cheap way to get gps instructions in your helmet

curiousexplorer

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Hallo,
I have a zumo 550, I link it up via bluetooth with a Sony SBH-20, this works great. the earbuds also suffice keeping noise out.
I just wear it on a strap around my neck, underneath my jacket, and my buff neatly keep the wires in place.
 
Reviews say the earphones are poor What battery life do you get :nenau
 
Keith Chapman said:
An even cheaper way, look at the screen of GPS follow arrow. No need to be told what to do. All for free. :D
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Whilst keeping a watch on the road infront of you......? Personally I use voice instructions all the time - off the Zumo with a Scala G9.
 
Beemerman59 said:
Whilst keeping a watch on the road infront of you......? Personally I use voice instructions all the time - off the Zumo with a Scala G9.
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It takes no longer to check the display on the GPS than it does to glance at the speedo, or mirror. Or dont you check those?
 
Keith Chapman said:
It takes no longer to check the display on the GPS than it does to glance at the speedo, or mirror. Or dont you check those?
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That is nonsense, you can glance in the mirrors and at your speedo, but if it's a complicated junction you need more time to check the GPS. Without the voice you are missing a big part of the benefit of having a GPS in the first place. Think of a one way system in town, keeping ones eyes on the road and just hearing "keep left" or Keep right" is a much safer option.
 
The Grey One said:
That is nonsense, you can glance in the mirrors and at your speedo, but if it's a complicated junction you need more time to check the GPS. Without the voice you are missing a big part of the benefit of having a GPS in the first place. Think of a one way system in town, keeping ones eyes on the road and just hearing "keep left" or Keep right" is a much safer option.
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I can honestly say that in all the time I have been using GPS on my bike, I have never felt the need for voice prompts. And never felt that my safety has been compromised by this choice. Even in the car the volume of the voice prompt is turned right down.

Each to their own.
 
Running along with my GPS, no voice prompts (forgot to plug into helmet lead). Only later when I looked down at the GPS I could see the double lines, it trying to tell me to turn around asap.

I,ll run with the prompts, thank you.............
 
+1 on the usefulness of voice prompts. Not an absolute means to an end but a very useful part of the information feed from my GPS.

I use an Autocom, not cheap on the face of it but then being a comms hub it's not just for the GPS. The main kit was £43 off of eBay three years ago, the isolated lead to attach the GPS another £20 from the same source. Best bike accessory I've ever bought.
 
To those that reckon they don't need voice prompts, I would ask if they have ever ridden somewhere like the center of Turin, at night looking for a certain hotel ?

Just one example, but I have experienced many similar, where not being able to hear directions is a serious handicap, and those people who say they can navigate by map in the above conditions are talking bollocks !
 
mrtee43 said:
To those that reckon they don't need voice prompts, I would ask if they have ever ridden somewhere like the center of Turin, at night looking for a certain hotel ?

Just one example, but I have experienced many similar, where not being able to hear directions is a serious handicap, and those people who say they can navigate by map in the above conditions are talking bollocks !
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That must be me then! 'cos I have ridden through Turin, at night, in the rain looking for an address, same in London, in the rush hour, several times, the voice prompts were next to useless in those circumstances, coming up a bit too late, and saying 'turn left into bollock street' or whatever when there were a couple of turn lefts, and the road sign couldn't be seen!

Haven't used voice prompts for years now, clearer info to be gained glancing at the screen now and again... and if you need a Sat-Nav to tell you you're in a one way system.. walk!
 
I'm with sleepy on this. I cannot abide the chatter from a GPS in the car or on the bike and I have no trouble monitoring the map and finding my way from the visual clues. :driving
 
walrus said:
I'm with sleepy on this. I cannot abide the chatter from a GPS in the car or on the bike and I have no trouble monitoring the map and finding my way from the visual clues. :driving
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This always seems to be one of those marmite things where people either can't live with or can't live without hearing the voices, and lots of people manage perfectly well either with or without so just do what you feel happiest with and don't bother about what other people think.

Personally being given instructions by an inanimate voice, listening to music or being connected to the outside world with a mobile phone while riding are complete anathema to me, are unnecessary distractions and would detract from the experience of riding a motorbike, but that's just my take.
 
Keith Chapman said:
I can honestly say that in all the time I have been using GPS on my bike, I have never felt the need for voice prompts. And never felt that my safety has been compromised by this choice. Even in the car the volume of the voice prompt is turned right down.

Each to their own.
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Sleepy said:
That must be me then! 'cos I have ridden through Turin, at night, in the rain looking for an address, same in London, in the rush hour, several times, the voice prompts were next to useless in those circumstances, coming up a bit too late, and saying 'turn left into bollock street' or whatever when there were a couple of turn lefts, and the road sign couldn't be seen!

Haven't used voice prompts for years now, clearer info to be gained glancing at the screen now and again... and if you need a Sat-Nav to tell you you're in a one way system.. walk!
Click to expand...

walrus said:
I'm with sleepy on this. I cannot abide the chatter from a GPS in the car or on the bike and I have no trouble monitoring the map and finding my way from the visual clues. :driving
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I'm with all of the above and don't use voice prompts on the bike or in the car, from my experiance the voice prompts are given too late to be of any real assistance and the nagging voice drives me nuts. Each to their own though....

Dave
 
mrtee43 said:
Just one example, but I have experienced many similar, where not being able to hear directions is a serious handicap, and those people who say they can navigate by map in the above conditions are talking bollocks !
Click to expand...

Having spent several years despatching using only maps and my wits, travelled across most of Europe without a satnav, and been pretty successful in quite a few 24 and 36 hour navigational rallies without ever hearing a direction, I guess I must talk a load of bollocks :blagblah

Perhaps it is also an age thing - do those of us who grew up navigating with maps and compass prefer not to hear directions but to think for ourselves?
 
Nope still go with the prompts, also get satisfaction from telling it "No , now shut up and feck off, I am going this way" :D :D
 
Grim Rider said:
Perhaps it is also an age thing - do those of us who grew up navigating with maps and compass prefer not to hear directions but to think for ourselves?
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Well; I started out with map and compass. Dispatched around London for three years with just an A-Z and acquired knowledge. Did a few European tours with just maps, compass and a list of towns/roads in my tank-bag window. All worked really well with a bit of planning and forethought. I see a sat nav as not a different way to do all this, but an evolved way. You still need advance planning to make the most of it as well as an eye on reality and a view that you should interpret the instructions/directions rather than blindly follow them.

I'll use 'all the tools in the box' to get the best result and for me that includes audio prompts. Sure, I could manage without and sometimes do in the car if I have passengers. As said though, each to their own. 'Marmite', if you want to stop at each tree and see if moss is growing on one side or the other then that's fine by me.

I still plan, and tour, with paper maps. Nothing beats them for the overview IMHO.
 
I used to think it was necessary to have the voice prompts (or just a beep) in my helmet.. I went to some great lengths to make it so.. I missed the odd turn because I wasn't paying attention to the GPS...

Then I started using intercom while riding with my mates.. and the intercom wouldn't work with the GPS pulling peeps off at every beep from the GPS.. Plus I still miss the odd turn even with voice prompts... not as many but still the odd time I get the timing wrong on a complicated exit, or with lots of turns in a short distance.

So now I just leave the GPS off intercom... It helps that there are some good graphical helpers on newer gps's these days.

Al...
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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