awesome for trails. The only issue is the screen is a little small. It also wont talk to you but it is a cool piece of technology.

Actually it's Keith who's looking for a back-woods GPS, not me. He started a thread in the lounge to continue his search (Global Backwoods GPS).

Buy a Garmin GPS that will work with Mapsource. You can program your rides and upload them to the GPS unit. Only a few can do this-all the Zumo's can. I set my GPS to "Go home" and ride without worrying about getting lost. It lets me know what time I will get home constantly.

sorry foglefar i am new at this forum thing

This is the unit I use as well, BUT highly recommmend the RAM mount. Their stuff flat out WORKS.

Quote:

---

---

I also use a RAM mount.
I have a Nuvi 755t and MapSource. I love the 755t, but I never figured out that confounded program.

I use one of these....had if for a couple years now, no issues, cheap and better looking than a plastic mount (no offense to anyone).
1" ball mount for GPS

i use my garmin nuvi (can't remember the model) water resistance really isn't an issue since i just use it to get a barring and then shut it back down, i keep a pelican case in my bag just in case.

Thanks Moe, I've done something similar, but it's such a hassle I usually just pick spots the GPS finds and use them as waypoints enroute. If I ever get to take a long ride, I'll use your method.
My Garmin is two years old, perhaps they've even made upgrades to Mapsource I should install.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I also use a RAM mount.
I have a Nuvi 755t and MapSource. I love the 755t, but I never figured out that confounded program.

---

Never figured it out? Then cheat. Use google maps. Then export to a gpx file. Open that gpx file with mapsource. Only use two lettered points on the google map. Point 'A' and point 'B'. Use mapsource to fine tune the route. THEN save the mapsource work as a gpx file (save as). Do not export the route to the garmin unit. Instead save the gpx file to the garmin SD card. Import the route when you need it.

When you import a route, the route stays in dynamic memory. If the unit blips you loose the route. If the route is in a gpx file format, the route can never be lost as it is not in memory. (you will have to reload it should the unit blip). Also too many routes in memory will bog down the gps. AND too large of a route will bog it down too. More than two lettered points will cause the export routine (Google maps to gpx file) to divide the route up. in google maps when you grab the route and drop it somewhere, those little circles are okay. Just don't make them destinations.

---