What the best GPS to get?

Was faffing around with my Samsung phone on a RAM mount today on the Norge. Kind of ok in a pinch but decided am going to get a real GPS with an earpiece in the helmet. Never needed one in Queensland where I knew where I was going. Starting to get lost riding around to new places over here and don't want to be looking down at the phone while in traffic with these Florida drivers.

What is the latest and greatest? There is a TomTom cable under the tank so would think one of those unless there is an easy Garmin adapter. I have the RAM mount currently on the left mirror mount but would rather have it more central if there is a mid mount solution.

Been doing a search for bluetooth earpieces? Anyone have experience with those?

I have a Garmin Zumo GPS mounted to the center of the handlebar using the Ram 1-3/4" Ram arm and 1" Ram ball. Its attached to the Garmin quick release GPS cradle. I ran the power cable under the tank and direct wired it to the battery with an inline fuse. I would have connected it to the keyed power plug coming off the wiring harness at the front of the bike, but I didn't want the GPS turning on every time I turn the key on. I sometimes use a Sena SMH10 Bluetooth headset installed in my helmet. I can bluetooth to the GPS and hear turn by turn voice instructions and Bluetooth to my phone at the same time and listen to music. If the GPS gives instructions, or if I receive an incoming call, it will automatically mute the music and when the turn by turn instructions or phone call ends, the music will start playing again. The Sena is about 5 years old and I get about 10 hours of use per charge.
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Forgot to mention that I'm just west of you in the Tampa Bay area, these Florida drivers will definitely kill you, they suck. That's why I said I sometimes use the Sena Bluetooth system, if I'm riding in town or the city, definitely not, too focused on trying not to get killed.

So you mean you need to not use the GPS when riding in town or just the voice prompts as they are too distracting? We went over to Merritt Island to watch the non launch of a rocket today, got aborted 12 or 13 seconds before liftoff. Traffic was crazy, especially over the bridge. Went looking for a mate's house there and the voice prompts would have been handy. Ybor City over your way looks interesting.

ecs wrote:

So you mean  you need to not use the GPS when riding in town or  just the  voice prompts  as they are too distracting?   We went over to  Merritt Island to  watch the non  launch of a rocket today,  got  aborted 12  or 13 seconds before  liftoff. Traffic was  crazy,  especially over the bridge.   Went looking for a mate's house there and the voice  prompts  would have  been  handy.  Ybor City over your way looks interesting.

I mean I don't listen to music or take phone calls while in heavy city traffic. If I need to find a place, I'll definitely use the GPS, I just don't use all three devices at the same time. I do use all three functions when I'm doing long distance high speed interstate trips on the Triumph.
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I use an app called co-pilot, is available on iPhone or android. I use an old IPhone in a lifeproof case for my GPS, music, and other functions to include a digital speedometer program. I rarely use any music, prefer the sounds of the motor and road. I modified my old car mount for the Norge and a bicycle mount for the GRiSO so I can tour on both.

What is nice about copilot is it allows you to download whole regions on wifi and then hit the road. I have all of North America (US & Canada) for free. There are premium features in the paid program, and many countries around the world for a fee. The whole North America Map take 2.8 gig, but you can download regions. I don't have to worry about a cell signal or using my phone as a wifi hotspot to keep the map updated, or what happens when there is no cell signal (aka the good roads) . I used to use Google maps and sometimes still do, but co-pilot is growing on me.

I`m using my Samsung Galaxy S5 as a gps, placed in shock box. To hear Susi`s instructions, its connected with my Schuberth com system via bluetooth.

For navigating, an android app called map factor actually is my favorite. Working completely offline and with open street maps, it does not incur any additional costs.

Planing tours is a little bit of fiddling around with this app, but navigation is pretty straight forward. Therefore, I`m planning my tours online with motoplaner.de or kurvenkoenig.de. The result can be exported as gpx tracks or routes and then be imported to map factor. This way that works perfectly for me.

Concur with the above. Your smartphone makes for a fine GPS, with the following suggestions:

- Add a USB port somewhere on the bike (active GPS will eat through a phone battery pronto.)
- Pick an app, the best choices pre-load maps onto the phone. Streaming maps requires a mobile connection and eats up your data plan.
- Pair it with a bluetooth headset and utilize voice prompt directions. You can stream music as well if you like
- Stow it in a good tank bag or a secure bar mount (RAM Mounts are time tested.)

WIsh there was an easy answer. The new garmin is kind of pricy ~$899 so rules that out. The Tom Tom is a bit cheaper but as several suggest, maybe my old inactive S6 with a waterproof case and a USB power source is the way to go. Much appreciated.

Next, which bloody Bluetooth for the helmet??

I've had great luck with the UClear HBC200 units. The boomless mic technology works great and makes for easy installation. The external units are very small and very weather resistant.

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+1 for the UClear. I used them for a couple of rides and they do what they say on the box. I used them with my iPhone.

I use a map.

??? What 's a MAP?

2highlander wrote:

???  What 's a MAP?

Those lovely old fashioned paper things with place names and roads connecting them, that you can fold out and plan where you want to go for the day. Then i ride off in the general direction, safe in the knowledge that if i see a road i like i will take it, if i am on a road i dont like i will turn off it and when i stop for fuel get the map out and see where i am on my journey.

Old fashioned, inefficient, but i am riding my bike, its between me, the bike and the road, without the irritation of some bugger telling me where i should go....just saying

I always ride along just where I want to and follow curvy roads. And every now and then I need a gps to find back home.

I paid for the Tom Tom app a couple of years back, free updates since. It works ok , but for the ease of entering a destination google Maps is hard to beat

I prefer paper maps too. Had a Garmin Nuvi on a long trip a few years back...practically useless. In Santa Fe, New Mexico I had entered the hotel address and as we pulled into town it started barking at me, "Make a U-turn!" Shit, I thought, I must have just missed it. Turned around and went a couple of blocks in the opposite direction and again, "Make a U-turn!" Fuck, it must be right here somewhere, but I can't see it. Again I turned around and again, immediately, "Make a U-turn!" FUCK ME! Meanwhile Esther is following me and she's saying to herself, "Where the FUCK is he going?!" Finally, I pulled over and told her to just sit tight until I find the motel and come back for her. Well, I did find it, FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD! Worthless P.O.S. that Nubi. Got home from that trip and threw it in a drawer in the garage and haven't used it since.

Hm, this may be a result of listening to women too much

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It's an old Garmin handheld. It's shockproof, vibrationproof, waterproof, and runs on two AA batteries for more than a day. You don't need a fancy RAM mount or a power connection.
You put in your destination and the little arrow will always point towards it (beeline).

sidrat wrote:

Then i ride off in the general direction, safe in the knowledge that if i see a road i like i will take it, if i am on a road i dont like i will turn off it [...]

Old fashioned, inefficient, but i am riding my bike, its between me, the bike and the road, without the irritation of some bugger telling me where i should go....just saying

That.


Theoretically, when in need, you could also turn on "routing" and display a map... a very small map... that is very inconvenient for bike use. It still works, though.

Waze app is excellent too. It incorporates realtime feedback from users to alert you to debris in the road ahead, coppers ahead, etc. It can really save your hide on the LA freeways, where the locals regularly drop old sofas, anvils, ladders, you name it...