Bike GPS

[aprilb]

What are some thoughts on a GPS for the bike (I have a 250 Ninja)? Good or bad idea? If it's a good idea, anybody have suggestions as to some good ones to check out?

[golden chicken]

I just use the one I use in my car. Put it in my tank bag and go.

[jasnmar]

The bike you ride makes much less of a difference than the hows and wheres you ride.

Any bike can charge any GPS. I use my phone for all GPS related activities. I also have a com system that provides me with voice directions. Voice + visual maps are better. Just voice is generally workable, as is just visual.

[drinkingmymilk]

If you just want to go from A to B then any GPS app on your phone is plenty. The problem comes from wanting to go from A to B while using a completly stupid (ie. interesting moto) route. A car tomtom, garmin or any phone nav app. can not do custom routes so you need a moto specific gps such as a Garmin Zumo.

Currently I'm using a RAM X-grip to hold an iPhone 5 which is paired to a SENA SMH10 head set. It works fine and I get audio and visual guides when I want to get some where quick but I plan on getting something like a Zumo with in a year.

Also, charging is simple. http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender...ighter+adapter

[nhbubba]

I still think that a dedicated GPS >>> any smart phone.

Having a dedicated, wired GPS on the bike full time is awesome. It never runs out of batteries or cell coverage.

I have an old, hand-me-down car Garmin Nuvi. It isn't waterproof, vibration proof, or any of that jazz. But it works. RAM makes a cradle for it and I have that mounted up on the 'dash' of the V-Strom. The previous owner wired the bike for a GPS for me, so it has the mini-usb lug just sitting there. Works great.

When it rains I either toss the GPS in my side case.. or slip a baggie over it. The GPS works with gloves on, even with the baggie in place.

My one beef with it is that it does not do routes; only point-to-point routing. And you have very little control over the routing.. it is almost always closest/fastest.

Were I looking for a cheap solution, I'd find a cheap-ish Nuvi on sale somewhere. If you look at garmin's website you can tell which do routes. Buy the cheapest one of those you can find.

That's my opinion.

[Rockhead]

If you just want to go from A to B then any GPS app on your phone is plenty. The problem comes from wanting to go from A to B while using a completly stupid (ie. interesting moto) route. A car tomtom, garmin or any phone nav app. can not do custom routes so you need a moto specific gps such as a Garmin

Not entirely accurate. Route planning is possible with other devices and apps, but just may not be a standard feature; research before you buy. I've been using the free Copilot GPS app for iPhone with minimal headaches, once I figured out some quirks. You can plan your own route by either adding waypoints between your origin and destination or "drag and drop" your route on the app map itself. There isn't an easy way that I know of to plan your route on your desktop and then transfer to the app however, so the process can be a little tedious. You do download the base maps to your phone during the installation and initial set up, so you don't need to keep a constant cellular connection while you're riding. I was originally having problems keeping a constant GPS connection though. Now, before I "start" the navigation, I'll turn off the phone's wifi; this has seemed to do the job.

Caveat emptor, or something like that.

[golden chicken]

I rarely use my GPS anyway, and when I do, it's because I want the most efficient, most direct route to wherever I'm going. If I want to get lost on back roads, I get lost on back roads without my GPS. If I'm lost and need to get home, that's when the GPS comes out. I find that I remember good routes better when I am not blindly listening for directions.

So basically, it depends on how you want to use it.

[AEG]

I rarely use my GPS anyway, and when I do, it's because I want the most efficient, most direct route to wherever I'm going. If I want to get lost on back roads, I get lost on back roads without my GPS. If I'm lost and need to get home, that's when the GPS comes out. I find that I remember good routes better when I am not blindly listening for directions.

So basically, it depends on how you want to use it.

Same here. I'm geographically challenged and I can get lost in my own town dropping off/picking up my kids. I use the basics car GPS that I attach to the $10 handlebar mount when I am in the middle of nowhere and need gas or it is time to head home. Even for this I have a setting to avoid the highways because they are boring.

[markbvt]

If you just want to go from A to B then any GPS app on your phone is plenty. The problem comes from wanting to go from A to B while using a completly stupid (ie. interesting moto) route. A car tomtom, garmin or any phone nav app. can not do custom routes so you need a moto specific gps such as a Garmin Zumo.

As Rockhead pointed out, Copilot for iOS actually can do custom routes. Still not the greatest motorcycle solution though.

I still think that a dedicated GPS >>> any smart phone.

