Discussion
Does anyone on here use bike Sat Nav? After a week touring around France, Germany and Belgium in a camper van relying heavily on the Sat Nav I thought It may be worth looking for a bike one.
I've had a quick look at the bike variations on the Tom Tom site but they're waaay overpriced for what is, essentially, the car Tom tom in a waterproof shell. Or so I believe.
Anyway I was just wondering if anyone has any views on bike Sat Nat good or bad and any recommendations etc.
Rutts
I've had a quick look at the bike variations on the Tom Tom site but they're waaay overpriced for what is, essentially, the car Tom tom in a waterproof shell. Or so I believe.
Anyway I was just wondering if anyone has any views on bike Sat Nat good or bad and any recommendations etc.
Rutts
I use a car SatNav on my bike. I used to use my TomTom 700 but I now use my TomTom 710 with a RAM mount. (The 700 now stays in my car because the 710 fits better on the bike.) While the unit is not particularly ‘glove friendly’ it can be used with gloves on if you are careful and with it being behind the fairing it tends to stay pretty dry even in wet weather. I worked on the assumption that if I bought a cheap second hand car unit off e-bay then if it died due to getting wet then I wouldn’t have lost much money. That was 3 years ago and the worst that has happened was that my 700 ‘gave up’ during and absolute downpour near Calais just over a year ago but worked after being dried under a hot air hand drier and having the re-set button pressed.
I currently use a Garmin Quest 1 on my bike, piped to my lid via a Starcom. Would not be without it, especially on the continent, not having to rely on maps and my dreadful map reading. I am upgrading to a BMW Navigator III at the weekend (Bluetooth, much bigger memory) so the Quest will have to go.
TL84 said:
Zumo 550, absolutely amazingly brilliant piece of kit. Draw route in google maps, upload to unit, totally waterproof, bluetooth headset.
agree, got a 550 and a tom tom 900 for the car. both very good but the garmin is so useful that you can use it ont he bike/car or my kit car with no roof or windscreenI bought a 2nd hand garmin quest from chilli (if memory serves) a while back. I got it because it's very small and is waterproof. I've used it on the bike loads of times and when I do I don't bother to connect up the power or the audio... it just sits there pointing the right way. I think it's great and well worth the money I paid compared to new alternatives. The downside is that the software in it isn't very easy to use and the software on the pc is, to be frank, s
t.
It's loads better than thinking you know where you're heading and stopping when you get lost to buy a road atlas, get someone to tell you where you are, then try and memorise where you're going and charge off with your new road atlas shoved up your jacket only to repeat 5 miles later.
t.It's loads better than thinking you know where you're heading and stopping when you get lost to buy a road atlas, get someone to tell you where you are, then try and memorise where you're going and charge off with your new road atlas shoved up your jacket only to repeat 5 miles later.
Edited by dern on Friday 30th May 16:09
G Man said:
Chilli said:
TL84 said:
Zumo 550, absolutely amazingly brilliant piece of kit. Draw route in google maps, upload to unit, totally waterproof, bluetooth headset.
totally agree....simply the best!Tomtom Rider V2, fantastic bit of kit. Route plan with Autoroute, ITNconverter, or TYRE on the PC and transfer to the tomtom, or do it on a map and mark in the waypoints as you go. Also talks to my phone and autocom via bluetooth.
Did this on Sunday, 230 miles of stunning hairpins and mountain roads with a grand total of one junction of dual carriageway. Took 15 mins of planning with a map, tomtom, and friendly native over a couple of beers the night before, no way we'd ever have managed a route that complicated in a day working off maps alone. Satnav will change the way you ride!
Did this on Sunday, 230 miles of stunning hairpins and mountain roads with a grand total of one junction of dual carriageway. Took 15 mins of planning with a map, tomtom, and friendly native over a couple of beers the night before, no way we'd ever have managed a route that complicated in a day working off maps alone. Satnav will change the way you ride!
I'll have to keep my eyes open for deals on ebay. The prices are a bit high at the moment especially after buying kit, bike and lessons. Sounds like a wise investment. I kinda like the idea of just pointing the bike in any old direction and going. Then when I feel like going home, turning on the Sat nav and letting it do the work to get me home. I've no immediate plans to go overseas on the bike this year... well maybe over to Germany in the summer if I have the time/money. so It will all be UK at the moment.
Cheers for the advice.
Rutts
Cheers for the advice.
Rutts
Edited by Ruttager on Saturday 31st May 12:47
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