satnav

[dern]

Anyone using satnav on their bikes? I liked the look of the garmin quest 1 but read you can't download POI data on to it (ie speed cameras). Does anyone have any other recommendations (price is a factor).

Thanks,

Mark

[black-k1]

I’ve started using my old TomTom 700 on my bike. I look at the ‘bike specific’ units and they were way too pricey. I made up a simple mount positioned on the two tank mounting bolts by the headstock and wired in a car accessory socket under the seat for power. I bought a simple aluminium case off e-bay and so far things are working OK.

The unit is not waterproof but as it’s in the aluminium case and positioned behind the fairing it’s reasonably shower proof. If the rain is heavy enough to worry me then I’ll simply put the unit into my tank bag/pocket/pack as I need to be concentrating on the road not looking at my tank!

As the unit is in the case you can’t really change things while on the move but I actually see that as a good thing. I can’t hear Jo Lumley telling me which way go (helmet and ear plugs though any pedestrians on the pavement can hear her) but I can see the directions reasonably clearly.

The only thing I have had to ‘adjust’ is the addition of a small rubber ‘bash pad’ on the underside of the mount as it will occasionally bounce when going over bumpy roads and there was a danger it might make contact with the tank.

All in all it works well and is a pretty cheap alternative to a proper bike unit.

[dern]

I initially thought of doing something like this but was concerned about water getting in and vibrations. I read that the bike units are build to be be more resistant to constant vibration than the car ones. Tempting option though.

[chilli]

Mark,
I have a Garmin Quest which I bought for the bike, sitting all boxed up in the shed! I Don't have the knowledge or patience to figure out how it works. I have the updated software (uk postcodes) and the unlock codes etc. Was gonna put it on ebay if you're interested. Would save me having to work out how the digital camera works!!!

Cheers.

[y2blade]

i use a GPS MAP60c for off-road and my cheap Garmin i3 on the blade

[black-k1]

dern said:

I initially thought of doing something like this but was concerned about water getting in and vibrations. I read that the bike units are build to be be more resistant to constant vibration than the car ones. Tempting option though.

I too was worried about vibrations and water ingress but also thought that you can get some fully operational second hand car units off e-bay for about the third of the price of a bike unit (there’s not many second hand bike units about) so in order to be economically viable, the car unit only has to last 1 third of the time!

[y2blade]

you can pick up a Garmin I3 brand new for £99

its not waterproof but been ok so far

[dern]

black-k1 said:

I too was worried about vibrations and water ingress but also thought that you can get some fully operational second hand car units off e-bay for about the third of the price of a bike unit (there’s not many second hand bike units about) so in order to be economically viable, the car unit only has to last 1 third of the time!

Good point, I'll look in to that.

[dern]

chilli said:

I have a Garmin Quest which I bought for the bike, sitting all boxed up in the shed! I Don't have the knowledge or patience to figure out how it works. I have the updated software (uk postcodes) and the unlock codes etc. Was gonna put it on ebay if you're interested. Would save me having to work out how the digital camera works!!!

Can you mail me with how much you want for it please?

[silver993tt]

I've just ordered a Garmin Nuvi 670. I intend to use it on my bike tours as well as in my car. Anyone suggest a good bike mounting bracket for the 670 (has the wide screen)?

[ChasMill]

I have a Garmin Quest mounted on a Motorad bracket. Excellent bit of kit which I run through a Starcom.

[Busamav]

chilli said:

Mark,
I have a Garmin Quest which I bought for the bike, sitting all boxed up in the shed! I Don't have the knowledge or patience to figure out how it works. I have the updated software (uk postcodes) and the unlock codes etc. Was gonna put it on ebay if you're interested. Would save me having to work out how the digital camera works!!!

Cheers.

hahaha

Sounds like you have the same model that I bought.

Ended up beng sold on within the moneth , it was also the size and weight of a brick

[black-k1]

silver993tt said:

I've just ordered a Garmin Nuvi 670. I intend to use it on my bike tours as well as in my car. Anyone suggest a good bike mounting bracket for the 670 (has the wide screen)?

I just used a cut down TomTom car mount bolted to a bit of mild steel which in turn is bolted to the bike. This approach would work for pretty much any Satnav. I hope the attached photos show what I mean.

[URL=http://rides.webshots.com/photo/20622][/URL]

[URL=http://rides.webshots.com/photo/28722][/URL]

[URL=http://rides.webshots.com/photo/28608][/URL]

Edited by black-k1 on Tuesday 17th April 20:34

[dern]

black-k1 said:

I just used a cut down TomTom car mount bolted to a bit of mild steel which in turn is bolted to the bike. This approach would work for pretty much any Satnav. I hope the attached photos show what I mean.

