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Froggy
| | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2011 - 08:02 pm: | 
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I've never seen one without it, in fact some older ones don't even have auto recalc. |
Easttroy
| | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2011 - 09:23 pm: |
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Best solution for a GPS is MAPS! Buy them and use them.
Use the GPS as a "reference ONLY", especially if you are going into an area you are not familiar with.
A couple of my friends following their GPS nearly ran out of GAS because they followed the GPS without referring to maps. The GPS had WAY more routes than were really there and while they were only 10 miles from GAS, it was all forest. They had to back track 40 miles to get GAS due to GPS.
(Message edited by easttroy on September 09, 2011) |
Dynasport
| | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2011 - 09:38 pm: |
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I like having a GPS, I am terrible at directions, and I have a hard time refolding maps on my bike. When I started looking for a GPS to use on my bike I quickly discovered bike specific units are serious coin. I really wanted a Zumo 550, but I couldn't come up with the money at the time.
I ended up buying a used 2720 off ebay for about $50 bucks or so. Be careful, though, some of the units don't work (DAMHIK). The one I bought didn't come with anything. I spent another $20 on a Ram mount and another $20 on a power cable for the bike. All told, I had a little over $100 with shipping costs added in.
It is an older unit, but it works great. I am just learning how to create routes and load them on to the GPS. I use Base Camp because I use a Mac and Map Source doesn't work on it. Garmin has stopped supporting Map Source anyway and is pushing everyone to Base Camp which is a free download from the Garmin web site.
The software is not particularly user friendly, but I am beginning to get the hang of it and have created some nice routes already.
So, if you are cheap like me, you can find some used GPSs on ebay for good prices, if you are patient and careful.
If you have the money and want newer, though, think about the features you want and are important to you and look at the Zumo line.
The Montana looks really good, but is no cheaper once you buy the mount and maps you will need. Since I don't ride off road, I don't really need the features of the Montana.
I had been thinking I would get a Zumo in the next year or so, but really I am pretty happy with my 2720, so I'll probably spend the money on something else. Believe me, there are plenty of things I can spend it on. |
Calamari_kid
| | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2011 - 10:11 pm: |
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I've had a zumo 550 for a few years and really like it. The outlay was kinda tough to swallow, but I've never regretted it.
There are third party apps for importing Streets and Trips or Google maps routes into Garmin friendly files so you can plan out your a route full of twisty bits.
My only gripe is when importing longer routes I have to break them up into multiple files, as the 550 is limited in the number of waypoints it will recognize in an imported route. Not a huge deal as I only run into it when planning multi-day rides.
It has a feature which allows you to input your gas capacity and mpg which acts as a gas gauge of sorts. It pops a little icon when it thinks you're low and if you tap it shows direction and mileage to the nearest gas stations, which is handy in the remote wilds of Wyoming.
It's been a solid piece of equipment that I've used on the bike and in the truck for the last five years without fault. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 12:56 am: |
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I still love my Quest II. Slow, Atari-based, no bluetooth, no touchscreen...but tough as a tank, can't seem to kill it (not for lack of trying!), they still support maps, and when it comes down to it (crappy weather rolling in, fuel running out, stuff like that) that "route home" button works just fine 
When/if I kill it...I'll likely go 660. Problem isn't the GPS so much as the five extra cradles I'll need to replace... |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 01:18 am: |
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quote:Problem isn't the GPS so much as the five extra cradles I'll need to replace...
Thats it. My cradle got crushed in the crash... more or less extruded. The quest came out fine though. No good source for a replacement yet. |
Froggy
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 02:03 am: |
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quote:They had to back track 40 miles to get GAS due to GPS.
"Its the hammers fault it hit my thumb!"
If you don't know how to properly use a tool, don't use it, or you are asking for trouble. This applies to hammers, saws, GPS, guns, drills, matches, forks, and pretty much any other invention of the last 500000000 years.
There is nothing a paper map can do that a GPS can't, having a paper map would not of helped them out, they still would of had to backtrack 40 miles.
quote: Garmin has stopped supporting Map Source anyway and is pushing everyone to Base Camp which is a free download from the Garmin web site.
I'll have to try that, I renamed mapsource to crapsource due to its terribleness, but from your description the new one sounds the same!
quote:Problem isn't the GPS so much as the five extra cradles I'll need to replace...