+1

The problem with using a smartphone as a bike GPS is that it's just really not well-suited to that purpose. Too prone to damage from weather, knocks, heat, etc. And the smartphone GPS software is still not very sophisticated. Most GPS apps need a data connection in order to download map segments on the go. The few that include on-board maps, such as the TomTom, Garmin, Navigon, and Copilot apps, are quite feature-limited.

I'm a big fan of smartphones. I love my iPhone, and there are some excellent Android phones available too. I also love my iPad. I think these are brilliant devices that are changing the world. But I'm also realistic about their limitations, and there are still instances in which a more specialized device makes a lot more sense. Smartphone cameras will never replace DSLRs, for instance (not even the new 41MP Nokia smartphone -- yes, 41MP). And a dedicated GPS unit still makes the most sense for motorcycle use.

What sort of dedicated GPS, though, depends on what you need out of it, and how much you want to spend. Several Nuvi models do the trick nicely without breaking the bank (there are even some waterproof ones, or at least there have been in the past). The Zumos are a little more feature-rich for motorcycle use, but otherwise are basically ruggedized Nuvis. And if you want something really rugged with lots of features and don't mind a smaller screen, the Montana or Oregon series work great.

One of the most useful things about motorcycle-oriented GPS units, in my opinion, is that you can study maps and plan out complex routes before your ride, then just follow the route and enjoy the ride, knowing that you'll be hitting up the best roads. Sure, there's something to be said for the spontaneity of just going exploring, but it's easy to miss excellent roads that way. A little advance planning goes a long way.

--mark

[Stromper]

If you like to explore than yes the GPS will open areas never considered before

TOM TOM has a new rider 4.3 color screen with the price of $389
I believe next year it iwll be cheaper like 299 which was the original announced price in Europe
until they flew off the shelves.

Even in the back country though a Tom Tom will take you on great county roads with little traffic and almost NO leos

My Oregon 300 hand held does a good job of routes but I would have been a buyer of this TOMTOM

Garmin and before TOMTOM was in a death spiral as they ripped off BMW's for $1000 for a device which should have cost $300
I am sure that BMW is used to their 4X markups

You can also just make random turns anywhere and when confused just tell the GPS to direct you to the nearest anything gas restaurant, city center etc.

Download Tyre for traveling for free and poke around

[nhbubba]

Several Nuvi models do the trick nicely without breaking the bank (there are even some waterproof ones, or at least there have been in the past). The Zumos are a little more feature-rich for motorcycle use, but otherwise are basically ruggedized Nuvis. And if you want something really rugged with lots of features and don't mind a smaller screen, the Montana or Oregon series work great.

IIRC the waterproof Nuvis were phased out once the Zumo line was on-line. I believe they were pretty pricey too; they were effectively Zumos before the name 'Zumo' existed.

Zumo bluetooth functionality also works backwards from the Nuvis. On a Nuvi, the BT acts as a mic/speaker device so you can use your phone hands free by talking to the Nuvi device. On the Zumo, the BT acts as a device looking to be paired with a remote mic/speaker, such as a helmet mounted BT headset, like a Scala, Sena, etc.

The portable hand held devices (Montana/Oregon) are pretty sweet looking. But their focus is not street use. IIRC you need to purchase street maps and/or street map subscriptions separately. This adds (substantially) to the buy-in price.

Each of Garmins offerings seems to offer a different focus. None is, in my opinion, a silver bullet, one-size-fits-all solution. I am sure this is intentional. They seem to have very good product management/development types.

[markbvt]

The portable hand held devices (Montana/Oregon) are pretty sweet looking. But their focus is not street use. IIRC you need to purchase street maps and/or street map subscriptions separately. This adds (substantially) to the buy-in price.

You do need to add the City Navigator mapset, but the price isn't insane. $70. Add that to the $200 Oregon 450 and you still have a much cheaper, much more feature-rich option than any of the Zumos. Even the Montana 600 plus City Nav mapset is a fair amount cheaper than a Zumo.

And there's an added advantage to buying the City Nav mapset on DVD: you can install it on your computer for use with Basecamp. That way you don't need to have the GPS connected to create routes.

Each of Garmins offerings seems to offer a different focus. None is, in my opinion, a silver bullet, one-size-fits-all solution. I am sure this is intentional. They seem to have very good product management/development types.