That's what I planned to do with mine. Do you get any problems with sun glare?

[ballon]

silver993tt said:

I've just ordered a Garmin Nuvi 670. I intend to use it on my bike tours as well as in my car. Anyone suggest a good bike mounting bracket for the 670 (has the wide screen)?

I used these for my Garmin works very well.


www.ram-mount-uk.com/

[black-k1]

dern said:

black-k1 said:

I just used a cut down TomTom car mount bolted to a bit of mild steel which in turn is bolted to the bike. This approach would work for pretty much any Satnav. I hope the attached photos show what I mean.

That's what I planned to do with mine. Do you get any problems with sun glare?

I little but in general it's OK most of the time.

[racefan_uk]

Busamav said:

chilli said:

Mark,
I have a Garmin Quest which I bought for the bike, sitting all boxed up in the shed! I Don't have the knowledge or patience to figure out how it works. I have the updated software (uk postcodes) and the unlock codes etc. Was gonna put it on ebay if you're interested. Would save me having to work out how the digital camera works!!!

Cheers.

hahaha
Sounds like you have the same model that I bought.
Ended up beng sold on within the moneth , it was also the size and weight of a brick

I'd suggest you need to get down a gym then... It doesn't weigh the same as a brick and mine fits perfectly well in my jacket pocket when I get off the bike.




Be aware that if you go for a Quest unit that the POI and postcodes will only work if it's the Quest 2 unit, not the original. I have the earlier model, it just doesn't have as much memory, which means that the postcode and POI (speed camera sites etc) software can't be uploaded to it.

Edited by racefan_uk on Wednesday 18th April 09:30

[chilli]

racefan_uk said:

Busamav said:

chilli said:

Mark,
I have a Garmin Quest which I bought for the bike, sitting all boxed up in the shed! I Don't have the knowledge or patience to figure out how it works. I have the updated software (uk postcodes) and the unlock codes etc. Was gonna put it on ebay if you're interested. Would save me having to work out how the digital camera works!!!

Cheers.

hahaha
Sounds like you have the same model that I bought.
Ended up beng sold on within the moneth , it was also the size and weight of a brick

I'd suggest you need to get down a gym then... It doesn't weigh the same as a brick and mine fits perfectly well in my jacket pocket when I get off the bike.




Be aware that if you go for a Quest unit that the POI and postcodes will only work if it's the Quest 2 unit, not the original. I have the earlier model, it just doesn't have as much memory, which means that the postcode and POI (speed camera sites etc) software can't be uploaded to it.

Edited by racefan_uk on Wednesday 18th April 09:30

Isn't it just a case of deleting the maps you don't want? I tries to load all the Europpena maps, but it ran out of memory, so I just deleted some o the UK maps, and it was ok(ish).

Cheers.

[racefan_uk]

Maps are fine, it won't fit all of Europe on in one go, there isn't enough memory. I can put most of France on in replacement of the UK. If you're travelling around europe with it I'd either take a laptop with me or just put on the maps for the areas I was going to be visiting (cities, towns etc).

For the POI and postcode stuff, it's definately a Quest 2 upgrade as the software won't work on the Quest 1 unit, or at least, that's what the people at Garmin told me when I called to caim my free upgrade. Quest 2 only.

[dern]

racefan_uk said:

Maps are fine, it won't fit all of Europe on in one go, there isn't enough memory. I can put most of France on in replacement of the UK. If you're travelling around europe with it I'd either take a laptop with me or just put on the maps for the areas I was going to be visiting (cities, towns etc).

For the POI and postcode stuff, it's definately a Quest 2 upgrade as the software won't work on the Quest 1 unit, or at least, that's what the people at Garmin told me when I called to caim my free upgrade. Quest 2 only.

This is my understanding too from all the research I did last night.

You can get a map overlay which shows POIs (ie speed cameras) on top of the map loaded. The disadvantage of this method is that you can't get it to give you a proximity alert.

In all honesty the fact that it's small enough for the bike, waterproof and transferable to the car is more important to me than POI or being able to have all of europe on it at once. Can't stand getting lost and when on the bike I like to wander and if I can do that and still be able to find my way home then I'm happy. For me it's not worth paying a lot more for the extra features and if I find I need them I'll upgrade in the future.

Quest 1 it is (specifically Chilli's).

Cheers all,

Mark