Help - Which GPS is suitable ??

Right, I've finally decided to take the plunge and invest in a GPS the question is which one.

I'm not really sure I'll make full use of one but like the concept (boys toys, I know).

I'm off to France on the bike very soon and want it particularly for that trip however I also want to use it in the car.

I've, obviously, looked at the Tom Tom Rider but feel that £499 is a lot of dosh especially when I'll then have to pay an additonal €129 for the France map.

Maplin have a Tom Tom Go 700 on special for £359.99 at the moment with UK postcode maps and European address to address maps.

Does anyone have any idea whether this will be suitable for occasional motorcycle use, on the understanding that it's not waterproof of course? Any suggestions for protecting such a unit from the elements? I'll be using this mainly on my K1200RS so the screen should protect the unit from direct forces, wind, etc...

Alternatively, any other suggestions for suitable units and other related guidance would be much appreciated.....

Many thanks in anticipation,
Gerry

Gerry,

There's tons of useful info in this area of the forum, and questions like yours come up very frequently. I suggest you read back through the threads and/or do a search. You'll find it very useful.

Having said that, the TTGo is (I believe) unsuitable for a bike as it's not waterproof. The TTRider is much more suitable. Most GSers seem to prefer Garmin units. In order (& price), have a look at the 2720, 2610, Quest 2 & Quest, although there are others such as the 276.

Welcome.

Hi Gerry

Sounds like your usage will be the same as mine - for bimbling around I don't really need GPS, but it will come in useful for occasional longer trips to a specific destination, and also touring in Europe.

I went for the Garmin Quest 2 - £400 now on the internet, but includes all of Western Europe. You'll need to allow around £50 for a fitting kit. Plus whatever you want to spend on spekers/headphones it you want audible instructions. I've connected mine via the power socket, so it'll take very little time to remove the unit, mount, etc from the bike.

Programming routes on a PC is a doddle (once you're used to how the Mapsource software works), transferring could not be easier. Programming on the unit itself is a little more fiddly. However, I don't want to become a GPS clone, going ONLY where it tells me, so I suspect I'll leave it turned off for much of the time and use it to help me get back to base.

Downsides: it's only a 2D map (rather than latest versions that are 3D images and easier to understand at a glance). And there are occasional times when the screen decides to re-draw at a crucial moment. However, I've only used it where I know I'm going, so it's hard to tell if that'll really be a drawback. And the screen isn't massive.

I haven't really got much to compare it with, having only used a Tom Tom car unit, but I'd have to say I'm happy with it. First real test comes at the end of next week when we're heading to Spain for a week.

(A word of warning - a friend has just "bought" a brand new TT Rider from a seller on E-bay for £350. Turns out to be a scam, he's lost the money and no sign of seller or unit.)

Robin.

Hi Gerry:

Welcome to the UK GS forum.

I'm not at all familiar with the TomTom units, so I can't help you with any advice there. However - I really, really urge you to buy a GPSR that is waterproof (of whatever brand) if you plan to use it on a motorcycle. 'Waterproof' also implies dustproof, bug-proof, and generally more sturdy and robust than non-waterproof units.

Many riders have come up with schemes to use non-waterproof GPSRs on motorcycles, but usually that is a result of the person already owning some kind of PDA that has navigation capabilities, and wanting to use what they already own, rather than spending more money to buy a dedicated motorcycle GPSR. If you don't already own such a non-waterproof unit, there is no sense at all in going down that path.

Michael

The TT Rider is dead easy to use, even with thick-ish gloves on. And the screen is nice and large. It is very light in weight but did seem that it might be a tad flimsy. The bike mount leaves much to be desired as it isn't lockable (I know the Quest is the same).

The mapsets that come with the device are a let down, when you have to spend lots of extra dosh for Europe, speed camera sites etc etc etc.

The Quest has a tiny screen, but if your eyesight is good, shouldn't be too much of an issue.

I'm not at all sure about this 3-D mapping. I find it UNhelpful, but then I'm quite happy with a 'plan' view, and always have the GPS switched to North at the top of the screen.

If you set your device so that it falls within your field of view without the need to move your head to see it, I don't think you'll need the voice cues. The screen clearly flashes up in time before the next turn is required and unless you're totally occupied by looking at the traffic, you can see it.

The benefit of bike designed kit is that it's not only waterproof, but is also designed to cope with the vibrations that m/c are prone to, esp the BMW twins.

Gerry said:

Maplin have a Tom Tom Go 700 on special for £359.99 at the moment with UK postcode maps and European address to address maps.

Does anyone have any idea whether this will be suitable for occasional motorcycle use,

Click to expand...

The TTG 700 has a hard disk drive that might get shaken to bits on a bike.

Andy.