I'm not sure it's that, so much, as that I think Garmin pays attention to how its customers are using the products. I think they were surprised at how popular the old GPSmap series was with motorcyclists, particularly the 60 and 76 series and the *78 series, and then the Oregon. I think that's why they developed the Montana to specifically have motorcycle-friendly features. I know there are Garmin employees who pop up on ADVrider from time to time.

--mark

[nhbubba]

The Oregon 450 retails at $329.
The Zumo 220 retails at $399.

That is barely cheaper, esp once you add the maps.
And then you still need to account for updates, no?

[GearHd6]

Bottom line is, the Zumo is for some and the Montana is for the rest. If you're strictly a road guy then the Zumo is it. If you explore off road and do any sort of hiking then the Montana is for you. The 220 Zumo is the low end of the line and the Montana is the high end of that line. When the time comes I'll be buying the Montana and retiring my old handheld Magellan.

[golden chicken]

I haven't updated my Magellan since I bought it probably 10 years ago. Does it always choose the real-life best route? No, but you will get there eventually.




Except for that one time my parents got a rental Prius stuck in snow in some mountain pass in Oregon...

[Garandman]

What are some thoughts on a GPS for the bike (I have a 250 Ninja)? Good or bad idea? If it's a good idea, anybody have suggestions as to some good ones to check out?

They're awesome.

1. Give you your actual speed.
2. Garmins have speed limits.
3. Tons and tons of routes available on places like Advrider.
4. You can always take the "road less traveled" without worrying about getting LLMF.

I use the MP3 player in mine a lot. And mount them so they are as close as possible to my line of vision.

[Jwayma]

IIRC the waterproof Nuvis were phased out once the Zumo line was on-line. I believe they were pretty pricey too; they were effectively Zumos before the name 'Zumo' existed.

Zumo bluetooth functionality also works backwards from the Nuvis. On a Nuvi, the BT acts as a mic/speaker device so you can use your phone hands free by talking to the Nuvi device. On the Zumo, the BT acts as a device looking to be paired with a remote mic/speaker, such as a helmet mounted BT headset, like a Scala, Sena, etc.

Thanks nhbubba, I now know why I can't get my nuvi paired with my Sena, was thinking I was doing something wrong. Dang.

[jwm2k3]

Thanks nhbubba, I now know why I can't get my nuvi paired with my Sena, was thinking I was doing something wrong. Dang.

Tell me about that Sena...is it the 5 model or the new smaller 10?

[rpete]

I have a Peaklife, Pretty cool waterproof GPS for a fraction of the price of a Zumo or similar. Takes a bit of effort to load the software however. Currently it's running iGo Primo, but others can also be installed and switched to.

[drinkingmymilk]

Not entirely accurate. Route planning is possible with other devices and apps, but just may not be a standard feature; research before you buy. I've been using the free Copilot GPS app for iPhone with minimal headaches, once I figured out some quirks. You can plan your own route by either adding waypoints between your origin and destination or "drag and drop" your route on the app map itself. There isn't an easy way that I know of to plan your route on your desktop and then transfer to the app however, so the process can be a little tedious. You do download the base maps to your phone during the installation and initial set up, so you don't need to keep a constant cellular connection while you're riding. I was originally having problems keeping a constant GPS connection though. Now, before I "start" the navigation, I'll turn off the phone's wifi; this has seemed to do the job.

Caveat emptor, or something like that.

Wow, good to know. I'll play with it a little today the last time I really dug into it I could not find any apps. Thanks.

As Rockhead pointed out, Copilot for iOS actually can do custom routes. Still not the greatest motorcycle solution though.



+1

The problem with using a smartphone as a bike GPS is that it's just really not well-suited to that purpose. Too prone to damage from weather, knocks, heat, etc. And the smartphone GPS software is still not very sophisticated. Most GPS apps need a data connection in order to download map segments on the go. The few that include on-board maps, such as the TomTom, Garmin, Navigon, and Copilot apps, are quite feature-limited.

I'm a big fan of smartphones. I love my iPhone, and there are some excellent Android phones available too. I also love my iPad. I think these are brilliant devices that are changing the world. But I'm also realistic about their limitations, and there are still instances in which a more specialized device makes a lot more sense. Smartphone cameras will never replace DSLRs, for instance (not even the new 41MP Nokia smartphone -- yes, 41MP). And a dedicated GPS unit still makes the most sense for motorcycle use.