Garmin solved that issue on the newer models, the cradle easily moves from bike to bike, you just need one RAM ball mount on each bike.
Then you will have 5 old quest cradles which actually work better as kickstand things rather than as cradles. |
Ronmold
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 02:04 am: |
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Frogs are amphibians not reptiles. |
Froggy
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 02:17 am: |
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I let that one slide, I made enough enemies tonight  |
Wbrisett
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 07:55 am: |
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I still love my Quest II. Slow, Atari-based, no bluetooth, no touchscreen...but tough as a tank, can't seem to kill it (not for lack of trying!), they still support maps, and when it comes down to it (crappy weather rolling in, fuel running out, stuff like that) that "route home" button works just fine
There are other issues with the Quest/Quest II, but the antenna is the weak spot. Mine went out 1000 from home, I was able to rig it with a rubber band, and order a $10 external replacement on ebay, but now it's becoming more of a hassle on the Uly than just sliding it onto the mount. I also found myself having a harder time reading it, but I'm finding I'm needing my reading glasses for nearly everything these days, which sucks. I find my Zumo 450 which has a larger screen is much better in bright light and also in situations where the text and road names are too small for me to make out clearly on the Quest/Quest II.
The new Zumo units have a larger screen than the 450/550 screens and seem like a great GPS. However, their price is way too steep for me.
Wayne |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 09:10 am: |
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True... you need the external antennae, which is a hassle to connect and disconnect. I tend to just leave it on the bike most of the time. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 10:42 am: |
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(knock wood) my antenna is still working flawlessly
Froggy - if you need a Quest cradle, they pop up on ebay a lot...and I think you can still find 'em on amazon or even garmin.
And I've taken a couple that were...uh..."without harness" and wired them to USB adaptors, since its the same supply V. I have the pinouts if you need them. The one in my Jeep is wired that way, and so is the one on the S1W. |
Buewulf
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 12:28 pm: |
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Best solution for a GPS is MAPS! Buy them and use them.
Tried some once, but I never could find the volume button. I think I'll keep those right next to my clay tablets and abacus. |
Calamari_kid
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 05:39 pm: |
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Touratech has the Quest cradle and mount for $40. http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/PN-GRQSTH/RAM-H andlebar-Mount-for-Garmin-Quest-Quest-2
They also have locking mounts for a bunch of different units. Kinda stupid expensive, but I was able to talk the wife into getting me one for my birthday a few years back and it's a nice little unit. |
Towpro
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 07:46 pm: |
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I got my first GPS for when we were taking the camper out. First trip I realized "gps is the best thing you can do for a marriage".
Also, the new Garmin Montana you can not turn off auto recalculate. Everybody is bitching about that fact so I bet it will be in a new version of software.
Also, the Montana is back to 1 mount for your bike (hard wired) and 1 for your car. The car one has built in speakers where the bike one has a 3.5mm output jack. |
7873jake
| | Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 08:52 pm: |
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I must have the worlds most robust nuvi 200 then. After 45,000 miles in rental cars, on three bikes and a few light rains, it still locks on fast, routes easily and seems unfazed by Uly vibes.
Now I've cursed myself 
I think I have about $125 total in it between the unit, the 12v cable and the Ram mount. Because its a nuvi, I think the Ram mount was the most expensive item. |
Nadz
| | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2011 - 08:45 pm: |
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Another vote for the Nuvi 550, which can be had for $150 and is as good as a Zumo. It has all the Zumo advanced routing features and is water- and shockproof. I know that for sure.
Put it on with a stubby "mountain bike handlebar mount" and it's never moved.
Bonus- it's old and cheap so if it gets stolen I'm not out much. I just put my gloves on it when I go in somewhere. |
Bike_pilot
| | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 08:31 am: |
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I have a Nuvi 550, its ok for a basic GPS but not nearly as fast, capable or durable as a zumo (which I also have). Whether you need/want the added stuff the Zumo does depends on how you use it. If you just use it for basic road navigation, aren't going to beat on it too hard and don't mind waiting a bit for it to re-draw maps it should be just dandy. I just used the Nuvi to ride from Boston to DC and it routed my along just fine. I did note that its not nearly as glove-friendly as the zumo. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 08:54 am: |
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Thanks for the Touratech link. That's the easy part of the Quest mounting, physically getting it on the bike. The RAM mount works great.
Getting power to it is the hassle. I think I'll have to start hacking. |
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