I have used Garmin motorcycling GPS products since the days of the Quest devices and before that the early palm top devices. With each new iteration the devices have become better and better at doing what they are primarily meant to do, which is to guide a bod from A to B or from A to Z via all the letters in between. Similarly, their computer based software, whether it be Mapsource or BaseCamp, has got better and better too.
In years and over 1000's of miles travelled I have had just two significant problems:
1. The first edition 660, which suffered from a widely recognised software problem on first issue, whereby the device was unable to hold reliable satellite signals in areas of poor signal quality, like alpine valleys. This was fixed via a Garmin software update reasonably quickly.
2. A BMW branded (it's a Garmin under the skin) Nav IV which lost its aerial connection after thousands of miles and many hours of use. The device was well outside of its maker's and statutory warranty periods. BMW were not interested in helping me get it fixed, so I contacted Garmin to explain my long association with their products, my overall satisfaction and to ask what they might do to help? They could not have been more accommodating if they tried. They sent me a pre-paid courier bag in which to place the device, asking only that I remove the battery I think. I returned the device to them. Within a short period they sent me what they claimed was a reconditioned Nav IV, though to me looked brand new. It worked perfectly and continued to do so right up to the point I sold it secondhand on this site.
I have no use for all the additional bells and whistles, music, phone calls, weather updates and the like that Garmin (following public demand, I assume) seem to have packed their latest devices with, nor do I have any use for 'Tell me how many times I have put the brakes on' and other nonsense that appears to be latest fad. Nor do I value or use things like, windy roads or whatever it's called. What I do have real use for is a reliable, easy to use GPS device, robust enough to stand the rigours of motorcycling long distances in all sorts of weathers; a device that has excellent map coverage (regularly updated for free after initial purchase) and one that will reliably run routes that I have reasonably easily created on my Mac from within BaseCamp (formerly Mapsource on my PC) or from within the device itself. That the same reliable device integrates well with its four button cradle and / or now the whirly wheel thing on my bikes, records a track record of where I've been and will if I require it to run thirdparty mapping, is just a bonus.
So, could you say that I am happy? Yes.
If you are still unhappy, cross even after four years, I can only suggest that you vote with your feet and wallet from now on, either by using no naviagation device or by switching to TomTom, the only mainstream reliably available alternative.
