Recommendations for GPS units and mounting options | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Recommendations for GPS units and mounting options

Hey so as a noobie tourer, can someone explain to me the difference between future shop/ crappy tire/ best buy gps units sv the small ones you guys run? While I get by with using my iphone and scala it would be nice to not kill my data plan


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You can still use your phone, just get an off-line map/gps app.

Zumo or TomTom rider are best in sense that you can operate it with gloves on, it is weatherproof, and if you use scala, it will work as attended (priority of GPS, Phone, MP3 player or intercom work as intended)... Screen performs better in direct sunlight than car-only units etc...
 
Hey so as a noobie tourer, can someone explain to me the difference between future shop/ crappy tire/ best buy gps units sv the small ones you guys run? While I get by with using my iphone and scala it would be nice to not kill my data plan


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no there isn't but you probably can get it cheaper at GPSCITY.CA
 
Thanks for the reply guys. Reason I don't like using my phone is because I'm not a fan of mounting it on my bike, the ninja 500's twin vibrates a lot and my phone is already on it's last legs. Also, I keep it charged and running in the window of my tank bag and on hot days it overheats and the iphone can't be used for a few minutes.


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But you can buy a perfectly good iPhone 4 that will take all the punishment you toss at it for $100-200
If you are worred about vibration there are cases and I just use a $20 neoprene mount
That's a lot less than a dedicated and far less capable standalone GPS

ScreenShot2013-08-19atAug19201311606PM_zps1e96bfed.jpg
 
But you can buy a perfectly good iPhone 4 that will take all the punishment you toss at it for $100-200
If you are worred about vibration there are cases and I just use a $20 neoprene mount
That's a lot less than a dedicated and far less capable standalone GPS

Most serious motorcycle riders that I know that have tried the phone-as-GPS route have ended up going back to an actual GPS that is intended for Motorcycle use. They just work better as GPS units in the real world. Heat no issue, waterproof, readable screens in all conditions, ability to use with any gloves, ability to build routes and send to the GPS as well as sending tracks back to a computer are some of the reasons why. I have tried a few GPS programs on my iPad and have to say they are okay for basic stuff but in my mind really pretty useless for extended trips.

..Tom
 
That's all available on phones and far more as well. To each his own but paying $600 for a single function quick to be outdated device is not my cuppa.
Manufacturers have apps for their particular brand and they can all build routes import the GPS files and far more.

http://www8.garmin.com/apps/

I suspect it's habit rather than effectiveness.

Couple of years ago I might have agreed with you ....not now.

This is a good overview and

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-prepping/have-smartphones-made-the-handheld-gps-obsolete/

and when cost is taken into account plus future proofing...no contest

I think you need to explore a bit more.
I've spent time travelling with a stand alone GPS rider and they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time peering at the screen.
The iPhone offers unparalled flexibility when riding by having access to a variety of solutions from traditional offline GPS like TomTom to a whole range of apps incouding those like MotionGOS that can import GPS files.

I can listen to iTunes and the GPS lady whispers in my ear where to turn and then puts the music back on.

GoogleMaps to GPS files is a useful trick for iPhone or Standalone GPS users.

Creating GPS Routes from Google Maps
http://triduffer.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/creating-routes-from-google-maps/

The biggest advantage aside from cost is the smartphones move forward all the time.

Many like me want tunes, phone communication, email and nav including voice nav all on the handlebar plus the ability to access apps like TripAdvisor, Urban Spoon and others that make travelling so much easier.
Being able to switch to the latest and greatest Nav app for maybe $10 at most is terrific.
I love TomTom for ease of use and its Winding Roads feature but then I want to switch to more flexible online apps when in cell range.

Offline there are pros and cons.....add in online access and it's no contest.
And the phones keep getting brighter and the variety, ease of use and sophistication of apps moves forward month by month.

It's a competitive nut house out there. :)

I'm not sure the stand alones are winning the evolutionary battle.

Besides...the OP wants a cost effective solution t'would appear.
 
you can't see a iphone screen in bright sunlight. My GPS works great in direct sunlight and has a 35 hours run time on 2 AA. Outdated? I get updated maps 4 times a year. There's nothing your iphone has that my stand alone GPS doesn't except for traffic... but I don't care about that because on my bike I don't use main roads.
 
Neither do I run on main roads and I can see my screen okay - that picture was taken in daylight.
I don't care about traffic either...have used the dedicated Traffic App a couple of times on Friday coming into the city but that's free and it's available - maybe used it twice in two years.

You have a single application running. I don't run the iPhone on batteries it's always on charge through USB.
Sure you get map updates regularly so do the half dozen apps I use all the time.

But then there are extensive feature updates as well and new killer apps for Nav coming out all the time.

Look - if you have $600 to spend on a single use gadget - go for it....I certainly don't
OP is looking for something cost effective ...as am I.

Standalone GPS are not dead but it's not a growth industry.

At $150 - then it's a good option...at $600 ....c'mon..reallllllly.
 
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I can't bring myself to spend a massive dollop of cash on a waterproof Garmin motorcycle GPS. The things are a total rip off but Garmin sells to what the market will bear. Personally I would be OK with maybe $300ish for one of the units but $600-900? That's ridiculous. I'll make do with my Nuvi and my phone for now and it's not ideal and there are drawbacks with both, they both do have crappy screens in direct sunlight. The problem with smart phones is that they are jacks of all trades but master of not many. As a communications and business device they excel, as a camera they just get by (unless you get one of the new point and shoot/camera devices), for video, the same unless you want to watch it on a big screen.
 
