Looking for a Motorcycle GPS, what would you guys recommend?

corpse

corpse

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Forum Sponsor
I planning on doing a lot of long trips and want to buy a motorcycle gps, What do you guys recommend?

Ive read reviews and top 10's but they seem to choose different ones for the winners.

Long battery life would be nice so i don't have to wire anything in, but maybe this shouldn't be a priority and i should wire it up? Just want to make sure its easy to use and plan my route easily.
 
Last edited:
I just use my cheap old GPS I bought for around 50 bucks. Just keep a plastic bag and a tie to cover it in the rain. Or spend close to 1000 bucks and you won't need the bag.
 
If you can still find them.
I used the Nuvi 700 series because it had MP3. Not waterproof. Also no longer in production.
Still own one and it is about 10 years old. Probably does not come with lifetime maps, which will cost you about $80 extra.

As "Gatekeeper" suggested the Zumo series. Yes, expensive but lots of pros.
With the Zumos you get the full package. Lifetime maps, etc. Everything you need to mount it.

I have used this company in the past. Fast shipping, very helpful.

http://www.gpscity.ca/

You can compare with Radioworld. Service is only so so. They are doing you a favour by being there.

http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-zumo-660lm.html
 
Last edited:
Been using the nuvi 550 for about 5 years now with no issues.
Cheap, rugged, waterproof and will do route planning and download maps.
No bluetooth tho or other fancy farkles.
 
RedDogDarren said:
I just use my cheap old GPS I bought for around 50 bucks. Just keep a plastic bag and a tie to cover it in the rain. Or spend close to 1000 bucks and you won't need the bag.
Click to expand...


Does the touch screen work through the bag? Like in the case of a detour? Or do you have to take the bag off? This is just an inquiry, as this is the route I plan to take with my older gps unit. Saw a mount at a shop for about $25, but I'll wait to see what I find at the show.
Also, as an fyi-- I stumbled across a gps lock for the car that attaches to the steering wheel, I'm sure it would work on a bike. Not sure about it's strength, I believe more of a deterrent. But it's at Dollarama for $3 I'll post a pic next time I'm there.
 
I'm still using an ancient Garmin Quest because I find their newer dedicated motorcycle units to be exceptionally expensive. The only feature I really want in a motorcycle GPS is a transflective screen, which makes the screen actually easier to see in direct sunlight, unlike regular TFT screens. That's the only reason I haven't simply switched over to using my cell phone on the bike; I simply cannot see the phone's screen in the sun. Of all of Garmin's current motorcycle GPS units, only the Zumo 590 offers a transflective screen.
 
I'm using a nuvi 765 it has Bluetooth, MP3 and radio broadcast. Sadly to get these features on a new Garmin you would be looking at a much more expensive motorcycle unit. If my nuvi ever dies I'll just buy the Tom Tom or Garmin app for my phone. I'll lose out on the radio broadcast but I already have a mount that does that in the car.

The other half has a Magellan in their car and initially it seemed great but as time has gone on the thing seems less reliable. It also runs windows which may be hackable but I've no interest in doing that.
 
corpse said:
I planning on doing a lot of long trips and want to buy a motorcycle gps, What do you guys recommend?

Ive read reviews and top 10's but they seem to choose different ones for the winners.

Long battery life would be nice so i don't have to wire anything in, but maybe this shouldn't be a priority and i should wire it up? Just want to make sure its easy to use and plan my route easily.
Click to expand...
You want to hardwire it. Going by battery is not a good idea and you are limited to how far those batteries will take you. lots of threads on gps with lots of different opinions. You need to decide what is of value to you and what is not. I personally love the Garmin Zumo 660. I can route all my maps offline on my computer with software from Garmin called Basecamp. no internet needed. The Zumo is waterproof, glove friendly for touch screen, good in the sunlight, has Bluetooth if you have a headset, you can voice turn by turn, as well as music or even take phone calls. They come with lifetime map updates, have a micro SD slot for expansion ( I have N. America on the device and Europe plus music on the micro SD). They are expensive, but you get everything you need for wiring, bike mounts, car mounts, mounting hardware, etc.

Search around the forum, you will find many different views and you will get a brand perspective from many people with many styles.
 
Joe Bass said:
Does the touch screen work through the bag? Like in the case of a detour? Or do you have to take the bag off? This is just an inquiry, as this is the route I plan to take with my older gps unit. Saw a mount at a shop for about $25, but I'll wait to see what I find at the show.
Also, as an fyi-- I stumbled across a gps lock for the car that attaches to the steering wheel, I'm sure it would work on a bike. Not sure about it's strength, I believe more of a deterrent. But it's at Dollarama for $3 I'll post a pic next time I'm there.
Click to expand...

I wish I could tell you, but I never tried to use the touch screen in the rain.
 
Problem is, Ive never had one before so I have no basis on what I would want or need. I usually just follow signs to towns that are en route to my destination and have a map in my back pack + cell and an ipod in my pocket for tunes. It would be nice if I had an all in one device, but that would probably be out of my budget.

I keep watching these dual motovloggers with their headsets + gps + tunes playing.
 
Here is what I use, not the best in direct sunlight but cheap enough. Nuvi with Techmount in the stem plus the holder made by RAM. Hardwired to battery with mini USB cable directly into the back of the garmin. A must for any longer riding as battery life is inconsistent.

20140428_140345_1_.jpg


BB
 
cycling said:
If you can still find them.
I used the Nuvi 700 series because it had MP3. Not waterproof. Also no longer in production.
Still own one and it is about 10 years old. Probably does not come with lifetime maps, which will cost you about $80 extra.

As "Gatekeeper" suggested the Zumo series. Yes, expensive but lots of pros.
With the Zumos you get the full package. Lifetime maps, etc. Everything you need to mount it.

I have used this company in the past. Fast shipping, very helpful.

http://www.gpscity.ca/

You can compare with Radioworld. Service is only so so. They are doing you a favour by being there.

http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-zumo-660lm.html
Click to expand...

I sprung for the Zumo 6XX series a few years ago. Great for when in Rain, and its good and functional. I was looking at other options recently but because modern Phones touchscreens are capacitance they wont work with gloves. The Zumo does what I need, and great for uploading routes saved in .gpx file format. Only a couple Android apps can do this, and I found them hard to use while riding (screen/buttons too small)

Also, mapwise, you can find Garmin compatible maps for free online. I forget the website, but its open source maps like that from the OpenStreetMap system.

Also, Zumoforums.com has a ton of information.

I actually *HATE* Garmin as a company as they dont seem to test their software or listen to the users. The Zumo 6XX was and still can be a buggy system and they have been sending out buggy software for years. The Bluetooth Hub functionality never worked properly on the units. Last spring their update bricked everyone's GPS units and I had to send it in for exchange. It worked out great for me as my 4yr old unit was replaced with a new refurbished one (my old one was banged up a bit). For the hardcore touring riders there is not much other choice. Again, on ZumoForums there is a lot of talk about all the Zumo models past and present.
 
Your phone.
 
I love my trusty Garmin 2720, including one 2820, I'm currently on my fourth. The software and user interface has yet to be beaten by others and Garmin itself. Update the maps to the latest, and you're good to go. Crazy to think it's ten years old now.

Had a Garmin 660 for a bit a few years back, no advantages worth the huge price increase over the 2720, and some disadvantages that drove me insane.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom