Garmin Bike GPS Mount

[kurt535]

Am looking to use car's Garmin GPS unit on bike and wondered what you have found works in terms of being secure, waterproof and easy to plumb in?

Ty

[Wedg1e]

I just used a standard Garmin ball mount attached to a bracket on the instrument cowling.
If it rains, put a flimsy plastic bag (sandwich bags work well) over the 'nav and clip in as usual.
Power by the usual means but in my experience the USB socket will corrode if it even smells damp.

[kurt535]

Wedg1e said:

I just used a standard Garmin ball mount attached to a bracket on the instrument cowling.
If it rains, put a flimsy plastic bag (sandwich bags work well) over the 'nav and clip in as usual.
Power by the usual means but in my experience the USB socket will corrode if it even smells damp.

Thanks for that. Am now considering buying a bike specific gps. so many out there, they seem to change twice a year...

[toxgobbler]

Just get one with lifetime maps and you're sorted. My Garmin Zumo 550 lasted 8 years before the touch screen started being unresponsive.

[Wedg1e]

kurt535 said:

Thanks for that. Am now considering buying a bike specific gps. so many out there, they seem to change twice a year...

Halfords have been winding down the price of the TomTom Rider 400 for the last couple of months, last time I checked it was down to £269.99. Needs a mobile phone to give you real-time traffic and cameras but otherwise has lifetime updates for those and European mapping - and a code to get TYRE Pro route-planner for free (saving 49 Euro). Comes with a RAM handlebar mount kit which must be £25 by itself.

I got mine down to 220-odd with xmas gift vouchers and a 20% discount code Halfords sent me
Still expensive for what is effectively a 4.3" car 'nav in a box with better weatherproofing and a gold-plated charge socket.

[kurt535]

Wedg1e said:

kurt535 said:

Thanks for that. Am now considering buying a bike specific gps. so many out there, they seem to change twice a year...

Halfords have been winding down the price of the TomTom Rider 400 for the last couple of months, last time I checked it was down to £269.99. Needs a mobile phone to give you real-time traffic and cameras but otherwise has lifetime updates for those and European mapping - and a code to get TYRE Pro route-planner for free (saving 49 Euro). Comes with a RAM handlebar mount kit which must be £25 by itself.

I got mine down to 220-odd with xmas gift vouchers and a 20% discount code Halfords sent me
Still expensive for what is effectively a 4.3" car 'nav in a box with better weatherproofing and a gold-plated charge socket.

did you buy tom-tom over garmin due to price or previous experience? so far, have always bought garmin but they are expensive!

[Prof Prolapse]

When I last did a 1,000 mile jaunt in the rain, I just put my car sat nav in a sandwich bag.



An elegant solution I felt.

[Wedg1e]

kurt535 said:

did you buy tom-tom over garmin due to price or previous experience? so far, have always bought garmin but they are expensive!

I've always preferred Garmin (used a TomTom in Canada in 2014 and it annoyed the hell out of me) but when I spotted the discounted prices in Halfords the local stores had no stock of the Garmin 590 bike nav, I'd have had to go to Lincoln to collect one!
Some of my riding cronies have the TT Rider 400 and swear by it so I thought I'd give the thing a chance... but from day 1 it wouldn't work properly; needed a phone call to TomTom's customer services Indian to 'activate the embedded services' (i.e. traffic, cameras and map updates) that should have worked when I created a TomTom account and plugged it into my laptop.
Works fine now (touching plenty of wood...) and couldn't fault their customer services dept. - I can see a couple of things that will irk me compared to the Garmin system but I guess having spent the money I'll just have to get used to it... that's how I've always bought my bikes as well

[kurt535]

Prof Prolapse said:

When I last did a 1,000 mile jaunt in the rain, I just put my car sat nav in a sandwich bag.



An elegant solution I felt.

You sir, have my fullest respect .

[NITO]

Garmin Zumo 390LM is a fantastic piece of kit.

[kurt535]

NITO said:

Garmin Zumo 390LM is a fantastic piece of kit.

395 looking odds on atm as 390 appears to be no longer made.I did consider a 2nd hand 390 on ebay but backed off due to how much they wanted.

What secure mount are people using for the 390/95? I understand it doesn't come with one.

Ty

[Smiler.]

Terfelizer (I think that's how it's spelled) do a ball joint thing that fits in the headstock. I have the Zumo 550 & made power leads wired in to both bikes. It had a twist lock connector (IP 65) which also had a cap on the socket so when not in use, was waterproof.

Was easy to switch between bikes & to remove when parked. I used to screw the 550 into the cradle & removed the whole thing.

[NITO]

I use a Ram mount, could have sworn it came with the unit!

Edit, yes it did.

Edited by NITO on Wednesday 1st March 22:12

[kurt535]

TY both.

I recently purchased a CB13SA (well I am almost 50 so need pipe and slippers) and think the unit will have to attach direct to the bars as they cover the headstock mounting point.

[NITO]

Mine is bar mounted. That part comes with the kit.