Yes there is that aspect but I agree - the price of the stand alones is too high...and the phonese keep getting better.
But that said - I stay behind the market on my iPhone so they are cost effective for me and it's a total competitive jungle for who has the best nav software.

TomTom is such a bargain and so useful.
Clunky interface but closer to a standalone GPS.

Winding Roads is worth it's weight in gold tho.

TomTom brought out a standalone at $600
TomTom-enhances-Winding-Roads-experience-for-bikers-01.jpg





rider_WindingRoad_img_en_gb_tcm137-54192.jpg


But for $50 you've got on the iPhone ( not on Android with Winding Roads. )

and I just adore the surprises I get when I fire that up.

Easy to see as it has colour choice and day and night plus this when ti gets complicated.
screen568x568.jpeg
screen568x568.jpeg


and I realllllly like turn by turn voice nav without a network connection....and it cuts in over the iTunes perfectly ...you can set the relative levels of sound.
 
Yes there is that aspect but I agree - the price of the stand alones is too high...and the phonese keep getting better.
But that said - I stay behind the market on my iPhone so they are cost effective for me and it's a total competitive jungle for who has the best nav software.

TomTom is such a bargain and so useful.
Clunky interface but closer to a standalone GPS.

Winding Roads is worth it's weight in gold tho.

TomTom brought out a standalone at $600
TomTom-enhances-Winding-Roads-experience-for-bikers-01.jpg





rider_WindingRoad_img_en_gb_tcm137-54192.jpg


But for $50 you've got on the iPhone ( not on Android with Winding Roads. )

and I just adore the surprises I get when I fire that up.

Easy to see as it has colour choice and day and night plus this when ti gets complicated.
screen568x568.jpeg
screen568x568.jpeg


and I realllllly like turn by turn voice nav without a network connection....and it cuts in over the iTunes perfectly ...you can set the relative levels of sound.

The TomTom rider is $399 now apparently. Better price. My phone is android, I have a mix of tech for various things, and I think the Android version of TomTom is missing the windy roads option and that's what I'd really want it for. The iPad overheats on my tank bag in direct sun and so it's not as useful despite having a bigger screen. Damn thing overheats and shuts off even when it's not that hot out.
 
I just use a hiking gps on the bike -- a Garmin Oregon 450, it wasn't very expensive (don't remember how much) and it was the only thing that claimed to be waterproof on my Newfoundland trip that really was -- I ran it through 3 rain storms on that trip, uncovered and plugged in, and it never faulted.

I can also view the screen in any lighting, and I can use the touchscreen with any gloves, unlike my phone. Plus, I don't need to do much. I turn on the bike, it comes on, and I hit the button that says non-usb mode, and it is on and tracking... no apps to start. I tried replacing it with my phone, wasn't happy and went back to the stand-alone GPS.

Edit... since I have determined the Oregon 450 has been discontinued, I'd likely go with the eTrex 20 instead, as it looks somewhat comparable. At least with a hiking gps you can use it for other things... like hiking, 2 AA batteries for 25+ hours is a good backup to have.
 
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Look - if you have $600 to spend on a single use gadget - go for it....I certainly don't OP is looking for something cost effective ...as am I. Standalone GPS are not dead but it's not a growth industry. At $150 - then it's a good option...at $600 ....c'mon..reallllllly.
I paid $200 for mine... not $600
Edit... since I have determined the Oregon 450 has been discontinued, I'd likely go with the eTrex 20 instead, as it looks somewhat comparable. At least with a hiking gps you can use it for other things... like hiking, 2 AA batteries for 25+ hours is a good backup to have.
That's the one I have... Love it
 
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2.2" screen and no touch screen?? ...ouch

Like the larger 62 series, the eTrex does not have a touchscreen, but the visibility outside is obviously much better than the Oregon / Dakota touch screens, with lower resolution than the Oregons. The screen size is somewhat small, 2.2 inches,
http://gpsinformation.info/penrod/etrex30/etrex30.html
 
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Each to their own I guess... it seems you are happy with your iphone, so stick with it.

My Oregon is touchscreen, but I actually prefer the setup of my old etrex vista which was not. It had a button on the right side to scroll through the screens -- which you decide the order beforehand of what is presented. One screen would be the map with your position, one screen the compass, one the data screen with averages, maximums, etc, and you can scroll to any of these without looking once you know where the button is. That is much safer, as far as I'm concerned, if you want to change the screen while riding. On the other side of the GPS was the zoom in and out buttons -- so no attempts to pinch/swipe/tap the screen with gloves that don't work.

My Oregon is only a 3" screen, but it seems big enough for the purpose. It shows me a map with my position, and tells me the direction I need to turn and distance to turn if navigating. How big of a screen do you need when your eyes should be on the road?
 
A touch screen that does not work with gloves is a deal breaker for me right there.

With smart phone GPS, how do you do offline mapping on a computer? Can you download the maps from a site and work offline and upload to your smart phone later? Or are you dependent on internet for a feature like that?
 
A touch screen that does not work with gloves is a deal breaker for me right there.

With smart phone GPS, how do you do offline mapping on a computer? Can you download the maps from a site and work offline and upload to your smart phone later? Or are you dependent on internet for a feature like that?

I think with some you can import .gpx files from other programs (google maps perhaps). I'm just experimenting with this now. Take a look at OSMAND for android, it's a pretty good app. For iPhone MacDoc has outlined a couple of others too. I don't think the TomTom app is set up well for routing though but you can probably get by with adding masses of waypoints.
 

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