What sort of dedicated GPS, though, depends on what you need out of it, and how much you want to spend. Several Nuvi models do the trick nicely without breaking the bank (there are even some waterproof ones, or at least there have been in the past). The Zumos are a little more feature-rich for motorcycle use, but otherwise are basically ruggedized Nuvis. And if you want something really rugged with lots of features and don't mind a smaller screen, the Montana or Oregon series work great.

One of the most useful things about motorcycle-oriented GPS units, in my opinion, is that you can study maps and plan out complex routes before your ride, then just follow the route and enjoy the ride, knowing that you'll be hitting up the best roads. Sure, there's something to be said for the spontaneity of just going exploring, but it's easy to miss excellent roads that way. A little advance planning goes a long way.

--mark

I agree, but I own a smart phone. I am the cheapest prick on the planet. I understand the limits but I don't see why they still exisit. I can easily slap my iPhone into a lifeproof case, I have a hard wired charger. You'd think making maps work on the phone or a tablet would be much better by now.

Tell me about that Sena...is it the 5 model or the new smaller 10?

Go with the SMH10, don't go with the SMH10R. The increased rang of the 10 is much better for group rides where you and a buddy may not be riding directly by the person you want to talk too. The 10R while slimmer gets rid of the best feature on the sena... the jog wheel. I have had mine about 18 months now. I LOVE it. I think with all the guys on Born, there are about 30-40 of us with them, zero complaints.

[nhbubba]

You'd think making maps work on the phone or a tablet would be much better by now.

You would.. but it isn't. Creating routes on maps.google and then having a 'send to phone' would be a killer function.

[markbvt]

The Oregon 450 retails at $329.
The Zumo 220 retails at $399.

That is barely cheaper, esp once you add the maps.
And then you still need to account for updates, no?

The Oregon 450 is available online new from authorized dealers for $199. And the Zumo 220 appears to be end-of-lifed; Garmin no longer has it on their website under current models, only in the shop section (they obviously still have some left over).

Updates are a moot point. Neither of these units come with lifetime maps. And to be honest, roads don't really change enough for quarterly or even yearly updates to be necessary. I'm still using the same City Navigator mapset on my Oregon that I bought with it in 2009.

I agree, but I own a smart phone. I am the cheapest prick on the planet. I understand the limits but I don't see why they still exisit. I can easily slap my iPhone into a lifeproof case, I have a hard wired charger. You'd think making maps work on the phone or a tablet would be much better by now.

Yeah, ultimately I agree with you because I like the hi-res screen of my iPhone and iPad. It would be awesome to be able to mount, say, the 7" iPad and have it display detailed maps but zoomed out so I can see how the roads connect and so on. Basically, use it like a paper map. But at the same time have it record a track of where I'm riding, provide routing information and turn by turn instructions, etc. It would be even better if you could simply tap on a road segment and the app would ask you if you want to reroute to include that segment (or if you're already routed over it, ask if you want to avoid it).

There's no reason someone couldn't write a powerful, flexible GPS app for iOS (and Android) that would meet the needs of everyone who likes to traverse roads in more than just a point A to point B fashion. I could see it being a super useful app not just for motorcyclists, but also for people who actually take their cars out for pleasure drives, for bicycle tourers, even for delivery drivers who need to make lots of stops. I'm surprised no one has done this yet. If I knew how to develop apps I'd do it myself, but I'm not a programmer.

But that said, there is still one major drawback: these are relatively fragile devices. Even putting it in a waterproof case is problematic, because it tends to get really hot inside the case when the sun beats down on it, and the phone/tablet just shuts off when it overheats.

--mark

[aldend123]

You would.. but it isn't. Creating routes on maps.google and then having a 'send to phone' would be a killer function.

You can get a link that embeds all the information. Then email or text it to yourself.

But I agree, I'm really surprised it has not become seamless. I can't remember now, is "My Places" available in the Google Maps app?

[golden chicken]

But that said, there is still one major drawback: these are relatively fragile devices. Even putting it in a waterproof case is problematic, because it tends to get really hot inside the case when the sun beats down on it, and the phone/tablet just shuts off when it overheats.

--mark

Many of them are also still extremely hard to read in bright sunlight, and many are difficult to use with gloves on. Another plus for real paper maps or resistive type touchscreens vs. the capacitive style found on tablets and smartphones.

[nhbubba]

Updates are a moot point. Neither of these units come with lifetime maps.

I had forgotten about that. I forgot the Zumos did not have lifetime maps. Can't believe they don't, for that money. Especially considering so many of the cheaper Nuvis do.

Another strong advantage for a cheap Nuvi I suppose.